# Why can't I spell **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 20, 2002, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-spell/133077 "2002-10-20T06:57:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-spell/133077/1 "2002-10-20T06:57:21Z")
As some of you whom have read my posts have probably observed, I spell for shit. Oh, some of it is typing errors and I don’t preview the post, but much of it is just bad spelling. I look up alot of words in the dictionary before I post, but not always. What get’s me is, it’s not like I’m an uneducated dope. In fact, I won spelling bees when I was in school, and came in second in one in college. But now my spelling is terrible. I know others who say the same thing. What reason is there for spelling skills to dwindle as one ages? ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-spell/133077/2 "2002-10-20T07:17:42Z")
Do you use spellcheck as a crutch? ---
**Author:** ![partly\_warmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@partly\_warmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partly_warmer)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-spell/133077/3 "2002-10-20T08:11:54Z")
It seems to be harder to spell reading the computer screen in a word processor. At least for some types of errors. For some reason constrained formats and unfamiliar fonts such as those used to type SDMB messages seem to add to spelling and other mistakes. I often find I’ve left obvious words out. One cure is to cut-and-paste to a word processor, and spell check there. And that way, if the SDMB dumps your message, you’ve got a backup. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-spell/133077/4 "2002-10-20T10:08:33Z")
Sans serif typefaces might be interesting to look at, but serif typefaces are much better for reading. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-spell/133077/5 "2002-10-20T13:43:37Z")
Just go with a few simple hints, pkbites. [list=1][li]'s doesn’t indicate plural number of noun or single agreement for verb. It indicates possessive except for the possessive pronoun “its.”[/li][li]“i before e except after c or when pronounced like a as in neighbour or weigh.” Of course, there are occasional exceptions to this rule.[/li][li]Memorize a few of the commonly-confused words. Your post has “alot” (usually taken to be a misspelling of “allot” instead of a misspelling of “a lot”). The sense of the sentence requires “a lot” in its place.[/li][li]Flip through a dictionary on a regular basis. Don’t try to memorize the whole thing, just look for anything interesting.[/li][/quote] As far as reasons why spelling ability dwindles over time: same as for any other skill. One must work to maintain the skill. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-spell/133077/6 "2002-10-20T13:49:40Z")
Spell check is one reason, for sure. I believe it’s the same brain process as depending on a calculator for simple math. I can’t even do simple calculations in my head anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-spell/133077/7 "2002-10-20T14:16:23Z")
Final hint: Be sure to close the tags, especially when making a list! ---
**Author:** ![capelover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@capelover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capelover)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-spell/133077/8 "2002-10-20T14:53:03Z")
I’ve noticed I have a hard time remembering how to spell things these days…It must be the whole “use it or lose it” thing…I have this thing about being turned off when a prospective boyfriend can’t spell or write intelligently… I refuse to use a calculator because I don’t want to lose some of that ability too… ---
**Author:** ![typhoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed8c4c/32.png) [@typhoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typhoon)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-spell/133077/9 "2002-10-20T21:52:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Urban Ranger \* > \*\*Sans serif typefaces might be interesting to look at, but serif typefaces are much better for reading. \*\* Sans-serif fonts are better for screen, and serif fonts are better for print. Actually, you very rarely want to use the same typeface for both purposes. Fonts like Georgia and Verdana was designed very intentionally for screen use, which means they’re wider and distinguish characters by making each glyph as simple and recognizable as possible. Print typefaces have much more subtle variation in weight and better kerning. This was completely off-topic, by the way.