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3.1: Wrong Word

  • Page ID
    52536
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    Wrong word errors are really common and are number one on the list. Sometimes, we make a wrong word error when we are using the thesaurus and trying to find the biggest word we can find in order to make ourselves sound really smart. This isn’t the greatest strategy. Sometimes, it’s better just to be simple, and it’s always better just to be clear.

    We also have to be careful of the spell checker. Sometimes, we misspell words, and then the spell checker makes a change to a word we don’t want. Of course, we may be in a hurry and never even notice. Take a look at this sentence to see the problems wrong word errors can create:

    Screenshot 2020-05-06 at 19.33.10.png

    In this sentence, writing defiantly when we mean definitely, definitely changes the meaning in the sentence.

    Here is the sentence again with the correct word:

    Screenshot 2020-05-06 at 19.33.21.png


    This page titled 3.1: Wrong Word is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Excelsior Online Writing Lab (OWL).

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