Can you spell better than a child?

Question

Researchers looked at 530 million spelling attempts by children in the UK and concluded many would benefit from a clip around the ear. The ten most commonly misspelt words were,
• Sketch
• Mischievous
• February
• Couldn't
• Mustn't
• License
• Definitely
• Indefinite
• Convenience
• Preferred

I suppose we can forgive children. After all, they're still learning, and for most of them, emoji is their first language. But how many on the list are you confident at spelling?

Chazmatazz269 · Accepted Answer

I generally excel at spelling. None of those words are anywhere near the top of the list of words that give me pause.
More often than not, if i have read a word more than twice, i can spell it. Almost every word i’ve ever written i can spell correctly. I do struggle with new words, particularly with those of non-English or old English origin.
There are a few words that i know well and have used often but still pause before writing them because i have messed them up repeatedly. I have deliberately mispronounced ‘restaurant’ for years in order to remind myself of its spelling. The “i before e” “rule” has made my brain itch from day one and some words have challenged me routinely because of it. ‘Niece’ might be chief among them.
The vast majority of my spelling errors are actually a failure to spell check autocorrect. My phones’ interfacing with certain platforms mix up ‘its’ and ‘it’s’, ‘there’, ‘their’ and ‘they’re’, ‘bored’ and ‘board’, among others. I have come to the conclusion that popular platforms have been using AI to autocorrect for a long time and the most common misspellings have become part of the lexicon. It’s like crowdsourcing spelling, with the same expectable miserable results.
After all, and to your point, the kids and bots that populate the most popular platforms communicate almost entirely with acronyms and pictographs. What does spelling matter anymore? I’ve even had the willfully ignorant challenge me with “It doesn’t matter! You knew exactly what I meant!” kind of defensive stupidity when i kindly offer a correction. They’re literally committed to their ignorance. 🤣🤣🤣
Still pulling for that meteor! 🤞🤞

goaded · Accepted Answer

Literally my first question on here:   That said, I might have to look up a couple of your examples.

RandomGirl42 · Accepted Answer

ain't spelin kinda lik thit mathe stuf thay teecht in skool? 🤔🥱😴😝💩

queenofcardio · Accepted Answer

I make mistakes especially if I am typing or writing fast.

OlderAndWiser · Answer

My profession depends on communication that is close to perfection. I would not tolerate any misspellings in my work product.

Tarifa · Answer

As a non-native English speaker, I might just have doubts on the last one: double r or single r. I'm fine with the rest. But then I've been studying languages early on, read books in different languages and my career involves translations and revisions.

I'm biased and will even spot misspelt words in a restaurant menu. They just seem to pop up large.

Master_Debator · Answer

None of them... everyday I just make educated guesses at spelling and somehow I get it right most of the time.

That and I'm usually distracted when I'm trying to spell because I'm touching myself in response to things I'm watching for research purposes.

FunkyMonkee · Answer

What about, "would've/could've/should've/must've"?

Yes, I'm pretty sure I can spell better than grade schoolers. My keyboard, however, is a completely different story!! I CONSTANTLY have to proofread everything I type!!!

KostasKouvalis · Answer

You spelled "spelled" wrong. And mustn't? That looks so weird. Speaking of "weird" (I before E, except after C) my ass. It should be musn't. No, that doesn't look right either. I don't think we even use that word in American English

Anyways, where I personally struggle is double... how do you spell "consinents"?

Did I tell you, you misspelled "misspelled"?

NathanDavis · Answer

I do have to re-learn one word, every single time... m a i n t e n a n c e

Kingofkings1992 · Answer

I'm a fantastic speller when it comes to writing out the words, however speaking them out loud letter for letter is a different animal lol.

Telekinetic-Potato · Answer

I always switch up the u and the r in February

DeeDeeDeVour · Answer

I was a spelling champ when I was a child.  Add all the wit & wisdom I've earned throughout my existence, I've gotten far better.

Iron_Man · Answer

I should hope so. We have a show in America from years ago. Can you spell better than a fifth grader

bobalife · Answer

N🚫t 4eAlly, D0nut Tank so much I kan spelled better than a child at my age

AviatorTom · Answer

I won my grammar school spelling bee.

loveslongnails · Answer

Yes... " b e t t e r t h a n a c h i l d" I believe that's correct.

douride2 · Answer

I almost always get definitly wrong. Right? LOL See what I mean

AngryCarl3 · Answer

Some of those words are pretty hard for adults. Is it licence or license? I don't know.

beefcakebradybatson · Answer

My IQ is past 160, plus I was a spelling bee winner.

exitseven · Answer

I can spell but I cannot type.

Likes2drive · Answer

Usually, but I sometimes mess up on some of those

LC75LC71 · Answer

Everything is spellchecked so who cares!

Can you spell better than a child?

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