I caught sight of this on Twitter. Oops. The tweeter apparently met a challenge in spelling “challenge.” And “600 weds?” That’s a lot of weddings. I’m sure that he or she meant “words.” In all fairness, the problem with “words” becoming “weds” could be an auto text issue.
“Challenge” is one of those words where the ending sound is clear as mud. It sounds like “e” or “a” when spoken. Others with similar sounds that trip up me and others nearly every time:
- Privilege
- Maintenance
- Reference/Occurrence
Even though social media is a more casual environment, this was for a writing contest. It’s a case of the cobbler’s children with no shoes. The advice is the same, besides using spell-check: slow down, look over your work, and finally, use someone else to give it a once-over.
Seen any interesting typos on social media? Please share.
Happy reading and writing, my friends!
Sean C. Wright is the author of the novella Honey Riley and short stories Bubble Bath Twelve, Hazel Hogan and Devil Does Dallas. For more information about her writing skills and how she can assist you with yours–business or consumer–visit http://www.iwrightaway.com/.
Send me your typo images! Snap pictures and email them to msseanc@aol.com. They must be real pictures and not images in online links, as those might be doctored. I’m looking for The Real McCoy. Conceal the company’s identity if possible. No sweat if you can’t. I’ll hide the name before I post it. We’re not looking to embarrass, but to educate.
Seanarchy 