'Prose' and cons of the spell check
The Microsoft Word spell checker is the traditional refuge for the time-poor author seeking reassurance that the basics of English grammar are more or less covered in their draft document.
I'm often alarmed by business writing trainees who report that the familiar ABC icon has assumed a far more important role in document production.
Tool of choice
Trainees often use the automated spell checker as their tool of choice when it comes to assessing the editorial rigour of important documents.
I maintain that quality writing requires three things - revision, revision and more revision.
Automated tools cannot take the place of printing a draft, reading it aloud and revising the content line by line.
This is no easy case to make amongst people battling deadlines, however, the following piece of creative genius gives hope to editors everywhere.
The Spelling Chequer
(or poet tree without mist takes)
Eye have a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marks four my revue
Miss steaks eye cannot see
Each thyme when I have struct the quays
Eye weight four it two say
If watt eye rote is wrong or rite
It shows me strait a weigh
As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore too late
And eye can put the error rite
Eye really fined it grate
I've run this poem threw it
I'm sure your policed to no
It's letter perfect in its weigh
My chequer tolled me sew
- Author unknown
Visitors are welcome to make copies of this article provided you acknowledge Ink Marketing as the source.
