Surprisingly, in the age of high technology, when preschoolers are able to use computers, tablets and smartphones, when all adolescents "surf" on the Internet and register personal pages, or even sites, it is increasingly difficult to meet a competent person. Errors are full of not only periodicals, but also textbooks and fiction books. But editing and correcting texts does not require transcendental knowledge, the spelling of words can always be checked, you just have to want to, but you need to respect your own language.
Why literacy is needed
Compositions, essays, communication on social networks - all this requires the ability to write without errors. Texts are an indicator of a person’s education, therefore literacy can be called self-presentation and a career growth engine.
Just imagine the situation: the employer reads the resume of the applicant for the position, and the words are spelled incorrectly and there are no punctuation marks! With an educated leader, such an applicant can never count on a prestigious place. It has long been known: as a person writes, so he speaks and thinks, so it's time to comprehend a letter so as not to look like an upstart amateur.
Verification of the spelling of words is also necessary for those who write almost without errors. Any text created requires editorial revision: re-reading to eliminate speech, spelling and punctuation flaws. There are many ways to check, and if you learn to use them in combination, then literacy is ensured.
Need to read to find
It is always worth remembering that your own mistakes are more difficult to detect. To achieve the result, it is necessary to revise the written (printed) several times, it is better to do this with a pencil. When reading text, underline all words that cause difficulty.
Next, to determine the correct spelling of words, you need to work on the following algorithm:
- select all doubtful fragments;
- check them by checking academic dictionaries and reference books;
- Rewrite the text carefully, without making new shortcomings;
- to consolidate skills and remember the rules, create a separate notebook for recording difficult and most common mistakes you have.
And one more important tip. When checking your work, try to see in it not what you wanted to say, but what is written in it. Syllable reading helps a lot.
Computer assistant
Personal text verification is well combined with electronic means: online services on the Internet or personal Word. It is immediately necessary to warn: there is not a single program that can verify the correct spelling of words perfectly. The Russian language is too multifaceted for the machine to be able to distinguish all its nuances of spelling and syntax constructs.
If we consider electronic verification as initial, then it is quite effective, especially if the generated text will be in print. For everything that concerns the correction of excess and missing spaces or gross typos, the Word document is simply irreplaceable, so learn to type immediately in it, and not in notebook.
However, this editor must be configured to become an assistant. In the “Service” tab, find “Options” and go to “Spelling”. Ticks should mark lines where automatic spelling and grammar checking is suggested.
If the settings are made correctly, the spelling of words can be monitored as you work. As soon as the printed word is underlined in red, then it needs to be checked. A green line indicates no comma or incorrect alignment.
Check spelling and grammar on the Internet
In the global network for this there are many services, however, they are limited to the dictionary that is embedded in them. The necessary terms or names may not appear there, and then a red line appears, and the spelling of words will have to be sought in other sources.
The most common mistakes should be distinguished:
- “b” in the verbs: -t, -t and imperative ;
- personal endings of verbs depending on conjugation;
- complex and derivative prepositions (despite, because of);
- spelling and declension of numerals (fifty, fifty);
- distinction between "not" and "neither";
- “o” and “e” after hissing and “c”.
As for grammar, automatic editors have limitations in this regard. They practically do not recognize a word that is in the wrong case, and they also cannot access the definition of lexical compatibility.
Punctuation marks require verification
The weakest place in electronic programs is the syntax. If the rules for writing words nevertheless lend themselves to some kind of systematization, then things are more complicated with punctuation. It is recommended that all underscores of automatic editors be critical. They will constantly require commas, and if you put them in all cases where the program asks, it will turn out to be punctuation errors.
The main difficulties in punctuation:
- a comma, colon or dash in an all-union sentence;
- isolation of introductory words and constructions;
- the design of the transmission of someone else's speech (quotes, direct speech);
- compatibility of punctuation marks.
To avoid unnecessary mistakes, do not overload the sentences, making them complex and clumsy constructions. In such cases, no editor will help, here you cannot do without good knowledge of syntax and linguistic flair.
Better to read and write
The best answer to the question of how to check the spelling of words is the recommendation: to master the norms of the Russian language. There are specially designed teaching methods for this:
- language analysis and synthesis ;
- imitative (memorization or memorization);
- solving spelling problems.
The techniques associated with language analysis and synthesis suggest independence and cognitive activity. These principles are directly related to the main categories of the language, clear and systematic knowledge of which imply an independent solution to the spelling or syntactic problem. Simply put, the Russian language is the same mathematics, where, knowing all the basic concepts, the correct solution can always be found or proved.
The difficult thing to remember
It is impossible to learn literate writing without memorization. There are many cases in our language when it is impossible to check the spelling of words in the usual way.
The imitative method has various kinds of exercises. Rapid memorization is facilitated by visual dictations, copying texts from a sample, or reproducing them from memory. The regular use of the spelling dictionary also helps to strengthen the ability to correctly use words.
Experience is gained
Solving grammar and spelling problems is also a search method in which an algorithm of actions is developed for correct spelling.
First, the spelling is found, then the possibility of checking it is determined. If the answer is yes, then what topic does it relate to? The rule is remembered, then it is applied. And finally verified.
Of course, all these tricks are taught at school. But if for some reason you were not able to master the Russian language course at an educational institution, it is never too late to do it yourself, especially since there are no shortages in manuals and tips. Every person should be literate, otherwise we will lose culture.