To Ensure Your Word Is Right

My daughter came to ask my advice because she was going to be graded on an in-class essay. I reminded her of the literary devices she uses well. She’s young, but already has a signature style. But I also reminded her of the pitfalls to avoid. If she’s in a hurry, like most of us, spelling can be a problem.

When you are writing, spelling counts. One little letter changes the meaning of an entire sentence.

For example, ensure and insure are often used improperly. To ensure is to guarantee that something happens. To insure is to take out an insurance policy on something. You’ll have a hard time getting an insurance agent to help you wake up on time, but you can ensure that you wake up on time by setting an alarm clock.

One letter, the first letter of those two words, makes a big difference. There are other words like that pair, and we usually know which words we mix up most often. Taking the time to watch out for simple spelling errors will help make our message more readable and enjoyable.

Happy proofreading!

No comments: