7/10/2018 Learnlight - Imprimir

TARJETA 1 | 0000-648E

How good is your spelling?

Participa en la encuesta.

My spelling is fine, it's the commas that confuse me.

Reasonable. I like to use a spell checker or a dictionary just to make sure.

Awful. I rely on a spell checker to make sure texts are error-free!

Excellent. I seldom make errors or need to check spelling.

TARJETA 2 | 0000-4WRC

Increase your vocabulary!

¡Amplía tu vocabulario!

Let's look at some words and phrases to help you understand the article.

correct [adjective] - right, according to the facts

harmless [adjective] - not likely to upset people or cause problems
irritating [adjective] - causing annoyance
confusion [noun] - lack of understanding
suspicious [adjective] - believing that someone has probably done something wrong
inability [noun] - the fact of not being able to do something
relaxed [adjective] - free from tension and anxiety
fussy [adjective] - hard to please

If you know your vocabulary, you're ready to read!

TARJETA 3 | 0000-4WRD

Vocabulary booster!
Empareja las opciones.

harmless not likely to upset people or cause problems

inability the fact of not being able to do something

https://app.learnlight.com/Activity_PUXProgress/Print?activityVersionId=63b52cda-7abb-48fa-a22e-ac574c19f25a&unitVersionId=28e95d9b-0ccc… 1/4
7/10/2018 Learnlight - Imprimir

irritating causing annoyance

confusion lack of understanding

relaxed free from tension and anxiety

TARJETA 4 | 0000-4WRI

Lee el texto.

'Speeling' or 'spelling'…why it's important to get it right

In the modern world, we often communicate using rapid typing on small keyboards with
predictive text viewed on tiny screens. It's a recipe for frequent errors, but does it matter? “No
one cares about good spelling. My spell checker puts everything right in my messages, I always
use it.” How often do you hear this kind of opinions these days? Are they correct? Let's take a
look at some current advice.

Let's be clear, some spelling mistakes are harmless and can even be funny but, unfortunately,
many are not. A little spelling error can be irritating and confusing. Take 'your' and 'you're' for
example, it will annoy many people when used incorrectly. In a similar way, using 'there' when
you meant the possessive 'their' can lead to the receiver questioning your education level.
More seriously perhaps, poor spelling can create confusion, loss of meaning, and even in
extreme cases, a missed sale or job opportunity.

Spell check programs, on the face of it, may seem the clear solution. However, the use of them
appears to have resulted in a new problem. As most of us know, spell checkers sometimes
correct spelling to a different word from what was wanted. If you don't check carefully, then
the error goes unnoticed. This autocorrect can result in some amusing mistakes, even in
official reports. One White House press statement recently talked about 'peach' in the Middle
East, rather than 'peace'. The lesson is: there is no easy solution, you have to learn how to spell
correctly.

Are you sure that it really matters to most ordinary people, though? The answer is a definite
yes. For example, research has shown that many people become suspicious once they spot a
spelling mistake on a website, and will leave the site because they fear it is fake. Million dollar
legal battles have been fought because of a single missing letter in a contract. In some cases,
the inability to spell can prevent you from getting a job as more and more companies
introduce writing tests for job candidates.

Spelling skills are required more than ever it seems. Many customer service enquiries come
through online message boards or by social media. This might be the one and only contact
that a customer has with the company, and so the quality of the reply, the use of language,
and correct spelling are really critical for the image of the company.

https://app.learnlight.com/Activity_PUXProgress/Print?activityVersionId=63b52cda-7abb-48fa-a22e-ac574c19f25a&unitVersionId=28e95d9b-0ccc… 2/4
7/10/2018 Learnlight - Imprimir

So, while the rules of grammar and spelling may be relaxed when writing to friends on
Facebook or WhatsApp, it is far trickier in a business letter. It is better to be correct and risk
appearing fussy than it is to try and be cool and end up upsetting somebody because you've
made an error that they have a negative feeling about.

Now test your understanding by answering the questions!

TARJETA 5 | 0000-4WRL

Alternative spelling can lead to the reader jumping to wrong conclusions.

¿Verdadero o falso?

True False

TARJETA 6 | 0000-4WRM

In business, good spelling is more important now than it ever was in the
past.
¿Verdadero o falso?

True False

TARJETA 7 | 0000-4WRN

According to the article, which of these statements is correct?

Elige la respuesta correcta.

It isn't important to obey all the grammar rules when you are texting
friends.

If you ignore grammar rules, it will help your company look cool.

Bad spelling will impress most company employers.

TARJETA 8 | 0000-4WRO

If something is 'trickier', it is…

https://app.learnlight.com/Activity_PUXProgress/Print?activityVersionId=63b52cda-7abb-48fa-a22e-ac574c19f25a&unitVersionId=28e95d9b-0ccc… 3/4
7/10/2018 Learnlight - Imprimir

Elige la respuesta correcta.

...more difficult to do than normal.

...more unpleasant than normal.

...more effective than normal.

TARJETA 9 | 0000-4WRP

Let's talk!

Think about the following questions:

1. Would you describe yourself as a good speller in your native language? In English? What do
you do when you are unsure of a word?
2. Do you regularly use a spell checker? What are the pros and cons of this tool?
3. How do you react when you see bad spelling or grammar? Does it influence your opinion of
the writer? In what way?
4. In what sort of situations is it more important to spell correctly? Why?

https://app.learnlight.com/Activity_PUXProgress/Print?activityVersionId=63b52cda-7abb-48fa-a22e-ac574c19f25a&unitVersionId=28e95d9b-0ccc… 4/4