On screen spelling correction

[Geffers]

Does anyone else experience this when typing long words on the computer (eg circumnavigate) sometimes, if a spelling mistake is realised, have difficulty correcting the word. I think it is the screen plus trying to correct a sequence of letter in the middle of a word can be awkward.

I reckon it is just that we are programmed to spell a word in a specific character order then if we try to correct a mistype in the middle the sequence throws us.

Spelling was never a strong point of mine but I did use dictionaries or a thesaurus in an attempt to use words correctly. But now screen blindness coupled with many US spell check systems, one wonders how many spelling errors go unnoticed. Our transatlantic cousins do like to economise with the occasional letter, or use a ZED, or is it ZEE?

 

[Tiffany]

Yes, on occasion. When I'm stuck like that, I usually go outside of the website I'm typing on and write out the word in search and the search finds it and gets it right every time or I'll go to the online thesaurus/spelling website. I never really thought of why that was happening though.

 

[Geffers]

Yes, on occasion. When I'm stuck like that, I usually go outside of the website I'm typing on and write out the word in search and the search finds it and gets it right every time or I'll go to the online thesaurus/spelling website. I never really thought of why that was happening though.

Yep, me too

Geffers

 

[Retro]

Here's the way that I do it on the PC which requires no extra typing and is really quick! You can do the same on a smartphone, but it's rather more fiddly and error prone.

Let's say the word you're having trouble with is "excercise", a common misspelling of exercise. Just do the following steps:

• Highlight the suspect word, excercise, with the mouse and copy it into the buffer with ctrl-c or the right click context menu and select Copy
• Paste it into Google and hit Search.
• Google will suggest the correct spelling of exercise. Click it.
• Google replaces your misspelled word in the search box with the correct one, exercise.
• Highlight it and copy it into the buffer.
• Go back to your draft forum post where the misspelled word is still highlighted. Either do ctrl-v or right click and select Paste. That's it, the word is now spelled correctly.

 

[Geffers]

Here's the way that I do it on the PC which requires no extra typing and is really quick! You can do the same on a smartphone, but it's rather more fiddly and error prone.

Let's say the word you're having trouble with is "excercise", a common misspelling of exercise. Just do the following steps:

• Highlight the suspect word, excercise, with the mouse and copy it into the buffer with ctrl-c or the right click context menu and select Copy
• Paste it into Google and hit Search.
• Google will suggest the correct spelling of exercise. Click it.
• Google replaces your misspelled word in the search box with the correct one, exercise.
• Highlight it and copy it into the buffer.
• Go back to your draft forum post where the misspelled word is still highlighted. Either do ctrl-v or right click and select Paste. That's it, the word is now spelled correctly.

That is good for a mis spelt word (Is that grammatically correct?) but it is the mistyped ones that get me, I know how to spell it but on screen can't seem to position cursor correctly to correct it, maybe my eyes, maybe screen resolution, maybe I should wipe the screen

 

[Retro]

Ok, that's a different problem. I normally just position the cursor at the end of the word, then delete the whole of it and type it again. I too find it confusing to try and target the dodgy character(s) within it, so it's much faster and more efficient to just nuke it and start over.

 

[live627]

This thread confuses me. I wonder if this stems from not having dedicated phonics or spelling classes in elementary/primary school growing up. Or I talk nonsense, because I was homeschooled. Spellcheck doesn't like that word, though...

 

[live627]

it is the mistyped ones that get me, I know how to spell it but on screen can't seem to position cursor correctly to correct it, maybe my eyes, maybe screen resolution, maybe I should wipe the screen

right, once I finish writing, I use the arrow keys because I'd be here all day trying to point and shoot with the mouse.

 

[Retro]

right, once I finish writing, I use the arrow keys because I'd be here all day trying to point and shoot with the mouse.

You know, that difficulty isn't necessarily down to your manual dexterity, but the mouse settings and potential mouse lag. I've had the sodding pointer fly off everywhere when they're wrong, especially with pointer acceleration on.

Try the following:

• If pointer acceleration is on, turn it off
• Slow down the pointer speed by around 20-30%. It should feel too slow, so through trial and error, slowly bring it back up until it feels about right and leave it like that. If it starts to feel wrong after a while, just make fine adjustments to the speed until it feels just right. You should then find that the struggling is much reduced, or disappears altogether
• You might have a cheap and nasty mouse that doesn't track well. Yes, even optical mice can be like this sometimes. Even the tactile feel of the buttons can make a significant difference. Nothing worse than semi responsive buttons that feel rough and imprecise when pressed. Throw away such a mouse as a quality replacement isn't expensive. Microsoft and Logitech tend to make good mice
• Ensure you're on a good tracking surface like a proper mouse pad or table

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

 

[Geffers]

right, once I finish writing, I use the arrow keys because I'd be here all day trying to point and shoot with the mouse.

It's the middle of the word that gets me, delete letters, add letters, still end up with wiggly line under word. I usually end up deleting entire word and type again. Realistically it is maybe my eyesight and screen resolution.

Or is it similar to when someone checks with you they have your phone number correct, they read it back to you but pause after different groups of numbers and you are left wondering; was that my number

 

[Retro]

It's the middle of the word that gets me, delete letters, add letters, still end up with wiggly line under word. I usually end up deleting entire word and type again. Realistically it is maybe my eyesight and screen resolution.

I wonder about that. It happens to me too as I described above, but in my case I can see the word perfectly clearly, I just find it hard to tell what letters should go where, or where the bad one is, especially for a long word, but I can tell that it's spelled wrongly. I think it's to do with how our brains process words, which is why I have to reset it by erasing the whole word and starting over. I reckon for you, it could be this too maybe, on top of perhaps not seeing the screen very well.

 

[live627]

You know, that difficulty isn't necessarily down to your manual dexterity,

oh but it is; I even have trouble typing on the keyboard. The condition is called "essential tremors" and I think it presents similar to Parkinsons.

I use a Steeelseries Rival mouse.

 

[Astro What]

Unless you have software loaded that is specifically for spell correction, most of them are browser based.
If using Chrome, you can turn that option off.



I'm pretty sure the other browsers (I don't use them heavily) can do the same.
The biggest complaint I have is it doesn't give you suggestions like the iPhone will do.

 

[Retro]

oh but it is; I even have trouble typing on the keyboard. The condition is called "essential tremors" and I think it presents similar to Parkinsons.

I use a Steeelseries Rival mouse.

I'm sorry to hear that.

 

[Geffers]

I wonder about that. It happens to me too as I described above, but in my case I can see the word perfectly clearly, I just find it hard to tell what letters should go where, or where the bad one is, especially for a long word, but I can tell that it's spelled wrongly. I think it's to do with how our brains process words, which is why I have to reset it by erasing the whole word and starting over. I reckon for you, it could be this too maybe, on top of perhaps not seeing the screen very well.

There is that post that goes around which jumbles up the middle letters but keeps first and last as it should be, I've always been able to read the content.

Can Our Brains Really Read Jumbled Words as Long as The First And Last Letters Are Correct?

Don't believe everything you read online.

www.sciencealert.com

Geffers

 

[Geffers]

I actually corrected a typo on screen, quite chuffed now

 

[Retro]

There is that post that goes around which jumbles up the middle letters but keeps first and last as it should be, I've always been able to read the content.

Can Our Brains Really Read Jumbled Words as Long as The First And Last Letters Are Correct?

Don't believe everything you read online.

www.sciencealert.com

Geffers

I remember that from years ago and its pretty fascinating. The first time I read it, I had to look at it for a few seconds before I could unscramble it, but this time there was no such pause.

I recommend for everyone to read the short article that Geffers has linked to about this phenomenon.