Proofread Even When You Run a Spelling Checker

A friend just sent me the latest version of the Church Bulletin Bloopers that make their rounds each year. Several of the examples involve simple proofreading that could save embarrassment.

I've printed a few below. Before scrolling to the bottom, try to spot the typos yourself. Remember, a spell checker would NOT catch these because they are also correctly spelled words--just not used correctly

1. Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Say "Hell" to someone who doesn't care much about you.

2. Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

3. The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment, and gracious hostility.

4. Potluck supper Sunday at 5 PM--Prayer and medication to follow.

It is very easy to leave endings off words or to confuse them with similar looking words that have completely different meanings. It is also easy to grab the wrong preposition when you are in a hurry.

1. Wrong preposition choice in this first one. It is the sick IN the community, not those who are sick OF the community. And, as you can see, there is a huge difference between "Hell" and "Hello."

Remember in prayer the many who are sick in our community. Say "Hello" to someone who doesn't care much about you.

2. Be careful about the FORM of a word. These Scouts want to HELP CRIPPLED children. "Cripple" needs a "d" on the end of it to turn it into an adjective (participle if you want to be technical) that describes the children who need help. The active verb needs to be HELP, not CRIPPLE.

Proceeds will be used to help crippled children. NOTE: In current usage, "crippled" is considered old-fashioned. A better word choice would be "physically impaired."

3. In case you didn't notice, there is a huge difference between "hospitality" and "hostility." In fact, these two words are just about opposites. It is highly unlikely that the church would serve up great food and great entertainment and then add "hostility"-- especially gracious hostility. "Hostility" describes the way a person feels about an enemy, NOT a fellow church member.

The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hospitality.

4. The only reason you might need "medication" after a potluck supper might be poorly cooked turkey stuffing. My guess is that this writer meant "meditation," which is quiet thinking that goes nicely with prayer.

Potluck supper Sunday at 5 PM--prayer and meditation to follow.

A little common sense and a lot of proofreading would have caught all of these bloopers. You want to be remembered for what you said, not the silly way it came out!

If you come across any bloopers in your own work or work that you read, please send them along. I'd love to share them with our readers.

Thanks!