Everyone loves receiving thoughtful cards on their birthday. Whether you’re sending one to a family member, a colleague, or even a client, the act of sending a personal message will always win you some serious brownie points while putting a smile on the recipient’s face.
Although the best birthday card messages always come from the heart, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do a quick spell check before sealing the envelope and sending off your letter. After all, a misspelled word might just ruin the whole effect!
Worried about falling into a common spelling trap? Here are some of the most commonly misspelled words on birthday cards.
Why good spelling matters for greeting cards
First of all, let’s quickly discuss the importance of good spelling. Whether you’re writing a business report or a quick card for a friend, spelling always matters. Here are just a few reasons why it’s always worth double checking your spelling on a birthday card, no matter who it’s for:
- Good spelling shows you’ve taken your time and thought carefully about your message.
- If the recipient of the card notices glaring spelling errors, they develop a worse opinion of you.
- Good spelling will make your card easier to read.
- With the right spelling, your card will be memorable for the right reasons, rather than the wrong ones.
Hard words to spell on birthday cards
Without further ado, let’s get into some of the most commonly misspelled words on birthday cards.
- Definitely
Wondering how to spell “definitely”? You’re not alone. This word is one of the most commonly misspelled words in the English language. It’s also a very common word and could easily come up in your next birthday card, whether you’re writing, “This will definitely be a great year,” or, “We definitely need to celebrate,” make sure you double-check this tricky word.
Common mistakes: definately, definitly
- A lot
This is one spelling mistake that happens–well–a lot! A lot, contrary to what many people believe, is in fact two words, not one word. So, when you wish someone “a lot of joy” in their next year, be careful to get this phrase right.
Common mistakes: Alot
- Friend
This word may very well come up in some of your birthday cards, especially if you’re writing to a friend! Be careful about the famous “i before e” rule if you do use this word.
Common mistakes: freind
- Than
Want to write, “I hope this year is better than last year,” or, “you don’t look a day older than 30?” Make sure you don’t accidentally change the meaning of your phrase by changing the spelling to “then!”
Common mistakes: then
- Embarrass
Old friends often like to recount embarrassing stories in their birthday cards. However, if you choose to use the word embarrass, be careful to include two r’s and two s’s.
Common mistakes: embarass,
- Calendar
If you want to start your card with a cute story about how you were just looking through your calendar when you saw it was the recipient’s birthday, take extra care, as “calendar” is very easy to spell wrong.
Common mistakes: calander, calandar
- Colleague
If you’re writing a card to a colleague, it’s especially important to check your spelling. You may want to write a phrase about how they’ve been a “wonderful colleague this year.” If so, make sure you don’t make one of the common spelling mistakes.
Common mistakes: colleage, coleague
- Experience
Experience is famously tough to spell, and it’s also a common word in birthday cards.
Common mistakes: experiance
- Occasion
Occasion is another word that is likely to come up in your birthday cards–after all, you are literally writing about a special occasion!
Common mistakes: ocassion, occassion
- Privilege
Want to write about how spending time with your friend or colleague is a “privilege?” Just be careful not to mess up the spelling.
Common mistakes: priviledge
- Receive
It’s common to write a phrase like, “I hope you receive some wonderful gifts this year” on a birthday card, so take care not to make an embarrassing mistake. Remember, “i before e, except after c.”
Common mistakes: recieve
- Their name
The hardest words to spell are often first names–and no spelling mistake will be more noticeable or upsetting for the recipient of your card. Remember that not everyone spells their name the same, and some names may be spelled differently than how they sound. Always double-check on social media or on any documents to ensure that you spell their name correctly.
The takeaway
Good spelling makes a big difference. It will improve how people perceive you and help you avoid subconscious (or maybe even conscious) lowering of their opinion about you. So, even on something as simple as a birthday card, it’s always worth double-checking your spelling to make sure that your message comes across exactly how it was intended.
Sources:
https://blog.coggno.com/how-companies-lost-millions-due-to-spelling-mistakes-and-typos/
http://www.grammar.net/misspelledwords
https://hellogiggles.com/news/kim-kardashian-spelling-mistake/
https://www.boredpanda.com/inappropriate-kid-gift-cards/
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/15126-spelling-grammar-matter.html
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/288812
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/spelling-grammar-mistakes
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/07/most-commonly-misspelled-words-that-make-you-look-less-smart-according-to-grammar-experts.html