Spelling basics - Spelling: plurals, possessives, and hyphenation - Style

Student's guide to writing college papers, Fourth edition - Kate L. Turabian 2010

Spelling basics
Spelling: plurals, possessives, and hyphenation
Style

In part 3 we show you how to deal with issues of punctuation, matters of spelling not handled in dictionaries, and other matters of editorial style.

Read Me First: How to Use Part 3

We have designed this part not for reading but for reference. Use the contents at the beginning of each chapter to find the issue you need to address and consult the appropriate section. In some cases, you will find models to match; in others, directions to follow.

Go to www.turabian.org to find supplemental materials related to part 3.

21: Spelling: plurals, possessives, and hyphenation

21.1 Spelling Basics

21.2 Plurals

21.2.1 The General Rule

21.2.2 Special Cases

21.3 Possessives

21.3.1 The General Rules

21.3.2 Special Cases

21.4 Hyphenated Words

21.4.1 Words Formed with Prefixes (and Prefix-like Prepositions)

21.4.2 Compounds Used as Adjectives

21.4.3 Compounds Used as Nouns

21.4.4 Compounds Normally Hyphenated

21.4.5 Compounds Normally Open

21.4.6 Compounds Normally Closed

For most spelling questions, the rule is simple: Let your dictionary be your guide. But writers often face questions about spelling and related matters whose answers cannot be found in a dictionary. This chapter offers general guidelines and specific models for many of those questions. Many hand-books offer more extensive (and, in some cases, different) advice on spelling. If your teacher assigns one, let that guide take precedence over the advice offered here.

How to Use This Chapter

This chapter is organized by kinds of nouns. Find the section that corresponds to the kind of word you want to spell, find the appropriate model, and match your text to the model.

21.1 Spelling basics

Model your spelling on standard American usage. When your spell-checker leaves you in doubt, consult a dictionary. Use standard spellings throughout your text, but copy the words in quotations and titles exactly as they appear in the original, even if the spelling differs from American standard English.

Be aware that dictionaries can differ on how to spell a word, and many dictionaries (especially online ones) are inaccurate or out-of-date. The most reliable dictionaries for current usage and spelling are

Webster's Third New International Dictionary (2002)

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th ed. (2003)

The smaller Collegiate Dictionary is an abridged version of the New International and is easier to handle. It is also available on CD-ROM and online through many libraries. For the names of people and places, see the listings at the end of Webster's or the separate publications Merriam-Webster's Biographical Dictionary (1995) and Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary, 3rd ed. (2007).

Most reliable dictionaries offer more than one acceptable spelling for some words. In those cases, you should use the first spelling offered. Under no circumstances use both in the same paper (spell-checkers will not catch this).

Use the spell-checking feature of your word-processing software. Spell-checkers are better than ever, and they will save you not only from misspellings but from typos as well. But do not rely on a spell-checker alone. Computer dictionaries are not entirely reliable, and it is easy for them to accept incorrect spellings that someone has added to a computer's custom dictionary (a serious problem for shared computers). Also, a spell-checker will not tell you when you have correctly spelled the wrong word: “Dad had and extra long nap because the kids were quite.” A spell-checker is not a substitute for a good dictionary or careful proofreading.