Writers undertaking assignments to earn money from home in Australia must understand the correct language to use. To ensure content is clear and easy to read, it is important that Australian English is always used, whether your writing jobs involve blogs, product descriptions or other kinds of online content.
Australian English is more akin to the language used in articles in the United Kingdom rather than US English. For clarity, it’s recommended that copywriters always use a single dictionary and grammar reference source that is specific to the country their target audience is based in. When you’re using a word processing application to construct your content, you’ll find that you can set the specific language you wish to write in, and it will highlight when you’re using incorrect spellings.
In this article, we’ll take a close at some of the most common words that are misspelled by those writing in Australian English. While some of these mistakes are due to confusion with US English spellings, others involve misinterpreting the meaning of words and mixing up words that sound similar. Read on to find out more.
US English vs Australian English
The differences between Australian English and US English can result in slip-ups for content writers and misspelled words. However, there are some rules that will keep your work on the write path.
Australian English uses “-yse” or “-ise”, while US English generally uses “-yze” and “-ize”. This can be seen in Australian spellings like analyse, organise, recognise, and the US English alternatives analyze, organize, and recognize.
While US English uses “-or”, Australian English uses “-our”. Examples include Aussie spellings like honour, flavour and colour, while the US spells these words as honor, flavor and color. An interesting exception to this rule is the Australian political party Labor’s name, which takes an American approach.
Finally, Australian English favours an “-re” ending while US English uses “-er”. For instance, Australian spellings include metre, theatre and centre, while the US uses meter, theater and center.
Misunderstanding the meaning
Sometimes, writers will misspell a word by using another because they do not fully understand its meaning. An ideal example is the word disinterested. This word is commonly mixed up with another – “uninterested”. While uninterested refers to someone being unconcerned or indifferent, the word disinterested actually refers to someone being unbiased or impartial.
As a writer, you’ll be communicating specific ideas and information to a readership. As a result, it is vital that you understand the meaning of the words you use in your sentences. If you are ever unsure of a word’s meaning, always check before employing it in the articles you write to avoid confusion.
Words that sound similar
There are also many words that sound the same but have entirely different meanings. For example, “discreet” and “discrete”. While discreet means careful, private or prudent, discrete means distinct. Another common misspelling is using “dependant” instead of “dependent”. While a dependant is an individual who must count on another person (usually for financial support), a dependent is typically followed by the word “on” and means either subordinate or conditional.
Whether to use “complement” or “compliment” can also catch writers out. When used as a noun, the word complement refers to something that will complete something else, or when serving as a verb, it means to complete something. On the other hand, when ‘compliment’ is used as a noun, it is an expression of praise, and when employed as a verb, it means to praise.
There is no shame in looking up which word is right for your work. Even professional writers will make mistakes from time to time when they are working quickly to meet deadlines, but try to take the time to research the right word for the best results.
The key to becoming a successful content writer is to keep learning. Make use of every resource at your disposal from online applications to the editors who proof the pieces you submit. Editors will encounter a wide range of common errors and, as a result, are well-placed to highlight such mistakes when you make them. Take this valuable feedback onboard and let it enhance the work you produce while avoiding standard spelling issues that often crop up when writing Australian English.
Start writing now
If you like the idea of writing from home and have a good command of Australian English, at Words of Worth, we can help. Providing you have the skills and can be counted on to deliver high-quality and original content to meet strict deadlines, we have a wide range of writer’s jobs available.
You could be penning monthly or weekly blogs for a wide range of businesses or creating web copy for company sites and landing pages among numerous other assignments. To put your abilities to the test, apply today to writer for Words of Worth Australia.