Spelling is tricky all on it's own. When you throw in different languages and cultures it gets down right complicated.

First, consider English and American spelling. Then throw in Canadian spelling, which is some combination of the two. Same for other countries in the commonwealth.

Have you seen words spelt with an s instead of a z? You would if you were English or from South Africa. Do you see words with a u in them or without a u in them? You would see them with added u if you were English or Canadian.

Which is right? How do you know which spelling to use? Will people think you just don't know how to spell? Possibly.

But the world is a big place, if you were writing locally you would spell for your readers. But, when you are writing on the Internet, your readers come from all over the world. Which spelling should you choose?

First, talk to your publisher or editor. Find out what they use for a standard. They call those style guides. It's a good idea for publications to have one. Not just for different spelling issues. If you're more or less on your own as for style, go with what comes naturally to you. It's hard to remember to spell a different way. Likely you'll miss a few anyway. You may hear from the odd reader who thinks you don't know how to spell. But, that just gives you something to chat about in your reply to them.

Is spelling an art or a science? I think I'll leave that as thought fodder for you.

"Language is the only homeland." Czeslaw Milosz.

What are your words? The ones you always have to look up and check spelling or meanings? Looking at a book with "the most common mistakes in English usage" I found a couple of my own.

Accept and except.

These even sound about the same. Do you know which is which? When do you accept and when do you except?

Lay and lie.

For me it's really the word lay. A chicken lays eggs. Do people lay down or lie down?

Then, there are common mistakes I see myself. Not my own mistakes but those of others.

They're and there.

They're going to the park on the way there.

Your and you're.

You're going too fast your speed is too high.

Where and were.

Where were you?

A lot and alot.

Alot is not a word. It should always be a lot.

Do you know which is the principle and which is the Principal?

When is it better to further your efforts to go farther?

No doubt those aren't glowing examples of grammar but sometimes knowing how words fit in helps you remember which one you need at the time.

Other confused words are anything with double "0's". Choose chose, too to, loose lose and so on.

But my personal worst mistake is its and it's. I still can not keep them straight. Sometimes I get lazy and just type 'its' regardless of correctness.

I can stick up for my laziness by saying that's how language is built, it evolves from laziness and a need for better understanding in communication. But, I know in the case of 'its' I'm just being lazy when I should, or at least could, be checking my handy dandy dictionary.

How well do you know the grammar rules? Some people seem to think breaking the rules of grammar and punctuation is a way to rebel against society, rules and so on and so forth. Some, I guess, think they are being trendy and keeping up with the modern Internet ideas. Personally, I think it just makes their writing look careless and messy.

As a reader I strongly feel anyone not putting some care into their writing is not someone I will invest my time in. It's not my way of being a snob. It's just that, if you have something to say, chances are you want to say it well and make sure its understood. I can accept bad grammar in a personal rant, something written more for yourself than public consumption. Or, if you are writing to a whole group of people who have made the same grammar and punctuation choices, as a rule. For the rest of us, that whole communication process: from your mind, onto that blank page and into their mind, has a few rules to make it all run smoothly and work better.

In the end, I just say why not? Why not use grammar and punctuation? It's been around awhile, outlasted many generations of rebels, eccentrics and writers in general. Unless you come up with something that works better why change something that obviously works. A style of writing that has lasted through the ages and will likely still be here for generations to come. Not everything we write is going to stand the test of time, there is just too much of it and not enough eager readers. Whatever does last, will have to stand up to the accepted standards. Personal rants full of grammar and punctuation errors might not be taken as seriously as writing carefully crafted for both content and context.

If modern medicine keeps working on the cure for aging we might all still be here to see what future generations write about, using that same old fashioned grammar.

Note: I don't claim to have perfect grammar, punctuation or spelling. But I do run it by Lotus Word. I still have the final say, the last word and the best chance to leave in some of my bad writing examples.