UK spelling is getting worse

When it comes to spelling are you bewildered by biscuits, stumped by separate, and thrown by twelfth? Well, you’re not alone. About 81% of UK adults believe the nation’s ability to spell everyday words in the English language is deteriorating, with this figure rising to as high as 86% when it comes to parents.

Almost two thirds (63%) of us blame our inability to spell correctly on our overreliance on autocorrect as it introduces plenty of Americanisms, as well as the odd faux pas – leaving us oblivious to the many mistakes we make when casually bashing out a quick message. A change in habits has contributed to the decline with 59% saying writing less and 52% citing reading less as reasons for losing familiarity with the spelling of certain, tricky words.

However, mnemonics provide a simple solution with almost half of the country (49%) using this approach to reduce the chances of them being embarrassed by poor spelling.

Aston spoke to Andy Salmon, CEO and founder of Sir Linkalot to discuss the nation’s spelling habits, share more useful and memorable links, and give his top tips for those looking to improve their spelling.