[ian@huth]

Use of the internet is something that is making spelling a problem. Some people are using spellcheckers with an American dictionary and can find some of the checks say their spelling is wrong when it is actually correct for the UK. Fortunately most spellcheckers take both the American and UK spellings as being correct. Many sites are American and many forums have American contributors which subject you to the American way of spelling so often that you forget what the UK spelling actually is.

Another issue is that many people who have not done too well at school would in the past not have done much writing because of their poor spelling but are now being forced to write to keep up with modern day living such as the internet and text messaging. Some say that it helps them improve their spelling but I am not too sure. What it does though is give an impression that peoples spelling and grammar are getting worse, but this may not be the case.