It's de finite ly. Please try to learn it

[Shattereddreams]

Definitely is definitely the most common spelling mistake on MN.

My teacher at school many years ago taught us it is de FINITE ly.

AIBU to share this tip?

Its the one word I always struggle with - I miss the e.

if I know what the poster means I couldn't care less if they spell it correctly or not - it is a forum, not an English test......

Another one, which seems to be creeping into journalism etc as I've seen it in several different newspapers as well as tv documentaries, is "I was sat" or "I was stood". No you weren't! You sat or you were sitting!

How can you just choose one from so many? Rediculous is another - makes my piss boil! The infinite variations on counseller/counsellor/counciller and so on ad nauseam. Discrete instead of discreet. Discusting is unbelievable - who actually thinks this is ok?

if you really go through posts on a social forum with your red pen you are a patronising fool imo and maybe need a more stimulating day job

maybe? wtf have a definitely

I don't give a toss if I am honest I have never seen discusting though

I detest non paragraphed posts though...

I think misuse of 'disinterested' might be equally prevalent.

Yes miss.

Agree Grumpy,

Discreet - intentionally unobtrusive, I.e hide the presents away discreetly

Discrete - individually separate and distinct

Always makes me wince when I see them mixed up.

oooh disinterested really winds me up when I see it in articles, journalism etc.
On a public forum though, it is really not that important.

The apostrophe words were taught at school that if you could use two words, it needs an apostrophe. If you can't then don't. I know it can get more complex but for a forum, this rule would help lots of people.

It is my car - two words so it's
My car has lost its bumper - two words don't work on its (but they do on car has so car's)

Just try saying the two words
You are (you're) going
Your going? No!

Is that Toxteth O'Grady USA, World's stickiest bogey? Excellent name!

it is !
..recognition at last.

doo not wury abowt speling. Soon wee wil bee orl rieting foneticaly liek thay teech in skool.

People are getting 'past' and 'passed' confused an awful lot recently.

While we're having a moan. Why don't estate agents know the difference between 'compliment' and 'complement' ?
It drives me mad.

Shattered, did the teacher look like Kate Adie? Would be a coincidence, but I was taught the same way, so wonder if it was by small-world-chance the same person.

I'm always spelling it wrong, if I proof read I notice and change it but if I'm on my phone or in a hurry I usually can't be bothered so leave it as it is

I have drilled the 'finite' rule into the children - they are too scared of me and my pedantry to spell it incorrectly now.

They also know the difference between 'lose' and 'loose', unlike a lot of MN .

YA Definitely NBU.

Nothing wrong with sharing a helpful hint when it concerns a word that many, many people have never learned to spell correctly.