IT ONLY takes a click of your finger and Microsoft Word will correct your spelling mistakes; or make them worse.

Today's generation is so heavily reliant on spell check, it could be making us worse spellers.

Year 11 Warwick High student Joshua Watson said he always turned to the trusty device when typing up assignments.

"I can't spell, so I use it a lot," Joshua said.

He said he often received assignments back with red circles around incorrectly spelt words - as a result of guessing which word from the offerings of spell check was the one he was after.

"That happens a lot. I just press that left clicker and guess which one," Joshua said.

So how is one supposed to remember the spelling of a word if spell check constantly corrects it?

Scots PGC Head of English Elizabeth Bowen said students needed to research the word they were looking for, instead of guessing.

"Spell check is helpful, but they need to understand the limitations of it; it can only offer them choices," Mrs Bowen said.

"If they have no idea what they're trying to say or how to spell it, they might choose a word completely off topic."

Mrs Bowen said she often found mistakes in students' work where spell check had suggested an Americanism and the student assumed the computer is correct.

She said it was a matter of researching the words so students could understand and register the spelling mentally.

"They've got to be prepared to work a little bit," Mrs Bowen said.

"I wouldn't recommend a print dictionary because if they can't spell it, it's going to be hard to find.

"Go to the thesaurus and look up an alternative word for it and go from there."

BLUNDERS

Some commonly misspelt words include:

Misspelt

Definitely

A lot

Necessary

Recommend

Accommodate

Argument

Conscience

Grateful

Independent