pellcheck will catch only words that are obviously misspelled, not sound-alike words (homonymns) and other frequent errors.

These errors cannot only lead to a lower grade but also a rejected application letter. Here are some common and embarrassing errors by college students:

I'll accept any offer except yours!

She will advise him to seek professional advice.

The constant noise affected me, and the final effect now is deafness.

You chose to go, but I still have to choose whether I will.

You may say "I could of done it," but you should write "I could have . . ."

It may be an error caused by spell check, but I definitely don't understand why some students write "I defiantly believe . . ."

I should eat fruit rather than ice cream then I won't break my diet.

Two tickets to a Metallica concert is one too many for my father and me.

For a more detailed and more formal explanation, see The New Century Handbook or a similar source.