Just Say No To Thru

Thanks, Mel, for sharing this one.

I know the pain that motivated this spelling-fixer to take action, and have resisted the urge to correct public signs many times.

This one is tricky because "thru" has become an accepted norm. It's even in the dictionary. Which raises the question, "If something is in the dictionary, does that make it correct?" And, the answer is no. Many slang words and odd (though frequently used) spellings of words make it in the dictionary, but that doesn't make them correct.

Grammar Girl puts it best, "Using the spelling t-h-r-u is kind of equivalent to dotting your i's with little hearts: people will know what you mean, but they'll think you aren't a very serious (or educated) person."

Use words like thru and nite and ain't in your emails or text messages, but stick to the more educated, correct versions for any serious correspondence.