Google is NOT a spell checker

Written by Carolyn Shelby

My daughter’s “computer class” teacher instructed the children to type words into Google when they weren’t sure about the correct spelling, and if Google doesn’t come back with a “Did you mean…” and offer an alternate spelling, then obviously the word was spelled correctly.

I discovered this while I was proof reading my daughter’s essay. She had the usual smattering of misspelled words, but then she had a word in French, replete with acute accents over the e’s. Yes, I said French. They weren’t spelled *wrong*, they were just spelled correctly in French.

Me: How, pray tell, did you manage to come up with that spelling for necessary?

G: I spell checked it in Google.

Me: You did what?

G: I typed it into Google, and Google said I must have meant “nécessité“.

Me: You can’t spell check stuff in Google. That’s not what it’s for. Good grief. Who told you that? For the love of God, use a dictionary.

G: Like dictionary.com?

Me: Yes.

G: How do you spell dictionary?

*Sigh* I can’t quite decide if I should just file this away for the next time the teachers start crying about how they aren’t paid enough, or if I should go to the school and have a little tête-à-tête with said “computer class” teacher and explain to her why having the young skulls full of mush check spelling in Google is a horrible idea.

Carolyn Shelby

Carolyn Shelby is an Organic Growth & SEO Strategist with more than 25 years of experience helping enterprise brands, SaaS companies, and media organizations build lasting search visibility. She specializes in technical SEO, AI search adaptation, and strategic growth, and is a frequent industry speaker and a regular contributor to Search Engine Journal, Search Engine Land, and other top digital publications.

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