French spelling mistakes...is it "Voltaire's fault"?

Flawless spelling, "impossible not French".

It was in 2008 that the spelling refresher service, aptly named " Voltaire Project "was born.

The deterioration of the French language and the importance of writing without mistakes.

If you were good at dictation in elementary school, or even used to getting it right, you must be the exception that proves the spelling and grammar rule: the French language, its grammar rules and the sacrosanct Bescherelle are now written in the past participle!

The barometer published in June 2015 in Le Parisien is the sad admission of an inexorable deterioration in the situation. The subject has become a chestnut in the news. "Everything's going to hell, ma bonne dame", "It was better before! But it's an irrefutable fact. Flawless writing is no longer the rule. We can all recall a headline on a website that contains mistakes and that we happily attribute to the intern at writing 🙁

Level certification and the importance of spelling in the digital world

One wonders what it would be like if the project hadn't already made it possible (permis, permi, or permit ? are you sure? ) to more than 50,000 people to obtain certification at their level. Schools and companies alike have taken up the challenge. It has to be said that the subject is becoming increasingly critical for employers, because in the digital world, written communication has - at least not yet - totally given way to sound and image.

Issues for employers and consequences of the COVID19 pandemic

The COVID19 pandemic, its cohort of teleworkers, Zooms videoconferencing and e-mails have claimed a collateral victim: French spelling. Incorrect agreement of the past participle with the auxiliary avoir, incorrect use of the infinitive, syntax errors and typos are the most common French spelling mistakes.

The problem for companies is that their image and credibility are tarnished.

The generation in charge today has a hard time digesting the SMS language that pollutes forums or illustrates Youtube videos with comments that are no less indigent. Yet they are still the ones who recruit.

While it's not uncommon to find careless mistakes in an e-mail written too quickly, HR managers confirm that grammatical errors and spelling mistakes are found throughout the applications we receive.

French evolves, but the Frenchman doesn't. By using this neolanguage, the individual bypasses the obstacle, which is not possible when you're looking for a job. Your letter of motivation or even your day-to-day activity won't allow you to escape exercise. So you might as well practice, even with the help of electronic crutches. If there's one occasion when you need to avoid making mistakes, it's when writing your CV or cover letter! Finding mistakes in a CV is a real problem! So let's get started, have it proofread ! Friends, relatives and colleagues will be able to help you with this, provided, of course, they don't add horrors to your prose!

Use an automatic correction tool

It's also a good idea to use a spell-checker. Are you familiar with Word's spellchecker? If you're not familiar with Word's spelling checker, you'll find it useful: singular, plural, gender and number agreement with the object complement, whether a word is invariable or not... The spell checker built into the eponymous word processor is good, but it's not infallible. And with good reason: Word's dictionary was originally compiled from thousands of newspaper articles. It therefore reflects usage but does not necessarily follow the recommendations of the Académie française. The good news is that it's not alone. For example, Antidote that don't mind syntax, punctuation, conjugation or agreement errors!

Being recruited when you have spelling problems

" What's the point of being proofread if I'm still a fundamentally bad speller? What will happen when my employer discovers that I'm writing e-mails full of mistakes? "

It's precisely your attention to detail and your respect for others that will have led you to have your work proofread. Are you aware of your shortcomings? You've certainly put in place a strategy to compensate for these weaknesses in spelling or grammar. This professional and caring attitude towards others is precisely what will be appreciated.

For error-free writing: spelling refresher courses

This doesn't mean you don't need to brush up your spelling skills, which you can do alongside your core business. Writing without making mistakes and eliminating spelling errors in French is possible, provided you get some training. Professional spelling training courses are on the increase. They are now eligible for personal training account.

Like the TOEIC certification for English, the Voltaire project issues a certificate - for a fee, of course - attesting to your level of written proficiency in the French language. Above all, it offers an innovative training system based on a so-called "memory anchoring" system, in which you'll find mnemonic tricks, word origins, common-sense rules or exceptions: should you double the consonants in imbécillité? In this case, it's an etymological dilemma! Even without untying your purse, you can learn how to write "unduly" or accentuate "derangement".

Learn to write without making mistakes

Voltaire certificate to improve your spelling and learn how to avoid spelling mistakes in French.

CNAM training courses, introductory courses in grammar and spelling or even writing assistance

Orthopassa certification service approved by Pôle Emploi

The Parisian with a Voltaire test online.