Quote:
Originally Posted by Catlady
I make a mental distinction between typos (a simple spelling mistake) and what seem to me to be usage errors (e.g., it's / its). I have a higher tolerance for the former, but the latter drive me crazy.
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I agree in general, but I wonder what most readers consider a "simple" spelling mistake. For example, do most readers consider "seamed" in this sentence a misspelling or a usage error: "She seamed to be older than she appeared."? Contrast seamed/seemed with affected/effected.
I find separating usage from spelling errors to be very difficult because both affect understanding and meaning. The it's/its combination strikes me as more a misspelling than a usage error, although I have no sound basis for making such a distinction with those words as opposed to other combinations.