was incorrectly spelled

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was incorrectly spelled" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a word or phrase has been spelled in a wrong manner in a specific context. Example: "The word 'definately' was incorrectly spelled in the essay."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Erratum: "Mufasa" was incorrectly spelled as "Musafa".

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Loch Linnhe was incorrectly spelled in the original version.

The Guardian

In the version of this letter initially published online, Vera Hirschfeld-wasneken was incorrectly spelled in the author list.

Nature

Leigh Piscitelli, special events coordinator for the United State Postal Service in Connecticut, said Ms. Anderson's first name was incorrectly spelled Marion, instead of Marian.

The New York Times

In the original version of this Data Descriptor the word "Gulf" was incorrectly spelled in the affiliation "Ocean College, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou, 535011, Guangxi, China".

Nature

The name of author William M. Tierney was incorrectly spelled as William H. Tierney.

Clinical and Translational Medicine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

In the version of this Perspective originally published, 'acidification' was incorrectly spelt as 'adification' in Fig. 4.

Nature

In the version of this News & Views originally published, the name Hoffmann was incorrectly spelt as Hoffman in two instances.

Nature

The name of the author Ranajay Ghosh was incorrectly spelt as Ranajay Gosh.

Sports Medicine - Open

The name of the author Dezhu Chen was incorrectly spelt in [1] as Dechu Chen.

Boundary Value Problems

In another example a complainant whose father had died received, after a significant delay, a substantive response in which the deceased's name was incorrectly spelt".

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When correcting errors, clearly state the original incorrect spelling and the corrected version to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using synonyms like "said" or "written" in place of "spelled" when specifically discussing orthography. "Spelled" refers exclusively to the arrangement of letters.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was incorrectly spelled" functions as a passive voice construction used to indicate that a word or name has been misspelled. It is commonly used in corrections and errata to acknowledge and rectify such errors, as demonstrated by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

41%

News & Media

39%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was incorrectly spelled" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to denote a misspelling. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is suitable for formal and neutral contexts. The analysis of various sources indicates that it most frequently appears in scientific and news media publications. When using this phrase, clarity is key: specify the incorrect and correct spellings. For alternative phrasing, consider "was misspelled" or "contained a spelling error" depending on the desired formality and context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was misspelled

Replaces "incorrectly spelled" with the single word "misspelled" for conciseness.

was erroneously spelled

Substitutes "incorrectly" with the more formal "erroneously".

was spelled wrong

Uses the more informal "wrong" instead of "incorrectly".

was not spelled correctly

Employs a more direct and less formal negation.

contained a spelling error

Shifts the focus to the existence of an error rather than the act of incorrect spelling.

had an incorrect spelling

Similar to "contained a spelling error", but emphasizes the state of having an incorrect spelling.

featured an incorrect spelling

Highlights the presence of the incorrect spelling as a feature of the text.

was written with a spelling mistake

Expands on the error, specifying it as a "spelling mistake".

showed an error in spelling

Similar to "contained a spelling error", but uses "showed" to indicate the error's visibility.

was rendered with incorrect orthography

Uses more technical language, replacing "spelled" with "rendered with incorrect orthography".

FAQs

How to use "was incorrectly spelled" in a sentence?

You can use "was incorrectly spelled" to point out a spelling mistake, for example: "The author's name "was incorrectly spelled" in the original article." You can follow it with the correct spelling to clarify.

What can I say instead of "was incorrectly spelled"?

Alternatives include "was misspelled", "was spelled wrong", or "contained a spelling error", depending on the desired level of formality and emphasis.

Which is correct, "was incorrectly spelled" or "was wrongly spelled"?

Both "was incorrectly spelled" and "was wrongly spelled" are grammatically correct, though "was incorrectly spelled" is more common and generally preferred in formal writing. "Wrongly" is acceptable but can sound less precise.

What's the difference between "was incorrectly spelled" and "had a typo"?

"Was incorrectly spelled" refers specifically to errors in letter arrangement. "Had a typo" implies a typographical error, which is a broader term that includes any kind of mistake made during typing, such as transposed letters or accidentally hitting the wrong key.