The trouble for this word arises when you try to remember how many of which of its middle consonants that inoculate has. And while there is actually only one of each letter in the entire word, it came be tempting to add an extra n or c to the word to make it look better—but don't do it!
Think instead of the following fictitious mnemonic story and devices (which also has the meaning of the word inoculate built in).
The Story: The Texting Disease
In my experience, text messaging leads to poor usage and complete apathy toward the finer points of grammar and language. The abbreviations that come up can make even the grammatically thickest-skinned among us cringe. Someone needs to inoculate us all against the texting disease.
Take this, for example: just the other day, I got a text from a friend telling me that she couldn't hang out with me later that night. Her actual text? "i no c u late." There's no curing some people.
The Mnemonic
- i + no + c + u + late = inoculate
- Also note that my friend is lazy and doesn't want to type a single letter that she doesn't have to, so of course she didn't double a single letter in the word inoculate. Lazy friend = no double letters.
If you can just remember the poor grammar that my friend used to tell me she couldn't see me later (i no c u late), or if you can remember that she doesn't want to type a single letter she doesn't have to (so no double letters), you should be all set to spell inoculate!
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