A friend reminds me of the classic 1955 Esquire spelling test. In his words:
Not one of eight hundred editors, teachers, proof readers, etc. got a perfect score on a test of sixty words. The test included the following twenty words, which were the twenty misspelled by the most test-takers. Notice that none of the usual stumbling blocks — separate, embarrass, inveigle, etc. — is in the list.
When this test was given to a broad range of average Americans, six was the median score, twelve was attained by one person in ten, and eighteen “put you on the level of a university English professor.” (NOTE: This was five decades ago. Does anyone believe people would do as well today?)
Here are the words, grotesquely misspelled. Good luck!
1. ass-uh-9
2. brag-uh-doe—C-O
3. rare-uff-I
4. lick-wuff-i
5. puh-vill-yun
6. ver-mill-yun
7. im-pah-stir
8. mock-uh-sun
9. uh-komuh-date
10. kon-sen-sus
11. roe-ko-ko
12. tittle-8
13. sack-ruh-lijus
14. may-uh-naze
15. im-pray-sorry-O
16. in-ock-U-late
17. sooper-seed
18. obly-gahto
19. dessuh-Kate
20. re-sussuh-tate
I got the professorial 18; but then, I darn well should — words are my living.