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By Juergen Haas, About.com

this word--continue to consider it incorrect, but don't change it here.
  • r new <RET>
    Replace the word (just this time) with new.
  • R new <RET>
    Replace the word with new, and do a query-replace so you can replace it elsewhere in the buffer if you wish.
  • digit
    Replace the word (just this time) with one of the displayed near-misses. Each near-miss is listed with a digit; type that digit to select it.
  • a
    Accept the incorrect word--treat it as correct, but only in this editing session.
  • A
    Accept the incorrect word--treat it as correct, but only in this editing session and for this buffer.
  • i
    Insert this word in your private dictionary file so that Ispell will consider it correct from now on, even in future sessions.
  • u
    Insert the lower-case version of this word in your private dictionary file.
  • m
    Like i, but you can also specify dictionary completion information.
  • l word <RET>
    Look in the dictionary for words that match word. These words become the new list of "near-misses"; you can select one of them as the replacement by typing a digit. You can use * in word as a wildcard.
  • C-g
    Quit interactive spell checking. You can restart it again afterward with C-u M-$.
  • X
    Same as C-g.
  • x
    Quit interactive spell checking and move point back to where it was when you started spell checking.
  • q
    Quit interactive spell checking and kill the Ispell subprocess.
  • C-l
    Refresh the screen.
  • C-z
    This key has its normal command meaning (suspend Emacs or iconify this frame).

    The command ispell-complete-word, which is bound to the key M-<TAB> in Text mode and related modes, shows a list of completions based on spelling correction. Insert the beginning of a word, and then type M-<TAB>; the command displays a completion list window. To choose one of the completions listed, click Mouse-2 on it, or move the cursor there in the completions window and type <RET>. See Text Mode.

    Once started, the Ispell subprocess continues to run (waiting for something to do), so that subsequent spell checking commands complete more quickly. If you want to get rid of the Ispell process, use M-x ispell-kill-ispell. This is not usually necessary, since the process uses no time except when you do spelling correction.

    Ispell uses two dictionaries: the standard dictionary and your private dictionary. The variable ispell-dictionary specifies the file name of the standard dictionary to use. A value of nil says to use the default dictionary. The command M-x ispell-change-dictionary sets this variable and then restarts

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