Lose vs. Loose

The problem here is not only spelling, but pronunciation.

In the English language, an S sometimes sounds like a Z - as in the word "sometimes," where the initial S sounds like SS, yet the final S sounds like a Z.  Either because of coloquial differences or other reasons, the Z sound is being substituted regularly for an SS.  This is not only wrong-sounding, it also leads to errors in understanding, as well as errors in writing.

So it is with the two words above.

Lose (v.) is pronounced with the Z sound, as in l-o-o-z-e.  It means to miss something, to have something not available.

Loose (v.) is pronounced with the SS sound, as in l-o-o-ss-e.  It means not tight.

These two words are NOT synonyms, yet I cringe each time I read such things as "If I leave now, I will loose my place."

There is a movement afoot to allow school children to practice "creative spelling."  Such invitation to laziness would reinforce illiteracy - the inability to read properly, and understand what is being read, not to mention understanding how to pronounce the language correctly.