Common grammar and usage errors

12/22/04 | Self

[georgiadevildog]

I am starting a grammar thread at the behest of Xenalyte and TheMom. Post your most irritating pet peeves of grammar or usage here.

[georgiadevildog]

We'll start with homophones. There, their, they're. I can't stand seeing these used incorrectly!

THERE

there ( P ) Pronunciation Key (thâr)

adv. At or in that place: sit over there.
To, into, or toward that place: wouldn't go there again.
At that stage, moment, or point: Stop there before you make any more mistakes.
In that matter: I can't agree with him there.

pron. Used to introduce a clause or sentence: There are numerous items. There must be another exit. Used to indicate an unspecified person in direct address: Hello there.

adj. Used especially for emphasis after the demonstrative pronoun that or those, or after a noun modified by the demonstrative adjective that or those: That person there ought to know the directions to town. Nonstandard. Used for emphasis between a demonstrative adjective meaning “that” or “those” and a noun: No one is sitting at that there table. Them there beans ought to be picked.

n. That place or point: stopped and went on from there.

interj. Used to express feelings such as relief, satisfaction, sympathy, or anger: There, now I can have some peace!

THEIR

Always used to show possession! That is their home. (not there home.)

THEY'RE

Always used as a contraction for the words "they are." If you take "they're" out of your sentence and "they are" doesn't make sense in its place, you've made a mistake.

[georgiadevildog]

PING

[baltodog]

"It's" -- ..and the people who don't know when to use it.

[Chad Fairbanks]

We'll start with homophones.

I hate homophones. I think they should all get some disgusting self-inflicted disease, then die, and rot in hell like the perverts they are...

;0)

[georgiadevildog]

Absolutely. Drives me nuts.

"The dog was chasing it's tail."

The dog was chasing it is tail?

[AxelPaulsenJr]

I predict this thread is going to get hugh and series. But gotta go, by beeber is beeping.

[georgiadevildog]

Ummm....wrong thread.

LOL

[rocksblues]

to and too

I went to the store.

I went too far.

[Bosco]

I think this is a series thread. It's impact will be hugh.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Ummm....wrong thread.

Yup, I seen that.

[georgiadevildog]

To eggs are two many too eat.

[Bosco]

Is the'ir a word? How about thi'er?

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Your = belonging to y'all

You're = you are.

[Semper Vigilantis]

In addition to the three theres I go crazy when people confuse to, too and two and believe it or not, which and witch.

Here's a new one - I just got an email that that said "conceded" instead of "conceited".

*shaking head and walking away*

[rocksblues]

Now that's funny!

[jellybean]

Please do Your and You're, Who and Whom, Here and Hear. Those are a few that drive me nuts!

[georgiadevildog]

Next: using "I" or "me".

She went with Jenny and me. (not I)

Jenny and I went with her. (not Jenny and me)

The test: leave out the other person, and see if the sentence makes sense.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Oops. Sorry, I thought this was a homophonic thread. My bad.

[headsonpikes]

whut galls me mostest is peeple going "aint" when it should be "ain't"!

[Jack Deth]

I feel the same way about the words:

Hugh and Huge, Chad.

Hugh is a first name. As in the name Hugh Beaumont, who play Ward Cleaver on "Leave It To Beaver". Or Hugh Grant, who plays Hugh Grant. It is pronounced "HEW".

Huge means BIG. It's pronounce "HUJE".

I'm looking at my keyboard and there is no way that the far too often used phrase "This is Hugh!" for "This is Huge" could be a typo!

Don't even get me started on "There", "Their" and "They're"!!!

Jack.

[general_re]

Your = belonging to y'all

Reminds me of another one: lose/loose. I once got a post to me that said "Your a looser."

[dinasour]

I just hate it when sentences don't a verb.

[JennysCool]

Hugh has a hugh background story.

[Chad Fairbanks]

I'm looking at my keyboard and there is no way that the far too often used phrase "This is Hugh!" for "This is Huge" could be a typo!

I hope you weren't being series!

[Tax-chick]

My pet peeve is when people use numbers or single letters to represent words: "R U going 2 the store?" Makes me want to scream!

(p.s., I have the official typing, homophone, and all-around verbal mayhem ping list! "Typso Threw the Tulips and broke his shift key." Ping to get on or off!)

[Chad Fairbanks]

I'd like to be on that ping list, iff'n you'll have me.

[Tax-chick]

Your knew hear, rnt yew?

[general_re]

My pet peeve is when people use numbers or single letters to represent words: "R U going 2 the store?"

O I C what U mean.

;)

[georgiadevildog]

First: your / you're:

Your is always possessive. If the word is NOT designed to show ownership of something, "your" is the wrong choice.

You're is always a contraction of the words "you are." If you remove "you're" from the sentence and replace it with "you are," it should still make perfect sense.

Second: who / whom:

I must be honest. I still do not have total mastery of these two words and their usage. Most of the time, I can get them right. Other times, I can't decide which to use, and I wind up changing the sentence to eliminate the need to use the word. As a general rule, though, "who" is the subjective form of the pronoun, while "whom" is the objective. In other words, "who" would be used as the subject of a sentence, while "whom" would be used as the object.

Best example I know: "Who did what to whom?"

"Who" is the subject, and "whom" is the object.

Third: here / hear.

If your word has nothing to do with sound or the sense of hearing, then "hear" is not your word. That is the basic test. Still, on this one, I must admit a single weakness in usage. When I hear someone say, "Here, here" as a gesture of agreement to the comments of another, I don't know which to use.

[bassoonmoo]

ping!

[Chad Fairbanks]

O, U812? Well, I81B4U!

[georgiadevildog]

LMAO @ "looser."

What is it, exactly, that you loose on a regular basis?

The warden who releases convicts that have served their time would be a looser, I suppose.

[Tax-chick]

You're on! I've been sending out a ping two or three times a week. Typso (typing errors that say something really funny) and Homophunny are first level violations. "my kingdom for a shift key" and "THe Cat iS LYinG on MY sHIft Key" are secondary, like seat-belt tickets :-).

The list is at the bottom of my profile page, if you ever want to use it.

[Military family member]

I have the same problem with people who use "&" instead of "and", "thru", instead of "through."

[georgiadevildog]

Oh, you've gotta add me! My wife calls me a geek because I am so anal about grammar. She says she had to hire an editor to check her emails before she sends them to me. It's hilarious.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Thanks!

[Jack Deth]

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!

Nice ones, guys.

I've been FReeping here since September, Tax-chick.

I don't think that makes me "new".

Yes, I'm serious... And don't call me "Surely".

Jack.

[Senior Chief]

I thought those were homonyms...oh, my lexicon tells me that it's a synonym. Good thing there's not a (syn)tax on improper grammar.

[Tax-chick]

nite, lite, rite?

Right, write, rite, wright

What other words have four or more homophones?

[Mr. K]

Their, their... calm down

[Chad Fairbanks]

Someone screwed up a headline once, and accidently used "Hugh" in place of "Huge", and well, it was a friday, and so it became an unofficial Silly Friday Thread... and Hugh took off... The same thing happened with the word Serious, which is often replaced by "series"... Hope this helps!

Now, Stune your beeber, and have a nice day! :)

[MarxSux]

Most annoying usage: "safe, legal and rare."

[Tax-chick]

Gotcha!

[Tax-chick]

Just goofing with you ... New-ish FReeper :-).

[Mr. K]

"To eggs are two many too eat."

that should be: "To eggs is two many too eat".

[escapefromboston]

Don't be so Homophobic.

[escapefromboston]

LOL

[mtbopfuyn]

They're, there, their etc. - NOT ect. an, a y'all - NOT ya'll then - NOT than --- I went to the store than then I went home. to, two, too you're, your I vs. me

[Mr. K]

yes- that is vey series!

[Chad Fairbanks]

Well, I'm sorry, but my religious beliefs and sound moral values demand that I be homophonic. I have a big problem with Homophones. Deal with it.