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Grammar Gremlins: Confusing 'your' for 'you're'
Knoxville News Sentinel ^
| 11/6/5
| DON K. FERGUSON
Posted on 11/05/2005 10:27:14 PM PST by SmithL
"Your invited to the reception."
This was the wording on an invitation someone showed me. Unfortunately, we too often see "your" used where the contraction "you're" is required, as it was on the invitation.
Handbooks say "your" and "you're" are commonly confused, as are the contractions "they're" for "their" and "it's" for "its."
The Gregg Reference Manual says as a test for the correct form, try to substitute "you are," "they are" or "it is" or "it has," respectively.
"If the substitution does not make sense, use the corresponding possessive form," Gregg says.
TOPICS: Education
KEYWORDS: your; youre
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I read Ferguson's grammar column every week, but this is the first one I've posted. The misuse of "your" is like nails on a blackboard to me.
1
posted on
11/05/2005 10:27:15 PM PST
by
SmithL
To: SmithL
There is also dropping in apostrophe to make a plural, as in "New York Yankee's." Wrong, wrong, wrong!!!!!
2
posted on
11/05/2005 10:31:28 PM PST
by
TBP
To: SmithL
I'm no grammarian, but the use of their, they're, and there bother me.
3
posted on
11/05/2005 10:34:52 PM PST
by
dixiechick2000
("Virtute et armis" - By valor and arms)
To: TBP
"Wrong, wrong, wrong!!!!!"
You're right, right, right!
;o)
4
posted on
11/05/2005 10:36:29 PM PST
by
dixiechick2000
("Virtute et armis" - By valor and arms)
To: SmithL
I here that and second its.
To: thoughtomator
They,re no there their, is thar?
6
posted on
11/05/2005 10:48:37 PM PST
by
Ursus arctos horribilis
("It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees!" Emiliano Zapata 1879-1919)
To: SmithL
The misuse of "your" is like nails on a blackboard to me. Yer absolutely write!
7
posted on
11/05/2005 11:16:23 PM PST
by
Ros42
To: SmithL
Was today Grammar Moron Day at FR or something?
8
posted on
11/05/2005 11:26:14 PM PST
by
69ConvertibleFirebird
(Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.)
To: Ursus arctos horribilis
They,re no there their, is thar? Wear?
9
posted on
11/05/2005 11:37:51 PM PST
by
bad company
( Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.)
To: SmithL
They're so many ways two screw with yew that eye halve a hard thyme trying too due sew. Butt I prey aye suck seed. Jest four fun...
To: SmithL
You're point is well taken.
To: SmithL
I red Gregs Manuel all the time and it shure helped me.
12
posted on
11/06/2005 12:55:12 AM PST
by
Old Seadog
(Inside every old person is a young person saying "WTF happened?".)
To: SmithL
I wrote this sentence on FR last week:
"If they're there their work has been done."
Top that and you're sure of your prowess with words.
13
posted on
11/06/2005 5:07:54 AM PST
by
colorcountry
(Proud Parent of a Soldier, a UPS Driver, an Executive, a Construction Worker, and a Student)
To: TheBigB
To: SmithL
Some other tidbits:
- Which usage is (more) proper: "The sales team IS working for better numbers" or "The sales team ARE working for better numbers"? I heard the latter usage this week. Might be an American vs. UK English thing.
- What is the proper spelling of the color "grey"? "Gray"?
To: SmithL
I hear you!
Loose / lose is one of those words for me, although however you spell it I love it when Democrats do it!
16
posted on
11/06/2005 7:06:06 AM PST
by
GOPPachyderm
(... so that men are without excuse)
To: martin_fierro
The sales team is working, but sales team members are working.
The sales staff is working, but sales staff members are working.
17
posted on
11/06/2005 7:09:07 AM PST
by
SmithL
(There are a lot of people that hate Bush more than they hate terrorists)
To: SmithL
"it's" is short for "it is".
"its" is the possessive form of it.
"There" is a pronoun denoting a place.
"They're" is short for "they are".
"Their" is the possessive form of they.
18
posted on
11/06/2005 7:13:00 AM PST
by
Lonesome in Massachussets
(NY Times headline: Protocols of the Learned Elders of CBS, Fake but Accurate, Experts Say)
To: SmithL
I have always been amazed that gramarians would bother to learn both the right way and the wrong way. It seems that the message is communicated, whether right or wrong.
Actually there is no right or wrong, there is accepted and unaccepted.
I have a family member that is a grammarian, she has not a friend in the world and cannot understand why.
19
posted on
11/06/2005 7:18:08 AM PST
by
cynicom
To: TheBigB
20
posted on
11/06/2005 7:30:19 AM PST
by
Fierce Allegiance
(Want to be on my Civil Engineers ping list? Just say so!)
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