Subscribe via RSSGrammar Errors That Bother Me June 11
We have to read eachothers essays in English class because it'll help us become better writers by learning what's "right and wrong". There are some things that I see people doing on these essays that just bother me. It's not just essays either, I see this on other things too: worksheets, non-English essays, and even tests. Now, I'm not that good at grammar and spelling, but I'm not this bad.
A lot of these errors are common, but drive me insane. Get your red pens ready because here we go!
- There vs their vs they're - Is it really that hard to know the difference between the three? There, a place, their, possession, and they're, a conjunction for they are. I don't know why people get so confused by this, it's very simple if you actually think. :|
- "Alot" - I want to cry when someone doesn't know that "alot" isn't a word and they're in the ninth grade. Don't believe me when I say "alot" is two words? Here, check at dictionary.com.
- Multiple tenses in the same sentence - This has got to be my second most irritating error I see. I don't need to know what you did yesterday, now, and tomorrow all in the same sentence. Please people, it's called a period; we use it to split thoughts, like different TENSES.
- It's vs its vs its' (WTF!?) - A similar situation to the first error. If you're talking about an object's item, then use its. Otherwise use it's, it is. I put its' in there because I saw in on a test I took in math. WHAT THE HECK IS IT SUPPOSE TO MEAN!? The possession of a possessive pronoun (right?)?
Well there you have it, here's a couple of the errors I see when I read something. The last one with its' made me laugh, then I just shook my head at how stupid you must be to write something like that on a test.
Those errors actually don't bother me anymore! It's probably because I don't see them that often because most people know better. Grammatical errors that do bother me, however, include: excessive comma use (you don't need a comma before "and" or "but" unless they're separating independent clauses...), misused semicolons, and subject-verb disagreement. Lol @ its' ... that's a new one.
[quote=32]@Meg[/quote]: I actually use a comma before and when it comes in a list. I know that it's not required, I just prefer to. :)
I agree with all of those, although I am becoming more used to it. For example, it used to really annoy me when people wrote something like "Happy birthday Joe" without the comma, but now I barely notice it.
I hate it when people use commas in the place of a period, semi colon, or em dash, and I also HATE when they place a comma AFTER "and" or "but" - like, "But, today I went to the store instead." In most instances, that's grammatically incorrect.
Ah, a boy after my own heart. I bet I turned you into the grammar snob you are now!
Oh yeah, I forgot about the serial comma. -_- I use it, too.
What I meant was I hate when people write something like "I love sushi, and tiramisu" or "His handwriting is ugly, but legible" or something along those lines (although in most cases it's more offensive with "and" than "but"). Blechhh. :p
I'm not a grammar nazi but I really hate it when people use quotation marks with periods, commas, and capitalization incorrectly. The period/comma goes inside (in nearly all cases) the quotes, and you're supposed to capitalize the first word!
I used to write "alot" when I was younger until someone asked me if "alittle" is a word. :P
My pet peeve would probably be the "multiple tenses in the same sentence thing" as well. As well, I hate it when people use the wrong tenses. You can't travel back in time so don't use the past tense to describe something in the present!
Its' common sense really! The test or whatever that typo was one whoever typed it their stupid...
LOL, no, I hate when people use the wrong words especially when it's so simple. However, I really didn't know the difference until like last year. I used to not care what my grammar looked like until I realized how stupid I seemed when writing things.
"Alot" pisses me off to no end. ESPECIALLY if an English literature student makes that mistake. D:
@Tiffany: That's American English. ;) In British English, you place the punctuation outside of the quotation marks unless it's part of the quote - e.g. He said that it was "too big", but it was the smallest one in the store.
[quote=36]@Meg[/quote]: Actually, "His handwriting is ugly, but legible" would be considered proper. It can be considered two separate thoughts. It'd be completely different if the sentence was something like, "His handwriting is quite ugly but at least it is still legible."
I absolutely HATE when people use could of instead of could have. Or would of instead of would have, etcetera. I don't think they understand that could've is a contraction, and although it sounds like could of, it's not and it never will be!
@Sean: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/607/02/
"His handwriting is quite ugly, but at least it is still legible" absolutely requires a comma after "ugly." See rule #1 in the link above -- commas separate independent clauses.
You're right that "His handwriting is ugly, but legible" would be considered proper because it indicates contrast (#7 in link above), but the comma isn't necessary. Some writers choose to omit it. (That's why I said comma abuse is often more offensive before "and," because there isn't that contrast rule in cases with "and.")
Sorry, Vasili! I'll try not to spam your comments anymore. :p
I gave up on grammar already :P People around me just can't write good English. Now I'm a master at deciphering engreek. Not forgetting their illegible handwriting.
I know that I abuse the question mark and exclamation mark excessively on IM though :P I love exaggeration and making things dramatic XD GET IT?!!!!!
[quote=45]@Meg[/quote]: Don't worry, I don't mind. :P It's nice to have people actually have "conversations" on my blog entries. :)
[quote=46]@Chien[/quote]: I think we're all guilty of doing that once in awhile. :P
I have just read all of this with great interest - having found this page as a result of a search intended to settle an on-going dispute...
Simply, are there any exceptions that allow the use of a comma either side of "and"?
For the negative (of which I am not a part), the common argument is that "and" (and "but" for that matter) are 'natural pauses' and, therefore, (see I've done it!) do not require the use of a comma.
(That this was 'strictly taught' at school some thirty-plus years ago to both nay-sayers involved appears to mean little! Can grammar not evolve in such a relatively short period of time I ask!? One only needs to read "Eats, shoots and leaves" by Lynne Truss to appreciate that it can, and indeed does!)
While I am well aware that the overuse of commas can have an equally wicked impact as does using none at all, I stand for the affirmative and use one next to both "and" and "but" where appropriate - that being (for the vast majority of cases) where removal of the text within two commas will/does not leave the sentence without meaning.
Is it not too far out to suggest, in this digital day and age, that perhaps "and" and "but" are no longer the natural pauses they once were?