...before you can break them.
Grammar lesson time.
Because anyone can post anywhere on the Internet, there are millions of grammar errors everywhere I look. I think we need grammar and spelling classes in high schools and maybe in colleges. I enjoy finding mistakes in big-time newspapers or highly published magazines because it just shows that everyone is human and makes errors, but it definitely catches my eye and bothers me slightly.
Here we go. Add your two cents.
Grammar lesson time.
Because anyone can post anywhere on the Internet, there are millions of grammar errors everywhere I look. I think we need grammar and spelling classes in high schools and maybe in colleges. I enjoy finding mistakes in big-time newspapers or highly published magazines because it just shows that everyone is human and makes errors, but it definitely catches my eye and bothers me slightly.
Here we go. Add your two cents.
Apostrophes. It's photos, not photo's. Another example: My Grandkid's are cuter than yours. Seriously??
Also, know when to use the apostrophe in Its and when not to. It's not hard.
Do you write pics or picts? It's an abbreviation, which automatically slashes some formality, but when I see picts I want to pinch my eyeballs just a little bit.
Do you know the difference between aisle and isle? 90% of the time, you probably mean aisle but you will probably write isle. Big, big difference.
This sums up a lot of it... (thanks Pinterest for helping me out here)
Last one: It's not As an FYI...
I mean, does that make sense?
So what do I mean about breaking the rules? My dad gave me a hard time once for misspelling something in an email. I told him it's ok for ME to misspell something because I know it's misspelled. (Do you like my rationale?) :) I'd rather be lazy than uneducated.
If you know the rules, go ahead and break them. Especially if you can be creative with it. Or make sure you have a mom who will quickly point out your mistakes so you don't look unattractive (like mine!). But I must say, I still like reading blogs for their content; I really do love hearing others' ideas and passions, even if there are mistakes. Just call it the editor in me.
What have you seen lately, in terms of grammar, that drives you nuts?
15 comments:
Everything you said is totally true. Now that I have said that, I have a request. Never visit my blog! :-) I know my grammar and punctuation is horrible but I also don't care because it's my blog! LOL Adam is always correcting something I posted but I just tell him that he can have his own blog with perfect grammar. As for me and my blog, we like imperfection. And I am serious...you will be pulling your hair out if you read my posts, so to protect your sanity...stay away! LOL Hope all is well!
This makes me laugh. At dinner tonight, we were discussing working with ESL speakers and their notoriously horrible grammar. I have read professional audit memos with sentences that make absolutely no sense, memos that will be seen by CFOs and CEOs. Honestly, good grammar not only makes you look attractive, it also makes you look smart!
Okay--my two cents: my pet peeve is over-correcting. People often use the word "I" when they should use "me". Example: John gave the book to Stephanie and I. I little hint--drop the other name and you'll always know what's correct. You'd never say, "John gave the book to I." I could launch into a lesson about subjects and objects, but then it would get too complicated. But then again, for what its worth, not one of us is perfect. Wait, did I use "its" the right way? LOL
I hate incorrect spelling too. Because of someone else's bad grammar or spelling they force me to form an opinion about them. And it's never flattering. (How do you like that rationale??)
Now people might think I'm crazy, but split infinitives drive me nuts!
Crystal: Split infinitives USED to drive me nuts but not really anymore. They're now not looked down upon like before.
Two more things that bother me: The good/well debate and the bad/badly debate.
Here is what I've learned. You'll always find flaws in everything and everyone as long as you are looking for them. Sure I find mistakes in my writing all the time and I try to correct them and sometimes I use words in the wrong way, but I'd rather read a person's blog that inspires and teaches me than one that has all the perfect grammar and spelling any day.
WORD! That is why I write a few sentences and fill the remainder of my blog post with pictures!! Hoping to avoid what would be my potential errors ( and the grammar police like you). Haha. Just Kidding!!!! Touché Cheri! Write what you no. Whoops, I meant "know." The Engrish language ( both spoken and written ) is your talent. I envy that as I still speak and write FOB!!!
I don't live my life looking for faults in others but you better believe if I notice grammatical errors, everyone else is as well. It's also basic "blogging etiquette." It's expected to have some typos slip through but it's extremely valuable to both the author and reader to have some credibility. Who knew that having a comma in the correct place would be so valuable. Hope that makes sense. - Stephi
How about a blog with good grammar that also is fun and inspiring? I think there can be both! And just because some of us are anal about grammar doesn't mean we seek out others' personal flaws. Some of the blogs I enjoy the most have grammar mistakes and I still read. And, I have more flaws than most and hopefully they don't completely define me. :)
On a door at Arbor View high school is a painted sign that says "Gardner's office" instead of Gardener's office which is what it really is.. We also saw a huge sign by this house that says, "Chiuaua missing."Did the dog run away because they couldn't spell his breed correctly. I would like to think he is living with educated spellers now.
I totally think you can have both in a blog. Your original post hit my worse fear. Sorry I took it personally. I always worry that others are critiquing everything in my blog. I worry about them judging me by the way I write and sadly to say, I'm not the best writer so I know there is much to edit. But hopefully, like you said, others will still read.
OK. What about CD's... WRONG, right? But I can't seem to ever feel good about writing CDs. I'm worried people would wonder what the heck I'm referring to, but of course they would figure it out. Thoughts?
I'm SURE that I've messed up an its/it's, or many of them, on my blog before, but I think I have a handle on the rest of them. thanks for still being a friend, even if I've made your eyeball's hurt a time or two. (ha! gotcha!!)
This post made me laugh... I hate it when I find grammatical errors in my posts. I am usually willing to forgive errors by others, but I still notice it. I am especially bothered when notes come from teachers or administrators at the school. Shouldn't educators make a special effort to appear (and be!) educated?
(Stepping off of soap box....)
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