Using Your for You're or You Are

[onomatopoeia]

In the late 1980's, I worked for an Insurance company for a year, in the purchased annuities department. The company gave a more competitive interest rate to purchases made with money that was being transferred from another carrier, as opposed to internal transfers. Louise, the junior clerk in the unit, received a call from a broker, looking for an annuity quote in exchange for a specific sum of money. She said to the broker "Is this in-house money, or out-house money?". That's a true story.

More than once, someone asked me if they could transfer their pension plan assets to an RSVP.

 

[onomatopoeia]

Starting a sentence with "Hopefully" is a really common error. The correct phrasing is "I hope" or "I am hopeful that..." No one would say "Wishfully I will win the lottery". Starting a sentence with "However" is equally bad.

 

[MissCroft]

Another mistake people commonly make is confusing the words uninterested and disinterested. Uninterested means "lacking interest" while disinterested means "impartial". For example, a judge should be disinterested, not uninterested.

 

[shack]

I'm surprised no one has touched on the incredibly over the top and incorrect use of the word "Literally"! Somehow this has become a part of people's vocabulary and is used for emphasis in a statement and often for the opposite of the meaning ie. " I was so frustrated my head literally exploded" , "I literally laughed my face off". How a four syllable word got inserted in everyday speak is astounding. "Literally" has become the current generations "Like".

I guess that that is called hyperbole.

 

[shack]

I don't think that this is an egregious error, but IMO, incorrect.

"I had to wait till Tuesday."

In this case, till is an abbreviation of until. As such I believe that 'til would be the proper or most correctest abbreviation of until.

 

[MissCroft]

I don't think that this is an egregious error, but IMO, incorrect.

"I had to wait till Tuesday."

In this case, till is an abbreviation of until. As such I believe that 'til would be the proper or most correctest abbreviation of until.

Till is the older version and is not an abbreviation of until. Until came later in English.

till

Definition, Synonyms, Translations of till by The Free Dictionary

www.thefreedictionary.com

Grammar Girl - Quick and Dirty Tips

Mignon Fogarty is the founder of the Quick and Dirty Tips network and creator of Grammar Girl, which has been named one of Writer’s Digest’s 101 best websites for writers multiple times. She is also an inductee in the Podcasting Hall of Fame.

www.quickanddirtytips.com

 

[Roleplayer]

While I do on occasion experience irritation on this issue, I think it's important to remember a few things here.

English grammar is extremely complicated.

A single example of a mistake in grammar tells you very little about a person's education.

People often make mistakes in grammar that they would recognize as mistakes if reviewed carefully.

Absolutely nobody has perfect grammar, as evidenced by the number of grammatical mistakes people have made in this thread while complaining about people making grammatical mistakes.

(And yes, it's entirely possible I made grammatical mistakes in this post.)

 

[MissCroft]

^^ True.

 

[benstt]

Starting a sentence with "Hopefully" is a really common error. The correct phrasing is "I hope" or "I am hopeful that..." No one would say "Wishfully I will win the lottery". Starting a sentence with "However" is equally bad.

Regretfully, I disagree.

 

[Akila Besos]

I will admit this even though english is my first language I have always sucked regarding grammer

My head just cannot wrap around all the damn grammer rules each time

 

[Robert Mugabe]

I will admit this even though english is my first language I have always sucked regarding grammer

My head just cannot wrap around all the damn grammer rules each time

Well sucking and wrapping your head around it is a start.

 

[Akila Besos]

Well sucking and wrapping your head around it is a start.

and how does one suck a grammer rule good sir

 

[Robert Mugabe]

and how does one suck a grammer rule good sir

practice, practice , practice. I'm here to help.

 

[Akila Besos]

practice, practice , practice. I'm here to help.

I shall make note of that

 

[Robert Mugabe]

I shall make note of that

best part is...I am free!!

 

[MissCroft]

I will admit this even though english is my first language I have always sucked regarding grammer

My head just cannot wrap around all the damn grammer rules each time

Even editors usually have a good dictionary and manuals (Chicago Style) by their side at all times. There are so many rules and so many exceptions to many rules!

 

[Akila Besos]

Even editors usually have a good dictionary and manuals (Chicago Style) by their side at all times. There are so many rules and so many exceptions to many rules!

Still why does the english language gotta be so complex

Sigh makes me head hurt

 

[Robert Mugabe]

Still why does the english language gotta be so complex

Sigh makes me head hurt

There you go again. I can help with your hurting head.

 

[Valcazar]

While I do on occasion experience irritation on this issue, I think it's important to remember a few things here.

English grammar is extremely complicated.

A single example of a mistake in grammar tells you very little about a person's education.

People often make mistakes in grammar that they would recognize as mistakes if reviewed carefully.

Absolutely nobody has perfect grammar, as evidenced by the number of grammatical mistakes people have made in this thread while complaining about people making grammatical mistakes.

(And yes, it's entirely possible I made grammatical mistakes in this post.)

Also, a lot of this is usage, not grammar.
English spelling is a mess because the printing press and the pronunciation shift happened at around the same time.
Then add in that whole phase people went through in the late 19th century where they pretended English was Latin and made up all kinds of rules that don't actually make any sense in English but people still believe.
(And made up some weird fake latin endings to words, too, because they thought they were cool.)
The fact people refuse to accept that language changes is also a problem.
I mean, no one goes around saying "you can't call a foolish person 'silly' because that's not what it means".

 

[shack]

Till is the older version and is not an abbreviation of until. Until came later in English.

till

Definition, Synonyms, Translations of till by The Free Dictionary

www.thefreedictionary.com

Grammar Girl - Quick and Dirty Tips

Mignon Fogarty is the founder of the Quick and Dirty Tips network and creator of Grammar Girl, which has been named one of Writer’s Digest’s 101 best websites for writers multiple times. She is also an inductee in the Podcasting Hall of Fame.

www.quickanddirtytips.com

It'll take more than that 'til I'm convinced.