In Defense of Grammar

[HornyVikingMN]

I apologize in advance if this one has been listed before: When to use "who" and when to use "whom?"

 

[klippert]

Please add to this as you see fit!

its and it's
The only time one uses an apostrophe with its is when you're using the contraction it is. Its refers to ownership of something.

Example 1: The dog wagged its tail.

Example 2: It's a beautiful day out.

they're, their and there
They're is the contraction for they are. Their shows to whom something belongs. There is an adverb describing a place or location.

Example 1: They're visiting from Ireland.

Example 2: Their house is for sale.

Example 3: Right there is where the meteorite fell.

a lot
It is always written as two words.

Example 1: I liked that book a lot.

your, you're
Your shows ownership of an object. You're is a contraction meaning you are.

Example 1: Your playlist is impressive!

Example 2: You're going to be happy with the changes we've made.

to, too, two
To expresses location or time. Too means also or expressing a higher degree than is desirable or permitted. Two refers to a number or amount.

Example 1: We are going to the gym for a spinning class.

Example 2: May I come, too?

Example 3: There are two parties to attend this weekend.

I'm not the only one with a GrammAR fetish. This one really rakes me; WANA

I will admit, I make grammar mistakes... Though, I try to correct them

 

[culloden]

I apologize in advance if this one has been listed before: When to use "who" and when to use "whom?"

"Whom" typically follows a preposition, as in, "For whom?" or "By whom?"

In truth, I'm not certain that's correct. I happened to hear it while watching NCIS of all things. I've always just trusted my ear to tell me when to use "whom." But in thinking about it, the NCIS rule seemed to hold up. I'd verify it in The Elements of Style, but I'm too lazy at the moment.

 

[Verinka]

This is a fun thread!!! Has anyone mentioned it's "masturbate" not "masterbate" as I've seen on the Lit. forums. I suppose the latter could be in the BDSM section and be a chosen variation, but I don't think it was when I read it. The old version of 'cum' was from Latin, of course...magna cum laude, etc. Excuse me if these have been mentioned already. I read through a few pages, but not all before I posted. Katbound, you rock!!!

Hmm, I think I might meet the most interesting people in THIS thread!!!

My pet peeve: 'less' used for 'fewer'. I understand it that 'less' is used when you couldn't count individual items, such as "less pie", but 'fewer' is used when you COULD count the items, such as 'fewer people'. Less money, fewer dollars. BUT I find on TV and everywhere, 'fewer' has just about vanished, as if we all don't have time for that second syllable. It grates when I hear it still!! And it's not great. LOL

 

[culloden]

I once saw a contractor's truck that advertised "Masonry" on the doors, and "Masonary" on the tailgate.

Commentator is a pet peeve of mine. Commentators don't commentate, although I've heard the word used. They comment. So why aren't they commentors?

 

[TheSilverLining]

My contribution :

"Pacifically" or "to be pacific......"
(as opposed to specific/specifically)

 

[culloden]

We're not here to rewrite the language, just use it correctly. If a commentator comments then you're just going to have to get used to it.

It still grates. And I disagree about not being here to change the language. We do just that when we adopt new forms of speech. For example, 20 years ago, burning a CD (certificate of deposit) would probably have been a horrible financial decision. Today, it's just copying electronic files.

Which is not to say that changing the language should be undertaken lightly. There's a reason editors tend to be linguistic conservatives.

Another pet peeve is the word functionality. So far, I have been able to edit that out in every article that's crossed my desk.

 

[culloden]

The job of the editor is to make sure the language is used correctly. It is not his job to change the language to suit his own personal peeves and preferences.

I don't know a single editor, and I have worked with dozens of them, who doesn't indulge his own preferences to a greater or lesser degree. Editing is not a science. It's a craft with synthetic rules that change over time. Given the number of style books, it's pretty clear that we can't fully agree among ourselves what all the rules are.

That's not to say we don't need rules. But some exist at the core of our trade and probably shouldn't be challenged in our lifetimes. Others are at the fringe, and evolve with the language. In the latter cases, editors have some latitude.

 

[airstream]

*****

 

[HornyVikingMN]

Huh?

My pet peeve: 'less' used for 'fewer'. I understand it that 'less' is used when you couldn't count individual items, such as "less pie", but 'fewer' is used when you COULD count the items, such as 'fewer people'.

I'm confused... why would anyone ever want less pie? No matter what form it's in I want MORE pie!

 

[peterthelicker]

The Double Negative or Lack There Of.......

Oops! Put up a post someone had already covered.

 

[BillyBobJoeEd]

Another pet peeve is the word functionality. So far, I have been able to edit that out in every article that's crossed my desk.

It's one word in an entire list of words and phrases that I classify as 'business buzzwords' and cringe when I hear them. "Synergies," "bottom line," "at the end of the day" and "core values" are a few of the others. When those start popping up in my porn, I'm pulling the plug on my computer.

 

[TheOgler]

As a supplier of stationery I am constantly surprised by the fact that people store it in cabinets that don't move.......stationary cabinets. I have even got one supplier who spells it that way. Oh, and I just remembered that I worked for a company once with Independent in its name which almost every employee spelt independant.

 

[rawrrx]

I apologize in advance if this one has been listed before: When to use "who" and when to use "whom?"

This is rather old and it's been addressed briefly by someone else, but I thought I'd spend a little more time on this, as lots of people get confused with it.

"Who" is a subject pronoun, whereas "whom" is an object pronoun.

Other types of subject pronouns include "I", "he", "she", "we", "they"

Other types of object pronouns include "me", "him", "her", "us", "them"

So you use "who" when the person you are talking about is, say, performing the action of a sentence and thus the sentence is about that person.

For example,
"Who is coming tonight?" <-- The person is doing the action of "coming".

Another way to know what is correct is by replacing the who/whom with a pronoun such as he/him.

For example,
"He is coming tonight", not "him is coming tonight".

An example for whom,
"To whom am I supposed to give this envelope?"

"I am supposed to give this envelope to him", not "I am supposed to give this envelope to he".

Another example,
"You are speaking to whom?"

"You are speaking to him", not "You are speaking to he".

 

[PandoraBlue]

This is rather old and it's been addressed briefly by someone else, but I thought I'd spend a little more time on this, as lots of people get confused with it.

"Who" is a subject pronoun, whereas "whom" is an object pronoun.

Other types of subject pronouns include "I", "he", "she", "we", "they"

Other types of object pronouns include "me", "him", "her", "us", "them"

So you use "who" when the person you are talking about is, say, performing the action of a sentence and thus the sentence is about that person.

For example,
"Who is coming tonight?" <-- The person is doing the action of "coming".

Another way to know what is correct is by replacing the who/whom with a pronoun such as he/him.

For example,
"He is coming tonight", not "him is coming tonight".

An example for whom,
"To whom am I supposed to give this envelope?"

"I am supposed to give this envelope to him", not "I am supposed to give this envelope to he".

Another example,
"You are speaking to whom?"

"You are speaking to him", not "You are speaking to he".

I love you so much for this.
Now if someone could help me with commas, semicolons, dashes and ellipses, I'll be set.

 

[michaeldgorman]

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[michaeldgorman]

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[katbound]

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[michaeldgorman]

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[katbound]

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[katbound]

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