Grammar Mistakes that Make you Look [blank]
I’ve seen a lot of bloggers and people out there that make common grammar mistakes. (Of course, some of those are typos, but they’re still mistakes.)
- They’re, There, and Their. They’re is the shortened version of “They are”, for example, “They’re not very smart.”, which means “They are not very smart.”
There is a place. “There is my blog!” means my blog is in that place.
Their means something belonging to someone. For example, “Their blog is growing.” - I.E. and E.g. They both are latin terms (but I won’t go into that), and mean a similar thing.
I.E. means “that is” or “in other words”. For example, “I like coffee shops, i.e. Starbucks.” Means, “I like coffee shops, (that is, Starbucks).” (when written out fully)
E.G. means “for example”. For example, “I like going to lots of places, e.g. coffee shops.” means when written out fully, “I like going to lots of places, for example coffee shops.” - It’s and its. These two are commonly mixed up. It’s is the shortened version of “It is”. For example, “It’s a nice day today” means “It is a nice day today” when writtn out fully.
Its means something belonging to someone. For example, “The dog is pretty. Its fur is soft.” is saying that the dog’s fur is soft. - You’re and your. You’re is the shortened version of “You are”. For example, “You’re very nice” means “You are very nice”.
Your means something belonging to someone. “Your blog is nice” means someone is complimenting someone else’s blog. - Don’t and doesn’t. Don’t is the shortened version of “Do not”. “Don’t do that” means “Do not do that.”
Doesn’t is the shortened version of “Does not”. “He doesn’t blog.” means “He does not blog.” - Fewer and Less. “You have fewer blogs than me.” Fewer usually refers to a countable thing.
Less refers to something that is not countable. “There are less blogs with red than blue.” - Then and Than. Then basically means “after” or “next”. “You write the content, then you publish it” means “You write the content, next you publish it.”
Than is a comparison. “I have more feed readers than you” means you have less feed readers than me.
Hope you enjoyed this list! It’s quite a long list, but it’s not all the grammar mistakes out there. If I missed any very common grammar mistakes feel free to tell me in your comment.
July 12th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
The one that nails me on my blog is “Would have”, I always say “Would of”. It’s terrible, but I’m learning!
July 12th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
Rhys- That’s why you use “would’ve”. ;)
July 12th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
I’m working on its vs it’s.
July 13th, 2007 at 3:33 am
right said… i mess up with you’re and your at times! I’m a typo master :-) BTW, Nice teaching lady.!
July 13th, 2007 at 3:50 am
Benedict- Thanks for the compliment. I also teach transfering money in Paypal. I’ll teach you too– just give me your PayPal user and password. :)
July 13th, 2007 at 4:02 am
Grace - I liked that one. Well, I definitely wanted to learn that! But I need to assure what I’m learning is correct :-) Can you provide your information as well.. So that things are done prefect: P
BTW, Why don’t you install “buy a beer” plugin? I would love to get you a beer at least :)
July 13th, 2007 at 4:30 am
I always cross check my posts if I have made any grammatical mistakes.
Grace, Install the buy me beer plugin. Benedict is really generous person. He has already got me a beer. :D
July 13th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Nirmal - Thanks for the compliment. BTW, I’m not that generous anyway…
Grace - I was thinking of getting you a beer. But I think you’re like me a coffer lover and not a beer lover :-)
July 13th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Thank you! It’s bad enough when poor grammar and spelling infiltrate e-mails. I’m always embarrassed for those poor souls who post their mistakes online for all to see.
July 13th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
[…] Grace reveals some grammar mistakes that make you look [blank]. […]
July 13th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
Some good points, only with I.E. - you gave examples of coffee shops.
Perhaps a better example for I.E. would be “I like coffee shops, i.e. I couldn’t live without them because I’m a caffeine addict!”.
I agree with the others though, they are made far to often (including me!).
July 13th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
Bloggers need to be real careful with typos. I’ve had my share of embarrassing typos while commenting. I slap my forehead whenever it happens haha.
July 13th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
Nirmal & Benedict- I installed the plug-in, except for coffee. :)
Benedict- Thanks for the coffee. I loved it! :D
Angie- They’re everywhere. :P
Matt- That’s a great example. I might change the post if I have time later. :)
Brown- Some typos do come out embarrassing. I can’t think of any right now, but I’ll let you know. ;)
July 13th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Grace - I know you will love it!! so what about the deal? you sending me your password rt?
July 14th, 2007 at 12:43 am
Benedict- No wait… it was you treat me the coffee, then I’ll teach you how to transfer money. (and I’ll need the password, but don’t forget to give me the user!) :)
July 14th, 2007 at 2:14 am
Bless you for bringing up these typos/common spelling errors.
Theirs two mulch staff liek thus to die.
Here’s to a more coherent Web!
July 14th, 2007 at 5:59 am
So true, Grace, so true. Even though I graduated with a journalism degree, I find it easier to spot the mistakes of others than my own, but I still try to keep a keen eye on my work. I often find myself thinking faster than I type because I’m naturally keyed-up anyway. Gotta slow it down. ;)
July 14th, 2007 at 7:36 am
I’ve done it’s and its mistakes in past.. will remmeber it now :)
July 14th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
I don’t claim to be perfect - far from it - but I confess that I am a bit OCD on grammar. (Maybe this has something to do with the ironic fact that, in spite of being a computer major, my best grades in school were always in English and Literature classes rather than Mathematics.)
But I also find that when you’ve got one of those funky little squiggles in your name, you can tend to be a little apostrophobic.
Perhaps one of the most glaring errors I see frequently are like this:
Microsoft have released some buggy new software today.
No offense to the talented folks in Redmond, but in this case, Microsoft is not a group of people. It’s not Bill & Steve. It is a company - an entity - a proper noun. So, it should read:
Microsoft has released some buggy new software today.
Seems like my feed reader pulls in at least one blog entry a day that features this misuse. Does anyone else notice this?
July 14th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
@Rob: Yes! I’ve seen that before and on a number of blogs. And what bugs me is that they have good content, yet they consistently write it with “have”.
July 14th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
Rob- There was another common mistake that was “Who stole what from who?” which should be “Who stole what from whom?” :)
Mark- I think they think of Microsoft as one instead of a team.
July 14th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
Hmm, but that still wouldn’t make things grammatically correct. As an individual or as a team (which is still seen as one entity) it would still be “has”. :)
July 15th, 2007 at 7:05 am
Hey, I just thought of another one: irregardless. That’s not a word! It should be, of course, “regardless”. Makes me wince when I hear/read that. Aargh!
July 15th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
I don’t hear “irregardless” a lot, but it still happens, and I wince too. :P
July 16th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Oh come on guys! That’s a funny sounding word!!! I use it all the time!Can I get away with it if I know it’s not a real word and just say it with a smirk in “special” circumstances?
July 16th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Irregardless ta menchin, but ya gotta admit: Da guy wot say tings like dat ain’t gonna be took too serious-like, ya know?
And, woddaya mean, dat’s a funny soundin woid? Us uses it alla time, an so duz da boss. Ya makin fun uh da boss??
*-*-*-*-*
Back to my own peculiar dialect of English:
“Special circumstances” call for special words. And, although this has been hotly debated elsewhere, special spelling.
I can argue both sides of the debate on whether to attempt phonetic rendition of dialect - but there’s little doubt in my mind that there are times when non-standard words have a place.
July 16th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
@Norski: That’s too funny! LOL
But I have to say there is a difference between nonstandard words and incorrect ones. “Regardless” does the job by definition. Putting “ir” in front of it makes it incorrect. I liken it to “pre-heating the oven”. The “pre” is unnecessary. How do you make the oven heated without heating it first? Granted, it’s one of those accepted uses though.
@Bush: sorry buddy. No offense. ;)
July 17th, 2007 at 3:04 am
@Mark - Ha ha, none taken! It is something that I should eep out of my vocab, but every time I say it, it just makes me smile! (#):D
July 17th, 2007 at 3:56 am
Bush- You know there’s irregular but no irregardless, right? :D
July 18th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
@Grace & Mark - You know, at some point soon I’m sure they’re gonna just make it a word. (#):D
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:09 am
[…] Grace has pointed out some common Grammar Mistakes That Make You Look Blank […]
July 28th, 2007 at 11:30 am
[…] are a lot of people that make grammar mistakes which may be […]
December 15th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce
June 7th, 2008 at 7:07 am
those all too common grammar mistakes that you learn in elementary school… but alas, few remember them.