Grammar?

[jojo2324]

This is really stupid and petty, but today I was Target and saw a (cute Easter) t-shirt that read, "Chick's Rule." Chick's rule? What is the chick's rule? Not to be seen before Easter? Only, it's not a rule, but rather chickS plural. Not chick's! CHICKS. CHICKS RULE!!!!!

I am such a dork. This is why I have a Scrabble day-by-day calendar right next to me.

[jd11365]

OMG...that would make me nuts! You should call the company! Things like this make me crazy... I hate that they don't capitalize players names when my local NBA team is in TV, or when on 20/20 they don't use a comma in the date...just March 23 2004...where's the comma???!!! I spent years teaching my kids in class to capitalize proper nouns...and then they turn on the TV to watch a basketball game and what do you know...no capitalization! Guess I'm another dork here... ;)


Jamie
Mommy to Kayla
5-1-03

[stella]

My gosh - does no one go to elementary school anymore? You would think that it would be caught at SOME point in the manufacturing process!!

I saw a honda pilot ad (in print) that referred to its seating capacity - only it said "it's seating capacity". I think it's a disgrace - just think HOW much proofreading is probably done before a BIG company puts an ad in print. HOW are these things not caught? I can understand one person being mistaken, but HOW MANY LEVELS DO THEY GO THROUGH??

Although in the case of the Target t-shirt (and I do love Target), you know it was made in some non-English speaking, third world country - how else could they sell it for $3.99? But was it designed there as well???

As you can see, this is a pet peeve of mine as well!!

[dotgirl]

My husband is *always* picking up on improper punctuation and grammar. In fact, he was thrilled one day when he noticed that Albertson's has lines which say "15 items or fewer", which is correct. (Most say "15 items or less", which is wrong.)

[s_gosney]

Joanne, you're not the only dork! :) I am forever noticing things like that too, and it drives me nuts. I saw one of the laser-engraved wooden picture frames at Walmart recently that used it's instead of its for possessive. People just can't seem to keep their and there straight either. I'm with the other poster too. I know how easy it is for things to slip past one or two people, but you would really think companies would be more careful before manufacturing thousands of items. :P

[BethS]

this kind of stuff bugs me all the time. The worst is when I'm reading a book and find grammar errors. Hello! Where's the editor? I've contemplated several times writing the author and offering to edit his/her book.

We are a major Scrabble family!

[brigmaman]

Aha! This is my favorite!! It happens all the time. Fewer for numbers!

[brigmaman]

Joanne, just call me a dork, too! Actually Jay and I (both English majors) are a little competetive about this stuff. He knows so much more than I do. But I have some random rules that always bother me.
As for other dorkdom entries... at my x-mas party my sister (one of us) spent a while near the fridge trying to put together the longest word possible using the LeapFrog magnets and not repeating any letter. Uncopyrightable- in case you are interested. ;)
Oh and then there's a little semantics issue that has come up twice on L&0 lately. The scenario is that an officer says something and a suspect says, "What are you inferring?" Well twice, on two different shows, the officer shoots back, "What I'm implying is.... the listener INFERS."
Pure satisfaction for dorks.

[Imperia]

Yay!

I am what you might lovingly refer to as a "grammar whore". I have have been known to rant for over ten minutes about grammatical errors in print media, on tv, in people's journals, posts and speech etc.

The thing that really irritates me is people who confuse homophones ie words such as there, their and they're. ARGGGGGGGGGGGH that really bothers me. I remember them teaching us about this in 2nd or 3rd grade. I find it hard to believe people have forgotten this. I remember laughing outloud at the woman who was going to "bear her sole". I swear, someone actually typed it out that way.

Double negatives also chap my hide. I found one the other day in a fairly decent magazine. *sigh* I dislike it when people abuse the english language.

It's pathetic , but I have been this way almost since birth. When I was a small child (even as young as 4 or 5) my parents had to constantly remind me not to correct the grammar of adults because, "Adults don't like their mistakes to be pointed out by a child."

Imperia

[Rachels]

Oooooooooooooh, I hate that. Stuff like that actually affects the purchases I make. It just seems so careless and sloppy to me.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[C99]

Let me say that I love what the Fields have done for consumer products, but their book is guilty of this too. Then again, I went through the copyediting sequence at UC Berkeley Extension and the instructors all said that you can read a book a thousand times and have it go through several sets of eyes and, invariably, when the book is published, the first page you go to will contain an error!

[tinkerbell1217]

That makes me crazy too! Its like when Pres Bush says nuke u lar! Instead of nuclear! And whe people don't speak correctly, like instead of "ask" its "axe". DRIVES ME NUTS!!! My DH calls me Monk because I am so anal about certain things!!! Ever see that TV show with Tony Shaloub?? Cracks me up, but I totally relate to him!

Kelly

[JenCA]

Oh, this drives me INSANE. Yesterday I was driving to work and saw a sign for an apartment complex that said, "Resort living at it's finest." At IT'S finest? Argh.

[hcsl]

Yea! I'm not a total freak! Grammar mistakes are among my biggest pet peeves!

The one that TOTALLY gets under my skin is 'at' on the end of location statements and questions (i.e, Where is it at). I just want to scream "Where is it! Where is it! Where is it!!!!!" I have a friend that says, when someone asks where something is at, "Behind the preposition 'at'. To my knowledge he hasn't been hit yet.

[jec2]

I go nuts over poor grammar (although I'm sure I've made a mistake or two in haste). However, the following gets my goat: Poly Sci vs. Poli Sci (as short for Political Science). Don't these Political Science MAJORS know that P-O-L-Y means "many?"

[alkagift]

Joanne,
I am proud to be a dork from a long line of dorks. My parents were both English professors and I was raised by a mom who would write companies who misspelled and had errors in their print ads--several places actually gave her gift certificates for the help!

My DH doesn't get the "fewer" vs "less" thing...I love torturing the poor engineer soul.

Allison
Mommy to Matthew Clayton, 5/19/03

[pritchettzoo]

Another dork here. Perhaps this is why we flock together?

I'll email companies when I see an error on their website or advertising. I usually get no response. So they're rude and stupid! :P

ETA my favorite grammar story: When I was student teaching high-school English, the one guy in our group put up a bulletin board in his class for the grammar segment. He'd had it up for a week and the English department head was praising it to the heavens. I stopped by to see this gem of his. In 6 inch high letters across the center of the board was "GRAMMER"--and this guy was the only one of us to get a job offer.

Anna
Mama to Gracie (9/16/03)

[Raidra]

I get aggravated at grammatical errors, too. There's a sign on a major highway nearby that says "Land Built to Suit" - I still haven't figured that one out.

This isn't a grammatical error, but it cracks me up.. have you seen the Friendly's commercial that starts off with a guy looking at a sports car instead of the minivan his wife wants? The announcer says, "Life is full of temptations, and for a limited time, Friendly's is, too!" So.. Friendly's hasn't been tempting before, and won't be anymore? Geez.. talk about bad advertising. ;)

[jbowman]

What a great topic! Grammatical mistakes drive me nuts! I worked this office job during my summer vacations in college. Each time I got a memo, I'd correct the grammar (anonymously, of course) and send it back to the person who wrote it. Good thing I became a professor!

[MOSh513]

Let me add for those of us out here married to a grammar nut but not as blessed in the area of language arts...

I may not know whether to write it's or its, but I'm the person in the household who keeps the computer running and helps you find the misplaced files you created using that proper grammar!

:7 :7 :7 :7

[vikivoly]

Now I'm really getting paranoid about my posts!

[brubeck]

Just remember Vicki, it's always a TYPO. You KNEW the proper grammar, right? :)

And while I'm pretty sure I used 'it's' properly there I'm beginning to get a complex that's making me doubt myself! :)

[jojo2324]

LOL Vicki! My gripe isn't so much with grammatical errors as it is with Target. I just wonder how many people that goof slipped by? (Whoops, preposition at the end of a sentence there!) :)

No, the worst is that while I am a stickler for grammar, my hubby is not. As in, he doesn't speak perfect English. He'll say "her and I" or something like that. I feel so awful when I correct him (and I don't a lot of the time, because I feel like a bi-atch and he's not thrilled either), but then I don't want our kids to hear it and think that's okay!

And there are some things people spoke of here that I didn't even know! (Like infer vs. imply.)

[brigmaman]

Lol, you can count on Law and Order for more than just entertainment!!
But seriously, when writing (as in posts) sometimes words come out funny. I switched cite and site in my master's thesis. (Too much time on the computer, I guess!)

[vikivoly]

Ok, you guys are making me feel a little better.

"(Whoops, preposition at the end of a sentence there!)" That is one of my biggest mistakes!

One that I can't get is "well and good". Some lady wrote into Dr. Phil because he messed it up all the time. She explained the proper usage to him, but I still didn't get it!

[kijip]

I , a total non-grammar geek, believe that it is:

do something well

something is good

As in:

You did well in your English class.

The pot roast is good tonight.

Thus it is:

I am doing well in my classes.

and not:

I am doing good in my classes.

This is a simplest way I can explain it...maybe I am wrong? When in doubt I think it out in my head- "The pot roast is well" sounds wrong as does "You did good in your class".

[alexsmommy]

Ok. I admit it. I bought that shirt for my girlfriend's little girl, gave it to her, and only noticed the grammtical error AFTER she had put it on. Her mom's a teacher so I'm sure she caught it and is too polite to say anything. I'm chalking it up to Mommy brain. I am a woman who goes nuts when I see a lot spelled alot. My husband swears he wouldn't have proposed in writing b/c I would have edited it. I will say, I don't really notice when people make mistakes here simply b/c I know half of us type with a kid on our laps.
By the way...I have a doctorate. What happened to my brain?
Alaina - Mom to Alex 2-4-03 (born at 32 weeks)

[jmofarrill]

LOL - I've always wanted to pull out a red pen, circle all the mistakes in an ad or book, and return it to the company!

[jmofarrill]

I thought the preposition thing wasn't a grammar rule but rather a method for forming a better sentance?

Oh, my spelling sucks, btw. It's too bad I love, love, love doing crossword puzzles... in ink! LOL

[sweetbasil]

>And whe people don't speak correctly, like instead of "ask" its "axe". DRIVES ME NUTS!!!

Kelly,
That's too funny. When my little sis was in elementary school, she and a classmate would play together after school, and one day when she asked him something, he said, "I dunno. I'm gonna go home and axe my mama." Freaked my poor sister out! "Axe your mama? You're gonna what?!"

[lrucci]

Today one of my students brought in a paper for me to fill out for some testing he is having done at a local pychologist's office. At the top of the paper was the name of the practice and then underneath, in big bold face print were the words Edicational Information. I saw it immediately and then thought of this post.


Lisa
Mom to Kyleigh Elizabeth 7/19/03

[newbelly2002]

Vicki, you're not the only one concerned! I'm both an English professor and a writer, however, I *know* that I have made many a mistake on this board. I certainly hope folks understand that we all are typing under time constraints with perhaps diverted attention to the baby(ies), dog(s), and whomever else lies (lays?) underfoot.

*BTW, the easy way--in case it hasn't already been mentioned--to remember the difference between "it's" and "its" is to remember that the apostrophe with "it's" is used only when it is a contraction (i.e. taking the place of a letter). So, if you write a sentence using "it's" try replacing it with "it is." If you can then you have used it appropriately. If you haven't then it is a possessive and does not need the apostrophe. Hope that helps someone.

Paula
Mama to Dante, 8/02

[Calmegja2]

My life with grammar is perfectly summed up by a Sex and the City episode.

Carrie feels intimidated by Big's new wife...younger, gorgeous, seems to have it all pulled together. She's jealous, but she doesn't want to be.

Big's wife misses a gala event that Carrie attends. She sends a note to Carrie, apologizing for her absence.

And in the note, she writes, "Sorry I couldn't be their."

At which point, Carrie smiles, and realizes that all is right with the world, and that she's still on top.

No matter what else happens, I'll always have my penchant for proper grammar, and the little boost it gives me. Just like Carrie. ;-) Even on the days where I'm so overwhelmed with kid stuff that I don't have time to brush my hair. ;-)

[Imperia]

Oh, I forgot one:

My DH was laughing the other night because I was waching tv and a Sara Lee commercial came on, and I started screaming at the tv. The tag line was:

"Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee!"

Ummmmmmmm, is it just me or is that a double negative? I HATE double negatives. Maybe I should boycott Sara Lee until they get their act together. Hehe.

This isn't grammar, but I was at the mall yesterday and the sandwich place had a sign with letters a foot high that read:

"A 7" sandwitch and a small drink 4.99!"

Wow, I always wanted a "sand witch". *snicker*

Imperia

[christic]

A panda walked into a cafe. He ordered a sandwich, ate it, then pulled out a gun and shot the waiter. 'Why?' groaned the injured man. The panda shrugged, tossed him a badly punctuated wildlife manual and walked out. And sure enough, when the waiter consulted the book, he found an explanation. 'Panda,' ran the entry for his assailant. 'Large black and white mammal native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.'

[nitaghei]

This is one that drives me nuts! I just saw "it's" for "its" in a Landsend catalog yesterday (okay, it was overstocks - but!!) And I can't tell you how many times I've seen this mistake in APPELLATE briefs - to the state's highest court!! Which tend to be edited many, many times, by people who should definitely know better!


My other pet peeve is using "discrete" for "discreet." ARGGGHHH! A truly dorky one, I admit.

Nita
mom to Neel, January 2003
dog mom to a cocker and a PWD

[jmofarrill]

Did you hear about the judge that reduced an award because the lawyer's grammatical mistakes in his filings were so bad? The lawyer placed the location of the court in the "Easter Pennsylvania district" and he misspelled the judge's name! It was on NPR a couple of weeks ago.

[nitaghei]

Yes, I saw that opinion. The lack of care in the briefs was appalling - and evidently pretty much routine for that attorney. What saved him was that his prep for the court room was very good.

Nita
mom to Neel, January 2003
dog mom to a cocker and a PWD

[jd11365]

For the record, while stuff like this bothers me on items like the shirt at Target, final drafts of work, television graphics, etc., it certainly doesn't bother me here. Emails and posts are safe IMO. So speaking for myself, I hope nobody feels insecure if they forget the correct its or it's when posting on BBB...I'm not judging... :)

Jamie
Mommy to Kayla
5-1-03

Edited for grammar...ha!

[cdlamis]

Paula-

Thank you for the lesson! :) (I mean that sincerely BTW)

I read all the posts here thinking I would find a clarification about when to use "its" vs. "it's". I didn't want to be the only one to ask the question. So thanks for the lesson. I am sure I have made the mistake many times but now I know!

Daniella
Mom to Julia 6-13-02
http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b35d0802848f *December pictures

[Dcclerk]

I always thought it was "Nobody does it like Sara Lee" :) Maybe it was just my brain trying to work through its double negative issues!

[Sarah1]

I have never felt as home on the boards as I do RIGHT NOW after reading all these posts. I thought I was the only geek! Misuse of apostrophes (JUST like "chick's rule") is really the one that gets me!

And btw, I don't bother checking my posts for grammar on these boards either! Hopefully I haven't offended anyone with my missing commas...............

[newbelly2002]

Glad to help! I didn't want to offer and insult anyone, but it's a comman mistake. I still double-check myself more than occasionally. Spelling is my other nemisis.

Good to know that three years of teaching English Composition can still come in handy!

Paula
Mama to Dante, 8/02

[vikivoly]

Yeah, it is "Nobody does it like Sara Lee". She must be one heck of a woman! :)

[papal]

OMG OMG OMG!!!
After reading all the replies, I am super paranoid about posting anything. I NEVER know where a comma goes so my sentences go on and on forever. I guess i post like i talk which is usually super fast or whatever i can say in one exhalation. Please forgive me people!! I hope that as long as you get the gist of what I am trying to say, all is well!! :)
But i certainly do notice all you fellers whose posts are always so well written... Nita comes to mind. I am always in awe that you can think and then type.. i kinda type and then think. Bad me. Bad me.
Which actually brings me to another point.. do our posting styles reflect our personalities??? I know there was a post about this some time back... but do you read a post and then judge that the person is a certain way? I tend to do that sometimes.
And sometimes when i go back and read my post, I am like WHAT the heck was i saying?? I am such a dork.

[mharling]

> and whomever else lies (lays?) underfoot.

I consider myself a stickler for grammar too and I STILL haven't figured out lie/lay.

Mary
Lane 4/6/03

[mharling]

As I mentioned above, I still get hung up on lie/lay. I just found this and hope it helps someone in addition to me!

http://www.wonderfulwritingskillsunhandbook.com/html/lie_vs_lay.html

My head is spinning trying to make sense of this. I need to go lie down. :)

Mary
Lane 4/6/03

[barbarhow]

My husband does the same thing and it makes me a little nuts. Oh well-I love him irregardless. (HA! just kidding that isn't really a word-see offshoot post on grammar). I will be a stickler for grammar with my kids. Although I promise not to be as bad as my grandmother-she would take letters we had written as kids and circle in red ink misspellings (okay-so does that word have one s or two???) and grammatical errors. She would then tuck the letter into an envelope and return it. Ugh.
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I ran across this website today and remembered this thread:

http://quizilla.com/users/BaalObsidian/quizzes/How%20grammatically%20sound%20are%20you%3F/

The only thing is that it does not tell you which ones you got wrong. But it's fun to test yourself. :)

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[NancyJ_redo]

I am a "Grammar God", though I really wish it would tell you the answers since there were some that I just guessed at. Err...I mean there were some at which I guessed :)

[hobey]

I am a "Grammar God(dess)" too, thanks to my high school English teacher. :)

Raquel
Nathan's Mom 12/19/03

[nitaghei]

Another "Grammar God(dess) here!! What a relief!

Nita
mom to Neel, January 2003
dog mom to a cocker and a PWD

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I got the same thing. I wish we could find the answers. Maybe we should post the ones here that we were not sure about and one of us will know the right answer?

Here are the ones I was not sure of:

6. Chrissy's teacher asked her to __________ the book to room 22.
bring
take
Either is acceptable.

10. __________ we go to the store, or __________ you?
Shall, shall
Shall, will
Will, shall
Should, shall
Will, would


#11. He wants to __________ where no man has gone before.
go boldly
boldly go
go bold
go with bold
gone boldly

#19. Choose the sentence with a misplaced modifier:
Running at top speed, I felt my wig fly off.
We had a great time at his party, dancing until dawn.
He kicked the ball barely twenty yards.
The camera photographed the satellite hurtling through space.
The soccer team only won four games the entire season.



...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[pritchettzoo]

I think these are correct:

6. bring
Bring means "to carry to a nearer place from a more distant one." Take means the opposite: "To carry to a more distant place from a nearer one."
Examples: Bring that file over here.
Take this package to the post office.

10. Shall, would
http://grammar.englishclub.com/verbs-modals_shall-will.htm

11. go boldly
-go should be first or else it's a split infinitive (to go)
-and boldly is correct because you need an adverb

19. We had a great time at his party, dancing until dawn.
"Dancing until dawn" modifies "party" in that sentence.

Thanks for the fun quiz! I wish it showed the correct answers too!

Anna
Mama to Gracie (9/16/03)

[jojo2324]

Another Grammar God(dess). Phew! I really wish they showed the correct answers!

Here are the ones I had trouble with:


#16. Choose which sentence is written correctly.

''What do you think about 'No new taxes?''' he asked her.

''What do you think about 'No new taxes'?'', he asked her.

''What do you think about 'No new taxes?','' he asked her.

''What do you think about 'No new taxes'?'' he asked her.

What do you think about 'No new taxes','' he asked her.

I picked the last one, even though I didn't think it was right. Okay, duh, just realized there were no quotations marks at the beginning of that sentence. Groan, it's the second choice! I got so caught up with the comma needed to be IN the quotation marks.

Okay, another one:

#14. __________ should you ask for assistance? Why don't you ask the man ________ is standing at the counter?

Whom, that

Whom, whom

Who, who

Whom, who

Who, whom

I chose whom, who.

And I never understand sneaked, snuck.

[memedee]

Another grammar goddess.
Does that mean they were all correct?I love love being right.It is a very annoying characteristic.
I am also a spelling fanatic and am very COMPETITIVE as I compete in spelling bees.
No,I am not a dork.I am encouraged to represent my office for charity.
Actually I may be a dork.

[sml]

I'm SO excited! More grammar Queens.
I don't know if anyone encounters this one often, but I HATE when people use "conversate" instead of "converse." You all just don't know how many people I have had to tell that "conversate" is NOT a word.
And to the person that said that she hates to correct her husband, here's a little something for you both. My husband works in a very strict and competitive enviornment and his boss is extremely anal. I can't tell you how many times he's thanked me for correcting him when he makes common grammar mistakes because it could cost him a promotion.