5 Grammar Mistakes That Drive English Nerds Around The Globe Completely Insane
Start writing a post
Student Life

5 Grammar Mistakes That Drive English Nerds Around The Globe Completely Insane

A shortcut to those words you're not sure about.

154
5 Grammar Mistakes That Drive English Nerds Around The Globe Completely Insane
@eternal_struggles

There was a time in grade school where we all learned a little something called grammar. You can't tell me you didn't because I know for a fact you did. Just dig deep into the deep recesses of your brain and you'll remember. I know I had a few workbooks and textbooks that I despised with all my heart.

I felt like grammar was a complete waste of time in class because it was totally common sense. Or so I thought...

BREAKING NEWS PEOPLE! It's 2018 and we live half of our lives online. While we do have spellcheck, we have not been granted the gift of grammar check yet. Many people are making important first impressions online. Because of this, it is absolutely essential to not rely on spellcheck to fix all of your typing mistakes because you sat through hours of grammar classes and your computer didn't.

I am convinced some people honestly didn't pay any attention in their grade school classes or simply are too lazy to check their posts. I see too many mistakes to continue on without saying anything. Hop into my little time machine and zoom back to 3rd grade to review these lovely rules I wrongly assumed everyone knew.

1. Your vs. You're


This is one of the most irritating and most frequent errors I see. "Your" shows possession and "you're" means "you are." For example, a correct sentence would be "You're holding your phone." On an invitation, you should write "You're Invited" because invited is another verb and no one can own "invited." On a birthday card, you should say "It's Your Birthday!" because the person possesses their birthday and it doesn't make sense to say "It's You Are Birthday!"

2. Their vs. There vs. They're

It blows my mind how many people get these three confused. I supposed it's a step up from your vs. you're since there are three different options so I'll cut everyone some slack. This one is pretty simple once you know the difference. "They're" is just like "you're" - it means "they are." "Their" is like "your;" it shows possession. You would use "their" to describe "their desk."

Finally, "there" is different from the rest because it doesn't match up with a version of "your" or "you're." "There" signifies a location and is the correct spelling of "over there." In a sentence, you could correctly use all three versions of their/there/they're by saying "They're going to their house over there," meaning "They are going to the house that they live in over in that area."

3. Possession vs. Plural

This problem pops up most frequently around Christmastime when people are sending out their holiday cards. To make ANY word plural, INCLUDING NAMES, you always only add an "-s" or "-es." You should NEVER add an apostrophe (') to make a plural. Apostrophes show possession with nouns every single time! There is no word that can be made plural with an apostrophe.

4. Saw vs. Seen

This grammar error is a current phenomenon sweeping Facebook. "Saw" and "seen" are both past tense forms of "see." However, there is a difference. "Saw" is the simple past tense so it can be used directly after a noun. "Seen" is the past participle of "see." This means you must always say "have seen." "Seen" should never appear by itself. You can either say "I saw" or "I haveseen," but you can NEVER say "I seen" (I just cringed typing that).

5. To vs. Too vs. Two

Oh man, we're really going back to basics now with to vs. too vs. two. Obviously, "two" is the correct spelling of the number 2. To vs. too seems to be a little trickier for some people. "Too" means in addition or plus. "To" has an extensive list of correct uses that can be viewed here, but most of the time "to" is used to indicate direction.

An example of all of these words being used in the right way would be "I am going to the movie at twotoo!" This sentence means "I am attending the movie at 2 o'clock as well."

Moral of the story: Grammar is easy to understand. Please use it.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

95057
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments