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estesbob
Guest
Yes.
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Beryllos
Guest
I think that is a good insight for personal and spiritual growth. Whenever we “feel offended by” or “take offense at” something as small as grammar, we should try to recognize our self-centeredness and try to redirect our focus with charity toward the other person. Figure out what he intended to communicate, and then, if you wish, respond to that.
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tee_eff_em
Guest
[ASIDE]Spell check doesn’t help when someone spells “there” when it should be “their” or “they’re.”
There should be a grammar check!
Recently seen on Facebook: WHY I WOULD BE AN EVIL SPELLING BEE JUDGE
Me: Your word is “their”
Contestant: Can you use it in a sentence?
Me: “They’re going to build their house over there.”
Contestant: Can you use it in a sentence?
Me: “They’re going to build their house over there.”
[/ASIDE]
tee
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Issa87
Guest
Exactly! Like I said, I don’t think I am better than anyone else. I don’t mind being corrected if I am wrong.
My biggest issue is the use of “of” when it should be “have.”
Like “I couldn’t OF said it any better.”
How many times do you see this incorrect usage on the internet? So, I say something like,
"I agree.
I couldn’t HAVE said it any better, because
I of said doesn’t make sense,
but I have said makes sense. Get it?"
It’s not to condescend, but to teach what should have been taught to them. And I feel this way because I have had friends who went through the education system but didn’t learn how to write an essay by the time they graduated high school. I actually wrote an essay for my friend on the last week of our high school career because she didn’t know how. And she was so impressed that I could do it on the spot for her. How many people go through life being poorly educated? And yet they take pride in this. They would rather write unintelligently than be corrected, when I view correction as a public service. I don’t do it to prove that I am more intelligent but to share my knowledge.
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Sarcelle
Guest
Yes, could have instead of could of.
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St_Francis
Guest
Maybe doing it by PM would be a good compromise? And only once per error per person? Don’t correct Mr X again if he continues to say would of…
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truetofaith
Guest
When I’m speaking, I say could of, should of, but when I write I use the correct words. My lazy N.Y. accent.
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Lou2U
Guest
I see what you mean, but I don’t think adding on “Get it?” at the end is necessary. Maybe just a smiley face?
I do understand your frustration with this. I had a friend, who at age 13, always forgot to capitalise “I” when talking about herself.
I will repeat, though, mistakes could be made through English not being a first language, or a learning disability such as dsylexia.
No offence, but I don’t think that was the right thing to do. If your friend never learnt to write an essay, you doing it for her wouldn’t have helped her to learn. I speak from experience with this, because the same friend I mentioned before got so used to me correcting her, she stopped bothering to remember for herself and relied on me to sort it. You should have let your friend do it herself, IMO.
I’m not sure that your friend’s lack of ability to write an essay is completely down to a poor education. You went to the same high school as her, didn’t you? I think a lot of it is that people get used to being corrected and so don’t bother to change themselves if they know someone else will carry them.
Also, I think that many people would rather have their message listened to then be picked up on grammar instead. I know that whenever I was writing an essay, I would get tired of seeing only corrections and no comments on what I was saying.
There is obviously a big difference in how people view corrections. You see it as a “public service”, but others see it as rude when everything else they say is ignored. Again, I don’t mean to offend but when you say “it is not to prove I am more intelligent but to share my knowledge” - that’s basically the same thing, in my eyes.
To be completely honest, I think correcting a person’s grammar is a bit like evangelising someone to a faith. Lead by example (use good grammar), correct yourself when you are wrong and be honest about it (correct your own grammar) and use words when necessary (correct a person’s grammar only when you have to). This is a bit like what happened with another friend of mine and I. When we type to each other (we live in different continents although we used to go to the same school), I’ll always correct myself when making a mistake, and now she’ll correct herself. I’ll only ask her did you mean “_____” when it’s contradicting her argument (like another poster said earlier, if the “not” is forgotten, for example). I’ll usually get a reply saying “oh yeah, of course facepalm”
Lou
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amrin
Guest
I didn’t quite get it if you correct them in a public or private way. Either way, if you’re on a forum and see a grammar mistake and post -just- to correct the person its actually quite rude. In my opinion you should just Pm the person.
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PolarGuy
Guest
Most people who act arrogantly and condescendingly don’t think that they are doing so…they just rationalize their actions by saying how much they have to teach others, who can learn so much from their brilliance.
OP, the more you write, the less patience I have for your position, and the more rudely I think you are acting collectively.
OP, the more you write, the less patience I have for your position, and the more rudely I think you are acting collectively.
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maryjk
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Zoltan_Cobalt
Guest
Poor grammar is a pet peeve of mine also.
For example:
The word “on” should be “in”.
“…and I am American” should read “…and I am an American.”
Wise up!
For example:
If you believe in perfection, you should use the word “grammar” rather than “grammatical”.
The word “on” should be “in”.
“…and I am American” should read “…and I am an American.”
Wise up!
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truetofaith
Guest
I believe “grammatical” & “on” the forum are correct. but…
…You may be right…“an American.”
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Beryllos
Guest
No, that’s what it sound like when you speak contractions like could’ve.
That may be where “could of” came from.
… Er, sorry officer, mustn’t end with a preposition. What I meant to say was:
That may be from where “could of” came.
Issa, get out your red pencil and help me out here!
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tee_eff_em
Guest
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Issa87
Guest
Yeah, I do agree, and I considered that. However, it was the day before the essay was due, and I didn’t have time to help her after school, so I orally delivered the essay to her off the top of my head in a different class. She had a D in the class, and I didn’t want her to not graduate. We actually had our teacher go on maternity leave, and the substitute assigned us more work than our teacher. Everyone’s grade went down, except for mine. I remember the substitute stating this in class. But I was new to the school. My senior year in high school I took college bound classes. However, from 8th grade through my junior year of high school I took advanced classes. Although I took advanced classes I was not an excellent student. My life was a mess back then and I couldn’t focus on my studies. My grades were average and I graduated with a GPA average of 2.87. Which is why I am appalled by the lack of grammar skills on the internet. If a C student can learn these skills, I do not understand how others haven’t been able to.
I think you are right. I remember kids being corrected on how to pronounce words they read aloud incorrectly, and many would never repeat after the teacher and say it the correct way. Meanwhile, if I said it incorrectly or the teacher said the word for me, I would repeat the word after her so that I would learn how to say it.
I did respond to her and said that I agreed with her.
I guess people assume that you are judging them when in reality you are correcting a behavior/skill, which are two different things. But as the saying goes, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink it.” People will either be open to learning new skills, or they won’t care. And I can just put the information out there and they can do what they want with it.
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Issa87
Guest
I was wondering if it was an American. Thank you.
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truetofaith
Guest
The song : “I’m Proud to be an American.”I was wondering if it was an American. Thank you.
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Issa87
Guest
I have read that the rule to not end a sentence with a preposition came from Latin grammar rules, and doesn’t apply to English. Although we do have elements of Latin in English, it is not realistic to apply that rule for the English language. Perhaps it was more feasible to apply that rule a few decades ago, but modern speakers do not need to apply that rule today.No, that’s what it sound like when you speak contractions like could’ve.
That may be where “could of” came from.
… Er, sorry officer, mustn’t end with a preposition. What I meant to say was:
That may be from where “could of” came.
Issa, get out your red pencil and help me out here!
I just hope “could of” does not change into acceptable grammar usage. “Supposably” is now found in the dictionary. For those who don’t know, the correct word is “supposedly.”
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Issa87
Guest
I don’t know the song. I will have to look it up.
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