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Title: 20 Common Grammar Mistakes That (Almost) Everyone Makes
Source:
Lit Reactor
URL Source: http://litreactor.com/columns/20-co ... hat-almost-everyone-gets-wrong
Published: Jan 31, 2012
Author: Jon Gingerich
Post Date: 2013-04-05 17:14:28 by X-15
Keywords: None
Views: 6236
Comments: 69
I’ve edited a monthly magazine for more than six years, and it’s a job that’s come with more frustration than reward. If there’s one thing I am grateful for — and it sure isn’t the pay — it’s that my work has allowed endless time to hone my craft to Louis Skolnick levels of grammar geekery. As someone who slings red ink for a living, let me tell you: grammar is an ultra-micro component in the larger picture; it lies somewhere in the final steps of the editing trail; and as such it’s an overrated quasi-irrelevancy in the creative process, perpetuated into importance primarily by bitter nerds who accumulate tweed jackets and crippling inferiority complexes. But experience has also taught me that readers, for better or worse, will approach your work with a jaundiced eye and an itch to judge. While your grammar shouldn’t be a reflection of your creative powers or writing abilities, let’s face it — it usually is. Below are 20 common grammar mistakes I see routinely, not only in editorial queries and submissions, but in print: in HR manuals, blogs, magazines, newspapers, trade journals, and even best selling novels. If it makes you feel any better, I’ve made each of these mistakes a hundred times, and I know some of the best authors in history have lived to see these very toadstools appear in print. Let's hope you can learn from some of their more famous mistakes. Who and Whom This one opens a big can of worms. “Who” is a subjective — or nominative — pronoun, along with "he," "she," "it," "we," and "they." It’s used when the pronoun acts as the subject of a clause. “Whom” is an objective pronoun, along with "him," "her," "it", "us," and "them." It’s used when the pronoun acts as the object of a clause. Using “who” or “whom” depends on whether you’re referring to the subject or object of a sentence. When in doubt, substitute “who” with the subjective pronouns “he” or “she,” e.g., Who loves you? cf., He loves me. Similarly, you can also substitute “whom” with the objective pronouns “him” or “her.” e.g., I consulted an attorney whom I met in New York. cf., I consulted him. Which and That This is one of the most common mistakes out there, and understandably so. “That” is a restrictive pronoun. It’s vital to the noun to which it’s referring. e.g., I don’t trust fruits and vegetables that aren’t organic. Here, I’m referring to all non-organic fruits or vegetables. In other words, I only trust fruits and vegetables that are organic. “Which” introduces a relative clause. It allows qualifiers that may not be essential. e.g., I recommend you eat only organic fruits and vegetables, which are available in area grocery stores. In this case, you don’t have to go to a specific grocery store to obtain organic fruits and vegetables. “Which” qualifies, “that” restricts. “Which” is more ambiguous however, and by virtue of its meaning is flexible enough to be used in many restrictive clauses. e.g., The house, which is burning, is mine. e.g., The house that is burning is mine. Lay and Lie This is the crown jewel of all grammatical errors. “Lay” is a transitive verb. It requires a direct subject and one or more objects. Its present tense is “lay” (e.g., I lay the pencil on the table) and its past tense is “laid” (e.g., Yesterday I laid the pencil on the table). “Lie” is an intransitive verb. It needs no object. Its present tense is “lie” (e.g., The Andes mountains lie between Chile and Argentina) and its past tense is “lay” (e.g., The man lay waiting for an ambulance). The most common mistake occurs when the writer uses the past tense of the transitive “lay” (e.g., I laid on the bed) when he/she actually means the intransitive past tense of “lie" (e.g., I lay on the bed). Moot Contrary to common misuse, “moot” doesn’t imply something is superfluous. It means a subject is disputable or open to discussion. e.g., The idea that commercial zoning should be allowed in the residential neighborhood was a moot point for the council. Continual and Continuous They’re similar, but there’s a difference. “Continual” means something that's always occurring, with obvious lapses in time. “Continuous” means something continues without any stops or gaps in between. e.g., The continual music next door made it the worst night of studying ever. e.g., Her continuous talking prevented him from concentrating. Envy and Jealousy The word “envy” implies a longing for someone else’s good fortunes. “Jealousy” is far more nefarious. It’s a fear of rivalry, often present in sexual situations. “Envy” is when you covet your friend’s good looks. “Jealousy” is what happens when your significant other swoons over your good-looking friend. Nor “Nor” expresses a negative condition. It literally means "and not." You’re obligated to use the “nor” form if your sentence expresses a negative and follows it with another negative condition. “Neither the men nor the women were drunk” is a correct sentence because “nor” expresses that the women held the same negative condition as the men. The old rule is that “nor” typically follows “neither,” and “or” follows “either.” However, if neither “either” nor “neither” is used in a sentence, you should use “nor” to express a second negative, as long as the second negative is a verb. If the second negative is a noun, adjective, or adverb, you would use “or,” because the initial negative transfers to all conditions. e.g., He won’t eat broccoli or asparagus. The negative condition expressing the first noun (broccoli) is also used for the second (asparagus). May and Might “May” implies a possibility. “Might” implies far more uncertainty. “You may get drunk if you have two shots in ten minutes” implies a real possibility of drunkenness. “You might get a ticket if you operate a tug boat while drunk” implies a possibility that is far more remote. Someone who says “I may have more wine” could mean he/she doesn't want more wine right now, or that he/she “might” not want any at all. Given the speaker’s indecision on the matter, “might” would be correct. Whether and If Many writers seem to assume that “whether” is interchangeable with “if." It isn’t. “Whether” expresses a condition where there are two or more alternatives. “If” expresses a condition where there are no alternatives. e.g., I don’t know whether I’ll get drunk tonight. e.g., I can get drunk tonight if I have money for booze. Fewer and Less “Less” is reserved for hypothetical quantities. “Few” and “fewer” are for things you can quantify. e.g., The firm has fewer than ten employees. e.g., The firm is less successful now that we have only ten employees. Farther and Further The word “farther” implies a measurable distance. “Further” should be reserved for abstract lengths you can't always measure. e.g., I threw the ball ten feet farther than Bill. e.g., The financial crisis caused further implications. Since and Because “Since” refers to time. “Because” refers to causation. e.g., Since I quit drinking I’ve married and had two children. e.g., Because I quit drinking I no longer wake up in my own vomit. Disinterested and Uninterested Contrary to popular usage, these words aren’t synonymous. A “disinterested” person is someone who’s impartial. For example, a hedge fund manager might take interest in a headline regarding the performance of a popular stock, even if he's never invested in it. He’s “disinterested,” i.e., he doesn’t seek to gain financially from the transaction he’s witnessed. Judges and referees are supposed to be "disinterested." If the sentence you’re using implies someone who couldn't care less, chances are you’ll want to use “uninterested.” Anxious Unless you’re frightened of them, you shouldn’t say you’re “anxious to see your friends.” You’re actually “eager,” or "excited." To be “anxious” implies a looming fear, dread or anxiety. It doesn’t mean you’re looking forward to something. Different Than and Different From This is a tough one. Words like “rather” and “faster” are comparative adjectives, and are used to show comparison with the preposition “than,” (e.g., greater than, less than, faster than, rather than). The adjective “different” is used to draw distinction. So, when “different” is followed by a preposition, it should be “from,” similar to “separate from,” “distinct from,” or “away from.” e.g., My living situation in New York was different from home. There are rare cases where “different than” is appropriate, if “than” operates as a conjunction. e.g., Development is different in New York than in Los Angeles. When in doubt, use “different from.” Bring and Take In order to employ proper usage of “bring” or “take,” the writer must know whether the object is being moved toward or away from the subject. If it is toward, use “bring.” If it is away, use “take.” Your spouse may tell you to “take your clothes to the cleaners.” The owner of the dry cleaners would say “bring your clothes to the cleaners.” Impactful It isn't a word. "Impact" can be used as a noun (e.g., The impact of the crash was severe) or a transitive verb (e.g., The crash impacted my ability to walk or hold a job). "Impactful" is a made-up buzzword, colligated by the modern marketing industry in their endless attempts to decode the innumerable nuances of human behavior into a string of mindless metrics. Seriously, stop saying this. Affect and Effect Here’s a trick to help you remember: “Affect” is almost always a verb (e.g., Facebook affects people’s attention spans), and “effect” is almost always a noun (e.g., Facebook's effects can also be positive). “Affect” means to influence or produce an impression — to cause hence, an effect. “Effect” is the thing produced by the affecting agent; it describes the result or outcome. There are some exceptions. “Effect” may be used as a transitive verb, which means to bring about or make happen. e.g., My new computer effected a much-needed transition from magazines to Web porn. There are similarly rare examples where “affect” can be a noun. e.g., His lack of affect made him seem like a shallow person. Irony and Coincidence Too many people claim something is the former when they actually mean the latter. For example, it’s not “ironic” that “Barbara moved from California to New York, where she ended up meeting and falling in love with a fellow Californian.” The fact that they’re both from California is a "coincidence." "Irony" is the incongruity in a series of events between the expected results and the actual results. "Coincidence" is a series of events that appear planned when they’re actually accidental. So, it would be "ironic" if “Barbara moved from California to New York to escape California men, but the first man she ended up meeting and falling in love with was a fellow Californian.” Nauseous Undoubtedly the most common mistake I encounter. Contrary to almost ubiquitous misuse, to be “nauseous” doesn’t mean you’ve been sickened: it actually means you possess the ability to produce nausea in others. e.g., That week-old hot dog is nauseous. When you find yourself disgusted or made ill by a nauseating agent, you are actually “nauseated.” e.g., I was nauseated after falling into that dumpster behind the Planned Parenthood. Stop embarrassing yourself. If you’re looking for a practical, quick guide to proper grammar, I suggest the tried-and-true classic The Elements of Style, by William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White. A few of these examples are listed in the book, and there are plenty more. Good luck!
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#29. To: Dakmar (#25)
Ugh! Hippies and Buckley, a recipe sure to stupefy the most wired caffeine- addict. Back to food: "Reata selects only the freshest whole foods to ensure we serve only the finest, and most flavorful, Legendary Texas Cuisine available. All of our foods are made to order, from scratch, for each and every meal. Our cuts are carefully chosen and our beef items feature choice selections that have been meticulously prepared to meet Reata's strict aging and taste standards. Reata also proudly offers a selection of premium beef menu items from CF Ranch's Highland Hereford Herd. Nestled in the Davis and Del Norte Mountains, the CF Ranch is one of the Southwest's largest familyowned commercial cattle operations - with cattle raising and ranching traditions over 100 years old." 
-Alex Kurtagic
#30. To: Lod (#28)
Alright Lod, but don't expect me to remember what all those numbers mean.
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#31. To: X-15 (#29)
piss off hippie! wow, pc is easy!
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#32. To: X-15 (#29)
Basic protiens, god bless!!!! Nestled in the Davis and Del Norte Mountains,
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#33. To: X-15 (#0)
Interesting piece and worth the read. But fortunately I am liberal enough to use tools such as creative spelling and word use. It's just something expected of people like me, what can I say?
#34. To: Dakmar (#31)
"Throw a loop around him, boys, 'n drag him up to Boot Hill!"
-Alex Kurtagic
#35. To: Ferret (#33)
Hey, stranger, long time no see. Pull up a chair 'n pour yourself a cup of campfire coffee.
-Alex Kurtagic
#36. To: Ferret (#33)
piss off, nazi! It's just something expected of people like me, what can I say?
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#37. To: Ferret, writers, 4 (#33)
That's swell, great, fine and welcomed; but what the article was about was proper grammar. Either we know it, or we don't. If you don't know it, learn it. (English is the most difficult language of all to learn) But fortunately I am liberal enough to use tools such as creative spelling and word use.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
#38. To: Lod (#37)
Is using words like ascertain pretentious?
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#39. To: Dakmar (#38)
here's pretentious - Is using words like ascertain pretentious?
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
#40. To: Lod (#39)
On the occasion of Gerald Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon, Kennedy said: Do we operate under a system of equal justice under law? Or is there one system for the average citizen and another for the high and mighty? You're right, Lod, that is pretentious! 10. Ted Kennedy's post-Chappaquiddick comments about privileges for the "High and Mighty"
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#41. To: Lod (#37) (Edited)
I do try to use proper grammar and did find the article enlightening in the manner intended. Sorry if my attempt at some levity rubbed you the wrong way. I do feel that coining new words is useful in some forms of writing English, as is deliberately mangling grammar and syntax with particular goals in mind. Obviously though to do that one must have skill at doing very proper writing. Much as one should be good at doing art in the classical manner before one is effective as an impressionistic or abstract artist.
#42. To: Ferret (#41)
what if someone sucked all of the color out of coloring books? Wouldn't that make you sad?
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#43. To: Dakmar (#42) (Edited)
Wouldn't that make you sad?" Only to the extent that all the best contributions by Mr. George W. Bush to his new presidential library would have thus lost all their raison de etre with the crayon wax removed from them. But hey, I'd get over it. "what if someone sucked all of the color out of coloring books?
#44. To: Ferret (#43)
herbert, herbert, herbert, herbert
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#45. To: Dakmar (#44)
Good thing the snake was not wearing a large, one size fits all snake grade Anicondom. Why, with that bit of stylish reptilian rain gear it could of just oozed from it and slipped that rope completely, ruining that episode of Wild Kingdom.
#46. To: Ferret (#45)
Haha Mike, I knowed you was one of the good people!
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#47. To: Ferret (#45)
I'm going to name my next band after you, we shall be called the rodents. Bluegrass is all we know, and surf music. Gonna be tricky to play Dick Dale licks while shooting the curl, especially for our bass player, but this is something that must be done. I'll have the fiddle player send you a postcard once we reach waikiki,
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#48. To: Dakmar (#47) (Edited)
piss off beach boy!! You and Annette Funicello sneaking around them grass huts on the beach, y'all was smokin' wacky weed 'n waxing surfboards!!
-Alex Kurtagic
#49. To: All, Ferret, X-15, Lod (#47)
to be young and in love...
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#50. To: X-15 (#48)
That hurts, X. Take it back, mang! piss off beach boy!!
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#51. To: X-15 (#48)
Groovy, man! You and Annette Funicello sneaking around them grass huts on the beach, y'all was smokin' wacky weed 'n waxing surfboards!!
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#52. To: Dakmar (#50)
Just knock the sand out of your frets and dream of Ann Margret and Tina Turner....
-Alex Kurtagic
#53. To: X-15 (#52)
8 miles high and falling fast Just knock the sand out of your frets and dream of Ann Margret and Tina Turner....
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#54. To: Dakmar (#4)
My friend, it sounds like you MAY be on a pleasant journey riding with John Barleycorn. Either that or lying in the arms of Morpheus, ahaha. Don't you go quoting all these underground honky bullshit to me cracker. Slaves endured weather, underground railroads, icy sidewalks, police throwing their dinner in a dumpster, and thousands of other indignities you don't even want to imagine. For just a few pennies a day you and other guilty white baby rapers can begin to make amends, by contributing to the Dakmar Foundation to Build the Eternal Bucket of Fried Chicken monument on the mall, in Washington DC. Who is with me?
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#55. To: James Deffenbach (#54) (Edited)
Crazy thing is I can do both. Shit, that makes me Alpha Target, too! Screw it, I was born under a bad sign and all that, may as well ... ? Phase 3 - profit!
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#56. To: Lod (#37)
If you really believe that, try hanging a fang on some Portuguese. My mother in law and my wife, both of whom are (were in mama's case) teachers and they both told me that English was easier to learn than Portuguese. And they both grew up in Brazil. I told my wife (more than once) that Portuguese wouldn't be quite as hard if they didn't have a zillion verbs. But verbs seem to be the hardest thing to really conquer in nearly any language, at least that is how it seems to me. (English is the most difficult language of all to learn)
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#57. To: X-15 (#0)
The English language is always evolving, thus most of these rules are moot. :)
God is always good!
#58. To: Dakmar (#55)
So you have multiple talents I guess. Good for you. Crazy thing is I can do both.
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#59. To: James Deffenbach (#58) (Edited)
There's no bread, let them eat cake There's no end to what they'll take Flaunt the fruits of noble birth Wash the salt into the earth But they're marching to Bastille Day La guillotine will claim her bloody prize Free the dungeons of the innocent The king will kneel and let his kingdom rise Bloodstained velvet, dirty lace Naked fear on every face See them bow their heads to die As we would bow as they rode by And we're marching to Bastille Day La guillotine will claim her bloody prize Sing, oh choirs of cacophony The king has kneeled, to let his kingdom rise Lessons taught but never learned All around us anger burns Guide the future by the past Long ago the mould was cast For they marched up to Bastille Day La guillotine claimed her bloody prize Hear the echoes of the centuries Power isn't all that money buys
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#60. To: RickyJ (#57)
Sing, oh choirs of cacophony :)
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#61. To: X-15 (#0)
I checked "moot" in the American Heritage Dictionary. Yes, it means something is debatable. But it also means that something is without legal significance, irrelevant. Usually "moot" is used in a way that bridges both meanings: 'The thing is moot' means that the thing can be argued, but the outcome of the argument doesn't matter, won't change anything.
#62. To: Shoonra (#61)
Usually "moot" is used in a way that bridges both meanings: 'The thing is moot' means that the thing can be argued, but the outcome of the argument doesn't matter, won't change anything. Yes, the author of this paper is using selective "proper" grammar. I checked "moot" in the American Heritage Dictionary. Yes, it means something is debatable. But it also means that something is without legal significance, irrelevant.
God is always good!
#63. To: Shoonra (#61)
Would you do it with The Nanny
or a goat dressed as a trannie?
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S Burroughs
#64. To: X-15 (#0) (Edited)
What about I and me?
~~~~~~~~
Dollar DVD Project Liberty needs patriot activists
to help wake the town and tell the people. Do your
friends and family know what you know?
#65. To: X-15, All (#0) (Edited)
"Who wants this toy?" How can half the responses be incorrect when they all said "me"? I and me. I figure this one out by adding the verb. "I do" sounds right and "me do" does not. "Who wants this toy?" My grandchildren raise their hands and say "me" because classmates have repeated that answer so many times. I correct them saying, "I do." Of course, I assumed that was the sentiment they cut short. But, what if they were really thinking "Pick me." That would make their short answer "me" correct. Me learns much hangin' with the young ones. So, when a classroom yells "me" in response, it could be that only have the class is correct.
~~~~~~~~
Dollar DVD Project Liberty needs patriot activists
to help wake the town and tell the people. Do your
friends and family know what you know?
#66. To: wakeup (#65)
Correct and corrected :) So, when a classroom yells "me" in response, it could be that only *half* the class is correct.
-Alex Kurtagic
#67. To: X-15, 4 (#0)
Eyes wuz never to good wit words, but I sures duz like this song.
#68. To: X-15 (#66) (Edited)
Do you half have a loaf I can half? ~What loaf? The loaf of live. ~You mean life? Yes, to life live.
~~~~~~~~
Dollar DVD Project Liberty needs patriot activists
to help wake the town and tell the people. Do your
friends and family know what you know?
#69. To: Jethro Tull (#67)
That song be da bomb, tanks fer postin nit.
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