Is it rude to point out grammar/spelling mistakes on hubs via comments?

1. 74

   RocketCityWriterposted 13 years ago

   Is it rude to point out grammar/spelling mistakes on hubs via comments?
   
   I've come across numerous hubs that have grammar and spelling errors, some minor and some littered with mistakes. Otherwise, these hubs would be interesting and will written in my opinion. Is it rude to point out these mistakes in an effort to improve the hub or should I just not care? Or, could this be a draft and maybe I shouldn't waste my time reading it yet.

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2. 74

   RocketCityWriterposted 13 years ago

   And yes, editing my own question: they would be well written instead of will written...feel free to comment

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3. 67

   simeonvisserposted 13 years ago

   You could point it out if it becomes a hindrance to follow the hub's contents. English is not everyone's native language and they may not appreciate your comments if that is all you comment about. However if you like the hub, you can comment that the hub is good but you can politely suggest to work on spelling and grammar. It all depends on the way you say it.

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4. 58

   humagaiaposted 13 years ago

   Personally, I would welcome as many proof readers as would take the time to do my work. Although I proof read my own work, it seems that, however many times I read it through, when I go back after it has been published, I find some errorsI have missed.
   However, I do set up the comments capsule so that all comments need to be approved before they are shown. I can then accept these comments but not show the comment on the hub. Not everyone does this and others may not appreciate proofreading comments on their hub.
   I would suggest that, if you have the time, to e-mail the changes you suggest. A bit more personal and the hub writer can take, leave it, or send a nice thank you back.
   But they may send you a curt - get lost - e-mail. Be prepared for the ignorant to be offended.
   Also be aware that English is not spelled, punctuated or constructed the same in the US as elsewhere.

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5. 68

   skye2dayposted 13 years ago

   For myself, I would appreciate 'guidance' in my grammar and or spelling errors. It would give me an opportunity to improve and the chance to go back and correct my error's.
   
   Of course using discernment is always a wise choice when commenting on a writers hub. No one has perfect grammar that is void of errors, all of the time. In my opinion it is 'brotherly love' to help another.

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6. 61

   MickSposted 13 years ago

   This is a site dedicated to articles written in English, as such, I expect them to be written by people with a reasonable command of the English language.  I'm not sure that it is rude to point out spelling and grammar mistakes; however, I believe that it is rude for people who have a poor command of the English language to make entries on here.
   We all make errors of spelling and grammar, but there is a difference to those errors and the errors of those who don't have the first idea of how to construct an English sentence.
   It must also be remembered, that by pointing out errors in spelling and sentence construction, etc, it is providing a service to those who have a poor command of English.
   I am happy for people to point out my howlers, providing they are not the things found in the differences of spelling, sentence and grammar usage between England, and other countries that have English as a first language; that way leads to chaos.

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7. 60

   Dave Mathewsposted 13 years ago

   I wouldn't bother. I've noticed that many of the writers seldom choose to use the spell check offered and as for grammar, well it is what it is.

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8. 67

   Smaridge01posted 13 years ago

   My impression of HubPages is that community feedback and constructive criticism are the very spirit of this place. When I joined and started to learn about this site, it seemed a given that people would do that for each other.
   
   I would welcome that sort of input on my hubs.

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9. 68

   L.L. Woodardposted 13 years ago

   If I was concerned about spelling and/or grammar in a hub, I would email the author, rather than leave it in hub comments. Writing is a personal experience and I believe situations such as this call for personal communication. Just my humble opinion.

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10. 0

    AMBASSADOR BUTLERposted 13 years ago

    No. How a person respond to your pointing out grammar / spelling mistakes to improve the hub is on that person. At least you do care and do not stop caring because of some negative feedback that you might get. Just keep on keeping on.

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11. 66

    Lady Guinevereposted 13 years ago

    I wouldn't mind.  Mine are mostly typos and not actual spelling errors.  Having cats around adds spice to typing up hubs!  LOL

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12. 66

    vishal.rossiposted 13 years ago

    no...certainly not
    it allows us to improve the mistakes which other's made in their writings
    if someone points out my mistakes, i thank them

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13. 59

    Beege215eposted 13 years ago

    I hub hop a lot, and I find some really glaring errors in spelling and grammar.  I try to be gentle, let the writer know I am being constructive and then I point directly to the problem and offer a correction.  I don't just tell them they are an idiot who can't spell and go back to the corner until they can do better.  I saw one article by a young woman who was trying to tell a specific story to help other young people. I liked the message, but I told her that her errors distracted from her message.  I tried to encourage her to keep writing and learn from her mistakes.
    I think all hubbers can appreciate positive feedback even when it points out problems with their writing. I appreciate it.

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14. 61

    hassannposted 13 years ago

    I wouldn't feel any insult if anyone corrects anything in my hubs. But there is a possibility that other people will be insulted when you point out grammar or spelling mistakes. Besides if the comments have been toggled to appear without confirmation other people will start seeing your correction. If the writer is showing the hub off to friends or something, that may also add to it. Some mistake ridden hubs are low quality anyway so they are basically doomed hubs. I wouldn't bother myself or the writer to correct anything in such hubs. But if it's a real good hub with some great chance to make success and a blatant mistake is making it look back, I would warn the writer in a comment. That would be worth it.
    Then again, I strongly suspect that some non-speakers of English are using google translations to produce hubs. Perhaps we should be a bit harsh with such people.

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15. 0

    surlyoldcatposted 13 years ago

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16. 73

    What Is Qposted 13 years ago

    Yeah, it is kind of rude. Unless someone asks for criticism, we should just assume that pointing out mistakes will only offend them. I do cringe a little whenever I see a mistake in grammer, but I don't hold it against the writer. And when I read something I've written and find a mistake, I absolutely freak out and have to change it immediately. I don't really care how people are writing as long as they are writing. It's a great thing to do and shouldn't be discouraged by pointing out failures in grammer.  Just let people be themselves, and if they ask for help, then go ahead and point stuff out.

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17. 61

    shynslyposted 13 years ago

    I would say yeah, kind of if you do it in the comments, but you can also send the author a private email from their profile page, which... at least to me, would be greatly appreciated.

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18. 0

    Husky1970posted 13 years ago

    In my opinion, it would be rude.  Anyone publishing a hub should carefully proofread it before hitting publish.  However, it is not always easy to proofread your own writing so have someone else you know read it.  Even if these mistakes are found after publication, you can still go back and edit.  I have had to do this several times.

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19. 61

    Alayne Fenasciposted 13 years ago

    Not all hubbers want that kind of feedback. I have seen those who ask for particular criticism, but others don't post for that purpose. I take the position of "not caring" as you put it. By that, I mean that I choose to turn of my internal editor, and I'm able to appreciate the hub without imposing my imaginary standards on someone else. I hope others give me the same benefit of the doubt on those minor issues/discrepancies. It is also more enjoyable and less aggravating for me as a reader.
    
    I understand the frustration of wading through a hub with multiple and grievous mistakes. Sometimes they're so distracting that you can't enjoy the piece. In cases like that, I think a polite email offering constructive feedback is more appropriate than calling down a hubber for his or her mistakes "publicly."
    
    I'm not sure how picky you intend to be in your criticism, but that makes a big difference. I have spent professional time as a tutor of writing and composition, as well as a proofreader. During that time, I became familiar with several different style standards. They each call for slightly different usages of certain abbreviations, marks of punctuation, sentence construction, reference notation, etc. For this reason, I believe minor errors should be chalked up to variations in a writer's background and forgiven.

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20. 60

    Christopher Floydposted 13 years ago

    Personally, I think it depends on the hub. If I'm just sounding off I don't really care what errors may be found in my writing. If I present fiction on here I do so to gain feedback. At that point it is appropriate to correct my grammar. I don't often feel the need to condemn another hubber because of their poor grammar. I'm too busy trying to write. I'll give those who ask for opinions an honest but polite email.
    
    That having been said; MickS , could you reword your answer so that it is both more polite and in keeping with a higher standard of English diction?

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21. 81

    brsmom68posted 13 years ago

    I do not think it is rude in any way.  I recently left a comment regarding a spelling error by pointing it out as 'constructive criticism'.  I was very interested in what the author had to say, and said so...but pointed out the error in the latter part of my comment.  The author was happy I pointed out the error and quickly corrected it. 
    I am not a 'professional proofreader', but do have a knack for noticing spelling errors and typos rather quickly.  I would be embarrassed if I published a Hub with errors, and welcome any 'constructive criticism' fellow authors have.
    I agree it is sometimes a slip of the fingers when typing, and spell-check only points it out if the word is spelled wrong.  It does not point out the correct word to be used, such as 'if' instead of 'it'.  I also agree proper grammar and sentence structure make HubPages much nicer reads than 'broken English'.

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22. 59

    Wulf Dreamwalkerposted 13 years ago

    Personally it is my opinion that it varies. Some times the grammar and spelling mistakes are placed on purpose by the author. Other times they may just be simple errors that were overlooked by the author.And remember even the most grammar correct individual can still mis spell a word or two accidentally and no one is perfect.
    So yes its fine to correct the obvious but its also better to ask if the person meant to or too for example, but be kind about it.

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23. 60

    hasan82posted 13 years ago

    Well in my case I appreciate criticism. I think one should always look forward for improvement and when comes to any language there will always be enough room for it.

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24. 60

    Ciminderposted 13 years ago

    I would rather have someone curteously point them out to me than discover them later for myself and feel like an idiot.  I try to be careful when it comes to grammar and spelling but everyone makes mistakes.  The only way to improve is to accept constructive criticism.

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25. 58

    Timstownposted 13 years ago

    If you leave a positive comment regarding the content itself, I doubt anyone would mind if you left a side note pointing out a spelling or grammar mistake.

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26. 63

    CDL Career Coachposted 13 years ago

    Yes.  I think the comments would be a bad place to point out errors (which are easily fixed. Not sure comments can be deleted.)  I would rather someone sent a privage message or email to point out errors of that type.

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27. 82

    Wesman Todd Shawposted 13 years ago

    Please point out any that I make.  I usually see them later, but someone letting me know about them sooner would also be appreciated.

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28. 94

    eddiecarraraposted 13 years ago

    I have never been very good at spelling or grammar because I have never had to use them in my daily life, until now. I don't want to write content that no one will read, so I use Microsoft word for these corrections, I probably have a few, but I do my best. In my opinion, some people will be offended, but as for me, correct me as you see it.

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29. 60

    Gordon F.posted 13 years ago

    Not only would I welcome these comments, but I wish I had more of them. I don't think it is rude at all, and since there is a tiny little "edit" button, I think that this kind of feedback is a benefit for the Hub.
    
    Furthermore, for someone who is not that comfortable with english (it could be his second language) it is a nice learning opportunity.

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30. 78

    2besureposted 13 years ago

    Yes, it is rude.  Especially because we have the ability ot send a fellow hubber a personal message.

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31. 0

    stampinwithfabposted 13 years ago

    I wouldn't find it insulting myself but some people have an ego that bruises easily. A private message pointing out the mistakes and their location within the hub, would be more than enough to set them straight.
    
    As for people not having English as their first language, they should be very grateful if someone is taking the time to correct them. I know that writing in English is a steep learning curve but I seem to have done ok with a bit of perseverance (English is my third language). I still write 'howlers' especially with my syntax but I'm getting better, I guess.

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32. 82

    gajanis786posted 13 years ago

    I would say that these type of errors and mistakes must not be pointed out in open public and can preferably be done through a personal humble message.Thanks.

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33. 75

    Lady Wordsmithposted 13 years ago

    I think it varies.  Personally, I wouldn't need someone to point out a mistake to me, as it would certainly only be a typo.  I rarely make mistakes (look at me, blowing my own trumpet - oh, how marvellous I am!!!), so when I do, and someone points them out, I find it more embarrassing than anything else. 
    
    However, there are some hubs that are peppered with errors in punctuation and grammar and it does affect the ease with which we can read them.  In a lot of cases, it's probably not worth the effort to point out all of the errors, since the hubber is obviously struggling with English, and is not likely to improve noticeably in a very short space of time.  In that case, it might be nicer to just say nothing, and to watch the grammar improve as the hubber becomes more familiar with the language.
    
    If it's the occasional error, the hubber might appreciate a little guidance.  We all want our writing to be perfect, surely, so I'm sure that a gentle nudge and wink about an incorrect spelling could not be taken in offence.
    
    Nice question

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34. 60

    skip55posted 13 years ago

    F. Scott Fitzgerald was famous for his poor spelling, but he told a good story. A good story is the important bit.
    However, when I see writing with spelling errors, poor sentence structure and such, that tells me that writer does not spend a whole lot of time reading. Which brings the question: if a person does not read, how can they expect to write well?
    As far as correcting other people's spelling errors, or other errors in their writing, how much time are you willing to spend? Is it really worth it to you? That could be a lifetime job.

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35. 61

    Mrs. J. B.posted 13 years ago

    I make spelling mistakes all the time but I do not see why another hubber would point them out to you.

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36. 60

    zippotposted 13 years ago

    I think it is the way you point out the error, if someone is on here to improve their language or their writing skills a little bit of praise works for everyone.
    It is very easy to comment and complain but what effect will this bring surely the better way would be to praise and support.
    Think about the results of your actions if you post a sarcastic comment.For some people to sit down and write is a challenge do not make it harder for them with practise they will get better.

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37. 61

    duffsmomposted 13 years ago

    I don't know if it is rude, but it might cause someone to stop writing or feel very self-conscious about publishing hubs.   A private note might be a good way to go.
    
    On the other hand if the person writing the hubs wants to publish professionally, they need to develop a tough skin but editors can be merciless.
    
    I had a similar situation.  I worked for a therapist with a Masters Degree who had the poorest grammar on the planet.  When you hear her use the word facade and pronoun if fa cade (as in rhymes with made) it is hard not to correct it.
    
    Many times I literally had to bite my tongue.  She was very good natured about it, but I was likely out of line.  My concern though was that she was a professional and if she wanted to appear that way, she needed to improve her grammar.
    
    It would follow that if someone here wants to write professionally, they should be able to take the criticism.

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38. 0

    Motown2Chitownposted 13 years ago

    While most authors welcome constructive criticism and information about how to improve the quality of their work, it's best to address those comments in a private setting.  My suggestion is actually to avoid it altogether, unless the feedback is solicited by the author.  Some hubbers want to write, but they don't want to be writers.  I think the content of their hub should help you make the determination about which group they fall into.  If the desire is just to write as a means of expressing themselves, leave it alone.  They're concerned about content, not mechanics.  If the desire is to actually become a professional author of some kind, both content and mechanics need to be considered. Those individuals, in my opinion, would welcome the feedback.  Just keep in mind - a typo is not a grammatical error.  It's a typo, and sometimes we type faster than we think, and it just happens.  Kinda like "will written."  Great question!  Thanks for letting me answer.

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39. 60

    poorconservative1posted 13 years ago

    Of course it's rude. Also like I said in another answer make sure your own house is in order before you go knocking other people.

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40. 60

    TicksProfessionalposted 12 years ago

    I think its good to notify the hubbers of their mistakes and most will thank you for that. But don't do it in public. This could be done by sending a private message or email. Most hubbers don't like to be notified in their comment box.

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41. 61

    syednaeemulposted 12 years ago

    It's not rude if you do it in a nice way. The method I've seen in use (effectively) is someone saying something about the hub content first e.g. congratulating the hubber on a well-written piece, or giving some opinion, and then as a P.S. adding the mistakes at the end of the comment.

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42. 61

    beatmakersnetposted 10 years ago

    yes it is kind of rude. don't you have anything better to do? i hate grammar nazis. they look past the message/meaning of the text always looking to the samll things..

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43. 61

    JYOTI KOTHARIposted 9 years ago

    It is better to write the author directly instead of commenting on these errors. Commenting looks rude and the author may be ashamed. When one writes to him or her privately it encourages to correct the errors on author's end. This is a good way to motivate one to improve.

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44. 69

    Steele Fieldsposted 9 years ago

    It might be unwanted criticism, so I normally wouldn't, but I must admit, if it's rampant throughout the piece, I usually abandon ship and move on to reading a higher quality HUB.

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45. 68

    choneycuttposted 8 years ago

    Pointing out mistakes may hurt their feelings for a second, but it is necessary to improve this website and their writing.  If there are not too many mistakes, it would be great for you to clarify them for the author.  However, if there are too many mistakes to count, you need to tell that person to take a grammar course or simply stop posting.  It may be rude, but it is better than that person writing hubs that nobody likes or can understand.

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46. 84

    Chuckposted 7 years ago

    Personally I don't mind when someone politely points out a typo or other grammar/spelling error in the comment section of one of my Hubs.
    
    I proof read and spell check my Hubs and generally have few, if any errors.  But they do occur occasionally and I appreciate it when someone points this out to me so I can quickly get it fixed rather than leaving it and letting everyone who reads the Hub notice the error

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47. 0

    Debalina Guhaposted 7 years ago

    Feedback matters a lot when you are sharing your opinions and feelings via your writing voice. Everyone is here for some specific motives and valid reasons. Pointing out the drawbacks generally help the writers to improve. Personally, I  am okay with receiving feedback via comments.

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48. 60

    Sajjaaadposted 6 years ago

    i guess it's better to inform the writer privately instead of pointing out mistakes infront of people.

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