What are some common grammar/usage errors that drive you nuts every time you see

1. 84

   Laura Schneiderposted 9 years ago

   What are some common grammar/usage errors that drive you nuts every time you see them?

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2. 61

   Dee aka Nonnaposted 9 years ago

   Nothing!  Most of the time I understand why they are made.  I can't do anything about them so I just keep reading.  Many times the info or message is a good one.

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      Twilight Lawnsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      And the reason those people continue to make those errors is due to  people like you making statements like that.
      What is the point of there being rules and standards in a language if they are flouted or ignored?
      If the "info or message is a good one

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   2. 61

      Dee aka Nonnaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I never make the statement to people who make the errors.....I was simple answering a question......does it bother me.....

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3. 96

   chef-de-jourposted 9 years ago

   Some misspellings and misuse drive me wild. Errors around these pairings for example : you're/your, there/their, write/right, loose/lose...and on and on. I also wince when I see apostrophes in the wrong place!

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   1. 72

      Twilight Lawnsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I completely agree. If someone makes errors on a "grand scale" I stop reading. If they can't string a few words together without punctuation & homophone errors, their content may also be as flawed. We should it out to them but does kindness forbi

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4. 73

   pagesvoiceposted 9 years ago

   I cringe when people use made up words. Irregardless is not a word and yet I hear it all the time. When people use I instead of me and me instead of I and the offenders are journalists. To, too, it's, its when used incorrectly are also a major turnoff for me.

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   1. 72

      Twilight Lawnsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      A strong point with me. One of my favourite radio presenters, a man of virtually unflawed intelligence and vocabulary, constantly says "... according to him and I" and the like. It hurts the ear! Well, it hurts mine.

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   2. 73

      pagesvoiceposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Mine as well.

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   3. 60

      gposchmanposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Irregardless is my pet peeve. When I write, I often make the basic mistakes, but in rewrite mode I catch most of them. I have a Doctor who is great at catching the rest, and the great thing is he enjoys it. He and my wife are my best editors.

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5. 82

   Electro-Denizenposted 9 years ago

   I waz listening to BBC Radio 4 the other day - this language and grammar expert waz sayin why he didn't have any issues with wrong grammar. He said didnt matter, language is always evolving, sometimes the meaning is much clearer without being strict with the rules.... Language adapts as we evolve its nobodies' faults...
   
   Thats' wot I rekon too :-))
   
   Have a great day

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   1. 72

      Twilight Lawnsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Brilliant answer. I love it when someone knows what he is talking about and does it so eloquently as you, Electro-Denizen.
      As an ex-school master, I am horrified to hear people subscribing to the "language evolving" idea.
      Rules is rules, Innit!

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   2. 82

      Electro-Denizenposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      The grammer poleese. Their always bangin on about they're big ideas an stuff... Like life hangs on an apostrophes...
      Seriously, we sound nothing like we did 600 years ago, that's exciting. Our written English has changed so much. To infinitely go...

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   3. 86

      Billie Kelpinposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Language does evolve-has always evolved. I've gotten over "graduate college" as opposed to "graduate FROM college". We can't be dinosaurs, and yet "Me and him went out" is beyond my ability to cope (and I mean YOU Andy Samberg and Jimmy Fallon)

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6. 72

   Twilight Lawnsposted 9 years ago

   Incorrectly used homophones are bad enough, but obviously this is only in written English. However, its first cousin, the incorrect use of similar sounding words, can provide a lot of fun when gained from listening to a latter-day Mrs Malaprop; especially when that person is of the pretentious and dogmatic "intellectual" type.
   My main dislike, and I am afraid I don't suffer fools gladly in this, is the incorrect use of the apostrophe.
   I have a friend who, regardless that he imagines that he is a poet, and that the English Language should be his tool of trade, has said on more than one occasion, that there is no difference between "its" and "it's". His punctuation leaves me frustrated and incensed, as my kind attempts at correcting his errors frequently fall on deaf ears.
   Grammatical errors also, make my blood boil.
   By chance, I have just written a hub concerning a series of letters which passed between his alter ego and a lady of superior educational standing.

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      gposchmanposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      It is a delightful article too. But if bad English and punctuation drive you crazy, read the article with a really good port, it goes down better that way.

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   2. 72

      Twilight Lawnsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Ah!  I wish, but,  although I love Port and wines and Irish Whiskey and several liqueurs, I am a Muslim and have had to do without for the last fifteen years.
      Maybe that's why I have the time and concentration to pick at others' punctuation errors.

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7. 83

   peachpurpleposted 9 years ago

   grammar mistakes will not drive me nuts but spellings and no punctuation marks do get me insane.

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   1. 0

      lambservantposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      peach purple - uh huh. I have a friend who in email messages seems illiterate for this very reason. I know for a fact she is not. Sometimes It is hard to follow. Also, she is in such a hurry she leaves words out. Running sentences drive me nuts.

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   2. 72

      Twilight Lawnsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Or perhaps, like my friend, there are those who look as if they have gathered a handful of commas and thrown them, indiscriminately, at the passage they have written.

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8. 69

   Aime Fposted 9 years ago

   It's/its
   Who's/whose
   Seen/saw (as in, "I seen that yesterday")
   Lose/loose
   Apostrophes on plurals (like animal's when referring to more then one animal)
   
   I also hate it when people say "irregardless" and "anyways" (I know "anyways" has become somewhat accepted now, but it still drives me crazy).

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   1. 72

      Twilight Lawnsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Ah!  This is what we call the Grocers' Apostrophe... or the Grocer's Apostrophe, when there is only one Grocer ruining the English language.

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   2. 69

      Aime Fposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Ha! I just realized I used 'then' instead of 'than'. Well, that's ironic.

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9. 59

   locajposted 9 years ago

   "Any numbers under two thousand should be written out." How I do I know this? And publisher sent my work back, stating that.
   
   Capitalizing, "I," in a sentence.
   Using "and, but, like, just, anyways, alot,"
   Spelling, unless you live in that area of the world that uses the soft s, instead of z, "realize, realise."  Then use it. Otherwise do not bash someone who does, because they are from somewhere different.
   
   There is a lot more. Much more. To many to put here.

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   1. 77

      Kathleen Cochranposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      In newspapers any number under 10 is spelled out.  But they deal with the issue of space.  Many things are different in proper English, as anyone who loves red, white and blue commas in simple series will tell you.

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   2. 79

      ZipperConstantineposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Policies and philosophies vary from medium to medium. The two most influential guidebooks for publishers, editors, and writers, the Associated Press Style-book and the Chicago Manual of Style, have different approaches. The first recommends spelling

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10. 0

    lambservantposted 9 years ago

    I think most of what everyone else has said. I think mispronouncing words or using a word that is not actually a word also. Sloppiness, you know? When I hear the word "expresso" rather than "espresso" I cringe. Repeating a word twice (which is easy to do, but good editing is the key) such as "...and and," "the the," and "are are." We all do it, but it's why editing well is so important.
    
    Malapropisms drive me nuts, and yet, sometimes they can be downright hysterical.
    Malapropism: the use of an incorrect word in place of a word with a similar sound, resulting in a nonsensical, often humorous utterance.
    
    A few examples would be: "Dad said it was just a pigment of my imagination." (Figment). " Here are some from Archie Bunker: "A woman doctor is only good for women's problems...like your groinocology." "I ain't a man of carnival instinctuals like you."

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    1. 90

       Rochelle Frankposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       I live in a historical California Gold Rush area. The nearby town has a western-themed coffee shop called Pony Expresso.

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    2. 85

       DzyMsLizzyposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       LOL--That's a bit different, Rochelle--technically incorrect, but a clever pun, nonetheless. 
       Here's to a "latte more" enjoyment of your local coffeehouse.

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11. 76

    alancaster149posted 9 years ago

    Much of the cr** is picked up from reading papers. Even the 'quality' press is prone to howlers, but the biggest bugbear isn't strictly erronious.
    Passive verbs are being used increasingly in the press and media.
    Compare that sentence with:
    There is increased use of passive verbs in the press and media.
    Notice the difference? This one isn't so bad as sentences go. Some sentences I've seen can be shortened - important when the column inches/centimetres are edited - by at least a third, and the time it takes to sort that out might be used to write another article. Readers pick up on this and perpetuate the downgrading of active verbs.
    .

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12. 62

    LoisRyan13903posted 9 years ago

    I don't think I really go crazy whenever I come across a typo, grammar or spelling mistake.  I do that too.  The only time that it might bother me is if a sentence is so bad that I do not understand what it is saying and usually I just stop reading.

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13. 40

    Exotic_Kittenposted 9 years ago

    *Spelling errors
    *Grammatical Errors such as Not effectively using the A(n or s or other letter before another vowel)

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14. 54

    Amanda Swadleyposted 9 years ago

    When watching the news the captions are always wrong. Misspellings are one of my biggest pet peeves.  Followed by incorrect usage of punctuation.

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15. 77

    Kathleen Cochranposted 9 years ago

    The man who sat next to me on the bus was smoking.
    
    NOT
    
    The man that sat next to me on the bus was smoking.
    
    People are who.  Things are that.
    
    You hear this misuse by TV journalists all the time.  Drives me nucking futs!

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    1. 59

       locajposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       I like that last sentence.

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    2. 72

       Twilight Lawnsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Watch out, Kathleen, the Hub Police will be after you, and I'm sorry, but I won't be able to utter a word in your defence... I'll be too busy laughing at  your deliberate Spoonerism.

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    3. 77

       Kathleen Cochranposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       locaj and Twilight Lawns:  I can tell I've found my people!

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    4. 85

       DzyMsLizzyposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Hahahaha!!  Love Spoonerisms.  I had an aunt who used to say, in the interests of propriety, that someone had gotten something all "Bass Ackwards."

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16. 85

    DzyMsLizzyposted 9 years ago

    Actually, don't get me started!  I have a number of such pet peeves.
    
    My current one, however, is people who cannot get it through their heads that an apostrophe is NOT used to create a plural!
    
    It's "Eggs, $1.20 a dozen,"
    
    NOT
    
    "Egg's $1.20 a dozen." 
    
    Grrr...I turn the air blue when I read this error!

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    1. 72

       Twilight Lawnsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Hello, DzyMsLizzy.
       It's like a blast from the past... Missed you!

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17. 96

    cat on a soapboxposted 9 years ago

    I agree with the examples here and will add "real-a-tor" instead of "realtor" and  the phrase "I could care less" when it should be "I couldn't care less."  I cringe when I hear them!

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18. 0

    Pennyforyourthotsposted 9 years ago

    My biggest pet peeve is when they use more and -er (more clearer). I also cringe when I see of instead of have.

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19. 89

    Kristen Howeposted 9 years ago

    When I read a book or an ebook, it's usually typos, some punctuation errors and misspelled words. Editors should catch those things. A few is okay, but if it's an average amount to a lot, it shouldn't been printed until it's been polished and smoothed out.

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       DzyMsLizzyposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       E-books are BAD for this problem!  I've even had whole pages, or a series of pages missing!

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20. 0

    RTalloniposted 9 years ago

    Unequivocally, the drive-me-nuts mistakes I come across are the ones I make.  That I know better is no excuse.  That I proofed (tried to, anyway) doesn't count.  That the language I heard as a child still rumbles around the recesses of my mind is not a reason to be careless.  No other solecism compares to finding these errors in my own writing.  As it is sometimes worded in the south, when I find 'em, I fix 'em. 

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    1. 61

       Dee aka Nonnaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       I find this such a good answer.  I, too, heard those things not just in my head but when I am around people who speak differently.  There are so many dialects and just family and regional differences.  The errors happen but we keep trying.

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    2. 72

       Twilight Lawnsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       So, so true. i am the worst proofreader ever. I know that we "read" what we had meant o write, but that is no excuse. If I've looked through the Comments at the bottom of my Hubs, I frequently have found glaring typos and errors.
       Aaaaghhh!

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    3. 85

       DzyMsLizzyposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       I actually do proofreading for others.  So yes, to find mistakes that slipped past in your own work is terribly humiliating!

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21. 86

    krillcoposted 9 years ago

    to too two...they're their...your you're...bring brought...see  seen saw....'cousint'...oh, so many more

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    1. 68

       DawnMSamoraposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Yes krillco,
       I was also thinking "to" and "too". I get texts that are misspelled with these words and it drives me crazy! How about when someone misuses "are" and "our"? How can that happen? Writing is our passion. That is why errors bother us so mu

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22. 60

    Jon.mannposted 9 years ago

    1. A common error in writing it's for its, or vice-versa. The first is a contraction, meaning "it is." The second is a possessive. i.e. "It's a wise cat that scratches its own fleas."
    
    2. If one employs a colloquialism or slang, simply employ it; don't draw attention to it by enclosing it in quotation marks.

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23. 55

    Manjari Vadrevuposted 9 years ago

    Most probably, people get confused in the basic foundation stone of English grammar i.e, tenses. The appropriate use of since and for in the situations, punctuation marks especially apostrophe are violated. The domination of the social networking sites these days are changing the spellings of the words replacing them with shortcuts. Its not the mistakes that drive us to nuts, but the sheer negligence in the attitude of people towards the language that drives us crazy.

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24. 75

    chefmancaveposted 9 years ago

    The mistake which drives me crazy is "from" and "form" especially in shorter forms of communication like text messages or emails. I always have to read the sentence twice. But as I used to say to my favorite English teacher..."My ma ain't got no yeller taters".

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25. 56

    AshimaTanposted 9 years ago

    Didn't "had" my lunch today...
    Did you "sat" next to him?
    Didn't I "mentioned" about that fellow?
    
    I get embarrassed correcting people about that.. but they will never improve...That is the epitome of madness for me...

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26. 0

    MrDanielAbramposted 9 years ago

    The correct use of your, you're is one common grammar usage error that irks me.

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27. 0

    Larry Wallposted 9 years ago

    I signed up for one of the freelance content mills. I was not accepted. They had a test and one of the sentences had the phrase "rather uniquely."
    
    I may misplace my commas, and I hate to see a semi-colon in the middle of a sentence, but I know that unique is unique--not almost unique or nearly unique or most unique and certainly not rather unique.

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       Kathleen Cochranposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Damned straight.  Nothing can be very historic either or the first annual.  The man on the street may say these things, but if you are flippin going to write like a professional writer - know your craft.

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       Rochelle Frankposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       I had a hub edited by a HubPages editor, and though the did make some good improvements, she also used the phrase "a bunch of".
       Not only is this something I would never write-- she used it twice in one paragraph.  I subsequently rewrote that part.

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    3. 0

       Larry Wallposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Reading  the comments, there is one point I want to make about misspelling and the wrong usage. I am speech impaired. Spelling was a hard subject and still cause problems. Some cases it is just an error. In other cases there is a cause for the error.

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    4. 68

       Lady Guinevereposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Larry, I also have something wrong in my brain too and what I hate is those who think everyone should be as "perfect" as them. I wrote a hub about my ministroke and what it caused.

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       DzyMsLizzyposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       "Rather uniquely?!"  That's on a par with saying "sort of pregnant."

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