Category Archives: grammar

Efforting

Posted on June 3, 2008 by languageandgrammar

Two of the most popular trends in language are: 1) turning nouns into verbs and 2) making the argument that common usage is all that is needed in order for a word to become accepted. The non-word efforting is a … Continue reading →

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This Is Definitely an Error

Posted on June 2, 2008 by languageandgrammar

Definitely has quickly become one of the most commonly misspelled words on the Internet. In fact, hardly a web page scrolls by where I don’t see it spelled definately. Again, the correct spelling is definitely. Think of the other words … Continue reading →

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Me, Myself, and I

Posted on May 29, 2008 by languageandgrammar

A story on a regional news show ended with the interviewee saying, It was good for the neighborhood and myself. I was glad that things had worked out for the community, but, being as concerned as I am with grammar, … Continue reading →

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You’re, Your

Posted on May 22, 2008 by languageandgrammar

I often enough see your used where you’re should be used. You’re is the contraction for you are. Take the following sentence: You’re your own worst enemy. You’re (you are) your own worst enemy. Your shows possession just like my, … Continue reading →

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What Is a Comma Splice?

Posted on May 20, 2008 by languageandgrammar

I’m a legitimate punctuation mark, get me out of here. This is supposedly a quote by someone who wrote a popular book on punctuation (that I have not read). If this is true, then it’s shocking to me. If this … Continue reading →

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Affect vs. Effect

Posted on May 14, 2008 by languageandgrammar

This is one of those strictly written errors in English; nevertheless, it’s still a grammar error. Affect and effect have several meanings, but people get them most mixed up when trying to use the noun effect as the verb to … Continue reading →

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Choose This!

Posted on May 12, 2008 by languageandgrammar

A couple of days ago, I was reading the comments related to an Internet article listing food that packs on the pounds (is there really anyone out there who still doesn’t know that cream-filled doughnuts and buttered mashed potatoes could … Continue reading →

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Most Stupid or Stupidest: Stupid Grammar Error

Posted on May 9, 2008 by languageandgrammar

The superlative form of stupid is most stupid, as in I made the most stupid mistake, not stupidest. Stupidest can be heard and seen everywhere, including many modern dictionaries, but it’s wrong. (Please don’t ask me to roll out my … Continue reading →

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Diss Goes Mainstream

Posted on May 7, 2008 by languageandgrammar

It’s interesting to follow the progression of one generation’s trendy words as they spread into the more mainstream lexicon. The reason that the new generation started to create the new, trendy way of speaking was to separate themselves from the … Continue reading →

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Sneak or Snuck: Sneak’s Snuck Sneaked In

Posted on May 2, 2008 by languageandgrammar

Speaking of sneaking, maybe that’s how the word snuck got into the dictionary; I can’t think of any other reason for it to be there. Although snuck is used fairly widely, the correct past tense and past participle of sneak … Continue reading →

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