Tag Archives: grammar error

Disinterested or Uninterested: Very Interesting

Posted on July 11, 2008 by languageandgrammar

Disinterested and uninterested are not synonyms; they are two different words with two different meanings. To be disinterested is to be impartial, unbiased, and neutral, sort of like the referees are supposed to be in football. (Don’t even get me … Continue reading →

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Run, Ran: Have You Run into This Grammar Error?

Posted on June 18, 2008 by languageandgrammar

The present tense of run is run. The association members run a sloppy office. The past tense is ran.  I ran out of patience. The past participle is run. I have run into resistance every time I’ve tried to solve … Continue reading →

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If It’s the Same, Then It’s Exact

Posted on June 13, 2008 by languageandgrammar

How often do we hear people say things such as This is exactly the same problem as the one we had the last time or I have the same exact shoes or Why do politicians use the same exact words … Continue reading →

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The Age-old Question: Is It Due to or Because Of?

Posted on June 10, 2008 by languageandgrammar

Some writers, editors, and dictionaries don’t care about the interchangeable use of due to and because of. Is that, perhaps, because of a lack of grammar information, or is that, perhaps, due to a lack of grammar information? Others (and … 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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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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Blowback

Posted on May 13, 2008 by languageandgrammar

Blowback has become an increasingly popular (i.e, trendy) term, and it’s being used to mean….uh…actually, I don’t know what it’s being used to mean. That’s one of the problems with words that are made up or words that are being … 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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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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