General English Lesson

[scumdogmillionaire]

First of all: Don't take this as a flame towards anyone. It's not intended as that.

Ok, so I've seen a lot of basic english mistakes around here lately. Now, this isn't everyone's fault, some people don't speak english as their first language, but a lot of the people here do.

Proper grammar is really important in a professional career, and while I'm no english major, I thought I'd share some of the basics I learned in grade school.

If you don't know the differences between these words, read on. Practice them, and understand them. Seriously, your life will be a lot easier in the long run.

1) You're vs. Your

This is the most common mistake I see on any internet forum. The company I work for has thrown away resume's because their cover letter had this simple mistake on it.

You're: This is what you should use when you're implying YOU ARE. This is called a contraction.

Correct: You're wrong; You're right!; You're stupid; You don't know what you're talking about!

Just think of it as the apostrophe (') is taking the place of the "a"

Most the time people will use this instead.

Incorrect: Your wrong; Your right; Your stupid; You don't know what your taking about.

The word "Your" is used to declare something of someones.

Correct: I like your cat; I like your hair; Is that your cup?; I think I will fit well in your company.

Cake, right? Good!

2) Their vs. They're vs. There

The english language is said to be the hardest to learn because we do crap like this. But, we've done it and you've got to learn it.

Their: This is similar to "Your" when you're (you are) talking about something that belongs to someone.

Correct: I spilled juice in their car; I went to their house; I took a dump in their toilet.

They're: This is similar to "You're" only instead of you, it's them! Another contraction.

Correct: They're wrong; They're right; They're stupid; They don't know what they're talking about

There: A few uses for this one, sometimes a destination, or location, or in that matter

Correct: The store is over there; Someone took a dump in that toilet over there; There are 10 apples

Woohoo! 2 new concepts!

3) We're vs. Were vs. Where

Again, kind of tricky, but once you get the hang of this one you're good to go!

We're: Similar to You're and They're, only this is "we" as in a group. Another contraction.

Correct: We're going to the store; We're going to play some Xbox Live; We're tired of reading this post

Were: I think this is the most confusing to define, so just look at some examples!

Correct: This is where we were when the ball hit Timmy on the head; If you were there, how did you get here?; How many apples were there?

Where: This is like asking the location of an object

Where are the apples now?; Where is the store?; Where did the dump go?

YAY!

That's all I feel like going into.

Again, this isn't a flame, but just trying to help. Some people are now just in the habit of the wrong usage of these words, and hopefully you will read this to learn something new!

Good luck!

[-Alex-]

Bet that post took you a while :p

[_bobcat_ Veteran]

Excellent post. I didn't read it all because I know those things. It is very tiresome to see people use them incorrectly.

But I wonder if the people who need to read it and take note actually will......most people are pretty arrogant about their abilities (myself included).

[ramesees]

3) We're vs. Were vs. Where

Again, kind of tricky, but once you get the hang of this one you're good to go!

We're: Similar to You're and They're, only this is "we" as in a group. Another contraction.

Correct: We're going to the store; We're going to play some Xbox Live; We're tired of reading this post

Were: I think this is the most confusing to define, so just look at some examples!

Correct: This is where we were when the ball hit Timmy on the head; If you were there, how did you get here?; How many apples were there?

Where: This is like asking the location of an object

Where are the apples now?; Where is the store?; Where did the dump go?

Great post, but you missed one:-

Wear: Relating to clothes etc..

Correct: David is going to wear jeans and a t-shirt today, Jane was wearing a red hat and blue skirt

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

You're post was very informative. Some others in my office are reading it - their doing it right now. Once they have all read it, were going to put it into use!

Sorry, just kidding. It bugs the hell out of me - but I was taught these conventions well.

[asdfoi83wyrl]

Heh. Sounds like Microsoft Word's suggestions when you investigate those green squiggly underlines.

[primexx]

I tend to be less bothered about use of the ' sign on internet forums because it doesnt detract from the flow of grammer of the post. As long as a post is good enough to be inteligeable with ease, i dont mind it.

[j.nudd]

Yeah, the internet forum society is based on expressing thoughts as quickly as possible, thus many grammar rules are ignored. My personal pet peeve has to be the misuse of adverbs, good/well, me/I, and further/farther.

[Sesse]

I have actually always wondered how people can make these simple mistakes. :unsure: :p Sure, if you are distracted when you are typing or when you are just typing unconsciously without paying much attention to semantics, it is possible but how can someone think that "their" = "they are" ? :huh:

[scumdogmillionaire]

if you're just typing to get a thought out quick, then whatever. but i have a feeling many people really don't know the difference, hence the post.

[4CxbqFxVnstmA Veteran]

thanks for the advice, it was interesting :D

[Raven]

My company would throw away the resume for using contractions.... They are not proper English.

The classic I see is weather instead of whether. That's always a good laugh.

[4CxbqFxVnstmA Veteran]

My company would throw away the resume for using contractions.... They are not proper English.

thats why i say get rid of the apostrophe entirely, no apostrope = no contraction = no reason not to hire me :D

[dreamz Veteran]

or how about when people say processes like processeeze, thinking that it is correct, when really it implies that the latin singular should be processis, which is incorrect? it would be like saying the plural of box is boxeeze. arrggh!

[Pox]

Great post, but you missed one:-

Wear: Relating to clothes etc..

Correct: David is going to wear jeans and a t-shirt today, Jane was wearing a red hat and blue skirt

Well let's add "Ware" as well. :pinch:

[Sethos]

1) You're vs. Your

On the Internet both are Incorrect, it's "u are" or "u r" on both :p

[4CxbqFxVnstmA Veteran]

On the Internet both are Incorrect, it's "u are" or "u r" on both :p

your right, its time to regrammarise english for the new interworld! :rofl:

[devBrian]

It's called the interweb (or "teh internets"), not interworld! Get it right!

[scumdogmillionaire]

your right, its time to regrammarise english for the new interworld! :rofl:

^^ please tell me you typed "your" on purpose :crazy:

[4CxbqFxVnstmA Veteran]

It's called the interweb (or "teh internets"), not interworld! Get it right!

my grandmother says interweb lOl ;) actually sometimes she also say the email but shes never said the google, not yet :rofl:

[devBrian]

My google stays in my pants for the most part.

[4CxbqFxVnstmA Veteran]

^^ please tell me you typed "your" on purpose :crazy:

dont tell me your not at all worried about regrammarise ;)

My google stays in my pants for the most part.

:rofl:

[Aud]

YAY!

That's all I feel like going into.

That's all into which I feel like going.

(Sentences must never end in a preposition.)

I'm just kidding. Please don't kill me. :p

On a serious note, this is indeed an excellent post. I vote for a sticky!

[nestlecnsh]

Great post! Very useful for a person like me. I live in Asia. We speak Chinese.

[Pox]

It's called the interweb (or "teh internets"), not interworld! Get it right!

so tru! that n00b obvsl3y isnt live @ teh intarweb, liek sif!