Forum Topic

Grammar

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22403731At the weekend I cringed at a large sign in a shop window which offered box's for a price. Box's what?  I recently made a very obvious mistake on a post where I changed my mind and failed to proof-read before I posted.  That's carelessness and makes me cringe too as I can't change it. However that is just a comment on a thread and not a public notice.Will more tests help or is it too late?

Philippa Bond ● 4706d20 Comments

"...second most useful and elegant language in the world."  Tony, its gorra be Mandarin m'thinks.

Gerry Tan ● 4705d

Grammar grammar grammar!Why don't you all move to the Devon town that no longer has a single street name with an apostrophe in it? Makes life easier for you all!There is a Coopers Lane in Waterloo and a Cooper's Lane in Grove Park, SE12! Hahaha!

Ben Owen ● 4705d

In my last job I became so irritated at people having no regard for correct grammar that I had made and took to wearing a t-shirt with 'Grammar Police' emblazoned across it.

Tony Colliver ● 4705d

If you fancy a laugh, check out a recent parodical piece in the Telegraph about the new Dan Brown novel. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/10049454/Dont-make-fun-of-renowned-Dan-Brown.htmlSomewhat off-topic, but I thought I'd mention it because the lampooning of Brown's writing style is hilarious.

Alex Weel ● 4705d

So what's the first most useful and elegant one then?  :-)

Tony Colliver ● 4705d

I'm with Philippa: how much extra effort does it take to punctuate a text correctly?One of my betes noires is when people say things like 'There were between 8 to 10 of them'. It's 'between 8 AND 10' or simply 'there were 8 to 10', not a mishmash of the two.Grrr!

Susan Kelly ● 4705d

Like you Brian, I cringe and sometimes get upset at the misuse of your beautiful English language. You're fortunate in having literary giants of the past like Chaucer, Donne, Shakespeare, Milton and the others to mould and change your language through the generations. But English is still a "living" language and the present inappropriate use of apostrophies, split infinitives and incorrect spellings etc are all part of the ever evolving richness of your beautiful tongue. Rejoice that English is the second most useful and elegant language in the world. I love it.

Gerry Tan ● 4705d

Never take a grammatical lead from a nation that wear their pants outside their underwear! :-)

Nigel Brooks ● 4705d

I cringe when I hear 'for free'.  It is either 'free' or 'for nothing'.  I think the Americans have a lot to answer for.

Brian Davis ● 4705d

My bugbear - one of many - is that people sometimes write "could of" instead of "could have/could've". I've almost given up caring about the incorrect plurals and apostrophes, but this one just really gets my goat for some reason.Oh, and why can't half the population spell the word "lose"? So often you see it spelt as "loose".And breathe...

Alex Weel ● 4705d

Susan, it's funny.  It shows how some sentences need extra punctuation so that the meaning intended is clear.  I've spent years using as little as possible so haven't practised as much BUT I still use apostrophes and capital letters when I text.

Philippa Bond ● 4705d

I'd be plain offended if anyone gave me a copy of that book.

Susan Kelly ● 4705d

separatedefiniteit's (when possessive) are often bug bears of mine!

Simon Wycombe ● 4706d

The one that always annoys me, if only for its inconsistencies, is St. James's Park underground station which, on some signs, is St. James' Park.Oh, and there's always Barons Court. Where is the apostrophe?

Nigel Brooks ● 4706d

I do have that book somewhere and I did enjoy it.  I'm just amazed at how people are using apostrophes instead of 's' or 'es'.  Plurals in English aren't generally difficult whereas the use of apostrophes is harder to learn. Punctuation was fun to be tested on...  but then we used to have a chance to practise with dictation tests.

Philippa Bond ● 4706d

I do realise that. I suggested the book as it has some wonderful examples of misuse, many of which are quite comical.

Nigel Brooks ● 4706d

Philippa already knows how to use an apostrophe; she's cringing at others' misuse.

Susan Kelly ● 4706d

Because they were never taught the correct usage/ are too lazy.You do need to read the book.

Nigel Brooks ● 4706d

Yes but why are people using apostrophes instead of 's' and 'es' in plurals?

Philippa Bond ● 4706d

Sounds like you need to read Lynne Truss's (appropriate use of supplemental possessive apostrophe after a double 's' although some prefer the 'hanging' possessive) Eats, Shoots and Leaves - the zero tolerance approach to punctuation.I used to work for the Archbishops' Council (two Archbishops hence a plural possessive) and it the eighth deadly sin to write " Archbishop's ".

Nigel Brooks ● 4706d