You couldn't make it up

[maymorganlondon]

Don't get me going on this. I hate it when people answer a question with "SO....." It sounds as though they are about to give a lecture. Another thing, when did we start saying "GOTTEN?" For example "He has gotten over her." What's that all about? There are so many things about the modern use of English that really annoy me, so I think I'd better shut up before I spontaneously combust.

Going to be a bit pedantic. Gotten isn't a new one, and may actually correct usage in the context you quote. The same root as the expression "Ill-gotten gains". http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/gotten for some starting information... I used to get really peeved about it, as it sounds very American, but it really isn't after all.

I'll say my biggest bugbear is using apostrophes inappropriately. The plural of vegetable is vegetables NOT vegetable's... so many handwritten (and printed) signs make this error.

Apostrophes are for possession and contraction. This one's Jane's. How're you?

 

[thatu]

I was always better at English than Maths, but I admit to still getting stuck with the grammatical use of myself as the first person and one another : as in "me and....." or "my husband and me / I " and when to use these terms properly. If anyone can help and explain, it would be much appreciated, as I feel whatever I say is wrong.

Just to add to what's been said: "Myself" is for emphasis, so it's not a substitute for "me" though you can say, "I myself love shopping" where you've included the first person pronoun "I".

 

[shopperholic]

Gets me when someone starts a sentence with "Am" as in "Am going to buy" or "Am going shopping"..............picture me pulling my hair out screaming "I'm"!!!! It's "I'm"!!!! Ahem, I'm ok now, I'm ok :mysmilie_13:

 

[Toril]

I was always better at English than Maths, but I admit to still getting stuck with the grammatical use of myself as the first person and one another : as in "me and....." or "my husband and me / I " and when to use these terms properly. If anyone can help and explain, it would be much appreciated, as I feel whatever I say is wrong.

The general rule is that it is "My husband and I.........." or "My friends and I.........." because if you omit the husband or the friends part you can still form a grammatically correct sentence. e.g. My husband and I went on holiday. With 'husband' omitted, the sentence would be "I went on holiday" which makes sense.

If you say "My husband and me went on holiday" or "Me and my husband went on holiday,"as soon as 'husband' is omitted, "Me went on holiday" is not grammatically correct.

I hope you can make sense of that because I know what I mean. :wink:

Edit: I've just realised that loveallthingsitalian has already covered this. My apologies ............. I should read all the posts properly instead of skimming down a thread. :wink:

 

[Sazza]

Even the BBC cannot get the use of "their" correct!!!

 

[Weathergirl]

I work for a local authority. I get statements to check which often say "The local authority are concerned that.... " when what they should say is "the local authority is concerned that.... ". If I had a pound for every time I have corrected that one.

The classic star-trek split infinitive is another one I always notice. Because my dad always pointed it out to me.

 

[countrymaid]

I dislike the Australian inflection, making every sentence sound like a question. I've always thought that females between the age of 10 and 26 should be fined a nominal amount (5p perhaps) every time the word "like" was used inappropriately it might fund a new school somewhere.

 

[shopperholic]

I hate it when a presenter, mostly Chloe Everton, asks themselves a question, then answers themselves "you will find this will work for you why? because it suits all skin types" how annoying!

 

[Minnehaha]

Now loose and lose is one I would like a handy way of remembering as I have to think (or fink) about it every time.

All suggestions for all the popular mistakes gratefully received.

Hi LATT, if you think of ill-fitting, loose clothes, you have two 'o's: if you drop one of them, you lose an 'o'. So, baggy clothes - 2'o's: fail to retain an 'o' - you lose it - you have one!

For Brussels,

Re I and me - the subject of an action is always I, and the object is always me. So I do something, but, when I receive something, it is me. Eg: when I buy a book, the assistant gives me a receipt.

Hope that helps.

Jay

 

[Minnehaha]

Brissles, apologies for calling you Brussels. Jay

 

[Peppermint Patti]

I have noticed the Americanism "were he was at" is creeping in.
I also get confused occasionally with were and where.

 

[Turandot]

Gets me when someone starts a sentence with "Am" as in "Am going to buy" or "Am going shopping"..............picture me pulling my hair out screaming "I'm"!!!! It's "I'm"!!!! Ahem, I'm ok now, I'm ok :mysmilie_13:

I do that .....i'll consider myself told. .....LOL......

 

[ERICS MUM]

Think of "loose noose" !

 

[ERICS MUM]

When my neighbour retired he got a part time job in the mail room of the local HMRC office, just to stuff and frank the envelopes. He was so appalled at the poor spelling and grammar used by the tax inspectors in their letters that he started correcting them in red pen and returning them to the writer ! A man after my own heart.

 

[Brissles]

I have two friends who continually say "brought" instead of "bought" - drives me bonkers, and I feel like a pedantic old fart when I pick them up on it, but it does grate.

 

[Peppermint Patti]

When my neighbour retired he got a part time job in the mail room of the local HMRC office, just to stuff and frank the envelopes. He was so appalled at the poor spelling and grammar used by the tax inspectors in their letters that he started correcting them in red pen and returning them to the writer ! A man after my own heart.

A friend of ours sent a letter from his daughter's school with spelling and grammar highlighted back to the headmaster.