Page 9 | It's "the worsT", not "the worse"

Dovesono · 2026-09-17T19:51:34+00:00

Well not ^always^, but most of the time when people write "worse", they actually mean "worst". If the worst should happen. If the worst comes to the worst. The worst thing I have ever seen. She is the worst person I know. As in "bad, worse, worst." Opposite of "good, better best." Thank you.

Imseriouslyyouguys · 18/09/2026 07:25

CamillaMcCauley · 18/09/2026 05:43

These threads are always just the same kind of snobs tutting about the same set of errors.

So yes, YABU as these mistakes have been made for decades and people will continue to make them because not everyone either knows or cares about immaculate grammar as long as they can be understood by any halfway intelligent person. Which in every single example cited so far, they can be.

You don’t need to have “immaculate grammar” to know the correct version of your/you’re which is really not a complicated concept and is taught at primary school level. Same applies to there/their/they’re, yet these mistakes are depressingly common.

CoffeeCantata · 18/09/2026 07:24

GroveInn · 18/09/2026 07:19

I agree. But I once googled it out of frustration. And I think that ‘step foot’ is considered acceptable now. Not in my world!

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Nor in mine!

CoffeeCantata · 18/09/2026 07:24

GroveInn · 18/09/2026 07:19

I agree. But I once googled it out of frustration. And I think that ‘step foot’ is considered acceptable now. Not in my world!

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Nor in mine!

CoffeeCantata · 18/09/2026 07:24

CamillaMcCauley · 18/09/2026 07:18

I would be embarrassed to have made this post!

Niggardly is an archaic word and easily open to misinterpretation and confusion, and subsequent upset (rightly or wrongly).

If clarity was the intention, stingy would have been a far better word to use. This is exactly the kind of snobbery I loathe, turning up your nose at people who don’t know a fairly obscure word.

The MP in question sounds desperately out of touch with his audience if he thought that was a good choice of word to use.

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Totally disagree.

Niggardly is NOT an archaic word and it's a perfectly good word.

I just couldn't disagree more.

JustChillin70 · 18/09/2026 07:22

People getting mixed up with brought and bought is one of the worst for me, also discusting instead of disgusting.
There is no way half the people who claim to be dyslexic actually are. The more we ignore bad spelling and grammar the worse it will get. I’m happy for my wrong spelling or grammar to be pointed out as it’s the only way we learn.

FudgeFudy · 18/09/2026 07:21

'Of' instead of 'have' is defiantly the worse common error and I am ashamed to say that I always assume that the miscreant in question is just thick as opposed to, say, dyslexic. A more niche one is 'on mass', and every single time there is a thread about driving loads of people talk about using their 'breaks'.

Kuromi86 · 18/09/2026 07:21

Discusting instead of disgusting seems to be common. It was written so many times on a Facebook thread recently that I had to double check the spelling as I questioned whether I was wrong!

GroveInn · 18/09/2026 07:19

CoffeeCantata · 18/09/2026 07:09

One I see a lot on here is 'step foot' instead of 'set foot'.

"I'll never step foot in their house again!"

Does is matter? I don't know, in the grand scheme of things, but it irritates the hell out of me, like a piece of grit in my shoe!

I agree. But I once googled it out of frustration. And I think that ‘step foot’ is considered acceptable now. Not in my world!

CamillaMcCauley · 18/09/2026 07:18

CoffeeCantata · 18/09/2026 06:59

Language definitely matters - don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Years ago there was a fuss because an MP made a speechi in which he used the word 'niggardly', meaning 'mean, miserly, tight-fisted etc' and someone made a massive deal of it because they considered it racist.

They were just ignorant and needed to get out their dictionary. I would have been embarrassed to have made that mistake.

I would be embarrassed to have made this post!

Niggardly is an archaic word and easily open to misinterpretation and confusion, and subsequent upset (rightly or wrongly).

If clarity was the intention, stingy would have been a far better word to use. This is exactly the kind of snobbery I loathe, turning up your nose at people who don’t know a fairly obscure word.

The MP in question sounds desperately out of touch with his audience if he thought that was a good choice of word to use.

MsWicked · 18/09/2026 07:18

GroveInn · 18/09/2026 07:17

Some annoy me eg ‘could of’, whilst others amuse me eg ‘rest bite’, ‘tone-death’ etc!

A lady I work with often worries things “will go Pee Tong”.

GroveInn · 18/09/2026 07:17

Some annoy me eg ‘could of’, whilst others amuse me eg ‘rest bite’, ‘tone-death’ etc!

KwellsBells · 18/09/2026 07:16

His instead of ‘he is’. So for example ‘his walking up to school’.

Why????

Twatterati · 18/09/2026 07:16

I defiantly agree! I

So many people going through life agreeing with pretty much everything and anything but being very stroppy about it!!!

BishBashBoshDumpling · 18/09/2026 07:14

CoffeeCantata · 18/09/2026 06:56

Me too. It's increasingly common.

I never mind (and wouldn't dream of commenting) if someone in real life makes a grammatical error, but it winds me up when professional writers, announcers, presenters etc do it.

And yes, (yawn), I know that language is dynamic and always changing etc but there's a need for clear, unambiguous use of language in official contexts. Let the person in the street do the other stuff, but I don't want to hear broadcasters talking about flaunting when they mean flouting, or disinterested when they mean uninterested (totally different meanings). You hear lots of people who really should know better making these mistakes.

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Agree. Also pronunciation - the BBC have for years had presenters (with general BBC/non-accent/estuary type) saying

Mondee
Tuesdee
Wednesdee
etc...

I remember as a kid it used to wind me up!

PollyBell · 18/09/2026 07:14

Ok will the sky fall in?

How earth will people sleep at night knowing they have annoyed someone on MN, no one care except the sanctimonious

Considering this is the worse thing that can happen i think people are doing pretty good and I would rather be where the sun does shine

Yea I am being unreasonable and no i don't care

MsWicked · 18/09/2026 07:13

PassTheCranberrySauce · 18/09/2026 07:12

This might just be dialect. It’s endemic in certain accents e.g. Essex. In some Yorkshire accents you get, ‘I wor’ instead of ‘I was’.

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Yes it could be dialect but it’s incorrect when written.

GroveInn · 18/09/2026 07:13

blankittyblank · 17/09/2026 22:51

I see so much incorrect use of myself, or yourself.

like when people say - myself and my DH…. It seems loads more common recently.

Yes. I shudder when I see sentences starting like this. It is becoming very common now.

PassTheCranberrySauce · 18/09/2026 07:12

MsWicked · 18/09/2026 07:08

I usually ignore such errors. Of course they can be understood, but they are annoying. However, if I could change one it would be “we was/was you”.

This might just be dialect. It’s endemic in certain accents e.g. Essex. In some Yorkshire accents you get, ‘I wor’ instead of ‘I was’.

likelysuspect · 18/09/2026 07:12

CoffeeCantata · 18/09/2026 07:09

One I see a lot on here is 'step foot' instead of 'set foot'.

"I'll never step foot in their house again!"

Does is matter? I don't know, in the grand scheme of things, but it irritates the hell out of me, like a piece of grit in my shoe!

Is that an eggcorn though?

SomeoneIsWrongOnTheInternet · 18/09/2026 07:11

Agree with all of these! ‘should of ‘ etc really gets on my nerves. So does that modern phrase ‘reaching out’: I am perfectly capable of contacting people.

I disavow stupid spelling errors and typos on my phone though! 😀

likelysuspect · 18/09/2026 07:11

MrsArcher23 · 17/09/2026 21:16

Did you all get lost on the way to Pedants’ Corner??

That's just an echo chamber though, it's good to spread the word. I don't really agree with the rules of not pointing out incorrect words.

IStillHearTheWaves · 18/09/2026 07:10

CoffeeCantata · 18/09/2026 06:56

Me too. It's increasingly common.

I never mind (and wouldn't dream of commenting) if someone in real life makes a grammatical error, but it winds me up when professional writers, announcers, presenters etc do it.

And yes, (yawn), I know that language is dynamic and always changing etc but there's a need for clear, unambiguous use of language in official contexts. Let the person in the street do the other stuff, but I don't want to hear broadcasters talking about flaunting when they mean flouting, or disinterested when they mean uninterested (totally different meanings). You hear lots of people who really should know better making these mistakes.

Show quote history

I hate it when they talk of having a winter of discontent. Journalists should be able to get a quote right!

PassTheCranberrySauce · 18/09/2026 07:10

IStillHearTheWaves · 18/09/2026 07:07

What I want to know, is where has all this 'am' instead of 'have been' come from? I keep seeing: I am married x years.

WTF?!

Romance languages use this construction, I think, and therefore it’s seeped into English (via US English?).

CoffeeCantata · 18/09/2026 07:09

One I see a lot on here is 'step foot' instead of 'set foot'.

"I'll never step foot in their house again!"

Does is matter? I don't know, in the grand scheme of things, but it irritates the hell out of me, like a piece of grit in my shoe!

MsWicked · 18/09/2026 07:08

I usually ignore such errors. Of course they can be understood, but they are annoying. However, if I could change one it would be “we was/was you”.