Would you correct someone if they used your and you're in the wrong context?

Namast3 · 2022-02-01T19:34:06+00:00

I see it every day in emails. I see it on mumsnet. I get sent messages on dating apps with your instead of you're. A good colleague of mine repeatedly uses your in the wrong context in professional emails. I really struggle to understand why it's so difficult to differentiate...

Icantremembermyusername · 01/02/2022 19:37

I'm a grammar pedant. So I notice and inwardly seethe but don't say anything. Why hurt their feelings? If I was doing an official observation or asked to proof read a report, I would nicely mention it.
It doesn't impede understanding but does irritate.

OperationRinka · 01/02/2022 19:38

I'd correct a colleague eventually, unless their grammar was consistently hopeless.

I'd only correct a MNer if they were looking for work and posting to moan about a long string of pre-interview rejections, or if they were being annoyingly pedantic and falling victim to Muphry's Law.

vodkaredbullgirl · 01/02/2022 19:38

probably not as I'm not pedantic.

cushioncovers · 01/02/2022 19:39

I have done in the past.

DramaAlpaca · 01/02/2022 19:42

At work in a professional context I might have a quiet word, and have done so on occasion when the person repeatedly making the error reported to me.

Otherwise, no I wouldn't correct it. I ignore it on here, it's rude and unnecessary to point it out however much it might annoy you.

If I was dating, I must admit that bad grammar would put me off, but that's my issue. I wouldn't comment on it,

Lemonweightloss · 01/02/2022 19:42

On mumsnet, I wouldn't correct. Lots of people have English as their 2nd language and I'd like to see the pedants here reply to a post in Spanish/ French/ Italian. That would be fun. Also, I think a lot more understanding is needed. Not everyone has had a good education, often not their own fault, so I think it's judgmental.
When I was a classroom teacher, I hated teaching assistants getting it wrong. I felt that even if they didn't know much grammar when they got the position, they should have learnt some along the way !
I was more irritated by the constant Yous !! ( as in Yous are being very noisy. Shudder).

DramaAlpaca · 01/02/2022 19:43

Oops, punctuation fail. That last comma was meant to be a full stop.

Pyri · 01/02/2022 19:44

Yes do it, if you want to come across as a massive patronising twat

Inwardly correct it > move on > do not be a twat

It makes literally no difference to your life and the person will not learn the lesson that you think you’re teaching them

ajandjjmum · 01/02/2022 19:45

If it was someone I was close to - DC or DH. Otherwise no.

DramaAlpaca · 01/02/2022 19:45

@Lemonweightloss ah, but 'yous' as a plural of 'you' is dialect and acceptable in spoken form. I wouldn't get over excited about that unless I saw it written down.

Lemonweightloss · 01/02/2022 19:51

@DramaAlpaca, true. I think I just don't like the word ! Plus, it was so difficult when teaching SPAG, etc.
I understand what you're saying. I love dialects ; it's hard to expect children to speak the Queen's English , when you're int North West !!

CloneAViralMess · 01/02/2022 19:53

@DramaAlpaca

Oops, punctuation fail. That last comma was meant to be a full stop.

😂

MargaretThursday · 01/02/2022 19:53

I work with someone who is consistently wrong.
I only point it out when it would go out on something official when it matters.

Although it did mean one time when someone else was trying to take credit for something they'd done I was confident who had really done it. 🤣

Clawdy · 01/02/2022 19:54

I did, the other day. I was looking at some lovely hand-made cards at a craft fair, and one of them had a line from "Your Song " on the front, but it read "How wonderful life is, while your in the world." Felt a bit mean, but I pointed it out to the girl on the stall. She whisked it away, looking mortified, poor kid.

Quirrelsotherface · 01/02/2022 19:56

Oh I hate it and I hate that I can't ignore it! If I see it I automatically think that the person is thick which I know is awful but I just can't help it. Same with there, their and they're.

Original poster

Namast3 · 01/02/2022 20:02

@DramaAlpaca

At work in a professional context I might have a quiet word, and have done so on occasion when the person repeatedly making the error reported to me.

Otherwise, no I wouldn't correct it. I ignore it on here, it's rude and unnecessary to point it out however much it might annoy you.

If I was dating, I must admit that bad grammar would put me off, but that's my issue. I wouldn't comment on it,

Yes I think it's because I'm on online dating apps, bad grammar definitely puts me off. As pp said, inwardly I seethe but it is cruel to point it out and make someone feel silly.

OP posts:

SarahAndQuack · 01/02/2022 20:06

It'd depend.

I wouldn't correct emails (I'm professional about communication).

I wouldn't correct on MN, unless the person were being a total pedant themselves.

I wouldn't correct on dating apps.

I do have a colleague, whom I love dearly, who repeatedly makes basic grammar errors. I don't correct her in emails but do if she's sending me something to be sent on. It's just her blind spot. She's a senior lecturer in English at Cambridge, though, so I know she isn't hurt by corrections and realises that pedantry often says more about the limitations of pedants.

MovingHouseAgain · 01/02/2022 20:07

Yes I did this in the end - one of my employees who persistently did this. After a few months I ended up emailing saying something lighthearted and blaming her auto-correct (whoops I think your auto-correct keeps doing this thing- I gave her an out so that I wasn't blaming her personally). She took it well and hasn't done it again! I felt awkward but it was a professional requirement that emails are worded properly.

CloneAViralMess · 02/02/2022 08:25

@SarahAndQuack

It'd depend.

I wouldn't correct emails (I'm professional about communication).

I wouldn't correct on MN, unless the person were being a total pedant themselves.

I wouldn't correct on dating apps.

I do have a colleague, whom I love dearly, who repeatedly makes basic grammar errors. I don't correct her in emails but do if she's sending me something to be sent on. It's just her blind spot. She's a senior lecturer in English at Cambridge, though, so I know she isn't hurt by corrections and realises that pedantry often says more about the limitations of pedants.

Senior lecturer in English at Cambridge

DGRossetti · 02/02/2022 08:30

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muphry%27s_law

OutdoorType · 02/02/2022 12:32

I don't correct it, even though I absolutely hate it. I really don't think I could date someone who made basic grammar errors though.

Yourinmyspot · 02/02/2022 12:37

This doesn’t bother me, it’s when someone says brought instead of bought. I do have to stop myself being sarcastic. One friend always puts gud instead of good which I hate too.

I’m not one to correct people though as my spelling and grammar isn’t the best.

ClariceQuiff · 02/02/2022 12:41

Unless I'd been asked to proof-read a communication, I wouldn't correct anyone's SPAG. It's annoying, but you don't know the circumstances - the writer might be dyslexic, for example.

Honeyroar · 02/02/2022 12:42

I’d only correct them if I was looking at something important that was going to be printed or emailed etc.

Joxster · 02/02/2022 12:46

No. DP is very dyslexic and gets this sort of thing wrong constantly. If anyone corrects him he feels really shit about it, as his phone/email can’t pick up on it and he will repeatedly make the same mistake. He says people treat him like he’s thick because of it.

As a result, I don’t correct people because I don’t know who really can’t help it. I don’t want anyone to feel as shit about themselves as he does when it happens to him.