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

123 replies

Namast3 · 01/02/2022 19:34

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...

OP posts:
chunkyBUTTsdonotlie · 02/02/2022 23:36

@Legomania

It is almost impossible to correct someone's SPAG without looking like a dick. I would say the only exceptions are if you're very close to someone or they've asked you to proof a document.
My mum always corrects me on messages. My excuse is sometimes it is an predictive text mistake, but ok I should read what has been typed. However I have little DC and I work and I have sh@t to do. So I do get annoyed that I'm making the effort to keep in touch and she just moans at me.
Workinghardeveryday · 02/02/2022 23:44

I wouldn’t no! Unless I wanted to be a proper bitch and didn’t like the person

NotMushroomInHere · 02/02/2022 23:46

A relatively new one I’ve seen on Facebook a few times is using ‘A’ for ‘I’ - so for example someone will say for example ‘A was at McDonald’s earlier and a noticed someone dodgy checking out cars’….it is literally the same effort to type the letter I, why use an A?

MountainDweller · 02/02/2022 23:58

Professionally, yes - but I'm biased because it's actually my job! In every place I've worked, everything that's published is read by at least three people and corrections are expected. If it was in an email I'd probably mention it privately.

On SM I would expect your/you're to be autocorrect, because it's always changing it to the wrong one for me. I might question the meaning if it wasn't clear.

Also some people have autocorrect in two languages which can lead to very interesting mistakes (as well as things like failure to autocorrect 'i' to 'I'...)

EBearhug · 03/02/2022 00:12

Depends on the context. On social media usually not, unless it's a thread about SPAG pedantry, in which case the likelihood of errors rises exponentially. 😀

At work- probably, not least because I have a reputation to maintain. I definitely correct documentation (and some will ask me to proofread it.)

I insisted on correcting a doc that was going to go round all UK employees earlier in the week - everyone else was saying it was really great, and I sent back a list of SPAG corrections, but there's no way I'd have been comfortable with it going out as was.

A lot of my colleagues have English as a second language, and we've had some great conversations about verb tenses and other things. But I have a British colleague who is not great at writing ("they was", for example,) and I find it much more of a struggle to find a tactful way of correcting her. I am half-tempted to say to our non-British tier 1 colleagues, if you're going to use anyone as an an example of how to write good English, please use someone else. But I haven't quite dared yet. I just offered to proofread stuff for anyone.

On OLD, I can let the odd typo go. But if they're really going to click with me, then the ability to write well is quite important, and if they can talk about etymology or the use of the subjunctive or something then they're really in with a chance. I'm getting enough matches that I can afford to be fussy. But then I have autocorrect to sabotage each carefully crafted sentence and put in words that don't exist in any known language, so it probably happens to everyone.

PurpleCarpets · 03/02/2022 00:15

Very rude to correct. Very correct to judge!

Jewel1968 · 03/02/2022 00:19

I write a lot for work. When I am in the zone writing about something complex I will often use the wrong 'their/there' or 'your/you're' but I go back and check and usually identify the errors. Interestingly my writing is miles better when I am in the zone. I can write about a very complex thing in a way that is easier to understand but I have to lose myself to do it. That can mean grammar and spelling take a back seat.

optimistic40 · 03/02/2022 00:21

I notice but I don't think that I've corrected anyone before. Seems quite rude.

WeatherwaxOn · 03/02/2022 08:54

I worked with someone who was PA to a big cheese in an investment company.
She was chatting to me at her desk and said something about a letter she had to send (she knew I was a grammar pedant). Good job I looked- the letter she'd audiotyped included the phrase "we should of..."
If it had gone out like that it would have reflected really poorly on the company.

DiddyHeck · 03/02/2022 17:22

@PurpleCarpets

Very rude to correct. Very correct to judge!
How is being extremely ignorant very correct? So you judge all people who haven't (through no fault of their own) had a good education? You judge foreign people who are just getting to grips with our written language? You judge dyslexic people? You judge those who for whatever reason 'simply don't get it, or don't remember which spelling is correct'?

Do you feel inadequate in other areas of your life and therefore feel that spelling is the on thing you at least can get right? Because if not I cannot fathom why you're like this?

limitedperiodonly · 03/02/2022 17:48

Rejecting people for poor SPAG on dating apps? Evenings out with you must be gripping.

PurpleCarpets · 03/02/2022 17:48

How is being extremely ignorant very correct?

Hi Diddy, to be fair the ignorance is on the part of those who don't know the difference!

Lightning020 · 03/02/2022 17:53

I hate bad grammar. I have had the benefit of grammar school education and have always been an excellent speller. I think I expect everybody to get it right so expect I am a pedant. Can people not learn in adult life though?

yummyscummymummy01 · 03/02/2022 17:59

Your being unreasonable Grin

ShirleyPhallus · 03/02/2022 17:59

@limitedperiodonly

Rejecting people for poor SPAG on dating apps? Evenings out with you must be gripping.
People can reject people on dating apps for whatever reason they want. Perfectly fine to judge someone on grammar if that suggests education / values don’t line up to yours
FindingMeno · 03/02/2022 18:00

I ignore it unless I want to help ( eg application letter).

annonymousse · 03/02/2022 18:02

I notice but don't comment

Sparklingbrook · 03/02/2022 18:04

People can reject people on dating apps for whatever reason they want. Perfectly fine to judge someone on grammar if that suggests education / values don’t line up to yours

I think if the man was great in other areas I could forgive a spelling error. Wink

FindingMeno · 03/02/2022 18:04

It may be easy for some but if English is not your strength or not your first language, just ask yourself how perfect your Polish or Greek is!

ShirleyPhallus · 03/02/2022 18:13

@FindingMeno

It may be easy for some but if English is not your strength or not your first language, just ask yourself how perfect your Polish or Greek is!
In my experience people who have learnt English as a second language often have excellent grammar as they’ve been taught all the rules and how to use it properly

Grammar lessons in schools in the UK is really lacking

bumsnett · 03/02/2022 18:18

@Lemonweightloss

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).
Outing as Liverpool based?
SarahAndQuack · 03/02/2022 18:25

Omg really??? I must admit I would totally assume someone was not well educated if they make simple grammar mistakes like this because surely you would need to have written essays etc in decent English to gain any higher qualification.

Yes, but if you think about it, if you're really smart, you can afford to lose the (small) number of marks you'd lose for minor grammar errors, and I think so long as people realise you do actually understand the grammar even if you don't always manage it at speed, no one cares.

I suspect bad grammar is much more damaging for people who actually aren't well educated.

SnipSnipMrBurgess · 03/02/2022 18:34

[quote TizerorFizz]@Frasa
I’m not saying dyslexics are not able to pass professional exams. However if they need to write importing documents for their company, grammar and spelling do become important. Firms don’t give poor spelling the benefit of the doubt on applications. However dyslexics get others to write them. I’ve seen this report with dyslexic teachers and then it’s embarrassing in the classroom as @NewModelArmyMayhem18 says. However lots of people don’t care so we accept lower and lower standards. Spell check is very useful though![/quote]
What's an importing document?

Frasa · 03/02/2022 18:45

You’ve got the wrong OP. Take a closer look at the post. Good effort though 😂 . Try harder when attempting condescension in future.

notacooldad · 03/02/2022 18:46

Generally speaking no.
I certainly wouldn't on Mn. It could be a typo, it could be a mistake , a person could be dyslexic it could be anything. As long as I understand the context I'm fine. I get annoyed at people
who pull others though. I think, ' how bloody rude!!' I had someone being an arse with me because I left a question mark off. I think it was on originally then I edited what I was saying and I deleted it. The person was deliberately being goady and trying to make me look foolish. There was no need.

If it was my ( adult) son and it yes I would. Probably along the lines of ' oi, are you being a deliberate knobhead or what, you know better than that' ( jokingly of course, that's how we are!!)