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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be surprised how many people write 'should of', 'would of' etc on forums?

122 replies

Mymblesson · 21/02/2011 12:03

I would've thought it was easy enough to remember how to write it properly.

Maybe I should've known better.

You even hear people using the wrong versions when speaking these days. One of my work colleagues is a bugger for it.

OP posts:
Cazza72 · 21/02/2011 14:09

Ah, absolutely! I do try to ignore it though, as they are common mistakes. The most annoying for me is the incorrect use of your and you're, and there, their and they're.

RumourOfAHurricane · 21/02/2011 14:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

NoSuchThingAsSociety · 21/02/2011 14:25

RamblingRosa - clearly, content is more important...but when form obscures content then there is a problem.

We're all free to draw our own conclusions when we read other people's thoughts and experiences.

Decentdragon · 21/02/2011 14:36

OK I?ll be the one to make a fool of myself.Blush
Why is ?less? wrong, and ?fewer? right please? (and why is it apparently fewer chips, but less vinegar?)

(I?ve worked out ?should have? from the thread, but would point out that all our school IEP?s, written by teacher after teacher, have ?should of? for targets and several have ?would of?. Many of them where definitely over thirty!)

PedlarsSockpuppet · 21/02/2011 14:38

I get humphy when folk get their plurals wrong

Forums, for example; the plural is fora

Bucharest · 21/02/2011 14:39

Countable and uncountable nouns.

Less + things we can't count
Fewer with things we can. Smile

GetOrfMoiLand · 21/02/2011 14:40

I can't BEAR fora. I think it is ridiculously pretentious, so forums it is for me.

Original poster
Mymblesson · 21/02/2011 14:40

Forums, for example; the plural is fora

Heheh. I wondered when that would get picked up Grin

OP posts:
Decentdragon · 21/02/2011 14:40

Thank you Bucharest. :)

Bucharest · 21/02/2011 14:42

Ick to fora....

It's like when people with a smattering of Spanish talk about hopping over to Bar-the-lona or Madreeth.

AppleyEverAfter · 21/02/2011 14:43

Saying or writing 'should of' and 'could of' is just a criminal use of grammar. I'm not such a stickler for the neither/nor or who/whom thing but using 'have' not 'of' is just chav speak.

AppleyEverAfter · 21/02/2011 14:49

And I actually saw "who're" in the Mirror yesterday. Which turns "who are" into something much seedier.

notpythagoras · 21/02/2011 14:51

How about spelling definitely with an "a"? where DID that come from?

Bagged and tagged : that less/fewer mistake is odd when everyone seems to be able to correctly distinguish much/more which is exactly the same distinction. Sigh, perhaps the word "many" will be next to go. .

lospolloshermanos · 21/02/2011 14:52

The Grammar Police are go!

GMajor7 · 21/02/2011 14:53

Of course none of this has been helped by Beverley Knight and her 'shoulda, woulda, coulda'.

It's no wonder folk are confused Confused

Abr1de · 21/02/2011 14:58

My favourites are the people who solemnly tell us that grammer or independant schools worked wonders for their education, and that's why they're sending their children to them.

QuickLookBusy · 21/02/2011 15:00

If the English language didn't move on and change with time we would all still be speaking and writing as if in a Shakespearean play

Dost thou think I am unreasonable?

Yes, I think thou art an ass

I was unfortunate enough to attend 4 different primary schools in 2 different countries. I envy people who attended good schools. I have not a clue about grammar and my spelling is crap. Sorry if it offends you, but it will not stop me posting.

Tortington · 21/02/2011 15:01

aibu to be surprised that anyone gives a shit

Original poster
Mymblesson · 21/02/2011 15:01

The Grammar Police are go!

Perhaps. But if no-one ever mentions that someone is making a mistake, how do they learn what's correct?

OP posts:
Original poster
Mymblesson · 21/02/2011 15:03

but it will not stop me posting.

Who would want to stop you? Not me.

OP posts:
QuickLookBusy · 21/02/2011 15:14

Mymblesson, maybe starting a thread about bad grammar, makes posters who know they haven't had as good an education as you, feel a little inhibited.

Also, you say in your OP "I would've thought it was easy enough to remember..." Do you realise, many people have't been taught the correct way. They aren't being forgetful, they don't know.

Wook · 21/02/2011 15:53

I don't understand why should of, could of etc should be excused as some people 'struggle' with them. Many things in life are a struggle, a real struggle, but surely not working out that 'could have' makes sense and 'could of' doesn't?
(And yes before anyone starts, I accept that being a carer (as a previous poster mentioned) or other mitigating circumstances are reasons why it might not have stuck with some people.)
It is pedantic to go on about it, but I don't think it is unreasonable, and certainly not elitist, to think that good grammar is important when writing.

Wook · 21/02/2011 15:56

I mean it's important to aim for good grammar when writing, even if you don't get there. (I don't think I always do)

diddl · 21/02/2011 16:19

It´s not bad grammar though, it´s nonsense.

"Do you realise, many people have't been taught the correct way."

Would that be because they haven´t been to school, then?

TrillianAstra · 21/02/2011 16:20

QuickLookBusy

"Do you realise, many people have't been taught the correct way. They aren't being forgetful, they don't know."

So is it okay to tell people then? Something like Sorry if you already know this but it's actually "should have", when it sounds like people say "should of" they are actually saying "should've". Then they will have been taught the correct way.