To offer some grammar tips to anyone who might want them?

[UnaCorda]

I sincerely hope this doesn't come across as either rude or patronising - it genuinely isn't meant to. It's also not intended as a pedants' thread.

I just thought it might be useful to list a few common mistakes, with an explanation, so that anyone who isn't very confident with their written English might be able to correct errors which, for example, could perhaps count against them in a job application or when used in a professional context.

I'll start with three:

1. "Your" shows that what you're referring to (probably a person or object) belongs to whoever "you" is in the sentence; for example, "Your brother showed me your book". If you mean "you are" you need to write "you're".

2. "Non" is not a word on its own - it is negating something, such as in "non-stick" or "non-committal". ("None-stick" would be incorrect, as would "non of them".) "None" means there aren't any. "How many cakes are left?" "Sorry - none." Or, "How many of the children finished the test?" "None of them."

3. "Alot" is not a word and the same goes for "abit", "infront", "incase" and "inbetween". Instead use "a lot", etc., just like "a little".

Hope I haven't made any mistakes myself...

V useful thread. I really don't remember being taught a lot of this at school and hate the idea that people think I'm stupid or laugh at my mistakes.

'I would be very grateful if you could let me know as soon as possible.' How do I write this sentence correctly please.

Also, if a book belongs to Thomas is it Thomas' book?

I used to have quite good grammar and it is definitely getting worse. I don’t know if it is because in school you are corrected and as an adult you aren’t (as often) or the fact that I use predictive text whenever I write anything.

@LilacSloth, I understand it would be Thomas's book, because Thomas is singular. If the book belonged to the children, it would be the childrens' book because they are plural.

However, that seems to have been dashed by threads below, so await clarification!

I don't think that's the case with Christian names, as it's implied the book belongs to Thomas, not a group of children with the same name.

I'd always write Thomas' book, but perhaps I'm wrong.

@Puffalicious I admit I have never seen the historical use of girls's, but I also don't think it's terribly helpful for this thread because it is definitely seen as wrong nowadays.

@LilacSloth It would be Thomas's book. Thomas isn't a plural, so you can ignore the fact the name happens to end in an S and treat it like any other name. Thomas (or Jack) owns the book so it is Thomas's (Jack's) book. If however you wanted to say that the book belonged to the squirrels, you would say the squirrels' book, because "squirrels" is a plural.

The sentence you asked about looks fine to me. Which part were you worried about?

@LilacSloth

V useful thread. I really don't remember being taught a lot of this at school and hate the idea that people think I'm stupid or laugh at my mistakes.

'I would be very grateful if you could let me know as soon as possible.' How do I write this sentence correctly please.

Also, if a book belongs to Thomas is it Thomas' book?

Glad you're finding it useful.

"I would be very grateful if you could let me know as soon as possible." This is already entirely correct!

I would say, "Thomas's book" myself...

Ps I get annoyed by St Thomas's Hospital for this very reason. They use "St Thomas' Hospital" because it looks neater. It's wrong, but I do think it has become acceptable.

I'm enjoying this thread also. How has no one mentioned 'it's' and 'its' yet?? That's top of my irritation list and I see it wrong all the time.

I understand it breaks the usual rule with possessives but it's a simple exception to learn. For anyone not sure:

'It's' is ONLY ever short for 'it is' or (in speech) 'it has'. If the sentence doesn't make sense with one of those, then it's 'its' you need.

For example, "It's a hot day" or "it's been a long day" but "don't judge a book by its cover".

I see this wrong all the time even in print journalism or published adverts and it drives me mad.

PS @UnaCorda I love Lovecrumbs too!!

SarahAndQuack, that's interesting because my grandmother used to compare

"I shall drown and nobody will save me"
with
"I will drown and nobody shall save me".

The first indicating that the speaker predicts he is going to drown as nobody wants to save him, and the second that he wants to drown and nobody's going to be allowed to save him. "Shall" indicating future tense and "will" indicating volition.

I find hearing "can" instead of "may" irritating. I think it's partly because it tends to happen when someone is trying to enforce some petty and unneccessary rule. I remember collapsing exhausted into a chair just outside the changing room while my DD tried on the umpteenth outfit, only to be told "You can't sit there". As I was sitting there it was clear that I could (it was possible). And I couldn't actually see any reason why I shouldn't be allowed, either - "may not".

I would love it if Piglet John would start a thread about how to do various domestic plumbing jobs (simple ones, preferably), without being asked.

@Chloemol

Yes you come across as rude and patronising

No you do not.

@CornishTiger

I love this thread. This is me in real life all the time.

@lifesnotaspectatorsport yes the it's / its rule is confusing for people who have just got to grips with the use of an apostrophe to denote ownership of something - it's the exact opposite 😂

@UnaCorda

I sincerely hope this doesn't come across as either rude or patronising - it genuinely isn't meant to. It's also not intended as a pedants' thread.

I just thought it might be useful to list a few common mistakes, with an explanation, so that anyone who isn't very confident with their written English might be able to correct errors which, for example, could perhaps count against them in a job application or when used in a professional context.

I'll start with three:

1. "Your" shows that what you're referring to (probably a person or object) belongs to whoever "you" is in the sentence; for example, "Your brother showed me your book". If you mean "you are" you need to write "you're".

2. "Non" is not a word on its own - it is negating something, such as in "non-stick" or "non-committal". ("None-stick" would be incorrect, as would "non of them".) "None" means there aren't any. "How many cakes are left?" "Sorry - none." Or, "How many of the children finished the test?" "None of them."

3. "Alot" is not a word and the same goes for "abit", "infront", "incase" and "inbetween". Instead use "a lot", etc., just like "a little".

Hope I haven't made any mistakes myself...

Do you feel better now?

@amicissima - ah, perhaps I am misremembering and that is what he used to quote too! It must have been a standard example they grew up with.

I never used to find [my mother would disapprove of that construction] the use of 'can' for 'may' irritating until I had a toddler. Now I find it intensely annoying when she says 'Can I have chocolate' (or worse 'I have chocolate NOW') and I spend my life replying sweetly 'I think you mean "may I please"'.

@lifesnotaspectatorsport

I'm enjoying this thread also. How has no one mentioned 'it's' and 'its' yet?? That's top of my irritation list and I see it wrong all the time.

I understand it breaks the usual rule with possessives but it's a simple exception to learn. For anyone not sure:

'It's' is ONLY ever short for 'it is' or (in speech) 'it has'. If the sentence doesn't make sense with one of those, then it's 'its' you need.

For example, "It's a hot day" or "it's been a long day" but "don't judge a book by its cover".

I see this wrong all the time even in print journalism or published adverts and it drives me mad.

PS @UnaCorda I love Lovecrumbs too!!

Yes, that one is very annoying, but it's easy to see how it confuses people. Even worse is its'. You can imagine someone thinking, "Er, well I know there's meant to be an apostrophe somewhere, so I'll just put it... [shuts eyes and stabs pen indiscriminately at paper] here!"

Lovecrumbs is fab!

Thanks. It's the would and could. 'I would/will be grateful if you can/could let me know'?

Do you feel better now?

I feel fine, thanks for asking.

'Comprising of'- nope, just comprising, the of us completely unnecessary.
'Laying down' as in 'I was laying down' - no, you were lying down. Past tense. Lay is present tense.

@Crongle

Is it

If I were you

or
If I was you
?

I think there’s a link here to other countries where language has a formal and informal use. So some Eastern European’s as well as some Central European countries would have scenarios such as “ Would madam like a bag with her purchase? “ “Would Sir like me to cut him a bigger slice of cake?” So ‘were’ is more formal than ‘was.’ If you look back at old tv programmes eg ‘Are You Being Served,’ you can see that the British did still use this more formal turn of phrase. Don’t forget that the French and Germans differentiate between tu/vous and du/Sie still.

@1Morewineplease "So some Eastern European's..." 😬

Coronavirus has shown how many shops don't know how to spell "two metres" (about 40% of places it seems) and "please practise social distancing", not naming any names at all, ~natwest~

I know Lovecrumbs! I'm not in Edinburgh but know it well. I'm in the far cooler city just along the M8!

With respect, the correct form is "if I were you".

What's wrong with "please practise social distancing"?

Practise is correct. The term "social distancing" is so new I guess it is being used in a modern way.

‘Specially’ used instead of ‘ Especially’. My all time favourite ‘made up’ word I often hear is ‘ginormous’ and ‘pacifically’ (instead of specifically)....mmm. Incorrect use of ‘lesser’ and ‘fewer’ does my head in and the BBC make that mess up every day!