Being irritated at "would of, could of....."

[DuchessOfDisaster]

I cringe when I see this written down. Along with "defiantly" for definitely and other examples. I don't see there is ever any excuse. And the excuse that "language evolves" doesn't wash, because "to of" is not a verb and never will be no matter how language evolves. It's not the same as adopting words from other cultures, new words like selfies, or a different meaning for "sick", for example.

OK, when we say "would've", "could've" etc, it may SOUND similar, but that's no excuse either. It implies the writer has never seen "would have" etc written down, therefore doesn't read much. What did they do at school? Was this style of writing used then and never corrected?

Another cringeworthy example is the inability to differentiate between there/they're/their and your/you're.

Just why do people do it and worse, why is it excused?

She was a competent woman in a senior role but still used ‘would of’ ‘should of’ etc.

She got to that senior role despite her grammatical shortcomings.

It’s a basic educational need to be able to read and write properly. If you can’t do it then it will reflect poorly on you once you start applying for jobs.

Yes I’m well aware. But it being an important need doesn’t magically improve the skills of people who struggle with it, does it? My main point was answering OP’s question about why some people struggle with it. Some struggle with literacy, for whatever reason. It’s just a basic fact.

Also not every job/industry are quick to discard an otherwise potentially interesting candidate because they used the wrong ‘there’ on an application.

'Not necessarily, my desire to correct a colleagues ‘would have’ was so she knew better and would not spoil her otherwise perfectly good writing. As she worked for another organisation, I restrained myself but felt a bit bad for her.'

'colleague's'
'was so she would know'

@CecilyP have you seen the above corrections? Just so you don't spoil your otherwise perfectly good writing in future. I feel a bit sad for you..

She got to that senior role despite her grammatical shortcomings.

Yes, indeed she did! So not all is gloom and doom. As I have said, the rest of her writing was of fine.

How do you feel about commas?

Same @Geamhradh , same 😜
Correct punctuation should be used at ALL times.
Thanks for the corrections. I'll keep those in mind.

I can't stand it when I make typos 😉😉

Anyway’ isn’t a feeling

Who said it was?

@CecilyP

Anyway’ isn’t a feeling

Who said it was?

You, when you said it emphasised a feeling.

The mistakes you make in your writing. Such as missing the possessive apostrophe and your incorrect use of tense.

Geamhradh’s already been there but, while we’re being really picky, the above doesn’t read quite right either.

@CecilyP

The mistakes you make in your writing. Such as missing the possessive apostrophe and your incorrect use of tense.

Geamhradh’s already been there but, while we’re being really picky, the above doesn’t read quite right either.

I’m not the one arguing for correct grammar and spelling in all circumstances though.

You, when you said it emphasised a feeling.

This is getting silly now. I meant that Easter’s use of the superfluous though emphasised her feelings more strongly than if it had not been there.

It's a very bad mistake to make, it makes no sense whatsoever and the writer immediately loses credibility. It really is a very straightforward thing to learn and there is absolutely no excuse for it cropping up everywhere. I agree entirely about the other examples, for example writing breath when breathe is meant and the utterly infuriating your instead of you're.

This does not remotely make me feel 'superior' as some posters love to claim. I feel so annoyed that there's even a need to explain very basic English to people who have been through the UK education system. It does matter. I wish everyone would just get it right.

@CecilyP

You, when you said it emphasised a feeling.

This is getting silly now. I meant that Easter’s use of the superfluous though emphasised her feelings more strongly than if it had not been there.

Maybe you should have been clearer in your writing then.

@Chunkymenrock

It's a very bad mistake to make, it makes no sense whatsoever and the writer immediately loses credibility. It really is a very straightforward thing to learn and there is absolutely no excuse for it cropping up everywhere. I agree entirely about the other examples, for example writing breath when breathe is meant and the utterly infuriating your instead of you're.

This does not remotely make me feel 'superior' as some posters love to claim. I feel so annoyed that there's even a need to explain very basic English to people who have been through the UK education system. It does matter. I wish everyone would just get it right.

The UK doesn’t have one education system.

I’m not the one arguing for correct grammar and spelling in all circumstances though.

Neither, in fact, am I. Not once on this thread. Should the above sentence not finish with ‘circumstances’?

@pumperthethumper, OK. The multiple education systems within the UK.

[quote Chunkymenrock]@pumperthethumper, OK. The multiple education systems within the UK. [/quote]
Too late, I’m afraid. Your mistake means you’ve lost credibility as a writer, in your opinion.

@CecilyP

I’m not the one arguing for correct grammar and spelling in all circumstances though.

Neither, in fact, am I. Not once on this thread. Should the above sentence not finish with ‘circumstances’?

No. ‘Though’ here implies a contradiction to your point.

@CecilyP

The mistakes you make in your writing. Such as missing the possessive apostrophe and your incorrect use of tense.

Geamhradh’s already been there but, while we’re being really picky, the above doesn’t read quite right either.

Yes it does.

I'm dyslexic and get those words incorrect every time. It embarrassed me throughout my life due to people like you OP!

I wouldn't judge you for being a thoughtless piece of work....

I agree with you OP. I also hate 'bored of' instead of 'bored with'. I see it everywhere, even journalists and advertisements use it. I know it's unreasonable to be irritated by poor grammar but I am and that's that.

PS grammar does evolve and often for the better. 'To boldly go' reads much better than 'to go boldly'.

@Comtedemontecristo

I agree with you OP. I also hate 'bored of' instead of 'bored with'. I see it everywhere, even journalists and advertisements use it. I know it's unreasonable to be irritated by poor grammar but I am and that's that.

PS grammar does evolve and often for the better. 'To boldly go' reads much better than 'to go boldly'.

Maybe you should tell the British National (linguistic) Corpus that their observation that "a generation ago, bored with was more common, but now both bored with and bored of are used in equal measure and therefore accepted standards, despite what prescriptivists would have us think" is "wrong". Or do you also greet people by saying "salutations, ye sons and daughters of men" ?

Also annoying when people say ‘was’ instead of ‘were’ 🤬

‘We was going there’ ‘they was doing this’ uuurrrgghh 🤮

@Okbye

Also annoying when people say ‘was’ instead of ‘were’ 🤬

‘We was going there’ ‘they was doing this’ uuurrrgghh 🤮

I can understand ‘we was’ a bit more because that’s often how people speak colloquially: they’re just writing the sentence down as they’d speak it.

@Okbye

Also annoying when people say ‘was’ instead of ‘were’ 🤬

‘We was going there’ ‘they was doing this’ uuurrrgghh 🤮

You’re missing ‘is’ from that first sentence.