ThAn thAn thAaaaaan

[Thispupsgottofly]

I swear this didn't use to be such a common error, but I have read so many posts today where people say then when they mean than!
I guess it's because lots of people (including me) pronounce it 'thn'.
Eg. If you say you'd rather stay at home then go to the beach it sounds like you're going to do one after the other!
Aaaaargh!

I don't think it's just that people don't read. People may read less published stuff, but it total they read absolutely loads more than people did 50 years ago. They read gazillions of poorly-spelled social media posts and online content, which actually perpetuate common spelling and grammar mistakes.

I did laugh at the 'sleepy drived' today though 🤣

And, whilst you’re at it, pop that second ‘f’ back on ‘of’…

Lots of these mistakes phonetically replicate spoken English. I think it’s fine as long as everyone know what the poster means. It isn’t an application for a job. You’ve proved yourself that when you’re writing in a hurry, people can make simple mistakes.

I commented on a FB post. I typed were but it came out as we're and i didn't spot it so one nice chap thought it would be a good idea to correct me.
He put "we are" painfull. Like a good little woman i apologised said it was autocorrect. Then I thought about it and replied again "if we're being pedantic painful only has one l.
I can tolerate being corrected because I'm not perfect but no need to be arsey. I sit on my hands a lot of the time and try not to be judge.

I literally just noticed that and was scrambling to try to edit that 😅

It's a sturdy American colloquialism. To my ear (and I live in the US) hearing it on British lips, or in any accent other than blue collar American, is always jarring

Some of this could be down to autocorrect. It used to correct one word at a time, but now it switches out words and phrases a few words back, or finishes off a word while you’re still typing and then obligingly “makes sense” of the rest of what you type. It drives me bonkers. My phone is not as smart as it thinks it is. But I’m also not good at spotting errors as I skim read for sense.

Agree.

Ehem!!!

Yes I get autocorrect often changes things annoyingly and yes I made an error not putting two fs on off but that was a typo.
Nobody is perfect!
But the then/than thing can be confusing because it changes the meaning like in my example.

I don't have a problem with the odd spelling mistake or possible typo, especially on forums like this, but seeing the same error spreading like wildfire is actually distressing to me.

It's a genuine thing and I can't help feeling the way I do. I don't want people to feel bad, but it feels like everything I learnt is out of control. It's like I have word OCD!

🤣🤣🤣

Sorry, I didn't notice your user name. Nothing personal!

I can't do online dating because I get so annoyed with the awful spelling & grammar, even though know it's ridiculous to judge someone on it. If I met someone in real life and liked them I wouldn't have a clue what their writing was like, yet because I can see it, it completely puts me off them. "Lookin 4 my sole mate" urgh, no no, go away!

For some reason the last month my auto correct has changed than to then. It also is suggesting the wrong spellings for some words 🤔

Tbh the lack of comprehension is the most annoying thing on MNs

They read gazillions of poorly-spelled social media posts and online content, which actually perpetuate common spelling and grammar mistakes.

The other day I second guessed "bear with me" because I see "bear with me" so frequently.

Don’t even mention the misuse of less and fewer!

You would know. Honestly. As soon as you meet them you know whether they are of the 'chester draws' persuasion.

Haha, I do this too. As soon as I read “seen as” or “his been texting” or similar, I start erring towards a YABU judgement.

Open boarders mentioned again!

Open boarders mentioned again!

Open boarders mentioned again!

Please remove duplicates - I pressed Post twice as it’s so slow!

Another annoying one is ‘babies’ instead of ‘baby’s’. My baby’s feet are cute, not babies! Unless you have more than one baby in which case it’s ‘my babies’ feet’.
Grr.