To point out that it’s have, not of.

[Bluekerfuffle]

There have been a couple of threads recently with the word “of” after “should” or “would”. It doesn’t make sense. It’s “should have”, “would have”.
It causes me great distress, so I’m hoping if I point it out, it won’t occur so often. I can’t even write the incorrect phrase as autocorrect changes it immediately, so why is it so common here?

I have seen posters jump on particular individuals' grammar. That really is poor form.

It annoys the hell out of me. It also annoys me that people aren’t bothered about using correct grammar and I do correct my kids when they say ‘of’ instead of ‘have’. I learned long ago that it’s not worth me getting upset about it. If people don’t care enough to even that’s down to them.

Borrrrriiiinnnggggggg! 🥱

Plenty of people learn English by ear. It's the most natural way to learn.

But anyway, the point I was making was more general, that there are plenty of reasons why someone might not use correct grammar or spelling.

"It causes me great distress, so I’m hoping if I point it out, it won’t occur so often."

I'm going to presume you're taking the piss, because there's no way you 'pointing it out' will make a jot of difference on a site this big. Few MNers will even see it, let alone be schooled by it.

In the extremely unlikely event that you're NOT takin the piss - get help. Experiencing "great distress" because a total stranger's grammar is not perfect is NOT NORMAL. Get help.

The verb to ‘of’ is here to stay.

Buy yourself a chaise lounge and some smelling salts.

It was hilarious yesterday when some pompous poster decided to correct the op on a wrong spelling then got told the op was right. That's what we live for.

@yellowsmileyface @NeatCompactSleeper
I know that there are many many people who learn English by ear, arriving in English speaking countries and learning the language. The point I was making is this. If someone attempts to comunicate in written English without having familiarised themselves with basic English spelling and grammar, usually they will struggle with multiple issues, and "of/have" is just one. They won't be writing in mostly correct English apart from this one mistake.
However the millions of students throughout the world who are taught English as a secondary language throughout school, are shown how to construct sentences, something that is not always taught to native speakers, and therefore are more likely to make mistakes about this one issue because they are relying on what they hear rather than what they have been taught.

I wouldn't comment to call somebody out for their poor grammar, but the second I read a post containing "should of" I've already made my mind up about the poster's level of education.

It's a quid pro quo really.
The minute I read a comment from a poster mocking someone's SpaG I make their mind up what a deeply unpleasant person they must be.

And what of it?

Having been unlucky enough to receive a poor level of education is not something to be ashamed of.

Your post makes it sound as though it is?

Hi, OP. We've had a few reports about this thread so we'll be moving it to Pedant's Pedants' Corner now.

Good grief. So many angry people who take everything literally to the extreme. Obviously the “great distress” comment wasn’t meant literally, nor was I “sneering”. If this post causes so much anger and aggression in anyone, it’s them that needs to grow up/get help or whatever else they have ranted about.

Perhaps now you have some insight into how posters feel when their spelling and grammar are criticised.

You were totally sneering at people with poor grammar.

I think you were sneering.

If this really does put posters off, it might be a good thing, becausea good deal of the replies I see to most posts are unnecessarily argumentative, harsh and aggressive towards the OP’s, so if it’s someone that’s in any way sensitive, posting here is probably not going to be the best help they could get.

Good for you. I wasn’t.

Says the person who started the thread in the first place!

And yeah, I did feel quite angry actually. Your shitty post made me feel wretched for all the people I've ever worked with who think they're stupid because they sometimes get 'your' and 'you're' mixed up.

It's not a good thing.

People like yourself who feel weirdly superior due to having better grammar skills than some others, should never be allowed to make others feel like shit.

What’s starting the thread got to do with anything I said? Where did I say anyone was stupid?

I agree with PP that it isn't really an error someone with English as a second language would make - they would be unlikely to render '[ha]'ve' as an unstressed 'of' because that pronunciation probably won't be their primary association with 'of'. (What I don't agree with is the idea that speakers of other languages are so much keener on grammar than us).

I don’t feel superior. It wasn’t meant to be taken so seriously.

You're slagging people off for 'ranting' yet you started the thread. And I didn't say you called anyone stupid but some of the replies supporting your post are.

Perhaps I have some insight into not starting any threads on MN. Stupid of me to think people wouldn’t take it far more seriously than it was meant and answer in the usual style of indignation and outrage.