Aaaaargh! There/their; it's/its; loose/lose

[duchesse]

aaaaaaarghhh!

Thanks.

Better now.

[Slouchy]

I feel yore pain.

[ShowOfHands]

etc not ect please for the love of all that is good and pure.

[brimfull]

the loose/lose thing gets right up my nose

[Jux]

Lead and led annoys me.

[Blinglovin]

While I am entirely on your side... I have to tell you that I read a study somewhere that demonstrated that because of way we use QWERTY keyboards, we're more likely to make these spelling mistakes while typing.

I 100% know the difference between their/there, but surprisingly often have to go back and retype bits where I've said, "He told me he'd put it their but..."

It's to do with ease of key access or something.

[TinkerBellesMum]

How about "a women"? It's one of my big bugs and I was thinking of starting a thread on it today.

I don't know about QWERTY keyboards, but I'm dyslexic and manage it (Google spellchecker helps ) I think a lot of these things like there/their/they're are people who didn't learn it properly at school.

[Blinglovin]

I don't know why, but I know that when I type I sometimes make the mistake and in the normal world I'm the one yelling if people get it wrong. It's strange.

[wheresthehamster]

You forgot your/you're bought/brought

[Nagapie]

alot .. grrr!!

[choosyfloosy]

But that can't be right blinglovin - 'there' is a simple twitch of two fingers, whereas 'their' requires coordination of two hands?

I think it's just the mindlessness of typing (and I speak as one who loves it for its mindlessness) - I used to type for the NHS for many years and always, but always, spelt consultant 'conslutant' and had to go back each time.

And can I add breathe and breath [sigh]

[RamblingRosa]

to, two, and too.
I think some of these things are getting worse because of text speak. People are so used to writing "2" for "to", "two", and "too", and "ur" or "yr" for "you're" and "your" that they forget (or they never learn) the difference between the words. God, I sound old don't I?! I'm 32, not 102, honestly!

[Blinglovin]

Perhaps. It's very strange though. I admit to being very excited when I spotted the study because I am usually so quick to get irritated when people make these mistakes it was a little awkward when it was me! .

And I typed essays at uni for beer money so I've had loads of experience. Although strangely, it only seems to happen to me when I'm typing for myself - perhaps the mindlessness you were referring to?

My brother had a very minor speech problem as a child so the bought/brought thing was always doubly complicated for him as he was unable to say "bought" (which I never understood!).

[TinkerBellesMum]

Don't worry RamblingRosa, my Mum drives me mad with txtspk in her messages whereas I will write a full essay with proper punctuation!

[EffiePerine]

what is this text speak? I laboriously spell out everything (takes bloody ages esp as I can't use predictive text)

lose/loose REALLY gets me as they are pronounced differently - can see how you can get other words mixed up

[Littlefish]

Choosyfloosy - do you know about "auto correct" in Word?

Basically, you can make Word correct any words you commonly mis-spell.

Let me know if you want to know how to set it up (apologise for being patronising if you already know).

[Jbck]

Not quite the same but of/have really gets my goat!

Loose/lose my next favourite pet hate

[RamblingRosa]

I'm with you on of/have. You notice it more in writing. I think when people say it it's harder to hear whether it's 'of' or 'have' because it's often contracted (eg. "should've"). It's only when people try to write it that it becomes obvious that 99% of the British population seem to think that perfect tenses are formed using 'of' rather than 'have'.

God, I really should stop lingering round pedants' corner and get a life

[mangolassi]

Oooh yes, of/ have and lose/ loose are my 2, too.

[TinkerBellesMum]

The Brummie accent is one of the worst for of/ have and I have to stop myself from writing of sometimes even though my accent isn't that Brummie (I don't think so anyway).

[Lakelover]

Ooh yes - agree on ALL fronts. Sends me round the twist when I encounter these - especially their/there/they're. My Mum is also a horrendous txtspker in her messages! I hate LOL and HUN more than anything though.