Skip to main content

A Grammar Nazi on the Prowl

I wish people read what they write. Proof reading is underrated and its importance is understated. With everyone increasingly hinging on social media to communicate with one another, the way we write has significantly changed. Our writing has become lazy and we could not care much about grammar. Sometimes even though we know we've made a spelling mistake, we don't care much to amend it. Oh, you'll get what I mean anyway is what we'd think to ourselves. Some really annoying mistakes people make in written communication are:

1. Using 'ur' instead of your or you're. Come on, don't be lazy...write the entire word! And hey, there's an actually spelling created to say you so please don't write u.

2. Not knowing when to use its and it's. This is a very common mistake that sometimes people don't even realize they have made. It takes a proof reading or two before you realize and go oops. 


3. Incorrect usage of then and than. Go look up the right way to use these words. I'm not going to do the work for you. 

4. Ending a verb with in and not going the whole mile ending it with ing (for e.g., drinkin/drivin)
5. Adding a space between a word and a full stop. Like this . Where did that come from??? Why should there be a space? Who told you there needs to be a space? Even more frustrating is when I see a space left between a word and an exclamation mark. Like this !

6. Not adding an apostrophe where it absolutely must be. How can people write dont/cant/wont without an apostrophe? Without that ' the word becomes non-existent. It's just a matter of pressing one button on your keyboard. 

7. Beginning a sentence with a word in lower case. like this. Never, ever begin a sentence with a word where the first alphabet is in lower case. I mean, this was one of the first things we were taught in kindergarten.
8. Even worse than the earlier point is when people write the first alphabet of a word in the middle of a sentence in upper case. Like This. Sandwiched between a sentence, unless it is a proper noun, t of the word this has no business being in upper case.

9. How do we mess up the spacing before and after a comma? There should be no space between a word and a comma. Like this, However, there should be a space between the word that follows a comma. Like, this

10. Our spelling skills are quite atrocious. We don't even take the effort of looking up the dictionary for the right way to spell. Hang on, when was the last time you even opened your dictionary. Wait a minute, do you even own a dictionary? Spelling mistakes like recieve instead of receive annoy me the most. 
11. Here is something I didn't know until recently and I'm not embarrassed to share: Breaking news...there's no such thing as you all which sometimes people shorten using the word you'll or even y'all. In English, the good news is that you is you, whether it carries a singular or plural reference. So all of you is the correct way to write and say it.  
12. I think it almost criminal when the first alphabet of a person's name is written in lower case. That should be a punishable offence in the court of grammar. I detest when people write me mails or messages that go like this Hey hanisha or Dear hanisha or Hi hanisha. 

13. And then there's too and to. When you finally figure out why people use these two words interchangeably, please send a poke my way. 
14. The other real common mistake made is between the words they're, their and there. Unfortunately, we don't always write what we pronounce and sometimes how we pronounce is not how we write. 
Believe me, you are not too old to open up your Wren & Martin and brush up your English language skills. It's something I plan to do soon myself. I'm no expert in the language but I thank god I have got my basics right. Meanwhile, I'm a person who tries to be very open to feedback, so if you've spotted any grammatical errors, please point them out to me and watch my face flush with awkwardness. 

Comments

  1. I’m glad someone else wrote about the benefits of Fiverr! I still you you generally get what you pay for with designers, but having said that, there are still some hidden gems about!



    allah barkat locket | Wonder Shapers | Dhanlaxmi Yantra |Body Buildo | Step Up Height Increaser | Air Bra

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

INSIDE THE GO CHEESE FACTORY

Last weekend, I got a unique opportunity to visit Gowardhan Cheese Factory in Manchar district, a good two hour drive from Pune city. The owning home-grown company Parag Milk Foods brand portfolio includes Gowardhan and GO boasting of a range of dairy products that have been retailed across Mumbai and Pune over the last decade. I first started using their yoghurt when the local kirana store ran out of my usual preference of Amul , Danone and Britannia . One spoon of it and I instantly found it so fresh, light and 'unprocessed'. I have always loved cheese but now I even prefer it over chocolate. So when I was scheduled to visit the GO factory, it bore semblance to winning the golden ticket and entering glistening gates to its factory much like the popular Roald Dahl 's  Charlie . Except that it was not all that dramatic! 

An Immersive Stay at Andaz Amsterdam

I have stayed at some great hotels, but none were like the Andaz Amsterdam . None of them. No hotel has impressed me as much as this Hyatt brand of hotel has. It's so good, it warrants an entire blog post. And here is why - right from the word check-in, you're really made to feel like you've stepped into a little slice of Amsterdam .  The hotel is located on one of the hottest streets in Amsterdam called Prinsengracht, a street along the city's most prestigious canal. A lot of the city's attractions are a short walk away. The hotel is designed by the famous Dutch designer Marcel Wanders . So no wonder hints of this vibrant old city of Amsterdam peek out from the interiors to induct you into Dutch culture. The lobby was stunning - with its prominently blue interiors, there was a touch of quirk everywhere. From the very high ceiling is suspended an enormous artsy lighting-cum-chandelier installation.  Above each reception desk there are huge white bell-shap...

Restaurant Review | Where Else Cafe & Bar

Where Else promises to be unique in Viman Nagar, a neighbourhood already brimming with so many eateries.   Four young friends came together to put their love for food and travel experiences in a melting pot called ‘Where Else’. This new café and bar is the brainchild of sibling duo Ardesh and Daisy Rustomjee and best friend duo Amritha Shrikumar and Sweta Jobanputra. These Viman Nagar residents have been firsthand witnesses to the rise of new eateries in their locality. With ‘Where Else’ they aim to fill in the void of a place that offers all-day breakfast and good quality indulgent food. We drove to the outlet in its first week of opening to find out if ‘Where Else’ is the place to be.