As an ex-English teacher, I am always jarred by faulty punctuation and misspellings. I'm not one of those folks who carry around Magic Markers to correct signs but I do notice and it does bother me.
The blogosphere is full of such mistakes and, for the most part, I just shake my head and move on. I would never correct a stranger -- it's not that big a deal.
But what about when it's someone who's a friend? And a fellow writer? There have been instances of agents or publishers reading the blogs of prospective clients. So if you're an aspiring writer, posting your work in a public place, isn't it to your advantage to have it error-free?
I bring this up because I finally got up my nerve to correct someone I know -- privately, of course. Comments are NOT the place for such. And I think this person is still speaking to me.
The blogosphere is full of such mistakes and, for the most part, I just shake my head and move on. I would never correct a stranger -- it's not that big a deal.
But what about when it's someone who's a friend? And a fellow writer? There have been instances of agents or publishers reading the blogs of prospective clients. So if you're an aspiring writer, posting your work in a public place, isn't it to your advantage to have it error-free?
I bring this up because I finally got up my nerve to correct someone I know -- privately, of course. Comments are NOT the place for such. And I think this person is still speaking to me.
One of mistakes I see most often is addressed on the first page of this invaluable reference book,
Here it is:
IT'S means it is, as in "It's a cold day in Hell."
ITS (no apostrophe) is possessive, as in "The dog rolled its eyes."
And, for the most part, plurals don't need apostrophes. As in "They threw the eggs (not egg's) at the busybody, ex-English teacher."
And misspellings! The spell check feature isn't perfect but it's worth using every time before you post, even if you're a pretty good speller. (I just found out I'd misspelled -- or mistyped -- apostrophe. You can imagine how much I don't want to make a mistake in this particular post.)
Enough for today. I won't even mention how people, including newspaper reporters and TV anchors, misuse the verbs lie and lay.
I'll just let sleeping dogs lie.
Here it is:
IT'S means it is, as in "It's a cold day in Hell."
ITS (no apostrophe) is possessive, as in "The dog rolled its eyes."
And, for the most part, plurals don't need apostrophes. As in "They threw the eggs (not egg's) at the busybody, ex-English teacher."
And misspellings! The spell check feature isn't perfect but it's worth using every time before you post, even if you're a pretty good speller. (I just found out I'd misspelled -- or mistyped -- apostrophe. You can imagine how much I don't want to make a mistake in this particular post.)
Enough for today. I won't even mention how people, including newspaper reporters and TV anchors, misuse the verbs lie and lay.
I'll just let sleeping dogs lie.
18 comments:
You've just hit a pet peeve! The its/it's irritates me endlessly as does the apostrophied plurals (I know it isn't really a word but it works!). Context is important however. A blog from an author I expect to be carefully proofed; the newsletter from my local fish store, not so much. My husband would probably remark that if your product is words, they better be good ones!
As I'm catching up on posts, if possible, I would love your list of female sleuths. Many of them I could place, but not all. Thank you!
Yes.......Vicki, I am still speaking to you!!I am real happy to have my very own on-line English Teacher and I intend to study hard and bring my D- up to an A+ ! Ha! It wasn't an F was it?
I'll start by seeing if Amazon has a copy of this book!
xoxo
Carol
Well...a brand new copy is ordered!
Don't celebrate too much now!
That's one reason I quit getting the local paper. I got so very tired of all the mistakes. And I've never been an English teacher. :)
I try to proofread my blogs even after having spell-checked and posted them. But, that doesn't mean I catch everything. We all make mistakes. If you ever notice something on mine, please feel free to let me know. :0)
BTW: That's also the reason you'll sometimes seen comment posts deleted right before one I posted. I noticed a mistake, deleted it and posted it with the corrections.
Speaking of errors in newspapers, I just read the front page article from a small town paper in which the following was perpetrated: "The banquet was kicked off . . . with a catered prime rib meal which was catered."
Talk about a lack of proofreading!
It bothers me too, but I also know I'm guilty of it at times. Some of my grammar skills are shakey. Spell check is a wonderful friend! :-) I just wish the comments section had it (it doesn't, does it??), as I know I can really butcher a word up if I set my mind to it. ;-) I'm really curious about the woman slueth who is a dairy farmer---would LOVE to read that one. Tammy
Hey, Tammy -- I haven't read the Stella Crowne books -- I met the author Judy Clemens once when we were on a panel together and she's charming.
Re spell check and comments -- they underline questionable words with a thin red line. Point to that word and right-click and they (whoever they are) will offer some alternatives.
I tend to be less careful with comments as I'm generally hurrying . . . but that's no real excuse,is it? Particularly now that I've revealed my inner English teacher.
Just last night WGN News misspelled the word SNOW on the weather segment - they had ANOW - come on is anyone home?? My favorite is the misuse of you're and your - that an ending a sentence with a preposition. More importantly, are we raising a generation of people who think yr and u r are really words? Uh oh now I sound like an old #&*%.
If you haven't read it, I'd suggest, Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman. A funny read. I recall a scene of the Fadiman family going out to eat and proofreading the menu.
(If you ever see a blooper in my blog, please tell me!)
Oh yes, the your/you're thing is awfully common. But understandable, as for so many folks, the apostrophe signals possessive. For ITS to be possessive is kind of counter-intuitive. It's as if all these exceptions to the rules are a password or a secret handshake.
I'll look for the Fadiman book, Marta.
And, as Marta said, please, folks let me know if I make an egregious error on a blog. There are some things up with which you should not have to put. :-)
Just realized my commas in my last comment weren't what they should have been -- remove the comma after the first 'folks' and put it after the second 'folks.
There, I feel better. As Susan has said, oh, for an edit option for already posted comments!
Yeah, and my previous comment has "seen" when it should be "see." Jeez.
My hubby downloaded a program called ieSpell (http://www.iespell.com/). It's for use when you are typing things in boxes like this online. It's free and safe. When you get done typing, you right-click and select "Check Spelling" from the list. Still need to proofread of course (as evidenced by my mistake mentioned above), but it works great for general spelling mistakes.
I ordered a copy of the illustrated Strunk and White too -- not that we don't have at least one somewhere in the house, but your post reminded me that I wanted the illustrated version, and I'm sure my writing could do with a tune-up!
((gulp)) I better go back and proof read my blog...
Oh dear! Now I'm nervous about what I write! JK!
I'm catching up on blogs, too. Will you send me the female sleuth list?
I'm assuming that you have our email so you can.
Thanks, Vicki.
Thanks, Susan M., for the spell check solution!
And Auntie Knickers, the illustrated version is such a treat -- Kahlman's wry art is perfect.
Willow, thanks for dropping by. I've been enjoying your very beautiful blog (in which I've noticed no errors) for a while now and finally added a link, thinking my readers would be enchanted.
Sue P. -- I don't actually read looking for mistakes and I'm always forgiving of typos. (but when I first reread this comment I found that I had typed an O instead of an I in KNICKERS -- uh oh-- not forgiveable.)It's when I see the same mistake made again and again that my imaginary red pencil begins to twitch.
ooooh - I'm the world's worse. And need someone to give my hand a mild, gentle smack when it comes to its and it's. Please feel free to do that!!!! really.
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