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15 of Your Biggest Grammar and Punctuation Pet Peeves
Are you a proud member of the grammar police? We asked on Facebook and Twitter: What's your biggest grammar and punctuation pet peeve? From murdered contractions to apostrophes on the lam, these are your least favorite offenses against the English language.
1. "My BIGGEST pet peeve is when people use 'I' and 'me' incorrectly! Ughhhhh!" (Debbie Jones)
2. "Apostrophes in plurals. *cringe*" (@stampepk)
3. "Could of, would of and should of. I read a book recently where the author did this. The first time they did it I thought it was just an oversight, but it continued for the rest of the book. I almost quit reading it because it annoyed me so much!" (Gemma Riseborough)
4. "I can't stand it when people misuse quotation marks to add emphasis. I prefer the more elegant italic." (@bssmithy)
5. "The other day someone wrote this to me on Facebook: 'Your uneducated.' I replied, 'Oh, really? I'm pretty sure it's you're. But what do I know? I'm uneducated.' LOL." (Kori Keith)
6. "One huge sentence without a single comma or full stop." (@ElaBluEyes)
7. "When people add an 's' to the word 'mine.' That doesn't make sense unless you're referring to the places where miners work." (Barbara Anne Huskey )
8. "A lack of subject-verb agreement pains me. Can't the two just get along?" (Suzy Solomon Scheinthal )
9. "Mixing up the words 'off' and 'of.' When did that creep in????" (@Poloneckpolice)
10. "Too, two and to. Come on, people—it hasn't changed. Get it right!" (@brendajoyce58 )
11. "When someone says 'neither' or 'either' before listing three or more things." (@AWahle)
12. "Double negatives and multiple exclamation marks!" (@dbharkes)
13. "The misuse of where, wear, we're." (Diane M Riley)
14. "When people write sentences entirely in capital letters. Grrrr!" (@SarcasticEnigma)
15. "My biggest pet peeve is using 'text speech' for everything instead of knowing how to actually spell words." (@Madelin86642569 )
And if the above wasn't enough to rattle you, try this dizzying sentence from Paul: "There all going too the libary supposabley too catch up on some lite reading today to help them read more better."
What's your biggest grammar or punctuation pet peeve? Tell us in the comments!
Comments Showing 1-50 of 451 (451 new)
message 1:
by
Carol
(new)
Mar 26, 2016 08:14AM
Misusing their, there, and they're.
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I can't stand when people use words that don't exist, such as irregardless and conversate.
"This is a picture of Tommy and I's new house!" I've seen this error more often lately - frequently from college graduates - and it makes me want to pull out my red pen!
TWO SPACES AFTER FULL STOP. WHAT ARE YOU A VICTORIAN-ERA TYPESETTER?
Hearing someone say "I seen" something. Like nails on a chalkboard to me!
Cathy wrote: "Hearing someone say "I seen" something. Like nails on a chalkboard to me!"Agree!
Yes, Charles, I am a Victorian Era typesetter, and I believe the double space between sentences adds clarity when reading; even when reading sentences composed of erroneous capital letters.
Guessing the "should of", "would of", "could of" may be Game of Thrones where it's used to stress pronunciation. But it annoys the Hell out of me when it's just used because people think that's how it actually is.
One I've seen that bugs me is "seems" used instead of "seeing as". "Been" instead of "being" is another.
One I've seen that bugs me is "seems" used instead of "seeing as". "Been" instead of "being" is another.
Using "that" instead of "who" when referring to people.
Tami wrote: "Yes, Charles, I am a Victorian Era typesetter, and I believe the double space between sentences adds clarity when reading; even when reading sentences composed of erroneous capital letters."Agree!
Michelle wrote: "Tami wrote: "Yes, Charles, I am a Victorian Era typesetter, and I believe the double space between sentences adds clarity when reading; even when reading sentences composed of erroneous capital let..."Tami wrote: "Yes, Charles, I am a Victorian Era typesetter, and I believe the double space between sentences adds clarity when reading; even when reading sentences composed of erroneous capital letters."
HA HA. NEVER HAS A HUMAN BEING BEEN SO WRONG AT SUCH A METAPHYSICAL LEVEL.
Tami wrote: "Yes, Charles, I am a Victorian Era typesetter, and I believe the double space between sentences adds clarity when reading; even when reading sentences composed of erroneous capital letters."TELL US ABOUT THE WAR GRAMPA, AND ALL THOSE PROMISCUOUS SPACES IN YOUR TYPESETTING.
When people use less when fewer is the correct usage. (if it can be counted, use fewer, if it can't be counted use less. I need less sugar and fewer lemons)
Carol wrote: "Misusing their, there, and they're."MISUSING THEIR WHAT
I've been getting annoyed lately with people who hyphenate unnecessarily. A "two-year-old boy," yes; but "The boy is two years old."
People who use desert instead of dessert, and vice versa. As in "I made a chocolate cake for desert."
Michelle wrote: composed of erroneous capital let..."NONE OF MY CAPITAL LETTERS WERE ERRONEOUS. IT IS CALLED "UPPERCASE"
I get upset when people correct a person in public. These people come across as sanctimonious.
Charles wrote: "TWO SPACES AFTER FULL STOP. WHAT ARE YOU A VICTORIAN-ERA TYPESETTER?"
It's only been within the last 10 or so years that the double space requirement for proper writing has been changed. I learned of this change only recently. I'm not a grandma. I will continue to double space, simply because after years of typing and training it comes naturally and feels right. I may adapt eventually. The real question I have is why are some people so rude? Have a great day!
It's only been within the last 10 or so years that the double space requirement for proper writing has been changed. I learned of this change only recently. I'm not a grandma. I will continue to double space, simply because after years of typing and training it comes naturally and feels right. I may adapt eventually. The real question I have is why are some people so rude? Have a great day!
Mike wrote: "People who use desert instead of dessert, and vice versa. As in "I made a chocolate cake for desert.""The extra s in dessert is for the spoon you use to eat it.
Marilyn wrote: "I've been getting annoyed lately with people who hyphenate unnecessarily. A "two-year-old boy," yes; but "The boy is two years old.""THOSE ARE NOT "UNNECESSARY." AGE TERMS ARE HYPHENATED FOR COMPOUND ADJECTIVES AND / OR NOUNS, EXPRESSED EITHER AS WORDS OR NUMERALS.
Amy wrote: "Charles wrote: "TWO SPACES AFTER FULL STOP. WHAT ARE YOU A VICTORIAN-ERA TYPESETTER?"It's only been within the last 10 or so years that the double space requirement for proper writing has been ch..."
BUT YOUR ARGUMENT AGAINST IS FALLACIOUS AND LAZY. JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE OPPOSED TO CHANGE DOES NOT MAKE YOU GRAMMATICAL OR STYLE INTERPRETATION CORRECT OR ACCEPTABLE. IT IS ALSO MORE THAN TEN YEARS SINCE THE CHANGE. THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE CHANGED ITS STYLE REQUIREMENT IN 1999! THE PROBLEM REMAINS NOT ONE OF WHICH IS CORRECT, BUT WHY SOME REACTIONARIES REFUSE TO ADAPT! LANGUAGES AND STYLE CHANGE! KEEP UP! JOIN THE REVOLUTION!
Wendie wrote: "Using "that" instead of "who" when referring to people."I totally agree with this one!
Charles wrote: "Amy wrote: "Charles wrote: "TWO SPACES AFTER FULL STOP. WHAT ARE YOU A VICTORIAN-ERA TYPESETTER?"It's only been within the last 10 or so years that the double space requirement for proper writing..."
All caps is like shouting in my opinion.
Twitter tends to destroy good grammar by enticing tweeters to save as many characters as possible. People who exclusively use lower case in their texts drives me mad. I'm far from an expert when it comes to correct punctuation, but I try very hard to get it right.
Double negatives aren't really grammatically incorrect though?
Laura wrote: "I can't stand when people use words that don't exist, such as irregardless and conversate."Irregardless is a word though... I just looked it up in the dictionary.
The misuse of the word 'myself' as in, call Susan or myself. Or even worse: myself or Susan will call.
Charles wrote: "Michelle wrote: composed of erroneous capital let..."NONE OF MY CAPITAL LETTERS WERE ERRONEOUS. IT IS CALLED "UPPERCASE""
Actually, all uppercase is considered shouting. Do you write in all capitals as well?
Charles wrote: "TWO SPACES AFTER FULL STOP. WHAT ARE YOU A VICTORIAN-ERA TYPESETTER?"Do you write in capital letters because you have a problem with your keyboard or do you have a difficult time with your hands.
People who use affect instead of effect and vice versa
In truth, only one individual has been rude. There's always one, right? ;-)
Oh boy - come and live in a country that has 11 official languages. You end up with "Occurt" instead of occurred and "fibre gate" instead of fire brigade! Its actually quite amusing, even though it can be infuriating (not to mention confusing) :)
Principal as principle, and getting the meaning of both mixed up too. When seeing people making the best arguments only to make that one mistake, it makes me cringe....
I'm seeing "needs watered", "needs repaired" instead of "needs to be watered" or " needs to be repaired."
Tami wrote: "Yes, Charles, I am a Victorian Era typesetter, and I believe the double space between sentences adds clarity when reading; even when reading sentences composed of erroneous capital letters."I agree
When people say "I seen" instead of "I saw" and "I could care less" instead of "I couldn't care less."
Jean wrote: ""This is a picture of Tommy and I's new house!" I've seen this error more often lately - frequently from college graduates - and it makes me want to pull out my red pen!"Oh that makes me crazy! My neighbor frequently uses, "My husband and I's." I want to hit her in the mouth.
Tami wrote: "Yes, Charles, I am a Victorian Era typesetter, and I believe the double space between sentences adds clarity when reading; even when reading sentences composed of erroneous capital letters."*Giggles behind my lace fan in agreement .*
Charles wrote: "TWO SPACES AFTER FULL STOP. WHAT ARE YOU A VICTORIAN-ERA TYPESETTER?"Charles wrote: "TWO SPACES AFTER FULL STOP. WHAT ARE YOU A VICTORIAN-ERA TYPESETTER?"
I went to school in the 1980's, and this is what we were taught. Are you saying two spaces is incorrect? If so, how many spaces do you think are appropriate?
Neil wrote: "Twitter tends to destroy good grammar by enticing tweeters to save as many characters as possible. People who exclusively use lower case in their texts drives me mad. I'm far from an expert when it..."Neil wrote: "Twitter tends to destroy good grammar by enticing tweeters to save as many characters as possible. People who exclusively use lower case in their texts drives me mad. I'm far from an expert when it..."< SEE! I typed 'drives' instead of 'drive'..
Charlene wrote: "Charles wrote: "TWO SPACES AFTER FULL STOP. WHAT ARE YOU A VICTORIAN-ERA TYPESETTER?"Do you write in capital letters because you have a problem with your keyboard or do you have a difficult time ..."
Whoa!!! I'm new here. Backbiting is not my bag...
