It's no secret that I am a grammar nerd. I don't claim to have perfect grammar all the time (especially when throwing words to a page for a facebook post or a random blog). But, I do have a hearty knowledge of the language I grew up speaking, and I rarely butcher it. I do understand that my grasp of English is above average. (I am good at English, whereas others are better at science. I get it.) However, I consider it entirely appropriate to respect the language of the country where I live. Not only that, but, in this internet age, the ability to express oneself via the written word is even more important than it has ever been.
The previous two sentences give the background for my rant. Entirely too many grown Americans have completely lost respect for the English language; and it has become glaringly evident now that anyone and everyone has the freedom to post opinions on the internet. It makes me sad.
These people often come across as ignorant. And more often than that, they simply don't get their points across, because the jibberish they've strung together makes no sense to anyone but the person who wrote it.
With that said, here are a few grammar tips I'd like to share. These are some of the most common and easy-to-fix mistakes I've noticed in the time I've spent browsing the internet.
- You're - This is, indeed a word. Many people seem to have forgotten it. While "you're" is a verb, "your" is not. "Your" means you have something. For example, "your" sweater. "You're" means "you are." Plain and simple. You're going to the store...not your going to the store.
- Too - This is also a word. It is different from "to" and "two." It is a synonym for "also." You're going to the concert tomorrow? Me too!
- Apostrophes (') Part 1 - Apostrophes are not necessary (in fact, they are prohibited) when making a word plural. In most cases, to make something plural, simply add an 's'. (Sometimes you have to add 'es,' and there are some freaky weird exceptions like "cacti," but let's stick with basics here.)
- Apostrophes (') Part 2 - Also, contractions require apostrophes. When you combine "can" and "not," you get "can't," not "cant." In fact, leaving out the apostrophe in a contraction can lead to an entirely different word. "Cant" is actually a noun meaning a slope or tilt. Common contractions requiring apostrophes include: can't, don't, I'm, I'd, I've, you've, you'd, you're, we're, etc.
- Punctuation - It's important. A basic rule of thumb is to use punctuation when you would pause in speaking. For example, you would stop to take a breath if you planned to say, "Julie and I are going to the pool. We might have lunch at Subway before we come home." I promise the period is necessary. Shorter sentences are your friends. Compound sentences (those including words such as "and" or "but" to link them) do exist, but if you don't understand how to construct them properly, don't do it. And always use a question mark (?) at the end of a sentence that is intended to be a question. Do you want to take a ride in my love machine?
- Capitalization - Proper nouns should be capitalized. That most certainly includes the pronoun "I." In very rare circumstances, it is cute to use all lowercase. It's rare. Very rare.
- Time of Day - The most commonly accepted form for a time is XX:XX. For example, it is 8:00 a.m. It suddenly seems as if people have misplaced the colon. You're not going to dinner at 630; you're going at 6:30. (This does not apply to military time. But, come on...how many of you can really claim you're using military time? That would mean you are going to dinner at 1830, not 630, anyway.)
- Y'all - This contraction is Southern slang for "you all." Hence, the apostrophe should go between the 'y' (for "you") and the "all." "Ya'll" is not a word.
That's all I have for this installment. This has been a public service announcement. Thanks, and good afternoon.
