recent news: more annoyances added, reply to others on the rantbox, contact should work...
learn the rule: apostrophes
- Use of apostrophes is a very delicate matter
- Used in two main ways: as a contraction or abbreviation, that is, joining two words together or replacing letters
- I will -> I'll (contraction)
- You are -> you're (contraction)
- Does not -> Doesn't (replacement for the 'o')
- Who is -> who's (not to be confused with whose)
- Who's that? -> Who is that?
- Whose bike is that? -> To whom does that bike belong?
- to represent ownership / possession
- If the thing is singular, it goes: word-apostrophe-s
- If the thing is plural, it goes: word-s-apostrophe
- The bike that belongs to John is -> John's bike (the bike belongs to John, and John is singular)
- The wheels that are on the bike are -> the bike's wheels (the wheels belong to the bike, and the bike is singular)
- If there are lots of bikes, then their wheels are -> the bikes' wheels (the wheels belong to lots of bikes, the bikes are plural)
- If all those bikes happen to belong to John, then those wheels are -> John's bikes' wheels (the wheels belong to lots of bikes, the bikes are plural, but all the bikes belong to John, who is singular)
- Apostrophes are NEVER used to indicate the plural (i.e., multiple)
- Many things -> lots (not lot's)
- Lots of bikes are -> bikes (not bike's)
- Lots of cars -> cars (not car's)
- Same for apples, photos, DVDs, CDs, pikeys, beers
- There are some exceptions to the rule, but nevertheless...
- Getting it wrong makes you look stupid. And ugly.
rant box - let it all out
Craig Delahoy said Thanks for this site. I love it. I started to do something similar myself here:
http://english.october.com.au/
I have a number of current gripes. One is the making up of words to sound more important, and the politicians are the worst. Probably the most glaring example of this is the two invented words "incentivise" and "incentivisation" - neither of which should be rewarded or allowed. An "incentive" is something you use to motivate someone. Therefore the word these people should be using instead of making up "incentivise" is "motivate". Similarly, the noun they are looking for is "motivation".
(Please note the UK english spelling above, using "s" instead of "z". This is not a spelling mistake - I am Australian, and the Americanisation of my language is another of my gripes.)
RIB said Blasphemy. Do you have a college degree? Chill out on the exclamation marks and cut the 'OMFG.'
Somebody said I like the people who say "your an idiot".
Michael said People who tell me I'm ignorant when I ignore them. This is definitely the thing I hate the most. I can no longer ignore these ignorant people.
Cassidy said Right now a trending topic on twitter is #yournotmytype really? REALLY!? The worst part is it's more popular than the other trending topic #urnotmytype. Is it just me or is the second one not as terribly wrong, but still really really wrong.
Clair said Whenever I see someone make this mistake, my heart is overcome with rage.
RAGE.
James said What bugs me more is all lowercase. Ughhh.. Hahaha.
Blasphemy! said I don't really mind if uneducated people make grammar mistakes. I usually expect it. I absolutely hate it though, when college educated people make this kind of stupid mistake: "your pretty" - Excuse me? What about my pretty? UGH! Seriously?! You have a college degree?! OMFG!!!!
Lol said *shudder* ugh!
Laars Johnsen said Your out of you're mind!
http://english.october.com.au/
I have a number of current gripes. One is the making up of words to sound more important, and the politicians are the worst. Probably the most glaring example of this is the two invented words "incentivise" and "incentivisation" - neither of which should be rewarded or allowed. An "incentive" is something you use to motivate someone. Therefore the word these people should be using instead of making up "incentivise" is "motivate". Similarly, the noun they are looking for is "motivation".
(Please note the UK english spelling above, using "s" instead of "z". This is not a spelling mistake - I am Australian, and the Americanisation of my language is another of my gripes.)
RIB said Blasphemy. Do you have a college degree? Chill out on the exclamation marks and cut the 'OMFG.'
Somebody said I like the people who say "your an idiot".
Michael said People who tell me I'm ignorant when I ignore them. This is definitely the thing I hate the most. I can no longer ignore these ignorant people.
Cassidy said Right now a trending topic on twitter is #yournotmytype really? REALLY!? The worst part is it's more popular than the other trending topic #urnotmytype. Is it just me or is the second one not as terribly wrong, but still really really wrong.
Clair said Whenever I see someone make this mistake, my heart is overcome with rage.
RAGE.
James said What bugs me more is all lowercase. Ughhh.. Hahaha.
Blasphemy! said I don't really mind if uneducated people make grammar mistakes. I usually expect it. I absolutely hate it though, when college educated people make this kind of stupid mistake: "your pretty" - Excuse me? What about my pretty? UGH! Seriously?! You have a college degree?! OMFG!!!!
Lol said *shudder* ugh!
Laars Johnsen said Your out of you're mind!
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