The Official Learn to Speak English Thread

[schillingouttheks]

You didn't capitalize the first letter of the first word of your sentence!

[jacksonianmarch]

FUCK!

[VA Sox Fan]

FUCK!

rETARD!

[HeadOfSoxNation]

I need to touch on the grammar mistake that annoys the living bejesus out of me...

Listen people..."I" is not always that correct way to discuss yourself and someone else. "...and me" can be correct. A general rule of thumb is that you should be able to entirely remove the other person/people from the sentence and not change the word you used for yourself. For instance:

"Are you going to the mall with Joe and I?" - Incorrect. If you removed "...Joe and..." you would have "Are you going to the mall with I?" You'd neeeeeeever say that. "Are you going to the mall with Joe and me?" is the correct way, because removing "...Joe and" would leave you with "Are you going to the mall with me?" That is correct.

This is aaaalways messed up on picture captions...such as "Joe and I at Fenway"...you wouldn't say "I at Fenway", so you shouldn't say "Joe and I at Fenway." "Joe and Me at Fenway" is correct.

Conversely, there are situations where "and I" is correct. For instance...someone asks you "Who did that?" you would respond with "Joe and I did." Because, again, removing "Joe and..." would give you "I did", which is correct.

I know this is repetitive, but it's really not that difficult people!

[schillingouttheks]

Good call HoSN, I hate that mistake as well.

[redsoxrules]

me and i dont care

[TheKilo]

I like this thread. Bump.

[RedSoxRooter]

y?

[SCM33]

Speak English.....

http://www.johnrocker.net/

[ORS]

Here's one I've seen kind of frequently recently.

Dominate is a verb. You do not say, "He is a dominate starting pitcher." The word to be used here is dominant, which is a noun.

[Coco's Disciples]

Dominant is an adjective.

[See Red]

Mistakes using a/an drive me nuts. When I read something like "a apple", it's like a nails on a chalkboard sound in my head.

I understand that some concepts may be difficult for some to understand. I can understand somebody using the word affect when they should have used effect, or allude and ellude, but some of the mistakes people make are so easy. You don't need to be an english major to get these things right.

[TheKilo]

elude**

[See Red]

elude**

Quiet, you. :lol:

[ksushi]

Definitely does NOT have an A in it.

That is definitely spelled wrong.

Grammar does NOT have an e in it.
It is also not to be confused with "spelling," which seems to be a lost art. Grammar refers essentially to syntax and word usage.

Grammar is NOT a kind of cracker.

Your denotes possession.

Your team sucks.

You're means you are. It is a contraction, between YOU and ARE.

You're a fuckwit.

There means a place, stage, moment, or point.

Look over there.
Stop there, before you embarrass yourself.

Their denotes possession.

I own their shirt.

They're is another contraction, between THEY and ARE.

They're fucking good.

To is a preposition.

I'm going to Boston.
Why would you want to do that?
Who the hell are you talking to?

(You're not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition, but fuck off. It's for the sake of the example.)

Too is synonymous with "as well" or "also."

I've seen them, too.

Good is an adjective which describes a noun.

This is good pizza.
The new cd is good.

Well is an adjective which describes a verb (otherwise known as an adverb).

I don't feel well.
I didn't do very well in high school.

"Lil" is not correct. Little is the proper term.

I have little patience for bad grammar.

u and ur are also not acceptable. Use "You" and "You're"




When in doubt, http://www.dictionary.com and http://www.thesaurus.com are your friends. Don't forget Spellchecker, either.

I love you, I am sticking this.

EDIT - can't. h8 being a moderator of like three forums. well not really. but still, someone stick this.