Stop! It's grammar time.

[amadeupname]

Or, in which Sarah reveals her tendency to care far too much about the English skills of the general public.

My dad teaches eighth-grade English, so I grew up with a healthy love of reading and constant corrections of everything that came out of my mouth. Which means, of course, that I've inherited my dad's anal-retentive tendencies toward grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Usually it's just a mild annoyance when I run across a mistake in someone's writing, but there are a few far-too-common slip-ups that infuriate me to no end, because people just don't seem to understand why they're wrong:

1. For all intensive purposes. It should read "for all intents and purposes." I've actually argued with someone over this phrase - he insisted that it was "intensive purposes" because the correct phrase was "redundant" and made no sense. It doesn't matter if it IS redundant - that's the way you're supposed to say it, and it makes a lot more sense than "intensive purposes". What the hell is an intensive purpose anyway?
   
2. Could care less. Correct phrase is "couldn't care less", and I really shouldn't have to explain why they are not the same. If I have to explain, I'm going to cry.
   
3. Would/could/should of. Damnit, people, it's have, not of. I know "would've" sounds like "would of", but if you know what it's a contraction for then why are you writing it incorrectly?

Comments

[thesaneminority.livejournal.com]

It makes me sad when I use words like "inane" and my friends ask me to stop using big words. It's not that big!

[rufustehshinra.livejournal.com]

O.O That's.... depressing. It's only five letters!