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Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,837
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@PhilaLady1 wrote:

That one, for some reason, manages to stick in my brain and I've never had a problem knowing which is correct.  What trips me up all these years is ITS ant IT'S.  I think I always get that wrong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

@PhilaLady1   The apostrophe is always a substitute for a letter.  In the case of it's, it's a substitute for i, as in it is.  It's time to go.

 

In they're the apostrophe is a substitute for a, as in they are.

 

In you're it's a substitute for a, as in you are.  

 

I hope this makes sense.


The Bluebird Carries The Sky On His Back"
-Henry David Thoreau





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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,946
Registered: ‎03-08-2018

Funny that you post this.  Its a pet peeve of mine.

 

Yesterday on our School District's FB page I was amazed at the number of parents sounding off about an announcement to add 1 additional day to the school year (due to snow days) without using proper English.  They were mad their kids would have to be in school but apparently need to go back themselves.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,764
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

@mimomof4 wrote:

Funny that you post this.  Its a pet peeve of mine.

 

Yesterday on our School District's FB page I was amazed at the number of parents sounding off about an announcement to add 1 additional day to the school year (due to snow days) without using proper English.  They were mad their kids would have to be in school but apparently need to go back themselves.


Thanks for giving me cause to chuckle this morning! 😆

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,918
Registered: ‎03-19-2010

Here's a really good visual for that:

 

D5CucAKXsAAmhr_.jpg

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,293
Registered: ‎11-03-2018

@Icegoddess wrote:

Here's a really good visual for that:

 

D5CucAKXsAAmhr_.jpg


I like this one!

 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,534
Registered: ‎10-05-2010

The one that gets me is affect and effect.  I know one is normally a verb and one is normally a noun.  And also to remember it as one is the cause and one is the result.  But then I sometimes forget which is which!

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,565
Registered: ‎09-15-2016

A helpful thread but I think lots of mistakes are made by auto correct...happened to me often so I always check before hitting send.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,583
Registered: ‎06-25-2012

I'm such a stickler on correct spelling. It drives me so crazy on these boards when someone spells something wrong. I just have to leave.

"Pure Michigan"
Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,844
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

The one that I see incorrect often is using an apostrophe to pluralize a name.  This is just wrong!

 

An example could be a card signed by "The Smith's"  Do not use an apostrophe to pluralize a name.  It should just be "The Smiths".  If it's something like  home belonging to the family named Smith, then the apostrophe should be used after the "s"  as in "The Smiths' " to make it a plural possessive.  A singular possessive should have the apostrophe before the "s". ..."Joe Smith's home".

 

Just my rant!  I sell signs on Etsy and many are customized with family names.  I see too many errors used with apostrophes.   I hate to sign my name to the back of the signs when incorrect grammar is used.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 597
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Spelling, grammar & punctuation drive me crazy!  I learned how to remember the differences many years ago in grade school by thinking of sentences such as these...

 

The children are going there.

 

They're going to a party.  (When it sounds correct by saying to yourself 'they are' then you can use the 'they're')

 

The toys belong to their children. 

 

😊 That was simple for me to remember. 😊