Community Chat

[Annabellethecat66]

I'm 70 this year.  I had amazing teachers throughout school.  How do I know this?  Well because somehow I know when to spell the word "boar" , bore, boor" or their, they're, there?

I could go on, but I'm wondering if other's here think (or wonder) how you just know the difference.  Perhaps you struggle on which word to use or how to spell it.

I've often heard the English language (the correct grammar) is one of the most difficult to learn.  When you delve deep into it (the language) I can see where it would be difficult.  As a student of the English language, it often frustrates me when I hear "ain't" used.

What are some of the words you mix up or have to think about (spelling especially) before you type it?  I'm curious.  Thanks ahead of time.

[software]

I've seen accept for except & vice versa

[I am still oxox]

Wait don't you mean accept and expect not except wow now I am really confused

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software wrote:

I've seen accept for except & vice versa

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[Preds]

My mind tells me one thing and my fingers "see" the other.  I believe with all my heart that I have forgotten more than I learned.

At least I knew it once.  I do have proof ... somewhere in the attic and my brain.

[meallen616]

affect and effect, affect to influence and effect means results

[Marienkaefer2]

Well, I grew up speaking two languages.  I studied two more in college.

Actually, I think that knowing another language helped me with my English grammar.

When you grow up speaking a language, you just "know" things, because it's the way you've heard it or read it.

When you study another language, you have to actually learn the reason "why." 

Thinking about things in those terms carries over to your native language.

When I took ESL courses (to be a teacher), I remember that the students who did the best in the classes were the international students, whose native language was not English.

The native English speakers struggled more.  I think that's because we weren't used to thinking of why we conjugated a verb a certain way, etc.  Although, as I've written, having studied other languages helped me to have this mindset.

[2blonde]

You know, grammar and spelling have always come easily to me (I can't say that for math, though).  I attribute a lot of that to a solid education in English, beginning in grade school, and continuing through college.  Also, working for an educational institution exposes me to it on a daily basis.  On occasion, when I type a word and I'm not sure about the spelling, I look it up and see that I was already correct.  

[Patriot3]

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@Annabellethecat66 wrote:

I'm 70 this year.  I had amazing teachers throughout school.  How do I know this?  Well because somehow I know when to spell the word "boar" , bore, boor" or their, they're, there?

I could go on, but I'm wondering if other's here think (or wonder) how you just know the difference.  Perhaps you struggle on which word to use or how to spell it.

I've often heard the English language (the correct grammar) is one of the most difficult to learn.  When you delve deep into it (the language) I can see where it would be difficult.  As a student of the English language, it often frustrates me when I hear "ain't" used.

What are some of the words you mix up or have to think about (spelling especially) before you type it?  I'm curious.  Thanks ahead of time.

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I'm a few years older than you, but I know exactly what you mean.  Drives me crazy when people don't get your and you're correct.  I sometimes have trouble w/affect and effect.  And if I don't know the exact meaning of a word, I look it up before I use it. 

Another one is when that is used instead of who when describing a person......as in "the man that went to the store" instead of the "man who went to the store". We were taught "that" modifies a thing, "who" modifies a person.

Another one is using apostrophes when they aren't supposed to be used.  Oh well, I'm an English nut......got straight As.  No apostrophe

Thanks for your interesting post

[Catty2]

I see so many words misspelled that it makes me cringe.  I'm in my late 60's and went to school in Chicago, the same school K thru 8.  We used to have spelling bees in school and if you spelled a word right the teacher gave you a Tootsie Roll.  Most of my adult life I worked in an office where proofreading was part of my job.  So glad I had such great teachers in grade school.     

[Imadickens]

Well, the older I get I find myself actually having to think about my usage of some words like access and excess, affect and effect for a few! I used to use them correctly without giving them a thought! Funny, the one word I never could remember is across! I always think it should have two "c"'s in it!

I was a language major. Yes, English is by far the most difficult to learn! It really has no rules like Romance languages do. Think about trying to learn how to pronounce these words...

through, tough, trough, enough...

See? It would be nearly impossible to figure these out without years of study!