Grammar is something that I’ve always enjoyed learning, as weird as that sounds. I like knowing the correct way to say and write things, and as a result, it supremely bothers me when people misuse grammar or write things that are grammatically incorrect. With speaking, it’s not as big of a deal because speaking is definitely more casual, but in writing, I absolutely hate seeing the wrong versions of words or misplaced apostrophes. So, in order to help some people out there who may struggle more with grammar (which isn’t anyone’s fault unless they simply don’t care; it’s often the result of a bad teacher while growing up), here are some of the most common mistakes people make while writing and how to fix them!
1. Apostrophes
There’s a reason that I didn’t put an apostrophe before the s at the end of the word ‘apostrophes’ for this section. If something is plural, meaning there is more than one of it, it does not need an apostrophe before the s. The s just declares that there is more than one of an object. If I have more than one apple, then I have apples, rather than apple’s. If you are talking possessively, and saying that something belongs to someone, then an apostrophe is needed. If the apple has seeds, then the seeds are the apple’s. Just remember it’s all about plurals versus possessives!
Another issue that often rises with apostrophes is through contractions. The phrase “do not” becomes “don’t” and “can not” becomes “can’t” through an apostrophe, and this also happens with the word “is” being added to a word. “There’s” is a contraction for “there is.” This is often mistaken with plurals as well. If you are saying “My name is ___,” it can be shortened to “My name’s ____.” However, when writing, if you leave out the apostrophe and write “My names,” you are implying that you own multiple names. It’s a small detail, but an important one!
2. They’re/Their/There
This is a huge issue in writing! So many people were never taught the difference between these words, and it shows through their writing. There refers to a place or calls attention to something; it’s used in “Over there” or “There’s no way.” Their refers to people and is usually possessive: “It’s their business” or “Their favorite color is red.” They’re is a contraction for they are, and is used to describe people or things, such as “They are turning 22 today.”
3. Your versus You’re
This is probably the mistake I see the most when reading things that other people have written. It’s easy to get confused between them, but if you remember the above rule about contractions, then you’ll know! You’re is a contraction for you are, and your is possessive. It’s the difference between “You are a kind person” and “Your personality is kind.” If you ever get confused, think about how you would say it without the contraction. Say it to yourself: “Your personality is kind” versus “You are personality is kind.” It makes more sense that way!
Grammar can be tough sometimes, and that’s okay! It’s easy to learn the correct way to say or write things, especially with things that we have today like Grammarly. If you’re someone who struggles with writing, start by thinking about these simple things and once you’ve mastered those, move on to something else you’re struggling with. You won’t regret it!
HCXO, Lola
*All images courtesy of Giphy.com and Google Images