ZDNet recently published their most frequently seen grammar errors.
Their list is in bold. My comments are under each list item. Here goes:
#1: Loose for lose
I wouldn't have said this is the most common. If you have read other rants here, you'll know that erroneous capitalizations would be at the top of my list, closely followed by dodgy apostrophe use. But I think we've all seen the loose/lose thing. To clarify, if your belt is loose, you may lose your trousers. Easy.
#2: It's for its (or god forbid, its')
There we are, that dodgy apostrophe thing. Greengrocers have a lot to answer for. It's not difficult.
#3: They're for their for there
I've never understood why people get this wrong. We have two completely different words meaning completely different things. OK, they sound the same but so do lots of pairs of words, and they're not confused with each other. You wouldn't say that the bare beared his teeth.
#4: i.e. for e.g.
Now I know that not everyone studied Latin at school, so let's not get into that. Just remember that i.e. means that is or in other words. So, I am happy i.e., cheerful. E.g. means for example. I hate bad grammar, e.g., the incorrect use of apostrophes. And it's an easy one to remember; just pronounce the word eggsample.
#5: Effect for affect
Again, two different words with two different meaning. That is a great special effect. This is really going to affect you. They mean completely different things.
#6: You're for your
Yes, I see it sometimes and it constantly amazed me how these can be confused. You're is a contraction of you are. The apostrophe takes the place of the missing letter, the a. So if you can say you are, then you're is the word to use. You are wrong can be contracted to you're wrong. Get your coat CAN'T be contracted to get you are coat. Simple.
#7: Different than for different from
This is a tricky one because what's acceptable in the UK is different from what's acceptable in the USA. But, assuming that the British are right (you're arguing? Who invented the bloody language?) all you need to remember are those two fs in different. From starts with f. As do other words which we will ignore for the moment.
#8 Lay for lie
When I go to bed, I lie down. If I put a book on the bed, I lay it down.
#9: Then for than
I'm a bit surprised by this because I don't see it very often. If I do, I assume it's a typo caused by zoomy typing fingers, rather than an error. I'll be watching for it now though.
#10: Could of, would of for could have, would have
I'm surprised when I see this one in copy. I suppose that by a stretch of the imagination have and of might sound similar coming from someone who speaks sloppily, a sort of uv sound, formed when the contractions could've or would've or should've are spoken. Possibly. But still.
I must watch out for more of these lists.
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