Grammar Mistakes That Need to Stop

By Ellie Drabnis on October 17, 2017

I am the first person to admit that English is hard to speak and it’s even harder to write. And, I say that as someone whose first language is Spanish.

But, there are certain grammar mistakes that need to stop happening once and for all.

1. Using there, their, and they’re interchangeably

While some people do not seem to care, there, their, and they’re are three very different words despite the fact that they are homophones (i.e words that sounds the same).

There is an adverb that means in or at that place, such as in the phrase, “My keys are over there!”

In this sense, there is essentially the opposite of here.

There is also used as a pronoun introducing a sentence or clause, as in “There is still hope.”

Their is the possessive case of the pronoun they, as in “They left their cell phones at home.”

Their is generally plural, but is increasingly accepted in place of the singular his or her after indefinite singular antecedent, such as someone: Someone left their purse on the hook.

They’re is a contraction; in other words, they’re has an apostrophe, which tells you that it’s the product of two words: they are. So, it would be used in a sentence like this:

They’re going swimming today. Or: They’re big fans of ’90s cartoons.

Despite being homophones, their, there, and they’re are not the same word.
(photo by me, edited on iPhone camera app)

2. You’re vs. Your

Again, a pair of homophones that are by no means the same word.

You’re is a contraction. It is the shortened version of the ‘you are’. For example, it is used when describing someone, such as a friend.

One might say, “You’re the best!”

But, your is the possessive form of you. You might ask a friend: “Can I borrow your phone?” or “Can I borrow your pen?”

The phone or pen belongs to them; you wouldn’t ask: “Can I borrow you are phone?” (You are would be you’re without the apostrophe).

To put it simply:

Your is a possessive adjective and modifies nouns.
You’re is a contraction of the two words you are.

Your is the possessive form of you while you’re is a contraction meaning ‘you are.’
(photo by me, edited on iPhone camera app)

3. The butchering of “For all intents and purposes”

People keep changing this phrase into “for all intensive purposes” which is incorrect. The proper phrase is “for all intents and purposes.”

These phrases are mixed up due to the mishearing of the original phrase but the correct version is indeed “For all intents and purposes.”

Saying “for all intensive purposes” is incorrect.

The proper phrase is “For all intents and purposes.”
(photo by me, cropped on iPhone camera app)

4. Using too, to, and two interchangeably.

Here is yet another set of homophones. And unsurprisingly, they are NOT interchangeable much as people might try to use them that way.

Too is an adverb and can mean also, as well, or even excessively.

The spelling of to with one ‘o’ is a preposition. [This preposition is] often [used] when you want to indicate a relationship between words, a relationship like possession, attachment, and addition. You get attached to people, you have things that belong to you.

It can also be used while describing a period of time such as ”The product will ship in three to five business days.”

When two is said aloud, it sounds exactly like too and to but it can’t be used instead of either of them because it’s a number.

Two is a number; it cannot be used interchangeably with too or to, and too and to are not the same word either.
(photo by me, edited in ScrapCollage app)

Please take this lesson in grammar seriously; go forward and prevent such silly grammar mistakes from being made in your future papers, comments on social media, and even text messages!

Stop grammar mistakes once and for all!
(https://pixabay.com)

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format