10
SEP
2007
If you’re reading this, you probably have been guilty of at least one of these in your writing career. I sure have. These are some of the more important errors that you should get ironed out so that you don’t look like such an amateur.
[update] Yes, ironically, I have made a few errors in my post. Thanks everyone for pointing them out nicely! A typical result of writing before bed.
1. Than vs. Then
Common Error: I am better then you.
Proper Use: I am better than you.
This is the most common mistake I see. Use than to connect the two parts of a comparison. Use then to denote a point in time.
2. It’s vs. Its
Common Error: This is my weapon, its cool. Look at it’s shiny handle.
Proper Use: It’s not a bad idea to subscribe to my blog for its information.
Use it’s as a contraction for it is. Use its as the possessive form of it.
3. Ironic vs. Coincidence
Common Error: Ironically, in his first college plate appearance, he walked and then stole second base.
Proper Use: It was a coincidence to run into my ex-girlfriend on the train today. Ironically, we had vowed never to see each other again last night.
This one happens way too often. Irony is a very special thing. Just because something coincidental happens, that does not mean it’s ironic. Use irony when the situation carries with it an element of contradiction or incongruity. Use coincidence to describe the chance occurence of two events at the same time.
4. All together vs. Altogether
Common Error: All together I think there were about 20 of them.
Proper Use: Altogether I have about 60 subscribers and let us hope that they will read this post all together.
Use altogether when you mean “entirely” or “all told.” Use all together when you mean “assembled” or “all in a group”.
5. Would Have vs. Would Of
Common Error: I would of been killed if it wasn’t for Jimmy.
Proper Use: You would have known if you paid attention in school.
Don’t use would of. It doesn’t exist. Always use would have. It’s almost certain that this stems from people understanding the contraction would’ve as would of.
6. All Of
Common Error: All of the bloggers are now enlightened.
Proper Use: All the bloggers are now enlightened. I am happy for all of them.
Use all of only if it is followed by a pronoun.
7. Missing commas in a series
Common Error: I hooked up with Sally, Jessica, Diane and John.
Proper Uses: Why didn’t you hook up with Jane, Susanne, or Liz? I love apples, oranges, and pears. I don’t like blood pudding or radish, though.
You should always have a comma after each element in a series greater than two.
8. Farther vs. Further
Common Error: How much further do we have to go? I don’t want to go any farther.
Proper Use: How much farther do we need to go? I don’t want to go any further.
Use farther for references involving physical distance. Use further for all other situations.
9. Who vs. Whom
Common Error: Whom shall I ask is calling?
Proper Use: To whom do I owe this honor?
Basically, you only want to use whom when it immediately follows a verb or preposition.
10. Me, Myself, and I
Common Errors: John and myself are interested. John and me are going to come.
Proper Uses: I myself will deal with this situation. John and I have agreed upon it.
Only use myself if you want to emphasize that you yourself will handle something. Also, you can use myself if you are the subject of a reflexive verb.
I have amused myself several times with this game.
As for me vs. I, you want to compose the sentence as if you were the only subject:
I have decided upon it.
John and I have decided upon it.
Who was there?
It was just me.
It was just John and me.
Denoument
That’s it for today! I hope you have learned something and you will all become stronger writers and/or bloggers.
Buy me a beer if you liked this post or found it helpful
September 10th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
I think the author gets bonus points for putting an error in the “proper use” example for #2. But is it ironic, or just coincidental?
September 10th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
“Denouement”
Other than that, a good article. That whole thing about “then” vs “than” really bugs me. It was never a problem before about two years ago. To me the two words are so different I can’t imagine ever mixing them up, but I suppose if you mispronounce “than” it sounds like “then”, and then people just spell the way it sounds in their head.
September 10th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Isn’t your example of Its and It’s incorrect? I would think that “its informational” in your example should be “it’s informational” (that is, that the apostrophe should be present since you are writing “it is informational” as opposed to describing the informational that belongs to it).
Maybe I am missing something or reading it inncorrectly.
September 10th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
‘I myself’ is redundant
otherwise, very good!
September 10th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
In your #2 example above, you state that the following sentence is correct:
“It’s not a bad idea to subscribe to my blog, for its informational.”
While “it’s” is used correctly in the first part of this sentence, you have overlooked that “its” is used INCORRECTLY in the second half of the sentence. Your justification for why subscribing to your blog is not a bad idea is that IT IS informational. Therefore, it would be correct to use “it’s”. If, however, you had written the sentence as…
“It’s not a bad idea to subscribe to my blog, for its information is very useful.”
…you would have been correct in using “its”.
September 10th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
It is not grammatically incorrect to omit serial commas (rule 7). More can be read here about them: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_comma
Also, if you really believe that bloggers should follow rule 7, then why don’t you follow it in the title of rule 10? Shouldn’t it be “My, Myself, and I”?
September 10th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
#2 contains an error:
2. It’s vs. Its
Proper Use: It’s not a bad idea to subscribe to my blog, for its informational.
should read:
It’s not a bad idea to subscribe to my blog, for it’s informational.
or
It’s not a bad idea to subscribe to my blog, for it’s information.
September 10th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
actually I made a mistake with the last one!
Should read:
It’s not a bad idea to subscribe to my blog, for it’s informational.
or
It’s not a bad idea to subscribe to my blog, for its information.
September 10th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Dude,
I appreciate this post a lot. This type of error drives me nuts. I have to point out, however, that according to the Chicago Manual of Style, the use of a serial comma (point #7) is optional. I still think it’s smarter to include it because it decreases the chance of being misunderstood, but it’s not a hard and fast rule. Mostly I just wrote to thank you for the post, though. I hope people heed it.
Nas
September 10th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
Point no 7 is incorrect.
The comma before the ‘and’ is optional. I think Colin Dexter used to call it the Oxford Comma, as the Oxford dons are the only anal retentives around to insist on it.
I used to be really pedantic about grammar and usage, but these days I am a lot more laid back. I am more annoyed by how boring most blogs are, than by any grammatical infractions.
September 10th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
I was always taught that you omit the comma before the “and” in a list, eg. “I went with Peter, Paul and Jane.”
September 20th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
I agree with the comments about #7. A more worthy replacement would be your vs. you’re, or affect vs. effect.
December 6th, 2007 at 8:58 am
You could have also included to vs. too (or two) instead of #7.
December 6th, 2007 at 10:38 am
hey.. very nice
December 15th, 2007 at 9:52 am
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce