My language pet peeve

OK, make that plural. I don't mean to offend my readers, but these particular common grammatical errors simply drive me nuts. I won't correct you in your own space, but I will use my space to let go my frustration with some very, very common mistakes.

1. Ending sentences with prepositions. I will admit, anything ending with "at" curls my toes and sends sparks flying from ear to ear, with plumes of smoke oozing out of my head. Other prepositions may not evoke such a strong response, but any sentence ending with "at" kills me.

bad: Where's the party at?

good: Where is the party?

bad: Where did you get that at?

good: Where did you get that?

OK, I don't really usually talk like this either, I admit. But for the sake of my argument:

bad: Who did you go with?

good: With whom did you go?

2. Spkng in txt tlk 4 no rEsn. If you are texting, OK. If you are typing, or sending an email, or god-forbid, using a pen, PLEASE spell out the words!

But I admit, in my twisted mind, LOL is completely acceptable, in casual communication.
Actually, so is the over-use of smilies, and faux-html such as ::giggle:: and ::grin::


::bag::

3. Misused apostrophes and quotation marks. I know I'm not alone with these, thanks to these websites:

http://www.apostropheabuse.com/

http://www.unnecessaryquotes.com/

4. Misuse of its/it's, there/they're/their, who's/whose, and your/you're.

Let's make it simple:

its = possessive = Put everything in its place.

it's = it is = It's a lovely day.

There = a place = I've been there!

They're = they are = They're being annoying.

Their = possessive = That is their car.

Who's = who is = Who's at the door?

Whose = possessive = I don't know whose shoes are in the hallway.

Your = possessive = It's your turn.

You're = you are = You're welcome.

Remember: the apostrophe is making a contraction, or combining two words.

 it's = it is; you're = you are; they're = they are; who's = who is. 

See? 

(I just have to add, contraction is a very strange grammar word for me...)

5. LIKE.

"it's like, hot outside!" 

"We were like, walking to the store, and like this guy like stopped the car and was all like, hey you..." 

Uh huh. Drives.Me.BATTY. 

I make a point of repeating back to my kids their "like" statements...

"Oh really, you were like at the library?" 

They are getting pretty good about self-correcting now (who wouldn't, with a mother harping every time you say anything)...I know I'm guilty of falling into the like-brigade...and it drives me nuts to hear myself. So do us all a favor, and ban that word...please?! The less I hear it, the less I say it...

That's my rant for the night. 

L8R, G8R