Grammar Goofs by CTR

Commonly Confused Words, Mispronunciations & Grammatical Errors

www.CTR-‐Consulting.com

Workshop Objectives

§  To learn what everyone should know – how to write well, avoid common mistakes and grammatical errors or “grammar goofs.”

§  Review tips and techniques to better communicate your message, both verbally and in written form.


Common Confusion & Grammar Goofs

I vs. ME THEY THEIR THERE

ITS vs. IT’S

YOUR vs.

YOU’RE

I.E. vs. E.G.

THAT vs.

WHO

Top 40 Grammar Goofs

4 Grammar Goofs by www.CTR-Consulting.com

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1. Apostrophes q  Used to show possession or contractions q  NOT used to make words plural

Grammar Goofs by www.CTR-Consulting.com

I took some picture’s of my new dog. I took some pictures of my new dog.


Contractions

“You should of seen the finale of Scandal.”


Contractions

“You should’ve seen the finale of Scandal.”

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2. Contractions q  Combination of two words: is not = isn’t q  Should’ve = should have. NOT should of

You should of seen the look on his face! You should have seen the look on his face!


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3. Quotation Marks q  Used to quote something or someone:

“Hello,” he said. q  Should NOT be used to add emphasis

We provide “WOW” customer service. We provide WOW customer service.


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4. Subject/Verb Agreement q  Both the subject and verb should agree q  Singular subjects require a singular verb:

“The dog barks.”

There’s many mistakes on the page. There are many mistakes on the page.



"I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies!"

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5. Double Negatives q  If you start your sentence with a negative,

don’t add another negative

q  Often occurs when trying to add emphasis

I don’t know nothing about no double negatives. I don’t know anything about double negatives.


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6. Dangling Participles q  Common problem when connecting two

sentence fragments

q  Each fragment needs to agree with, refer correctly the other

Running late again, Chris called Sue to find out where she was. Since Sue was running late again, Chris called her to find out where she was.


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7. Misplaced Modifiers q  Bad placement of an adjective or adverb

q  The wrong subject gets described

Our new app’s logo looks so much better than before. Our app’s new logo looks so much better than before.


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8. i.e. / e.g. q  The abbreviation e.g. is used to provide

examples

q  The abbreviation i.e. is used to restate an idea more clearly or offer more information

It happened in December, e.g. three months ago. (e.g. = for example) It happened in December, i.e. three months ago. (i.e. = in other words)


e.g.

Latin: “exempli gratia” For example

Example:

Marisa likes desserts, e.g. ice cream, pies, cookies.

i.e.

Latin: “id est” That is

Example:

Gary made lunch, i.e. two sandwiches, a green salad, and a

delicious chantilly cake.


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9. That / Who

q  That refers to objects or groups

q  Who refers to people

We want to hire someone that is great at grammar. We want to hire someone who is great at grammar, and we will buy books that we can use for reference.



“I want to have friends that I can trust, that love me for the man that I’ve become…”

Lyrics from “The Perfect Space” by The Avett Brothers


“I want to have friends that who I can trust, that who love me for the man that who I’ve become…”

Lyrics from “The Perfect Space” by The Avett Brothers

Who

Pronoun Refers to a Subject

Who has a better late night show – Jimmy Fallon or

Jimmy Kimmel? 21 Grammar Goofs by www.CTR-Consulting.com

Whom

Pronoun Refers to an Object

Whom do you prefer?

10.

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11. I vs. Me q  Confusion happens when referring to

“another person or me”

q  Tip: remove other person, does sentence still sound correct?

Dwayne made lunch for London and I. (‘Dwayne made lunch for I’ doesn’t sound right.) Dwayne made lunch for London and me.


I vs. Me

§  I is a subjective pronoun and is used when the pronoun is the subject of a verb.

Heather and I are going to the movies.

§  Me is an objective pronoun and used when the pronoun is the object of a verb.

Can you go to the movies with Heather and me?


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12. Me, Myself & I q  Myself is a reflexive pronoun

q  Myself can be used to add emphasis

You’ll be meeting with Topher and myself. I painted it myself. Between you and I. Between you and me.


FY I’s

“Losa and I’s favorite movie is Hunger Games.”


13.

FY I’s

“Losa and I’s favorite movie is Hunger Games.”


FY I’s

“Sue and my favorite movie is Hunger Games.”


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14. To / Too / Two q  To = in the direction of

q  Too (adjective) = excessive, overly, in addition to

q  Two = number, 1 + 1 = 2

They went to the movies. Our two daughters came along, too.



Literally

“I literally died when I fell

down the stairs.”

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15. Misuse of “Literally”

q  Adverb meaning “exactly” or “in a literal sense or manner”

q  If it literally happened, it actually happened

When I saw that hilarious video, I literally died laughing. (Really, did you actually die?) When I saw that hilarious video, I literally laughed out loud.


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16. Alot, A Lot, Allot q  “Alot” does not exist.

q  As a Noun, lot means a large amount or a large number.

q  As an Adverb, lot means to a great extent or to a great degree.

q  Allot means to distribute or parcel out.

I know alot about fine dining. There is a lot of confusion about this topic, so I’m going to allot 10 minutes to review these rules of grammar.



“Mini Cooper for SELL!”


“Mini Cooper for SALE!”

17.

You’re

Contraction Means “you are”

Example:

You’re going to love the new Matthew

McConaughey movie.

Your

Possessive Belongs to you

Example:

Is this your first time going to this theatre?


18.

It’s

Contraction Means “it is”

Example:

It’s a great presentation!

Its

Possessive Pronoun Belongs to it

Example:

This presentation on Grammar Goofs has got its

groove on.


19.

They’re

Contraction Means “They are”

Example:

They’re going to the movies to see

Divergent.

Their

Possessive

Belongs to they

Example: This is their third time seeing that

movie.

There

Location

Opposite of here

Example: The entrance to

the theatre is over there.


20.

Peek

Verb Look

Example: I’m hungry. Let’s take a peek in the

refrigerator.

Peak

Noun Top

Example: Kent climbed to the peak of that

mountain.

Pique

Verb Excite

Example:

That dessert certainly has piqued my interest!


21.

Affect

Verb Cause a change

Example:

Your ability to communicate clearly will

affect your income.

Effect

Noun

Result of an event

Example: The effect of poor grammar on a person’s income is well

documented.


22.

Moot

Mute


23.

Either

1 outcome will occur Use with “or”

Example:

Our team will either win or lose today.

Neither

No outcome will occur

Use with “nor”

Example: Neither the rain nor the

traffic will keep us from the game today.


24.

Lose

Verb

1.  Misplace 2.  Not win

Example:

I hope I don’t lose my iPad again.

Loose

Adjective

Unrestrained, not tight

Example: Those pants are so loose I think my keys fell out.


25.

Then

“Next” or “Later”

“I am going to the store and

then the movies.”

Than

Use for Comparisons

Example:

“First you need to be better than he is, and then you

can win.”


26.

Complement

Something that adds to

or supplements something else , or in the

act of doing so.

“That color complements your eyes.”

Compliment

Something nice someone

says about you.

“He paid her a compliment about her beautiful eyes.”


27.

Fewer

If you can count it, use fewer.

Example:

“Martin has had fewer dates

since he got married.”

Less

If you can’t, use “less.” Less is used to indicate

uncountable amounts and volumes.

Example:

“Heather needs to spend less time on Pinterest and pin fewer than 50 pins a day.”


28.

Principal

Noun

Means highest in rank or the main participant.

Adjective

Means the most important of a set.

Principle

Noun

Fundamental truth, law or standard


29.

Further vs. Farther

§  Further is used to indicate figurative distance.

§  Farther is used to indicate physical distance.

Example: If you complain further about the Apple iPhone,

I will move my desk farther away.


30.

Vague Pronoun Reference

Chris and John knew that he was in trouble.

Who is in trouble? Chris? John? Some other person?


31.

Missing Comma in

Compound Sentence

Dwayne spent a good deal of time in New Zealand with his wife and the two of them were rarely apart.


32.

Missing Comma in

Compound Sentence

Dwayne spent a good deal of time in New Zealand with his wife, and the two of them were rarely apart.

Comma should be place before the “and.”


Remember: & / “and”

Unless you’re really tight on space for a tweet, save the ampersands for legal and accounting firm names.


33.


COMMONLY MISPRONOUNCED

WORDS


34.


FUSTRATED


FRUSTRATED

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LIBARY!


LIBRARY!

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SUPPOSEDLY

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COMMON AXIOM GOOFS

When you’re good at something you know well, you “______ it up to experience.”

a.  Chock b.  Chalk c.  Chuck d.  Chunk


When you’re good at something you know well, you “chalk it up to experience.”


39.

The “______ of limitations” has expired so you can no longer be

tried for a crime.

a.  statue b.  statute


The “statute of limitations” has expired so you can no longer be

tried for a crime.

a.  statue b.   statute


40.


For all INTENSIVE PURPOSES the case is closed.


For all INTENTS AND PURPOSES the case is closed.

Idiom meaning for all practical purposes; the act or fact of intending, as to do something.

41.


Nip it in the BUTT.


Nip it in the BUD.

Idiom meaning to suppress or destroy something, especially at an early stage.

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President Culture Transformation Resources andre@CTR-‐Consulting.com 1-‐800-‐390-‐5078

Grammar Goofs by CTR

Leadership & Management

Transcript of Grammar Goofs by CTR