A perfectionist with a degree in English literature from the university selected to be the best school for writers by USA Today College in 2011, I reserve the right to be frustrated when I spot recurring grammatical errors or mistakes in both writings and speeches. I have listed below my top ten examples based on my years of observation.
10. Error vs. Mistake: An error is being wrong without knowing you are wrong. A mistake is being wrong when you know the right answer, commonly due to carelessness.
9. Who vs. Whom: Differentiating “who” from “whom” is simple. Just think of “who” as “he” or “she” and “whom” as “him” or “her.” “Who’s who?” You would not say, “Who’s him?” but rather “Who’s he?” “With whom?” You do not say, “With he?” but instead “With him?”
When I spot grammatical flaws
8. Media vs. Medium: “Media” is plural, so you would say, “The media are…” “Medium” is the singular form of “media.”
7. Ran vs. Run: Individuals love to confuse “have run” with “have ran.” The latter is not proper grammar.
6. Went vs. Gone: Similar to #7, maybe because I watch too many fighters’ interviews, I more often hear “have went” than “have gone.” Sorry, but “have went” is just WRONG.
5. Effect vs. Affect: “Effect” is typically used as a noun (e.g. Jake’s irresistible body has a female-magnetizing effect). “Affect” is a verb (e.g. Jake’s irresistible body affects her mood).
4. Than vs. Then: Many social media users do not seem to know the difference between “than” and “then.” “Than” is used to compare (e.g. Jake smells better than urine), whereas “then” is synonymous with “after” (e.g. I punched him, and then he cried).
3. Your vs. You’re: This one drives me CRAZY! “Your” describes something that belongs to you. “You’re” is short for “you are”!
2. Lay vs. Lie: You lay something down. You lie down.
1. Who’s vs. Whose: “Who’s” is short for “Who is.” “Whose” belongs to the whom.
As much of a jerk as I may appear with these clarifications, I rarely correct people’s grammar or mind their business. However, I do easily notice and dislike silly grammatical flaws. Blame my best friend and English professors.
