Which grammar/spelling errors are your pet peeves?
- Thread starter QuelleFromage
- Start date
Or they just ran out of room on the sign and figured the point would still get across if they sacrificed the "e."
Another one that bugs me is "all intensive purposes" instead of what should be "all intents and purposes."
^The logic isn't right that way. "Worse comes to worst" means the bad thing gets as bad as possible, the endpoint of badness. In grammarspeak it's a contrast between a comparative adjective (worse) and a superlative adjective (worst).
Found an article in the NYT on the "worse/worst comes to worst" conundrum, and what the writer Ben Zimmer says makes a lot of sense.
According to him, the saying originated as "if the worst comes to the worst" which meant if the worst possibility imaginable became reality, so theoretical worst scenario vs actual worst scenario.
Then Daniel Defoe in Robinson Crusoe changed it to "If the worse came to the worst, I could but die," which implied that the titular castaway was morosely imagining his plight would further deteriorate.
According to him, the saying originated as "if the worst comes to the worst" which meant if the worst possibility imaginable became reality, so theoretical worst scenario vs actual worst scenario.
Then Daniel Defoe in Robinson Crusoe changed it to "If the worse came to the worst, I could but die," which implied that the titular castaway was morosely imagining his plight would further deteriorate.
A couple of pages back, I wrote about the grammar and spelling errors caused by auto-generated closed captioning. A few days ago, I listened to a lady who would be embarrassed if her speech underwent autogen captioning.
Many of my countrymen/women like to drop the last consonant and roll a non-existent R. For instance, "last" will be pronounced "larrs". This lady was taking part in a Q and A session and repeatedly said the word "ask". I'll leave it to you to imagine how she pronounced "ask" and how the word would be auto-generated.
Many of my countrymen/women like to drop the last consonant and roll a non-existent R. For instance, "last" will be pronounced "larrs". This lady was taking part in a Q and A session and repeatedly said the word "ask". I'll leave it to you to imagine how she pronounced "ask" and how the word would be auto-generated.
"Hardware" doesn't have a plural form "hardwares." It's just hardware. Two similar bags might exist in different hardware, but not in different hardwares.
I'm back on the complimentary/complementary train because for me personally it's one of the most egregious errors. No, your shoes do not "compliment" your dress, unless your shoes can talk. The shoes complement your dress (we hope ).
If a person is complimentary, they are being nice and saying flattering things. If a thing is complimentary, it is a gift, or free. I only wish my shoes and dress were free!
Compliment:
noun
a polite expression of praise or admiration.
"she paid me an enormous compliment"
verb
politely congratulate or praise (someone) for something.
"he complimented Erica on her appearance"
Complimentary:
adjective
1.
expressing a compliment; praising or approving.
"Jennie was very complimentary about Kathy's riding"
2.
given or supplied free of charge.
"a complimentary bottle of wine"
Complement:
noun
a thing that completes or brings to perfection.
"the libretto proved a perfect complement to the music"
verb
add to (something) in a way that enhances or improves it; make perfect.
"a classic blazer complements a look that's stylish or casual"
Complementary:
adjective
1
completing something else or making it better : serving as a complement
used of two things when each adds something to the other or helps to make the other better
going together well : working well together
(Source: Oxford Languages and Britannica, for both American and British English)
).If a person is complimentary, they are being nice and saying flattering things. If a thing is complimentary, it is a gift, or free. I only wish my shoes and dress were free!
Compliment:
noun
a polite expression of praise or admiration.
"she paid me an enormous compliment"
verb
politely congratulate or praise (someone) for something.
"he complimented Erica on her appearance"
Complimentary:
adjective
1.
expressing a compliment; praising or approving.
"Jennie was very complimentary about Kathy's riding"
2.
given or supplied free of charge.
"a complimentary bottle of wine"
Complement:
noun
a thing that completes or brings to perfection.
"the libretto proved a perfect complement to the music"
verb
add to (something) in a way that enhances or improves it; make perfect.
"a classic blazer complements a look that's stylish or casual"
Complementary:
adjective
1
completing something else or making it better : serving as a complement
- She wore a new outfit with a complementary scarf.
used of two things when each adds something to the other or helps to make the other better
- The print and online publications are complementary, not competitive.
- The company owes its success to the complementary talents of its co-owners.
going together well : working well together
- My spouse and I have complementary goals.
- complementary flavors
(Source: Oxford Languages and Britannica, for both American and British English)
Just imagining the double error if someone wrote: "Enjoy a complementary bottle of wine if you have dinner in one of our fine dinning establishments."I'm back on the complimentary/complementary train because for me personally it's one of the most egregious errors. No, your shoes do not "compliment" your dress, unless your shoes can talk. The shoes complement your dress (we hope
If a person is complimentary, they are being nice and saying flattering things. If a thing is complimentary, it is a gift, or free. I only wish my shoes and dress were free!
Compliment:
noun
a polite expression of praise or admiration.
"she paid me an enormous compliment"
verb
politely congratulate or praise (someone) for something.
"he complimented Erica on her appearance"
Complimentary:
adjective
1.
expressing a compliment; praising or approving.
"Jennie was very complimentary about Kathy's riding"
2.
given or supplied free of charge.
"a complimentary bottle of wine"
Complement:
noun
a thing that completes or brings to perfection.
"the libretto proved a perfect complement to the music"
verb
add to (something) in a way that enhances or improves it; make perfect.
"a classic blazer complements a look that's stylish or casual"
Complementary:
adjective
1
completing something else or making it better : serving as a complement
2
- She wore a new outfit with a complementary scarf.
used of two things when each adds something to the other or helps to make the other better
3
- The print and online publications are complementary, not competitive.
- The company owes its success to the complementary talents of its co-owners.
going together well : working well together
- My spouse and I have complementary goals.
- complementary flavors
(Source: Oxford Languages and Britannica, for both American and British English)
When people say "piece" of mind instead of the correct, peace of mind. Why would someone want a piece of your mind?
Both are correct - it depends on what you mean, contextually.
give someone a piece of your mind
1. to speak angrily to someone about something they have done wrong: 2. to…
Edit: Apologies if you specifically meant someone just using "piece of mind"... Just realised that.