It's not difficult. Just get a grip of its correct usage and the world will be a better place for us all....
2006-06-26 01:15:30 · 18 answers · asked by Doctor H 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
I hate the darn things. I have one in my name and it's a real pain.
Applications written in SQL have a real problem with them too and usually error out if you include one.
Other than that it's just plain lazy.
2006-06-26 01:20:14 · answer #1 · answered by 'Dr Greene' 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would strongly recommend that you pick up the book "Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation" by Lynne Truss, or at the very least read the story on the back cover.
Yeah, to many it doesn't matter, but it's a real bugbear. And what about those people who type commas instead of apostrophes. I know this is a witless answer, but I can't think of anything clever at the moment.
See Dr. Gus's answer at the top for a witty answer.
2006-06-26 08:24:29 · answer #2 · answered by Grimread 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The majority of people were never taught the mechanics of English - including myself - but I was taught the basics of German when I studied it in Vienna. When I was taught German, I learnt about all manner of things that I had never been taught in English, like the dative, genitive and accusative cases, verb constructs, prepositions etc. The root of the problem is in the teaching of language and grammar.
As far as I can tell the only time one should use an apostrophe is to indicate an abbreviation or to show the genitive or possessive in nouns. They should never be used to show a plural, although many people believe that it its grammatically correct to use an apostrophe to pluralise numbers, acronyms and proper nouns, in my reckoning it is not.
That said - don't let it get to you - just be happy that you know how to use them.
Yes.
2006-06-26 09:13:20 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Probably the same reason my grandson doesn't know the multiplication tables. With spell check and grammar check on 'puters we've gotten lazy.
But I doubt learning where to put an apostrophe will solve the problems of the middle east.
2006-06-26 08:22:58 · answer #4 · answered by namsaev 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh I wish I knew
I have just finished marking 1000 GCSE Engllish exam papers and none got the word learnt right !
LEARNT or LEARN'T
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
2006-06-26 16:57:52 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am with you here. It is extremely annoying. If somebody is writing a sign for a shop or menu for a pub or whatever they should be literate enough to do so, or at least find somebody that is!
2006-06-28 07:55:18 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I hate it when people use apostrophes inappropriately. It's to do with poor education and poor examples from life in general (e.g. banana's, newpaper's etc). Grrr. Makes me so mad!
2006-06-26 08:25:23 · answer #7 · answered by Roxy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rubbish teachers? It is irritating. But just as bad is the confusion over these:
There
Their
They're
Am I being pedantic?
2006-06-26 15:34:36 · answer #8 · answered by R.I.P. 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont no nothing.Spelling et grammar are for scholars.Not fur gud students.
2006-06-26 08:20:47 · answer #9 · answered by J.SWAMY I ఇ జ స్వామి 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I do'nt know why thats' the case but i'ts bugging the hell outta me aswell.
2006-06-26 08:17:49 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋