Why doesn't anyone know the difference?

Question

between using there, they're and their, and its and it's and -y's,
-eys and - ies?

yes,wiz, but what's the difference between a question and a statement?

momdabom... it matters because when you're reading you need a bit of guidance. When you read "there" instead of "they're" it throws you off course and you have more trouble assimilating what you're reading.

Answer 1

THEY'RE here and THEIR friends are over THERE.

IT'S not unheard of for a racing car to reach ITS maximum speed blah, blah, etc.

1. -y's, 2. -eys and 3. -ies: -

1. a) A fly's wings; a spy's encryption code, etc.
1. b) A fly's an insect; the spy's over there, etc.
2. Monkeys, turnkeys, etc.
3. Batteries, territories, canaries etc.

My grandmother taught me to read when I was two or three years old and I spent my first four years at school reading to myself and being given arbitrary tasks to do because the education system couldn't teach me anything new (regarding English, at any rate), so I would say that some kids are failed by the education system and/or parents, but others may be misguided, misinformed or genuinely disinterested.

And - snottishly - I sometimes feel that some people should be held to account for crimes against the English language.
eg// When you see things like: -

"do'es bad gramma reely gets' up U'r nose it annoy,s me!"

Grrr!

Those who aren't convinced that punctuation is important, read these two statements: -

1. He eats shoots and leaves.
2. He eats, shoots and leaves.

One is a statement about a male panda.
The other is a statement about an angry restaurant customer armed with a gun.

I love dosey-rosey's answer. Very witty (I hope).

Answer 2

I disagree with your assertion. It's not true that there isn't anyone who knows the difference between using the above words or suffixes correctly. It's more tenable to say too many people use various parts of the English language improperly. Moreover, when an educated person stumbles across these errors they're magnified in his mind.

You most likely pay close attention to how you write. You also probably reread (multiple times perhaps) what you write before submitting a paper, sending a letter or posting a thought in a forum like this. But that discipline came from somewhere, it might have been your parents or another relative, it might have been a teacher or a mentor, or you may have come to this realization on your own. However, many people never got the same reinforcement that you did and they're too ignorant of their mistakes and/or too lazy to change.

Still, I imagine you err from time to time; it's when you catch these errors later that you feel stupid. I know I do. It's this recognition that separates you (and I hope me) from those who don't care or who don't know any better. I make an effort to use proper English syntax and grammar, but I do make mistakes--too often for my taste. There is a lot left for me to learn. The other day someone pointed out to me the proper definition of an umlaut versus a dieresis and the suitable use for the two. I learned something new and I was glad for it.

I think the best advice I can give you is to correct people when you see them use bad grammar. Be polite. The open-minded people you counsel will take your advice to heart and learn from your example. The others, well, it's their problem not yours. You have my permission to be as snarky as you want to be the next time you confront them.

Cheers!

Answer 3

Your statement isn't rubbish because very clearly most people do not know the difference. But it doesn't help that the spell-checker doesn't also have a grammar checker like in word. Sometimes I catch myself before I press the submit button, when I read back what I've written and see I've written "their" when I meant "there" or they're". But it is probably too subtle for most people. Remember even quite bright people have bad spelling and grammar.

Answer 4

Some people simply don't have a good command over the English language. It could be for many reasons, among them:
1 - English is not their first language
2 - Proper English was not stressed in their home and/or school
3 - They have a natural weakness for language subjects (strengths may be math/science)

Answer 5

I think the problem lies in schools. I'm a teacher in NC. When I was in college, there was virtually no instruction on how to properly teach grammar usage and application. I do teach grammar and it is a part of our curriculum in elementary education. However, I think most teachers feel inadequate in this area and need more guidance.

Answer 6

I think because it is one of the more boring sections of learning in school and most kids zone out at the first introduction of anything slightly confusion that you'd really have to pay attention to grasp. Also, it's the stuff that is taught right around the same time pre-teen hormones are starting to kick in to hyperdrive. This stuff really isn't going to hold their attention much when they are in class with the opposite sex. So, sadly, most of them will go through life screwing it up.

Answer 7

Many people are so spooked by apostrophes that a word like “they’re” seems to them as if it might mean almost anything. In fact, it’s always a contraction of “they are.” If you’ve written “they’re,” ask yourself whether you can substitute “they are.” If not, you’ve made a mistake. “Their” is a possessive pronoun like “her” or “our” “They eat their hotdogs with sauerkraut.” Everything else is “there.” “There goes the ball, out of the park! See it? Right there! There aren’t very many home runs like that.” “Thier” is a common misspelling, but you can avoid it by remembering that “they” and “their” begin with the same three letters. Another hint: “there” has “here” buried inside it to remind you it refers to place, while “their” has “heir” buried in it to remind you that it has to do with possession.


consonant + y --> ies (city cities)
vowel + y --> eys (key keys)

Answer 8

Ok well there is used in this context
"hey, it's over there!"
their is use;
"I think that it's their boat"
and they're;
"they're thinking about coming tonight"
Can't understand the rest of your question-sorry!
Hope that was a help though?

Answer 9

Because they are used to texting and do not know proper English, also I would think that most are new Immigrants and either don't know or don't care.

Answer 10

Because people are not interested in learning anything. They want the easy way out.