Why is it that so many people seem to confuse 'your' (belonging to you) with 'you're' (a contraction of 'you are')? It seems pretty simple but so many people on the internet confuse the two. Also, what's the problem with 'their' (belonging to them), 'they're' (a contraction of 'they are') and 'there' (referring to location)? We keep being told that exam results are getting better yet simple grammar seems to be going horribly wrong!
2007-02-26 03:28:03 · 15 answers · asked by Cpt. Willard 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Thanks, Ali C, you're right - this one deserves a mention too! The possesive apostrophe rule is different where 'it' is concerned! 'Its' without an apostrophe means belonging to it, while 'it's' with an appostrophe between t and s is a contraction of 'it is'.
2007-02-26 03:55:30 · update #1
Where I live some of the elementary schools are no longer allowed to teach grammar because the state tests to not test it. It cannot be taught in middle school because there is only a limited amount of time in the year and by high school you're expected to already know and be able to use proper grammar. This has been an issue, at least around my area, since No Child Left Behind was instated. There's a reason the teachers around here have dubbed it No School Left Standing.
2007-02-26 03:39:29 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I myself learnt these rules in year 6, perhaps even earlier. Although I know plenty of people (some aged 17 and older!) who still don't understand these rules. A lot of the time it is down to attention to detail, but it can also be just plain laziness.
Of course, a poor education or learning difficulties could also be reasons.
My advice to you is to just grin and bear it when it's on the internet, or sent to you in an IM message/email/text. You wouldn't expect to see the mistake made in a letter/newsletter/memo, particuarly ones that have been typed out in Word and spellchecked, but if you did, in my opinion you would have every right to complain.
2007-02-26 15:28:40 · answer #2 · answered by James 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i know what you mean - i think a lot of the problems with the younger generation (AND IM NOT VERY OLD MYSELF) is thats kids are spending to much time on MSN and talking in abbreviated language. A women i know has a daughter who in junior school and the first two years of secondary school was very literate, but then along came MSN and the daughter and all her friends spend so much time on there, that her grades started to go down hill as she was no longer spelling simple words correctly and instead using text language - this didnt just happen with her but many other kids - MSN is the 'in' thing and the shorter the abbreviated words the cooler and better....... but this can lead to mixing words around like there and their - and forgetting the simple rules - although the problem isnt just with kids although can anyone understand half of what they type on msn hehehe
2007-02-26 11:52:03 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The problem is caused by people using spell-checkers, which means that the word is spelt right but the wrong word has been used.
I for one do not believe that standards are getting better - they can't be because so many school leavers are having to go through remedial English and Maths classes.
2007-02-26 11:38:56 · answer #4 · answered by ragingmk 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it's simply because they're pronounced the same. People don't think about the meaning when they're writing fast, they just write "by ear" and type the a word that sounds like the word they have in mind, without stopping to consider that it might be a homophone, which sounds the same, but is spelled differently.
2007-02-26 11:33:05 · answer #5 · answered by Ms. S 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because people dont listen at school as much nowdays? Grammar is being left out and replaced with text message grammar, shortenings of words.. and therefore people forget true spellings and what they mean.
Its the age of the mobile phone and the grammar of youth today. Yes I txt on my phone, and use shortened words.. but I never forget my proper grammar else my grandma would turn in her grave after all she instilled in me.
2007-02-26 11:34:04 · answer #6 · answered by kitiara2009 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It isn't just grammar, it is maths as well. I work with some people of 17 and 18 and am amazed that they cannot do simple arithmatic.
2007-02-26 11:37:19 · answer #7 · answered by bottomburps 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
These spellings are phonetically too similar for many people to realize the difference.
Also, have you ever used the MS Word spellchecker? It constantly suggests erroneous spellings for "you're"!
2007-02-26 11:37:19 · answer #8 · answered by flywho 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know!!!! I hate it when people have bad Grammar. Don't even get me started on apostrophes.
2007-02-26 11:41:59 · answer #9 · answered by Rubber * Duckie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because education is getting worse and G.C.S.E's, A-Levels and all other qualifications used to measure capabilities are getting easier with it.
I swear to god some of the question my cousin had on his A-Level paper last year I was asked on my 11 Plus!!!!
2007-02-26 11:33:36 · answer #10 · answered by Funky B Funky 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋