Does poor grammar/punctuation/spelling errors REALLY bother you?

Question

It's one thing that I find extremely irritating, and I'm just a normal 16 year-old.

Most common errors include, for example:

o "Your" instead of "You're"
o "Should of" instead of "Should have"
o Mixing up "their, they're, there"
o Saying such things as, "I did good" instead of "I did well"

That's just a few examples that drive me up the wall. With my generation living on the internet and with their cell phones it seems that common grammar skills, etc. for high school students are at level with kids in 2nd grade.

Please tell me there are others out there who still value this stuff we call proper English.

By the way, I meant poor grammar in GENERAL--not on this web site or online only.

Answer 1

YES. Errors like that drive me up the wall as well, and I absolutely can't believe that people could actually find it all right to misspell things so awfully! I was in a college English class recently, and the teacher had to spend an entire hour lecturing us on when not to use chat speak (i.e. on your college essays). Needless to say, I was mortified to have found myself in a class with such buffoons. I still can't wrap my mind around how people that blatantly ignorant manage to make it through middle school, let alone high school or college.

If the person in question was raised speaking a language other than English, I can overlook errors and I will try and help them as best I can. If not, though, I feel absolutely no regret when I correct them, no matter how brutal I am in doing so.

As a side note, "Miss. Tee", you ought to be ashamed of yourself. If you are honestly any sort of English major, I sincerely hope you're going to stay in school for another few years. Your grammar is atrocious for someone wanting to do anything with the language for a living.

This was an excellent question, by the way.

Answer 2

I think it bothers me that people might not actually learn and practice the right way of doing things. I use informal grammar when using chat or text, but in my day to day emails etc. I try to use correct grammar and spelling. We have a beautiful and expressive language that is growing all the time and it shows respect to use the forms that were invented to make expression and understanding easier and clearer.

Answer 3

I feel the same way. They are just lazy. They might not care because this is a public forum, and no one knows them personally. Don't let it upset you that much.

Kudos to you.

I just read your additional comment. Truth to tell, they are the ones that will be hurt by their improper grammar, etc.. in their future.

Answer 4

Informal grammar is use when typing on the computer. I do not not believe anyone is here to get a grade for their comments. Maybe a point or two, but not a grade. In the classroom is another story or work.

Answer 5

Wow, great question from a 16 year-old :)

Yes, those errors bother me a lot. But only in formal documents. If it's non-formal, well,... I'm not living in an English speaking country anyway. He he he...

Answer 6

It doesn't bother me really. People are always going to mess up there grammar. I'm sure some people know they should of studied harder, but others think they did good enough. So, I guess it's just case by case.

Answer 7

For the most part no they do not.But the phrase that irritates the fool out of me is
" I haven't seen(or heard) that in forever"
That's dumb it means you have "never" seen or heard that.

Answer 8

since this is all free i feel content is more important....im deep

Answer 9

not much or i wouldn't be doing this