GC's Grammar Class 101

christiangirl · #1 05-15-2007, 11:16 PM

Saw is past tense and seen is past participle I think. I may be messing up the terminology, but seen is used with helping verbs like 'have': I saw vs. I have seen.

RedefinedDiva · #2 05-16-2007, 12:16 AM

I wish some folks would stop throwing an apostrophe in front of every 's' that falls at the end of a word.

And some folks need a constant refresher pertaining to the difference between its and it's. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME!!!

BlueReign · #3 05-16-2007, 12:26 AM

I hate it when people confuse "your" and "you're". I even corrected my daughter's hand-made Mother's Day Card for this!!!

She wrote: YOUR the best mother

I said: NO, it should read YOU'RE the best mother. You're is the contraction of

YOU ARE

RedefinedDiva · #4 05-16-2007, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueReign

I hate it when people confuse "your" and "you're". I even corrected my daughter's hand-made Mother's Day Card for this!!!

She wrote: YOUR the best mother

I said: NO, it should read YOU'RE the best mother. You're is the contraction of YOU ARE

While I hope the poor baby's feelings weren't hurt after all her hard work, every moment is a teachable moment.

Grown, college educated folks still make that mistake....

BlueReign · #5 05-16-2007, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedefinedDiva

While I hope the poor baby's feelings weren't hurt after all her hard work, every moment is a teachable moment.

Grown, college educated folks still make that mistake....

No, she wasn't hurt. She's on her way to middle school and I don't want her to eventually be one of those grown folks still making that mistake.

skeeliteful · #6 05-16-2007, 10:28 AM

I am so glad I have company when it comes to grammer and usage.

When is it appropriate to use a semi-colon ";"?

Little32 · #7 05-16-2007, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeeliteful

I am so glad I have company when it comes to grammer and usage.

When is it appropriate to use a semi-colon ";"?

Semi-colons can be used to connect two independent clauses; they should not be used with conjunctions (and, but, yet), but they can be used with transitional language (however, conversely, etc.)

EX: She wanted to join XYZ; however, her friend wanted to join BCD.

ErinIsBadNews · #8 05-16-2007, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeeliteful

I am so glad I have company when it comes to grammer and usage.

When is it appropriate to use a semi-colon ";"?

Quick hijack.

In my freshman year English course, we had to edit a classmate’s paper. This girl leaned over and asked me why there was a period over a comma. At first I didn’t get what she was asking me, once it hit me I just about died. How do you get to college without knowing that it is not a period over a comma, it’s a semicolon!!! I tried to explain it to her but she just didn’t get it. *sigh*

christiangirl · #9 05-16-2007, 12:27 AM

Double negatives are SO unattractive.

And stop saying 'the' before stuff that shouldn't have a 'the.' Your dog does NOT have "the mange" he just has mange. And your son doesn't like to go outside and play "the basketball."

Lyoness · #10 05-16-2007, 12:29 AM

thanks for who/whom rule. that's the first time it's been explained in a simple manner. i find i have an issue with spelling using the "i" "e" before "c" rule. example: their, friend, etc. how do you know?

christiangirl · #11 05-16-2007, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyoness

i find i have an issue with spelling using the "i" "e" before "c" rule. example: their, friend, etc. how do you know?

"I" before "E" except after "C" and when sounding as "A" as in "neighbor" and "weigh."

Drolefille · #12 05-16-2007, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by christiangirl

"I" before "E" except after "C" and when sounding as "A" as in "neighbor" and "weigh."

And when that doesn't work and you stare at it for five minutes trying to decide, click the spell check button

christiangirl · #13 05-16-2007, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille

And when that doesn't work and you stare at it for five minutes trying to decide, click the spell check button

Yeah, that was implied.

Drolefille · #14 05-16-2007, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by christiangirl

Yeah, that was implied.

I'm queen of staring at a word so long that I'm no longer sure it's even real

jojapeach · #15 05-16-2007, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by christiangirl

"I" before "E" except after "C" and when sounding as "A" as in "neighbor" and "weigh."

HIJACK!

I swear I didn't understand that rule until watching a Charlie Brown movie where Charlie Brown was in a spelling bee, and he replayed a little ditty where he repeated, "'I' before 'E' except after 'C'."

/HIJACK

I like this thread!

Thanks for the who/whom link.