Quote:
Originally Posted by gluteus maximus
Hey solaris, you know you shouldn't believe everything a teacher tells you 
gm |
Ha, I just
KNEW this grammatical rule existed
Apostrophes are used for plural acronyms, symbols, numbers, abbreviations etc. to separate them. For instance: You could listen to song #’s 1-5 on all of your CD’s.
The above and the following are taken from (amongst other sources) this site:
http://wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.txt
Since this is something, which I feel very strongly about (maybe this is because I'm from a non-English speaking country and first started to learn it when I was 12), I've decided to make my post
#7,000 an educational one
So here we go...
Technically the following words aren’t misspelled. They’re misused. The reason you should review this list is because a spell checker won’t correct these for you. Make sure that you’ve got foolproof control over them. Extensively misusing them throughout your posts may actually cause that people won’t focus 100% of their attention on your
incredibly valuable content
1. Your - You’re
As mentioned above, your message might lose impact if you’re not paying attention to this number one word maltreatment. If you find it particularly difficult to separate them from each other, stop using 'you’re' altogether and notice how you are starting to improve your spelling.
2. Then - Than
The next step is then to tell yourself that it’s better late than never to get that vowel placement in order. Then your readers might find something more useful to comment on than your apparent spelling impediment.
3. Its - It’s
It’s best to write an article and its words properly for optimal reader engagement. Again, if you still fail to tell the difference without effort, just write how great it is not having to worry about misusing or misspelling words.
4. To - Too - Two
To write two posts per day, or not to write two posts per day. That too is the question.
5. Were - Where - We’re
Where in the world were you? We were at Billy’s and we’re staying for another day. Make sure that your post readers visitors do that too.
6. There - Their - They’re
They’re moving their cursor over there. By focusing more attention on proper word use, your readers won’t highlight and pinpoint your mistakes.
7. A - An - And
A flawlessly written post serves as an eye-opener and should provide lasting value. Remember also that an abbreviation like SUV starts with a vowel pronunciation and requires an ‘an’ in front of it.
8. Off - Of
Of all the mistakes you could prevent from appearing, start off by checking out this common mix up. You should have paid attention at school, when they told you not to write 'should of'. Or off your visitors go.
9. Here - Hear
Hear ye! Hear ye! Here is a forum worth reading. You can almost hear the distant clicks of new visitors finding their way over here this very moment.
10. Lose - Loose
But if you’re too loose on your writing discipline, you will end up losing those readers after a while. You’d have a bolt loose if you don’t apply these 10 writing rules from now on with greater care. You win some and you don’t lose anyone.
Personally I have never had any trouble with any of the above 10 examples. My 'Achilles Heels' have always been (amongst others) the following two:
1. When to use
advise (verb) and when to use
advice (noun) (I'm
STILL having trouble with those two and have to look them up
EACH time I have to use them).
2. For a very long time I also had to look up the verb
to send EACH time to make sure that I used the correct inflected form of it
This particular verb doesn't give as much trouble now as it once did, though
Over and out...