I'm usually pretty good about understanding where to put apostrophes. Something that I'm not sure about though is their use with numbers. You often see, for example, the 60's, for the decade in the last century. Shouldn't there actually be an apostrophe before to replace the missing 19? As in the '60s? And don't get me started on the wretched BBC newsreaders: they don't understand that data are plural and are forever using "different to" when they mean "different from". They wouldn't say "similar from" would they? By the way. it's not a class issue. It's just rubbish teaching. And the oft use phrase "going forward" is a solecism. Going is a present participle and as such should only be linked with a noun: I am going home, for example. Forward isn't a noun, except, of course in sports like football, as in a forward or the forward part of the pitch! So if someone at work tells you they are working on the budget going forward - feel free to kill them. You would be doing the world a great service.
I once had a 3 day meeting with some management types from BT. They seemed to be having a competition between themselves to see who could use the most inane "management speak" phrases. The guy actually used "blue sky thinking" with a straight face, if only I had some sort of weapon at hand, I was tempted to beat him to death with my shoe. Even more annoying was his colleague, who after us explaining the project for 3 hours would ask the exact same question she asked 3 hours ago, and had just received a far more than adequate answer to.
I'm usually pretty good about understanding where to put apostrophes. Something that I'm not sure about though is their use with numbers. You often see, for example, the 60's, for the decade in the last century. Shouldn't there actually be an apostrophe before to replace the missing 19? As in the '60s?
No need for an apostrophe in the 1960s etc. Maybe in the '60s though.
I'm usually pretty good about understanding where to put apostrophes. Something that I'm not sure about though is their use with numbers. You often see, for example, the 60's, for the decade in the last century. Shouldn't there actually be an apostrophe before to replace the missing 19? As in the '60s?
No need for an apostrophe in the 1960s etc. Maybe in the '60s though.
I once had a 3 day meeting with some management types from BT. They seemed to be having a competition between themselves to see who could use the most inane "management speak" phrases. The guy actually used "blue sky thinking" with a straight face, if only I had some sort of weapon at hand, I was tempted to beat him to death with my shoe. Even more annoying was his colleague, who after us explaining the project for 3 hours would ask the exact same question she asked 3 hours ago, and had just received a far more than adequate answer to.
And this lasted for 3 days!
aarrgghh!
"24/7"..hate it
& people who use finger quotes...stop doing that you *(raises index and middle fingers of left hand and right hand)* "tosser".
It is wonderful when someone posts on here, correcting someone's grammar or spelling but makes a mistake in their own post. Even better when they try and cover it up by pretending they were being ironic. This thread contains loads but I'll not fall into the same error by pointing them out but I am puzzled why so many critics don't read over their post before sending.
My pet hates include (as well as those listed above) - people who say 'Listen', 'But, hey' 'do you know what' or start sentences with 'So'.
So you only know basic grammar if you had "the luxury to undergo extensive schooling", really? I'm pretty sure you're taught it is "songs" not "song's" at a very early age and at every state or private school in the country. The only possible excuse is if you grew up with English as a second language, or at least in a country where English wasn't the first language.
When do you use an apostrophe for plurals? And more to the point, why the complexity? Why not have a standard rule for all words? Definitely a class thing.
There is a standard rule although there are exceptions ie Child and Children. Ox and Oxen which are relics from older English usage. Also words ending with S are sometimes given an apostrophe and sometimes not ie St James Park or St James' Park. The apostrophe indicates ownership rather than a plural.
If you went through all the grammatical and spelling ewrrors on here it would be a lifetime (Charlton Lifetime) job. This is a fans' site not one for scholars, and not all fans have had the time or luxury to undergo extensive schooling. Many have probably been too busy making a living and bring up their children to spend too much time exploring the mechanics of the English language. So long as the message is clear and states its case, spelling and grammar, although errors can be slightly grating on the nerves, are unimportant. It's the thought what counts, though it would be wonderful if we all had the literary and grammatical ability of (say) Stephen King
Well Lincs if you are going to 'dig' someone else (and I agree that it should be e.g as you say in your 7.51 post) let's look at your comments. First the word is 'errors' not ewrrors'. Secondly the correct word is 'bringing' not bring'. The correct phrase is 'as long as' not 'so long as' and finally it is not 'It's the thought what counts' but 'the thought which counts.' :-)
Let's not forget that as long as we can understand what the writer is trying to convey, we should be tolerant of the grammatical skills of others. Yes it sometimes gets to a stage where we cannnot understand the point being made but generally that isn't the case. The beauty of this board is that it joins together a huge range of people from a diverse set of backgrounds with two principal common interests - football and Charlton FC but who also have views on numerous other topics. Occasionally we take it personally but in general we get along.
Comments
HTF do I know????
Players That Failed To... wrong.
Players Who Failed To... correct.
I think.
No! Three will do you.
It's called an ellipsis...
And don't get me started on the wretched BBC newsreaders: they don't understand that data are plural and are forever using "different to" when they mean "different from". They wouldn't say "similar from" would they?
By the way. it's not a class issue. It's just rubbish teaching.
And the oft use phrase "going forward" is a solecism. Going is a present participle and as such should only be linked with a noun: I am going home, for example. Forward isn't a noun, except, of course in sports like football, as in a forward or the forward part of the pitch! So if someone at work tells you they are working on the budget going forward - feel free to kill them. You would be doing the world a great service.
And this lasted for 3 days!
My wife left two roasting potatoes by the cooker with a note for me saying:
Clean, prick and put in oven (mark 5) for two hours
"24/7"..hate it
& people who use finger quotes...stop doing that you *(raises index and middle fingers of left hand and right hand)* "tosser".
My pet hates include (as well as those listed above) - people who say 'Listen', 'But, hey' 'do you know what' or start sentences with 'So'.
Let's not forget that as long as we can understand what the writer is trying to convey, we should be tolerant of the grammatical skills of others. Yes it sometimes gets to a stage where we cannnot understand the point being made but generally that isn't the case. The beauty of this board is that it joins together a huge range of people from a diverse set of backgrounds with two principal common interests - football and Charlton FC but who also have views on numerous other topics. Occasionally we take it personally but in general we get along.
Making proofreaders redundant since 2006.