What is your pet peeve about grammar?

[ten6mom]

It is AP (Associated Press - used by most news outlets, I majored in journalism), not APA, that has done away with the Oxford comma. I'm pretty sure most academic style guides like APA still require it.

OH! Well that makes much more sense! Now, in addition to paying attention to grammar, I must learn to read...

Thanks for clearing that up!

 

[karensi]

I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned but the thing that really annoys me is when people say..."She gave the tickets to Mary and I" or "the car belongs to my husband and I". I believe people say it that way because they think it sounds correct but it is NOT.
Also, it annoys me to hear someone say that they are "ANTI" something but pronounce it "AUNTIE".

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

It has already been mentioned, but the "your" vs "you're" thing bothers me.

Also, when somebody has an "ideal" instead of an idea.

 

[behappy]

When was “to be” declared optional. It grates on my nerves when I hear:

My house needs painted
My living room needs cleaned

Instead of:

My house needs to be painted
My living room needs to be cleaned
or
My house needs painting
My living room needs cleaning

 

[kimblebee]

I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned but the thing that really annoys me is when people say..."She gave the tickets to Mary and I" or "the car belongs to my husband and I". I believe people say it that way because they think it sounds correct but it is NOT.
Also, it annoys me to hear someone say that they are "ANTI" something but pronounce it "AUNTIE".

They are pronounced the same

 

[EscalatorKid]

I'm an English teacher. I can't even begin to explain them all.

For the sake of answering the post, though, I'll go with one that really aggravates me:
1. Fewer vs Less. People saying, "There are less people interested in..." or "I have to eat less calories..." instead of using, "There are fewer people..." or "I have to eat fewer calories to lose weight."

If you can count it (cookies, diapers, calories, people), then you use "fewer." If you can't count it as easily, it's "less."

 

[lorijohnhill]

They are pronounced the same

The pronunciation seems to be regional. I grew up in New England and learned the word Auntie with the au pronounced as “on”. In California, it is mainly pronounced as “an”.

 

[lorijohnhill]

Punctuation and quotation marks always throw me... I can’t keep the rules straight.

 

[kimblebee]

The pronunciation seems to be regional. I grew up in New England and learned the word Auntie with the au pronounced as “on”. In California, it is mainly pronounced as “an”.

I get that it’s regional. It’s like the whole merry, Mary, marry thing (which are all pronounced the same as well LOL).

 

[kaytieeldr]

Also, it annoys me to hear someone say that they are "ANTI" something but pronounce it "AUNTIE".

They are pronounced the same

According to dictionary.com:
Anti = [an-tahy, an-tee]
Auntie = [an-tee, ahn-tee] so either is correct.

I also found
Marry = [mar-ee]
Mary = [mair-ee]
Merry = [mer-ee]

 

[kimblebee]

According to dictionary.com:
Anti = [an-tahy, an-tee]
Auntie = [an-tee, ahn-tee] so either is correct.

I also found
Marry = [mar-ee]
Mary = [mair-ee]
Merry = [mer-ee]

Unfortunately, dictionaries don’t take regional accents and weirdnesses into account.

No one is wrong in how they pronounce words.

 

[Disneylover99]

They are pronounced the same

I was thinking that poster was referring to the proper pronounciation as ant-eye.

 

[kimblebee]

I was thinking that poster was referring to the proper pronounciation as ant-eye.

Ahh, good point.

 

[amberpi]

Can I axe you a question?
Or , can i asx tou a question.
The word is ask

Or expresso instead of espresso. I hear that one daily.

Almost all of the issues mentioned get on my nerves. I have a bad grammar/diction flaw which I’m trying to quash lately...I say “dethaw” and immediately want to punch myself in the face.

 

[amberpi]

My pet peeve is the grammar police that feel it necessary to point out mistakes.

I appreciate being told when I incorrect. I look like an idiot enough, if I can learn from it; I’m down.

 

[cabanafrau]

Unfortunately, dictionaries don’t take regional accents and weirdnesses into account.

No one is wrong in how they pronounce words.

I get where you're coming from and in many cases I agree -- until we arrive for all intensive purposes at a completely different destination altogether. I keep meaning to make a note of some of the doozies I run across on an ever more frequent basis.

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned but the thing that really annoys me is when people say..."She gave the tickets to Mary and I" or "the car belongs to my husband and I". I believe people say it that way because they think it sounds correct but it is NOT.
Also, it annoys me to hear someone say that they are "ANTI" something but pronounce it "AUNTIE".

Yes! I work with a woman who writes overly formal emails and she's always writing "you may respond to Mary or I" which drives me nuts.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

Hearing or reading “I seen” makes my eye twitch just a little.

Close second is could of, should of, would of.

 

[North of Mouse]

All I can say is that all you very correct 'authorities' on the English language would love us in south LA! LOL We can be a hoot!!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Incorrect use of the following words:

• Their/there/they're
• Our/are
• To/two/too
• Where/were

Since moving to the south I've also noticed too many people use the word "axed" instead of "asked". It drives me up the wall. At one point I was teaching in a local inner city school and asked either the principal or the learning coach (for the school) advice on how to correct it and was told that I don't. It's part of the culture of the community. Frustrated me as I was not allowed to correct the students or their parents when they used the word incorrectly.

You actually considered correcting the parents?