danielmiessler.com - Latest Comments in English: Precision Matters

Re: English: Precision Matters

Daniel Miessler — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:51:23 -0000

Thanks for the correction. I'll add it to my grammar post. :)

Re: English: Precision Matters

Adara — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:48:38 -0000

Another common misuse these days is rein/reign/rain. In your post, "A Real Solution to the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict," you say that "Palestinians should have free reign of the entire country." I suspect you meant, not that they should freely rule (reign) Israel, but that they should be allowed to go anywhere within it (rein).

Re: English: Precision Matters

Atticus Stount — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:56:59 -0000

Starting a paragraph with "but" is not the most dazzling sign of proper grammar.

Re: English: Precision Matters

Tim — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 12:32:12 -0000

I often get annoyed at people that mix up lay (transitive verb, as in setting something down) and lie (intransitive verb, as in to lie down). The only really tricky part is that the past tense of "lie" is "lay" (I lay in bed yesterday).

Charlie's been hurt.
Lay him on the bed.
Lie down, Charlie.
Charlie now lies on the bed where I lay sleeping last night.

Re: English: Precision Matters

Zhasper — Mon, 25 Dec 2006 19:15:54 -0000

I'd have added your/you're(/yaw/yore) as well. Also, the fact that 've is short for have, not of (eh, should've = should have, not should of).

But yes, the two you highlighted are the two most annoying.

Well, those, and butcher's apostrophe's.