English Grammar question
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive August 2006:
English Grammar question
OK, as a sahm for the last many, many yrs... My brain has depleted a little. ha I was never a great speller or writer really, anyway...
It has been brought to my attention that I misuse 'too' and 'to' *all the time*. So can someone please remind me of when it is appropriate to use each of these?? I guess I am a bit irritated because the person that pointed it out is the worst speller and has horrible grammar!!! LOL He mispronounces words all the time and you can't even read his writing (my dh).
Thanks in advance for your help! I will say I was enlightened when someone here posted about the misuse of the word 'a lot'... I think I was one of the people misspelling it as one word on the board. lol (alot) Maybe we should start a segment on the board for correct grammar/writing skills???  I know I could use some brushing up!!
Too is used in place of *also*.
to is used most often, going to the store, karen is right that too means also. I got the red bag too. Do you feet hurt too?
Ok thanks ladies!!!! I remember being taught that now. That's really sad I didn't remember it.
I didn't even know that *ungrammatical* is a word. Had to look it up online... I really need to go back to school. ahhhhh *blushing*
Word to the wise- don't correct me on SATURDAY morning before I have finished my COFFEE. ROFL
Too can also mean very, extremely, immensely - as in "he's too much" or "I'm too fat". For "to", if you remember there is always a "from" with "to" (not always spoken, but understood), that may help.
I am something of a fanatic about proper use of the language. However, I was taught many years ago that if you are communicating with someone who misuses, mispronounces or misspells a word, it is rude to (a) correct that person or (b) use or spell the word correctly in your response (thereby highlighting the other person's incorrect use or spelling). Personally, I think that's a good rule.
If you ask me, I will tell you the correct usage or spelling or pronunciation, but only if I'm asked (or unless you are my resident son). I will sometimes suggest privately to one of my bosses that s/he probably didn't really mean X because X means something other than what s/he was trying to convey, and suggest alternatives, but only privately. There are, however, some exceptions. Two of my bosses use the phrase "as such" all too frequently, much in the same way people say "ya know" or "I mean", and when I'm typing their work in draft, I will put "as such" in bold. The other boss often uses "at the end of the day", and I do the same for that phrase. I can only do this because we all think it's funny - and never before the morning coffee.
I agree with the NEVER before morning coffee! I can't function without my morning coffee!
I hope you folks have had your morning coffee--
I'm with Ginny about the rude bit in correcting people, but since we're getting technical here, I'll stick my two cents worth into this conversation.
Technically it should be written as "I got the red bag, too." (The comma goes after the last word before 'too'.) I have never spoken English properly but I can write the dickens out of it unless I am in a hurry or MAD. My hs teachers used to get so aggravated at me because I talked like a hick but made honor society grades. Just lazy, I guess.
Okay, I'll go to bed now and shut up.
Technically it should be "I have the red bag, too."
Depends, Bea, on whether she is saying that she possesses the red bag (have the red bag) or purchased or picked up the red bag (got the red bag). But, neither she nor you asked for a correction, so to avoid being rude I really should not have commented.
I hope we are all laughing at the turn this post has taken. I know I am. I actually thought about the "got" vs the "have" and I could see the use of "got" as a potentially correct usage.
I was just in a goofy mood last night when I did that. I was just being silly. I may correct my dd in trying to teach her correct English but it's more like--
DD: I gots a pretty dress.
Me: Yes, honey, you do have a pretty dress.
Not really correcting her, but just saying it correctly so she hears the way it should be. She'll catch on.
When I was in middle school my brother, who is five years older, told me never WRITE the word "got".
There is always a better word to use in it's place. ie: received, bought, obtained, borrowed, caught, acquired, etc.
If a person "got" something, how did they actually "get" it? Always ask yourself that question and use that word.
To this day, that has stuck with me. LOL
When I was in school in NW Ohio, we were not allowed to use the word "got". That was in fifth and sixth grade. I've since taught my children to never use the word got in place of have, but I do allow them to use it when they are talking about something they did get, such as from a store or something...
It was my got in the sentence and yes, I meant bought...which is the correct word instead of got. However being in texas, it is one of those phrases that we use often Along with "i might not can ...." (filled with read, but I will try).
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