Grammar Nazi

I am one. Which begs the question, why am I an English teacher?

Anyway, thought I’d share a few gems.

Favourite spelling mistake: gorn. As in, “He was gorn!”

Favourite grammar mistake: learn’t. As in “I have learn’t a lot this term.”

Least favourite mistake: w/sh/could of. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. Lots.

2 responses

  1. Helen's avatar

    Surprising that as a grammar Nazi you misuse the phrase ‘begs the question’. It’s a common mistake.

  2. Alex's avatar

    What should it be? I’ve neither seen nor heard it used differently from this. I have presumed that it means “[this phrase] begs this question to be asked.”

    Enlighten me!

    ETA: having just looked up that Fountain of All Knowledge, wikipedia, I see where you are coming from; however – a) I think actually that ‘begging the question’ in terms of raising an obvious question actually does work, and if there wasn’t prior usage in formal rhetoric would be perfectly acceptable; and b) I think that my two statements are, in fact, as dubious as one another, so I stand by my words!

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