this post was submitted on 20 Jul 2025
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[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 16 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

Ending a sentence with a preposition has been standard in English for longer than the language has existed, it's nothing to be ashamed of.

[–] marito@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

I see what you did there.

Nothing about which to be ashamed. 🤓

There's a funny bit in "the last man on earth" where Kristen Schaal's character always corrects people when they end their sentences with a preposition. It shows how much more ridiculous her correction sounds.

... Not a great show, but that bit was pretty funny.

[–] theherk@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

This is a thing up with which I will not put.

[–] tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

To anyone who has a problem with singular they:

Roses are red, violets aren't blue
Singular they is older than singular you

[–] kassiopaea@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 18 hours ago

Anyone who has a problem with singular they can eat my non-binary ass.

[–] wolfeh@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 1 day ago

Using "they" as singular. Also, referring to animals besides humans as "he," "she," or "they" instead of "it."

I usually am a grammar nazi, but these are things I do very intentionally.

[–] Stovetop@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

By some standards, the Oxford comma is still incorrect grammar. I'll die on the hill that it has utility, and I'm glad it's becoming more of a commonly accepted convention.

[–] InfiniteHench@lemmy.world 2 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Alright, which standards? Show your work or else I’m a call you a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

[–] Stovetop@lemmy.world 1 points 15 hours ago

Can check style guides for publications and academic institutions in the UK, Australia, and the like. BBC, ABC, etc. Back in the day it was simply considered wrong, now most non-US publications and academic institutions simply advise not using it unless it helps avoid ambiguity. E.g. the excerpt below from the ABC style guide:

Oxford comma, serial comma

A comma placed before the last item in a list: she ate grapes, toast, and cheese. Avoid unless it aids the reader or prevents ambiguity.

American style guides are generally more in favor of the Oxford comma. APA mandates it, MLA says do whatever makes sense, and Chicago says pick one and stick to it.

[–] TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

someone corrected me on spelling "at least" "atleast"
like... alright? (wink wink nudge nudge)

anyways I was in a bad mood and wrote a passive aggressive message I ended up not sending

Words condense over time, it's not a crime to not type a space.

do you say "goodbye" or "God be with ye"? what about "gossip" or "farewell"?

What about a purpose misspelling being turned to one of the most common words in conversation? "all correct" -> "oll korect" -> "ok"

[–] stopforgettingit@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Even if someone says "irregardless" or "I could care less", I don't say anything because I still understand what they mean.

[–] MrScottyTay@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago

I've always argued for the side of "if your point comes across and is understood as intended, your grammar or lack thereof, does not matter in the slightest"

[–] hperrin@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 day ago

I don’t care if people say “chomping at the bit”, because it basically means the same thing as “champing at the bit”, and nobody uses the word champing anymore anyway.

[–] halloween_spookster@lemmy.world 39 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Putting question marks or exclamation points after "quotation marks"! I've never understood the point of putting the punctuation inside the quotation unless it's part of the quotation itself.

[–] starlinguk@lemmy.world 34 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Quote is full sentence: inside. Quote is part of sentence or word: outside.

Eg:

“Oh no!” he gasped.

And

Apparently she's “done with me”!

Love, an editor.

[–] Tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works 14 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

This is how you're supposed to do it in Dutch.

The teacher said "silence!".

Vs

The teacher said "silence"!

Mean something completely different. Although a few large literature publishers do punctuation before bracket because of translation ease, and novels almost never contain partial quotes anyway AND they include the optional comma at all times, which causes

"Silence!," said the teacher.

Shudder

[–] wolfpack86@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Especially also when you're using them to be facetious.

He's "talented".

He's "talented."

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[–] DJKJuicy@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 day ago

I'm really fond of using "I'mma" and "gonna".

I obviously wouldn't use these words in a professional document, but everywhere else I'mma use "gonna" and "I'mma" whenever I feel like it.

[–] gedaliyah@lemmy.world 66 points 2 days ago (2 children)

End a sentence with a preposition if you want to. And start one with a conjunction.

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 29 points 2 days ago (1 children)

That's not just you, that's people who know the rules of the English language and don't care about Latin or what dead idiots thought.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/prepositions-ending-a-sentence-with

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[–] hperrin@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 day ago

I’ve started using “used to could” instead of “used to be able to”, and I will not stop.

[–] SLVRDRGN@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Nobody actually knows how to use "it begs the question" anyway. Even the ones who think they do.

[–] theherk@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

… fine I’ll do it.

That begs the question, how is it used properly?

[–] wolfpack86@lemmy.world 15 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The right to gleefully split infinitives.

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[–] chunes@lemmy.world 24 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I really like to write 'gonna.'

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[–] svcg@lemmy.blahaj.zone 13 points 2 days ago (2 children)

It is perfectly cromulent to use "less" in place of "fewer".

[–] SLVRDRGN@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

The fact I understand all the vocabulary you used embiggens me.

[–] tiredofsametab@fedia.io 13 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Some would say it's fewer correct, however.

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[–] spacemanspiffy@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago (5 children)
[–] theherk@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Moosepodes and goosepodes

[–] Slovene 1 points 1 day ago
[–] chunes@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

I really like when non-native speakers say persons.

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[–] frank@sopuli.xyz 13 points 2 days ago

I feel like a lot of the grammar sticklers out there only speak one language, and their lack of sympathy towards people speaking English as a second or third language is low.

If you can convey your point– good enough for me!

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