I read this article that 20 common grammar mistakes that everyone makes now and then.\u00a0 Very insightful.\u00a0 Some of them are pretty obvious, but I am still have problems trying to get a grip on “Lay and Lie”.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve edited a monthly magazine for more than six years, and it\u2019s a job that\u2019s come with more frustration than reward. If there\u2019s one thing I am<\/em> grateful for \u2014 and it sure isn\u2019t the pay \u2014 it\u2019s that my work has allowed endless time to hone my craft to Louis Skolnick levels of grammar geekery.<\/p>\n
As someone who slings red ink for a living, let me tell you: grammar is an ultra-micro component in the larger picture; it lies somewhere in the final steps of the editing trail; and as such it\u2019s an overrated quasi-irrelevancy in the creative process, perpetuated into importance primarily by bitter nerds who accumulate tweed jackets and crippling inferiority complexes. But experience has also taught me that readers, for better or worse, will approach your work with a jaundiced eye and an itch to judge. While your grammar shouldn\u2019t be a reflection of your creative powers or writing abilities, let\u2019s face it \u2014 it usually is.<\/p>\n
Below are 20 common grammar mistakes I see routinely, not only in editorial queries and submissions, but in print: in HR manuals, blogs, magazines, newspapers, trade journals, and even best selling novels. If it makes you feel any better, I\u2019ve made each of these mistakes a hundred times, and I know some of the best authors in history have lived to see these very toadstools appear in print. Let’s hope you can learn from some of their more famous mistakes.<\/p>\n
Who and Whom<\/h2>\n
This one opens a big can of worms. \u201cWho\u201d is a subjective \u2014 or nominative \u2014 pronoun, along with “he,” “she,” “it,” “we,” and “they.” It\u2019s used when the pronoun acts as the subject of a clause. \u201cWhom\u201d is an objective pronoun, along with “him,” “her,” “it”, “us,” and “them.” It\u2019s used when the pronoun acts as the object of a clause. Using \u201cwho\u201d or \u201cwhom\u201d depends on whether you\u2019re referring to the subject or object of a sentence. When in doubt, substitute \u201cwho\u201d with the subjective pronouns \u201che\u201d or \u201cshe,\u201d e.g., Who loves you?\u00a0<\/em>cf.,\u00a0He loves me. <\/em><\/em>Similarly, you can also substitute \u201cwhom\u201d with the objective pronouns \u201chim\u201d or \u201cher.\u201d e.g., I consulted an attorney whom I met in New York.\u00a0<\/em><\/em>cf.,\u00a0I consulted him.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n
Which and That<\/h2>\n
This is one of the most common mistakes out there, and understandably so. \u201cThat\u201d is a restrictive pronoun. It\u2019s vital to the noun to which it\u2019s referring.\u00a0 e.g., I don\u2019t trust fruits and vegetables that aren\u2019t organic.<\/em> Here, I\u2019m referring to all non-organic fruits or vegetables. In other words, I only trust fruits and vegetables that are organic. \u201cWhich\u201d introduces a relative clause. It allows qualifiers that may not be essential. e.g., I recommend you eat only organic fruits and vegetables, which are available in area grocery stores.<\/em> In this case, you don\u2019t have to go to a specific grocery store to obtain organic fruits and vegetables. \u201cWhich\u201d qualifies, \u201cthat\u201d restricts. \u201cWhich\u201d is more ambiguous however, and by virtue of its meaning is flexible enough to be used in many restrictive clauses. e.g., The house, which is burning, is mine.<\/em> e.g., The house that is burning is mine.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n