aspqrz02 -> RE: Off Topic: English grammar (10/1/2004 8:00:14 AM)
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: khelvan My pet peeve is when people use "should of," "could of," or "would of" (which make absolutely no sense) instead of should have, could have, or would have. Or, indeed, should've, could've or would've ... but, I will admit, the "phoneticisation" that this represents was, sadly, all too common some years ago here in Oz High Schools. Seems to have died out, though - and I'd like to think I played a small part in helping it do so! Allot/alot is a pet peeve. too. As is ... Little Sally: "Can I go to the bathroom?" Me: "I don't know, can you?" Little Sally (after scrunching up brain and thinking): "May I go to the bathroom?" Me: Sorry, we don't have any Bathtubs at this school. Little Sally: "May I go to the toilet?" Me: "Yes, of course, Sally. Why didn't you ask in the first place?" (NB: Can = "am I physically able to". May = "have I got permission to". "Bathroom" = an americanism, not to be encouraged in Australian schools, though, of course, OK in the US) The kids hate it ... the common response is "Oooh! You're just like Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss XXX" ... which goes to show, we all do it [;)] Phil (a current History/English teacher in Australia)
|
|
|
|