Comments on: The Bad Phrase(s) List

By: sinlee

sinlee — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:40:37 +0000

Oops, just noticed I hit enter before I finished editing bad grammar mistakes! Here's a second shot:

Just would like to point out that Rule #14 regarding the correct pronunciation of “kilometre” with the emphasis on the third syllable is debatable. It really depends on the accent of the speaker and neither option is right or wrong.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kilomet…

Just a matter of preference and where you reside.

By: 100 Fun & Informative Blog Posts Every Grammar Geek Should Bookmark | Online Universities

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 03:46:59 +0000

[...] The Bad Phrase(s) List. This extensive list provides both the "bad" phrases and what writers likely intend. [...]

By: George Curnew

George Curnew — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:39:00 +0000

There is an exception to the #31 rule.
An ellipsis used at the end of a sentence to indicate that a quote is truncated is followed by a period. For example: John F. Kennedy said “Ask not what your country can do for you….”

By: Neil

Neil — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:03:04 +0000

I have found Americans to be amazingly illiterate, most seem to stop learning new words long before adulthood. Meanwhile the level of ignorance in Britain has reached staggering heights. Have you endured a chat with a Londoner recently?

Jeff, your article is spot on, except for number 27 as ‘kgurnsey’ pointed out earlier. English is a language that is replete with contradictions, incongruities and broken rules, but it’s all we have!

By: Brett

Brett — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:21:38 +0000

Don't forget than and then. It seems that very few people know the proper usage of those words. "It's time to go then, I'd had more than enough"

I also hate when people can't spell quite and quiet properly. There's a big difference between the meanings of the words and I see them spelled wrong all the time. It's easy enough to get wrong if you type quickly, but do some editing before sending that email! It's similar to lose and loose in my opinion.

Anyway, great list. I'll second the earlier comment about it's and its.

By: kgurnsey

kgurnsey — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:49:26 +0000

The traditional phrase may indeed be "champing at the bit". However, considering that champ and chomp are synonyms, I would submit that “chomping at the bit” is an intelligible phrase that means the same thing.

By: kgurnsey

kgurnsey — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:20:50 +0000

To "beg a question" is a logical fallacy of formal debate. An argument begs the question when it assumes a position still under debate to be true that has not been conceded by the opposing side. It is not synonymous with suggesting or raising a question.

An engine is a type of motor, but not the other way around. A motor is any machine that imparts motion. An engine is a motor that specifically converts thermal energy into mechanical energy by combusting a fuel.

By: Grammar Girl

Grammar Girl — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:12:46 +0000

I would also like to add that “Nip it in the Bud” is the correct phrase when trying to say something akin to “stop this before it gets worse.”
“Nip it in the Butt,” on the other hand, is something Marv Albert got in trouble for.
You don’t have to be a horticulturalist to know this.

By: Martin B

Martin B — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:08:26 +0000

I have seen people pour over documents so often I don't even bother to point out it's supposed to be pore over.

By: kps

kps — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:00:16 +0000

14. If “kilometre” were an English word, it would be pronounced “ki-LAH-mit-ur”. Perhaps it should be spelled “kilo-metre”. (Someone should write an article about that sort of thing.)

23. I must be missing something here; perhaps some examples of misuse would be in order. While “significant” certainly doesn't mean “large”, I have trouble seeing “real” as a reasonable definition. “Substantial”, on the other hand, can mean “real” (of course it usually doesn't).

31. An ellipsis can sometimes be found adjacent to a period. I suppose this might be mistaken for four dots.