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COMMON GRAMMAR MISTAKES TO AVOID! (thread)
1. LESS/FEWER. This one is really embarrassing. You may think pointing out the difference between these two at every opportunity makes you CLEVER and INTERESTING. In fact, it makes you TEDIOUS.
1. LESS/FEWER. This one is really embarrassing. You may think pointing out the difference between these two at every opportunity makes you CLEVER and INTERESTING. In fact, it makes you TEDIOUS.
2. WHO/WHOM. An easy way to remember when to use 'who' vs. 'whom' is to remember that it doesn't actually matter, because English has fixed word order and case marking is largely obsolete. My advice: get your 'whom's in now bc in 50-100 years it'll probably be gone altogether.
3. LITERALLY. This actually has nothing to do with grammar at all! Other things that are not grammar include spelling and punctuation conventions. If you're not sure whether you are, in fact, nitpicking someone's grammar, try literally any other hobby.
Since this is blowing up a little, a bit of personal background: I'm a lifelong language nerd; I have a PhD in linguistics; I used to be a language pedant but I grew out of it. I can still proofread the shit out of your writing.
I have plenty of personal language peeves and preferences, in the same way I have many opinions about fashion! Happy to give advice about either, but rarely do I feel the need to offer it unsolicited. It's a much happier way to live tbh.
Time for some more fun language tips!
4. EFFECT/AFFECT. Remember that "effect" is a noun and "affect" is a verb. Except when "effect" is a verb and "affect" is a noun. As in: "The effect of SSRIs is to effect a change in the affect of patients affected by depression."
Simple!
4. EFFECT/AFFECT. Remember that "effect" is a noun and "affect" is a verb. Except when "effect" is a verb and "affect" is a noun. As in: "The effect of SSRIs is to effect a change in the affect of patients affected by depression."
Simple!
