Strix Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 When I get messages from my grandchildren via text or facebook I often have to ask for the meaning of some of the abbreviations they use. The last one was tbh which is to be honest. I know it makes it quicker for them to text their friends but I dread to think what cv's will look like in a few years time. :hihi: I love irony :hihi: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferno Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 If I read a post from someone who doesn't know the difference between they're and their or your and you're I immediately discount their views as being those of a thick uneducated oik. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Jnr Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 If I read a post from someone who doesn't know the difference between they're and their or your and you're I immediately discount their views as being those of a thick uneducated oik. Noted, thanks for you're input their. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metalman Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 A report in one of today's papers states that 1 in 5 school kids don't know the difference between the words: there, their, & they're. Just out of interest, I wonder how many of you looked at that sentence and realised that it's grammatically incorrect too: it should read 1 in 5 school kids doesn't know the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Sleeps Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 it should read 1 in 5 school kids doesn't know the difference. You're wrong. I do. (1st singular) You do. (2nd singular) He does. (3rd singular) We do. (1st plural) You do. (2nd plural) They do. (3rd plural) 'kids' is a plural noun so it is: School kids do not know grammar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ampersand Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 but "1" is singular, obviously, so "1 in 5 doesn't" is acceptable If it said 20% it would be plural and so "don't" would be correct That's what my english teacher taught me anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Sleeps Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 but "1" is singular, obviously, so "1 in 5 doesn't" is acceptable But the plural noun was used. Rephrase it and it's obvious: 1 in 5 school children do not know ... We don't say "1 in 5 school child does not know ..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteMorris Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Didn't I hear somewhere a long time ago, that English Exams are no longer marked down for poor or incorrect spelling? I may be wrong of course but I'm sure I heard that somewhere in the dim and distant past. Maybe that's the reason? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phanerothyme Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 A report in one of today's papers states that 1 in 5 school kids don't know the difference between the words: there, their, & they're. People seem to be of mixed opinion in their suggested causes for this: - teachers not enforcing grammar, as in the past - the Curriculum, for not insisting on the above - parents not teaching their kids language skills - many UK citizens not having English as their first language - limited text / twitter-speak becoming the norm - people of today generally regarding it as not important Any thoughts? Yep. 1 in 5 means that school children (of an unspecified age I note) are well ahead of the population in general, where the figure is more like 2 in 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Sleeps Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 But the plural noun was used. Rephrase it and it's obvious: 1 in 5 school children do not know ... We don't say "1 in 5 school child does not know ..." I see it now. It's the problems of English grammar. Interesting. "Out of every 5 children, 1 does not know grammar." But if we build a bad sentence then it gets complex, because "1 in 5 school children don't know ..." is conjugating the verb on the subject that isn't relevant. The 1 child is the proper subject, but we place a plural noun infront of the verb. English is a bad language for logical sentences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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