(Forgiveable if English isn't your first language).
:dry:
May I ask what a gaff is? Not intending to be mean, just don't know... is it an error of some sort?
I see this one very often. Even people like Beyonce or 50 Cent used it in their songs (Single Ladies, for example).- "I could care less" does not have the meaning most people intend it to have. What they really mean is "I couldn't care less."
I'm surprised no one has mentioned "lose" and "loose" yet.
I see this one very often. Even people like Beyonce or 50 Cent used it in their songs (Single Ladies, for example).
It's an Americanism - perhaps, a feature of US English. In Britain people don't say "could" care less.
DPH's last word brings us to effect vs. affect.
"Effect" is a noun. "Alcohol has a bad effect on me."
"Affect" is used in its most common form as a verb. "UV rays affect the skin."
These are the most common ways. You can use the words in the alternate ways too, but those are so complicated. Remember VANE: Verb Affect Noun Effect.
Right? So it would be right to say "I affected him" to mean that I caused him effects? Is that right?
May I ask what a gaff is? Not intending to be mean, just don't know... is it an error of some sort?
English isn't even my main language and I cringe at what I see... sometimes I think us foreigners know English better than the natives...Yes, that's correct.
Lesson 2:
"Your" and "You're"
Your = belonging to you.
You're = YOU ARE.
The apostrophe means that letters are missing and it's a contraction. Thus, "you are" becomes "you're".
"Your dress is lovely." -"Thanks, you're so sweet."
Edit: I teach high school English, sorry if I come off sounding too teacher-y.![]()