General Chat

We've all got certain, in reality, unimportant things that really make you cringe. One of mine has to be repeated bad use of English - particularly on TV. An example that has me shouting at the screen every week is on Strictly Come Dancing. When announcing the results, they always say 'The next couple going through are . . . '. 'Couple' is singular so they should say 'The next couple going through is . . .' As I say, I know that it really doesn't matter but somehow it still manages to wind me up. Has anyone else got any examples of misuses of English that really annoy them ? Simon

'If I was you'' instead of ''If I were you'', that is said on telly too now, it seems to have slipped into common usage.

Talk like Professor Higgins, er what!

It's the way 'fings are.

I always thought couple meant two ? blinky ell, mey spelin ihs bard. i fink now wun weel notiss thow ooooow dere elaine x

talkin' 'bout thin's 'ause thin's aint what they use to be.

Why do people who have been out shopping keep saying they "brought" an item. They "bought" it surely.

English grammar was my worst subject at school but I still try to write things correctly. I'm more concerned with people being genuine and not hurting others. I dont really care if they speak correctly, or have money, its the person they really are that I am interested in. June

Fair suck of the sav....us Ozzies you's proper English. People's who dont you's proper Dicshan A'va few Kangaroos loose in the top paddock....snag short of a barbie.....off like prawns in the sun. Strewth. Tony Oz.

Hi, I really hate "must of" instead of "must have" e.g He must of bought it from Harrods. And I can't stand bad grammar and misspellings on signs in shops etc. If individual people have problems with grammar that can't be helped but to see the misuse of English on official notices, in business letters and in the media drives me mad. Gwynne

A lot of people seem to "loose" things these days when, in days gone by, they would "lose" them. They've loost the plot.

The one that really annoys me is "Can I have a lend of...". No. You can borrow it, and I can lend it to you. Or most likely not if you can't ask properly :o)

Paul you beat me to it. Can I lend your pencil? No but you're quite welcome to borrow it. But only if you say please. Can't abide bad manners either! lol Jeanette x

Paul You beat me to it! That's the one mistake that makes me really cross! Simon That's another! Mother-in-Law's instead of Mother's-in-Law when there's more than one for example. The wrong use of the apostrophe is guaranteed to send me 'off on one' (as my kids say!). Potatoe's 50p per kg--------which item belonging to the potato costs 50p? Why the 'E'? I know there are worse things in the world to worry about, but I think I'm turning into my Mum - her pet hate was the wrong use of tenses and apostrophes! LOL Sue

Morning all , i hate it when people say anythink instead of anything........... and fink...people think ,they don't fink. Also [i'm on a roll now] oh look at all the little fishes,when the plural of fish.... is fish. Chers,Carole

Another one that has always really grated on me (although I'm not sure whether it's technically incorrect, or just bad phrasing) is the following : it's used a lot in advertising; the sentence construction that goes something like 'All cars are not the same'. I really hate that. To my ears the correct construction is 'Not all cars are the same'. A couple of high street ones : TSB Bank always used to annoy me as surely that amounts to 'Trustee Savings Bank Bank' ! I also hate it when people say they are off to Boots's (Bootses) - it's just Boots ! (The chemist). Simon

It's got to be sentences such as "I ain't done nothing". Er, surely means that you HAVE done something. Also, as illustrated on BBC2's Grumpy Old Men, whenever people say things like "This is SOOOOOO not happening". Use of unnecessary words.

One of my pet hates is decade pronounced as decayed. A decade is a period of 10 years - decayed is definitely off!! Kathleen

The expression that something is "for free". It is either "free" or "for nothing" Morrisons have a banner up in our local store advertising CD's and DVD's.

not really an error in grammar but also people who persist in saying "Do you know what I mean/Do you know what I'm saying?" at the end of every sentence as if you're a bit dumb.