Your Grammar Gripes: You Had Plenty to Say

Last month, I talked about grammar mistakes around “me, myself, and I.” And wow! Many of you had opinions.

So, this month, I’m sharing your grammar gripes.

Godfrey from the U.K. wrote, “I find myself shouting at the TV, especially at news presenters who should know better, even on the BBC. Where are the standards?”

I agree with you, Godfrey. When professional communicators get it wrong, it’s distracting and I think, “If they can’t get grammar right, what else are they getting wrong?”

Marcy from Denver, Colorado said, “The misuse of ‘I’ and ‘me’ drives me nuts. 

And another? ‘These ones’… arrgghhh!” Yes, Marcy. “These ones” is unnecessary. 

Just say, “these” not “these ones.” It’s cleaner and correct.

Christina from Vancouver, Washington wrote, “I can’t believe how many smart people say, ‘me’ and ‘her’ incorrectly. Kelley from Portland, Oregon agrees. She says she cringes when she hears, “‘Her and John went to the conference” or “Him & McKenzie are co-workers.’

Drop John, temporarily. You wouldn’t say, “Her went to the conference.” It’s, “she went to the conference.”  Put it all together, “She and John went to the conference.” It’s not, Him and Mackenzie. It’s, “He and McKenzie are co-workers.”

Orvel from Boulder, Colorado said, “I have a pet peeve about ‘over’ and ‘under.’ People say, ‘We created over 100 jobs,’ or ‘Our office rent is under $3,000. ‘Over’ and ‘under’ are for space. ‘More’ and ‘less’ are for numbers. ‘We created more than 100 jobs’ and ‘Our office rent is less than $3,000.’

“And while we’re at it,” he says, “Let’s talk fewer and less.” Use ‘fewer’ for items you can count, such as, ‘fewer dollars’ or ‘fewer hours.’ Use ‘less’ for amounts you can’t count… 

‘Less time.’ ‘Less pressure.’”

Are you exhausted? Hang on a second. I have one more grammar gripe. “At.” The word “at.” Please don’t end a phrase or a sentence with “at.” For example, “Where are you at?”  Drop the “at.” Simply say, “Where are you?” ” Where’s the meeting at?” No. “Where’s the meeting?.” Period.  “At” is unnecessary. “Here’s where we’re at with the project.” Instead say, “Here’s where we are with the project.”

Bottom line: When your grammar is correct, most people won’t notice. When it’s not, they may, and they also may wonder, “Where else is this person sloppy?”

You want people to introduce you, recommend you, hire you, promote you. So, don’t let sloppy grammar get in the way. These are simple fixes that can be career game-changes for you or your colleagues.

Good grammar is about being picky. It shows you care about how you present yourself, your professionalism, and your intellect. When you pay attention to the details, people pay attention to you. And that builds confidence.

Thank you for reading.