Pet Peeves #1-5

1. Pet Peeves #1-5 Have a sheet of paper ready.

2. Pet Peeve #1: Spell Check Spell check on a computer is a wonderful tool. However, it is not perfect. If a word in a document really is a word, spell check won’t tell you that it is the wrong word. For example, many people write the word are when they mean the word our, perhaps because they pronounce the words almost the same. Spell check won’t catch the mistake. If you don’t reread your paper carefully, you may end up with a lot of spelling mistakes, even though spell check tells you the paper is perfect.

3. Example “Eye don’t won’t too go to sleep,” wined little Alfred to his sister. “Eye want too stay up and wash TV with ewe.” “Eye want too sit hear on the couch with my boyfriend,” grumbled Lauren. “Wee want to bee alone.” “Y?” asked Alfred. Lauren side. “Ewe err to young too under stand.” “Know I’m knot!” cried Alfred. “I am for!” He climbed up and wedged himself between Lauren and her boyfriend. “Sea? I’m a big buoy. Thistle be fun!”

4. Pet Peeve #2: Beginning with… People often don’t know how to start. Because they don’t know what to say, they sometimes begin by writing something like this: “Hi, my name is Lisa.” Such an opening is definitely NOT a good idea. First of all, your name is on the paper – or should be. You don’t need to introduce yourself by name. What you need to do is introduce your subject. To do that, simply make a statement about your subject. For example, for a report on gorillas, you might start out by writing, “Most people think of gorillas as vicious, meat-eating animals.” For a composition on why school lunch periods should be longer, you might start out by writing, “Lunch should be a time for relaxation, not stress.”

5. It’s also not a good idea to start out by writing, “ I am going to tell you about how the printing press was invented,” or “My paper will be about the printing press.” If you are in first grade and doing show and tell, it’s fine to start by saying, “I am going to tell you about…” It you are older, you need to do something more sophisticated, more grown up. Instead of announcing your topic, begin by telling something about your topic. You might even tell your main idea. For example, for a report on the invention of the printing press, you might write, “The invention of the printing press in 1455 was a development that changed the world forever.” For an essay comparing cats and dogs, you might start like this: “Though cats may be attractive to some people, dogs really make much better family pets.”

6. Just a few more ideas for ways to begin: • Tell an anecdote about your experience, or someone else’s experience, related to your topic. • Quote an authority who has said something particularly interesting or colorful about your topic. • Point out a startling statistic, an interesting fact, or a fascinating bit of trivia related to your topic.

7. Pet Peeve #3: It’s vs. its Nothing drives an English teacher crazier than apostrophes used incorrectly. Learn to get them right – even right MOST of the time – and you will save your English teacher and yourself a lot of anguish. The key to success is to remember the Magic Apostrophe Rule. Learn this rule, and dozens of annoying little writing problems will disappear. Here is the rule: THE MAGIC APOSTROPHE RULE Except when it is used with a person’s name or a noun, an apostrophe almost always stands for a letter that has been left out. If nothing is left out, you don’t want an apostrophe.

8. The word it’s is not a person’s name or a noun. Therefore, the apostrophe stands for a letter that has been left out – the “i” in is. It’s is short for it is. The word it’s should be used only in places where you could say it is. Which word should you use in each of the following sentences? It’s/Its always exciting to get a gift in the mail. (Try substituting it is in the sentence: It is always exciting to get a gift in the mail. That makes sense. Use it’s.) The car flipped on it’s/its back in the accident. (Try substituting it is in the sentence: The car flipped on it is back in the accident. No, that doesn’t make sense. Use its.)

9. Pet Peeve #4: You’re vs. Your Remember the Magic Apostrophe Rule, and your problems will be over with you’re and your. Look at the word you’re. It is not a person’s name or a name. Therefore, the apostrophe must stand for something left out. It does. The word you’re is a contraction for you are. The apostrophe stands for the missing a in are. Therefore, the only time you should use you’re is when you can substitute the words you are for the word you’re.

10. Take a look at a few examples: Be sure to bring your/you’re coat with you. (Be sure to bring you are coat with you? No, that doesn’t make sense. You definitely don’t want you’re. Use your instead.) If your/you’re going to ask a guy to the dance, at least pick a nice one. (If you are going to ask a guy to the dance, at least pick a nice one. Yes, that sounds right. Use you’re.)

11. Pet Peeve #5: To vs. Too People are always mixing up to, too, and two. Almost everyone knows the word two is the one that refers to a number. Let’s assume that you do, too. The biggest problem people usually have is mixing up to and too. Luckily, there is a very easy way to tell the difference between the words. The key is to remember how we really pronounce the little “filler” word to. Most of us really pronounce to so that it sounds like tuh, as in “I’m going tuh watch TV now.” When you don’t know the which word to use, try saying tuh in the sentence. If tuh makes sense, use the word to. If tuh sounds silly, use the word too. (Warning: This trick works only if you try tuh first. Don’t do it the other way around and try too first. Everything sounds right with too.)

12. Let’s look at some examples: Joleen said, “I’m going to/too buy a new hamster.” (Try substituting tuh in the sentence: I’m going tuh buy a new hamster. That sounds okay. Use to.) Blake likes chocolate cake, chocolate milk, and chocolate pie, to/too. (Try substituting tuh in the sentence: Blake likes chocolate cake, chocolate milk, and chocolate pie, tuh. Tuh sounds wrong. Use too.)

13. Reminders • Your blog comment is due Monday, January 13th. • Tomorrow we will be in room 167 to get your PSAT results back.