10 flagrant grammar mistakes that make you look

stupid
1. Loose for lose
No: I always loose the product key.
Yes: I always lose the product key.
2. It's for its (or god forbid, its')
No: Download the HTA, along with it's readme ile.
Yes: Download the HTA, along with its readme ile.
No: The laptop is o!erheating and its making that
unny noise again.
Yes: The laptop is o!erheating and it's making that
unny noise again.
3. hey're for their for there
No: The managers are in they're weekly planning
meeting.
Yes: The managers are in their weekly planning
meeting.
No: The techs ha!e to check there cell phones at the
door, and their not happy a"out it.
Yes: The techs ha!e to check their cell phones at the
door, and they're not happy a"out it.
!. i.e. for e.g.
No: #se an anti$spyware program %i.e., Ad$Aware&.
Yes: #se an anti$spyware program %e.g., Ad$Aware&.
Note: The term i.e. means 'that is'( e.g. means 'or
e)ample'. And a comma ollows "oth o them.
". #ffe$t for affe$t
No: The outage shouldn't eect any users during
work hours.
Yes: The outage shouldn't aect any users during
work hours.
Yes: The outage shouldn't ha!e any eect on users.
Yes: *e will eect se!eral changes during the
downtime.
Note: Impact is not a !er". +urists, at least, "eg you
to use aect instead:
No: The outage shouldn't impact any users during
work hours.
Yes: The outage shouldn't aect any users during
work hours.
Yes: The outage should ha!e no impact on users
during work hours.
%. &ou're for your
No: ,emem"er to derag you're machine on a
regular "asis.
Yes: ,emem"er to derag your machine on a regular
"asis.
No: Your right a"out the changes.
Yes: You're right a"out the changes.
'. (ifferent than for different from
No: This setup is different than the one at the main
oice.
Yes: This setup is different from the one at the main
oice.
Yes: This setup is better than the one at the main
oice.
). Lay for lie
No: I got di--y and had to lay down.
Yes: I got di--y and had to lie down.
Yes: .ust lay those "ooks o!er there.
*. hen for than
No: The accounting department had more pro"lems
then we did.
Yes: The accounting department had more pro"lems
than we did.
Note: Here's a su"$pee!e. *hen a sentence
construction "egins with I, you don't need a then.
Then is implicit, so it's superluous and wordy:
No: I you can't get *indows to "oot, then you'll
need to call Ted.
Yes: I you can't get *indows to "oot, you'll need to
call Ted.
10. +ould of, ,ould of for $ould ha-e, ,ould ha-e
No: I could o installed that app "y mistake.
Yes: I could ha!e installed that app "y mistake.
No: I would o sent you a meeting notice, "ut you
were out o town.
Yes: I would ha!e sent you a meeting notice, "ut
you were out o town.
Now stop making me sick and use some good
grammar already! :)
Wendy Wong