Grammar lesson #3: your and you’re made easy

[Image credit: digitalart]

I have to wonder if it’s pure laziness, or if there is still a question as to how or when to use your and you’re.  In the former instance, your means belonging to.  In the latter spelling, you’re is simply the shortened version of the two words you and are.  To illustrate, if a friend thinks the tastiest food in the whole world is bacon, then your friend’s favorite food is bacon.  You would not say: you are friend’s favorite food is bacon.  And you may have to tell your friend you are all out of bacon.  The full-proof way to get it right every time: check it first by removing the contraction in you’re so it reads you are.  And stock up on the bacon if you’re having your friend over for breakfast … or lunch or dinner.

Which grammar boo-boo do you struggle with the most?

Grammar lesson #1.5: an education on the apostrophe

[Image credit: Grant Cochrane]

I hate to beat the poor misunderstood apostrophe to death, but lately I’ve noticed an increase in the gross misuse of this nondescript punctuation mark.  In my grammar lesson #1 about its and it’s, I discussed how the contraction in the latter usage is the result of shortening two words: it and is.  However, in the case of most singular nouns, an apostrophe is used to indicate possession; the absence of an apostrophe means more than one of something.  For example, my daughter’s new car sports a bright pink, fuzzy steering-wheel cover.  My daughter owns the car; therefore, an apostrophe is required.  And if I discuss my family and mention I have three amazing sisters, an apostrophe is not used because I’m talking about  quantity, not who owns what.  Simply stated: with means possessive, without means plural.

Do you, my readers, learn something from Always the Write Time’s grammar lessons?