No one uses perfect grammar all of the time, except for maybe crusty old English professors who probably would not be first on your party invitation list. That being said, there are some aspects of our great language that all adults who have had the privilege of attending third grade grammar class should know.
Today’s rant is about using correct words. While some words may sound similar when you say them out loud, they are not spelled the same and the definitions are not interchangeable. Allow me to demonstrate.
EXCEPT vs ACCEPT
Oh yes. I see this problem often – people use except when they should use accept. Thou shalt not be a moron.
Except is when you exclude something as in, “I think my coworkers are somewhat intelligent EXCEPT for the ones don’t know their native language well enough to piece together a coherent sentence.”
Accept is to willingly receive something or to believe something as in, “I accept the fact that I cannot raise the IQs of other people by writing a blog.”
When something can be accepted, it is ACCEPTABLE.
EXCEPTABLE is not the same thing.
THEIR vs THERE vs THEY’RE
Here we go.
Their = possessive form of they. “THEIR friends probably speak that way too.”
Easy enough, eh?
There = adverb for that place, you know, that place over there.
“The dictionary is over THERE. Seriously.”
They’re = contraction, word combo of they and are.
“THEY’RE not doing their English teachers any justice.”
It’s important to use words correctly, especially simple words. If you don’t, people like me will make fun of you.
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