Grammar Flash: “Stop Clubbing, Baby Seals”

If you’re like Master Yoda, the syntax-challenged Jedi Knight of Star Wars films, you might say: “Grammar, necessary is not.” Since you may disagree on that one, I’ve crafted a title for this blog make the point:

“Stop clubbing, baby seals.”

The baby seals are doing the clubbing here. Unless that’s what you really intend to say, leave out the comma.

Here are a few other biggies in the grammar department:

1. Misplaced “I” and “me”:

“I” is used as the subject of a sentence or clause. Whereas “me” is the subject.

EXAMPLE OF PROPER USE OF “I”:

I went to the store. (“I” is the subject)

EXAMPLE OF PROPER USE OF “ME”:

My sister has faith in me. (“Me” follows a preposition and is the object of the sentence.)

2. Misuse of the apostrophe:

Apostrophes are used to denote possessive words and contractions

EXAMPLE OF PROPER USE OF APOSTROPHE FOR POSSESSIVE WORDS:

The ball is Jane’s.

EXAMPLE OF PROPER USE OF APOSTROPHE FOR CONTRACTIONS:

I won’t be at the concert. (“Won’t” is the contraction of “will not.”)

It is never correct grammar to use an apostrophe to denote plurals.

3.  Confusing “Less” and “Fewer”: If you can count it, it’s fewer.

EXAMPLE OF PROPER USE OF “LESS” AND “FEWER”:

I have fewer sugar cubes and less coffee in my mug.

4. “More than” vs. “over”: The words “more than” refers to quantity while the word “over” is a physical/spatial comparison.

EXAMPLE OF PROPER USE OF “MORE THAN”:

The zoo has more than 10 monkeys.

EXAMPLE OF PROPER USE OF “OVER”:

The geese are flying over my house’s roof.

5. Confusion of “its” and “it’s”: “Its” refers to ownership, whereas “It’s” is a contraction for “It is.”

EXAMPLE OF PROPER USE OF “ITS”:

The cat drank its water.

EXAMPLE OF PROPER USE OF “IT’S”

It’s time to go to bed. (It’s is a contraction for “It is.”)

What are your favorite grammar snafus?

All opinions are my own and not those of my agency or the federal government as a whole. Follow me on Twitter: @JayKrasnow  To read more blogs on storytelling, communication and other related topics, visit Jay Krasnow’s blog, www.storymoose.com

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