There were 15 mistakes in this post as it appeared on social media… how many did you find?
All of the mistakes are in red. Just hover or tap on them to see the correction. Here’s the post:
Would you pay $5 to fix the embarrassing mistakes you’ve been unknowingly making you’reYou're means you are, so the correct word is your. Contractions are tricky for lots of people! Just undo them and repeat the sentence. entire life? I spent four years studying and documenting the most common mistakes we all make when speaking and writing. And there’sThere's means there is, so it should say there are. Using there's incorrectly is such a common mistake, and there's (there is) more on this in the book. lots of them! Whether it’s applying for your dream job or posting on a dating site in search of your dream date, you don’t want someone to judge you for making stupid mistakes……Mistakes should be followed by only 3 dots... it's called an ellipsis. Please... never use more than three! but they will!
It all started with reading comments on social media. The number of mistakes I saw – expeciallyI hear lots of people say this. The correct word is especially. Ex-specially doesn't mean extra special! in rants on political posts – led me to repeatedly say, “I wish people would smarten the f*ck up!” (That’s where the title came from.) Of course, I was only referring to their grammar! 😉 Just after I committed to the title, a friend said, “If I wasUsing was vs. were: The correct word is were. There's a simple rule for this in the book. You'll never make this mistake again! 😉 you, I’d change the title,” but I spent four years making this comment as I read the stupid things people said, so it kind of stuck with me.
After feeling hopeless for a while, I decided I should help. I started documenting the common mistakes I read and defining simple ways for people to remember them. I also translated the grammar-related mistakes from grammar-nerd language into simple terms, so the average person – like me – could finally understand them. I also included a cool tip or two on things Miriam Webster includes in it’sIt's always means it is, so this should be its (no apostrophe) , which is the possessive form meaning it belongs to Miriam Webster. Always undo the contraction and you'll never be wrong! dictionary.
Most people can’t reconizeI recon you've heard this one before. Recognize is the correct word... with a g. Don't sound like a hick! their own mistakes, and they don’t have a friend who would help them. As I often say… “Friends will tell us when we have toilet paper stuck to our shoe, or food stuck in our teeth, but most of us don’t have a friend who points out the embarrassing things we say. This book is that friend!”
I sent a free copy to a test reader, who responded with, “Thanks for sending a copy to my husband and myself!Me is the correct word to use here. Saying my husband and I is also wrong. There's a super simple rule for this in the book. Read it and you'll never make this mistake again! I promise.” She obviously hadn’t read the book. I guess I could ofShould of, would of, and could of, are all wrong! This should be could have. There's a full chapter on this, so read it and stop sounding like a 3rd grader! just let it go, but I have too many friends who make these mistakes so this is my way of helping without having to call them out. It’s my passive-aggressive approach to offering my support. 😉
If you have family or friends who’sWho's always means who is, so whose - the possessive form, meaning it's their grammar - is the correct word grammar could use a nudge in the right direction, this book makes a great gift. And it’s much less expensive thenThis is a very common mistake... it's than. Again, there's a very simple rule in the book! buying them jewleryThe correct word (and pronunciation) is jewelry... jewel-ry. Sure, it takes some getting used to if you've always said it wrong... which many people do. 😉!
If I said I could care lessThe correct phrase is I couldn't care less... think about it! I could not care less. Or read the book for a simple explanation. if you buy this book, I’d be lying. I really hope you do, because when it comes to common mistakes, this book will definitely help you find your’sThe correct word is yours. There's never an apostrophe in yours, theirs, hers, ours. They're called possessive pronouns, but it's easier to understand in the book. . And paying just 5 bucks (for the Kindle version) is a small price to pay to make yourself seem smarter than the average person! Don’t you agree?
P.S. Someone said I should have included lessAnother very common mistake! This should be fewer, although most grocery store speed lines still get it wrong. Again, there's a super simple rule in the book. mistakes in this exercise. I immediately shook my head and included their comment!
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The full, simple explanation of each mistake is in the book. Get a copy to better understand each of these, and hundreds more! (Yes, there are that many.)
Congratulations if you found them all!
If not, you may want to consider buying this book. 😉
I want to be clear… this book is not for everyone! Yes, you’ll learn a lot. And you’ll have a few laughs, too, but…
Although it was written to be both informative and entertaining, it has my sometimes-offbeat sense of humor, a bit of sarcasm, a touch of crudeness, a dose of politics, a little cursing here and there, an occasional expression of humanity, along with a tongue-in-cheek irreverence toward grammar nerds. You’ll also see an occasional rant… just for the sake of entertainment, of course.
If you’re still interested, you can get an autographed copy here, or buy it on Amazon.
The Best Friends/Couples Package is the most popular choice! (get it here)
It includes two autographed, first edition paperback books, and here’s how it works:
As you read the book you’ll begin to notice the mistakes of others – especially your best friend or spouse. Although correcting them isn’t the best idea, it happens. So instead of pissing them off, why not go through it together?
People who share this experience not only learn more, they build a closer relationship. (Trust me on this one… my wife and I shared this experience as I wrote this book, and we’re still married!) And couples that grow together, crow together! As you both learn to fix your own mistakes, you’ll grow closer as you both crow about the mistakes of others. It’s truly a bonding experience!