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In reply to the discussion: Lose vs Loose [View all]

MANative

(4,105 posts)
29. This is a topic upon which I could rant for weeks on end.
Sat Nov 10, 2012, 06:47 PM
Nov 2012

But I won't; I'll just do the short version.

I serve as a volunteer editor for an amateur writers' website and correct this kind of error day in and day out. I even started writing a weekly tips column to cover some of the most egregious errors which writers were making over and over again, even after having been corrected (with detailed explanations) multiple times for the same mistake. I know that there are some people who have real learning disabilities which make these rules difficult to learn, but there are many for whom the constant errors are the result of intellectual laziness and lack of attention to detail. Apart from incorrect use of commas and semicolons, the most common errors are homonym/homophone word choice screw-ups. Drives me up a tree when people won't do the simple task of looking things up for correct usage when they are unsure. Proofreading is your readers' best friend.

Here's a great resource for writing and punctuation information: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

Lose vs Loose [View all] danimich1 Nov 2012 OP
I'm loost InsultComicDog Nov 2012 #1
Lose the Kraken! Science Geek Nov 2012 #63
KICKED!! NMDemDist2 Nov 2012 #2
"The election is ours to lose" or "the election is too loose" or "The election is ours, Toulouse" Voice for Peace Nov 2012 #51
Thank you.. barnabas63 Nov 2012 #3
To which I respond Ghoti intaglio Nov 2012 #4
Do you lagh your ghoti in newspaper? Bucky Nov 2012 #8
Context tells me it's "wrap"... Iggo Nov 2012 #60
L as in Colonel, GH as in Hiccough Bucky Nov 2012 #65
Nice! Iggo Nov 2012 #69
ghoti = fish ailsagirl Nov 2012 #46
Your right. To many peopel make this mistake and its greating on my nerves. Bucky Nov 2012 #5
lol 2pooped2pop Nov 2012 #15
I seen it. nt Voice for Peace Nov 2012 #52
Next up, cloudbase Nov 2012 #6
I suck at apostrophes. nt justiceischeap Nov 2012 #9
apostrophe's what? polmaven Nov 2012 #38
It's the plural apostrophe that boggles, it's inconsistencies and horses' asses. Voice for Peace Nov 2012 #53
The one I hate is lightening instead of lightning. hobbit709 Nov 2012 #7
I got into an argument with a web site client over this exact error demwing Nov 2012 #36
I am so glad you posted this. RebelOne Nov 2012 #10
For those who have problems with usage errors..... prairierose Nov 2012 #11
Which reminds me of a homemade tattoo that a former neighbor had. Arkansas Granny Nov 2012 #12
No! Mnemosyne Nov 2012 #16
I herd it usually happens when people our tired. notadmblnd Nov 2012 #13
terrific, someone else here just to grade papers? n/t 2pooped2pop Nov 2012 #14
Me. I teach ESOL. I'm tough and old school. CTyankee Nov 2012 #32
well, since I'm not in school, I prefer not to have my papers graded. 2pooped2pop Nov 2012 #35
well, nobody is naming names here. We're just making a point about literacy in our mother tongue. CTyankee Nov 2012 #37
Those sort of mis-spellings get under my skin too Homer Wells Nov 2012 #17
My pet peeve is there, they're, and their MiniMe Nov 2012 #18
And how about lead v. led. ananda Nov 2012 #19
and "rein" vs. "reign" dixiegrrrrl Nov 2012 #42
Write the word "misled" on a card then ask people to pronounce it... Science Geek Nov 2012 #59
Mostly people with learning disabilities likely. nt Quixote1818 Nov 2012 #20
Loose for lose is never going away, neither is using 's for an s for plurals cherish44 Nov 2012 #21
Good luck with this onenote Nov 2012 #22
A few to add... Science Geek Nov 2012 #23
irregardless notadmblnd Nov 2012 #25
You forgot a very common one - advice vs advise kath Nov 2012 #39
I'm an English Major and have been corrected on this in the past. I think it comes from faulty Whovian Nov 2012 #24
also "Lou's" and "loos" are easy to confuse struggle4progress Nov 2012 #26
Grammar is the difference rateyes Nov 2012 #27
Haha! Not quite a DUzY but very, very close! Thanks! - n/t coalition_unwilling Nov 2012 #44
Their doing that alot jberryhill Nov 2012 #28
This is a topic upon which I could rant for weeks on end. MANative Nov 2012 #29
For some, using proper spelling and grammar is a hard road to hoe... n/t cherokeeprogressive Nov 2012 #30
The problem is "choose" demwing Nov 2012 #31
THANK you! Zoeisright Nov 2012 #33
Agree with your "your" example, but I don't really think the others are so bad. I actually like CTyankee Nov 2012 #40
Don't get me stated on... Science Geek Nov 2012 #50
I think we may eventually lose our 3rd person singular in the present tense. CTyankee Nov 2012 #34
THANK YOU!!!! KauaiK Nov 2012 #41
I rant when I see polmaven Nov 2012 #43
When I read a sentence, I look for the intent of the writer. People make simple mistakes with words, bluestate10 Nov 2012 #45
I think this thread needs an appropiate tune... adirondacker Nov 2012 #47
Threw or through? jp11 Nov 2012 #48
Fast food restaurants... Science Geek Nov 2012 #54
Realtor and realty t UtahLib Nov 2012 #49
Splatter for spatter... Science Geek Nov 2012 #58
I have no ideal what your talking about. n/t reflection Nov 2012 #55
Worse than all of the above: then vs. than WhaTHellsgoingonhere Nov 2012 #56
Many here have a lot to learn. Keep in mind that a lot of people are Dyslexic Quixote1818 Nov 2012 #57
Flannery O'Connor and William Faulkner--Notice the way their characters janx Nov 2012 #61
Nauseous versus nauseated-- janx Nov 2012 #62
emesis often leads to emeses. Science Geek Nov 2012 #66
These refer to the difference between janx Nov 2012 #72
Here's a website for everyone: Nedsdag Nov 2012 #64
Yes there are a lot of other errors danimich1 Nov 2012 #67
It's everywhere and is a sign of how badly our education system has gone down quinnox Nov 2012 #68
I teach college writing, and I can tell you that janx Nov 2012 #73
loose rhymes with goose dooner Nov 2012 #70
Funny how you can say prick your finger on the radio, but you can't say finger your prick. 1620rock Nov 2012 #71
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