Proofreading Service - Pain in the English
Proofreading Service - Pain in the English

Your Pain Is Our Pleasure

24-Hour Proofreading Service—We proofread your Google Docs or Microsoft Word files. We hate grammatical errors with a passion. Learn More

Proofreading Service - Pain in the English
Proofreading Service - Pain in the English

Your Pain Is Our Pleasure

24-Hour Proofreading Service—We proofread your Google Docs or Microsoft Word files. We hate grammatical errors with a passion. Learn More

Username

Jackbox

Member Since

March 27, 2011

Total number of comments

5

Total number of votes received

99

Bio

Latest Comments

“I’ve got” vs. “I have”

  • April 1, 2011, 4:38pm

RE: milamber

Ah, the two types of responders on comments boards: the curious arguer and the heroic, mensch who comes to save the day with "common sense' folksy wisdom! Thank you! Did John Lennon write "Working Class Hero" for you?

Look, I am sure we can all the play the game of who has the biggest credentials, the point is, this is a forum (at least I thought it was!) for people do discuss the vagaries of English usage. From on high you say "get a grip," but that suggests that language is somehow not open to friendly discussion about it's inconsistencies. I for one have found the chat (up until you chimed with your massive, engorged TESL creds) to be enlightening. Perhaps civility isn't the hallmark of the board? You sound EXACTLY like the respondents at Youtube or a hockey board.

“I’ve got” vs. “I have”

  • March 30, 2011, 2:17pm

Wow! everyone is so sure of themselves on here! FULL STOP indeed!

I think the most that can be said against "have got" is that it's redundant. It is not expressing anything unique about the reality of "having' a noun.

"I have a car"
"I have got a car"

The second sentence doesn't sound very elegant, but most take little issue with "I've got a car"

Notice how it sounds more reasonable than

"I've a car"

You really have to put emphasis on the contraction (when speaking) to make it sound correct to the listener. In fact, I wonder if American English speakers would hear this as anything other than someone trying to be pretentious.

So perhaps not a FULL STOP, but more of a ellipse?

It’s Official: email not e-mail

  • March 28, 2011, 8:34am

I think anytime (not any-time) a culture can eliminate a hyphen and create a sensible compound word, the language moves forward.

The swiftness of the change probably stems from the consensus rejection of "e mail" and which then led to folks finding the addition of a "-" tedious (except as an emoticon!).

The taller of her and...

  • March 27, 2011, 5:54pm

“Karen is the taller of her and Lin” = ".She is the taller of the two." NOT "Her ist the taller...: right?

"Karen is the taller of the two girls."
"Of her and Karen, Lin is the taller."

And, yes, the NOP sort of forces the move. Pronouns were supposed to make our lives easier! .

“I’ve got” vs. “I have”

  • March 27, 2011, 5:34pm

Just a thought: .

I have an ice cream cone = emphasis on possession only
I have got an ice cream cone = communicates that there was a transaction