Oy! For the love of all things chocolate, please, please, please don’t let another day go by without committing this to memory. Share it with your friends! Tell your wife! Tell your kids! Three different words with three different meanings; learn the difference between the spelling and the usage.

Like everyone else, I have a few pet peeves, but none grate on my nerves more than grammatical errors. Grammar, for those of you who tucked all that up on the shelf next to your Algebra II/Trig and graphing calculators, is the rules that govern words, clauses and phrases in a given language. It also includes spelling and punctuation, the evil twins of Expository Writing.

 The fastest way to get your resume trashed, your email deleted or your proposal passed over? Grammatical errors.  It comes across as incompetent, thoughtless, and lackadaisical.  It says to me that while you took the time to spellcheck, you let Word clean up your sentences, too, instead of proofreading it yourself. 

I don’t know where this intolerance of improper grammar comes from! Honestly, I wasn’t rapped on the knuckles as a child for not knowing the difference between direct objects or proper use of et cetera versus exempli gratia (that’s a whole ‘nother post).   Misspelling of words that you should have mastered in third grade? That’s my nails on a chalkboard.  Using apostrophe’s like sprinkles on a cake? Ugh, kryptonite.  I just.can’t.stand.poor.grammar.

As my kids grow up, I continue to impart values and morals to them to help them be compassionate and respectful adults.  I will groom them to be upstanding individuals, forward thinkers, and well-rounded young ladies. 

But. . . . 

I will cut them out of the will in a New York minute if their grammar is atrocious! Learn proper grammar, if not for yourself, at least do it for Grandpa!

And yes, I did proof-read and spell-check this post.