[Main][Grammar
Glossary]
[Punctuation
Glossary]
Alot/A
lot
"Alot" is
simply not correct. No
such word exists. Go with "a
lot" when
you must. It is generally
preferred to use "many" or
some other adjective rather
than a lot.
Any-/Every-/Some-/
/-one/-body
Each
of these pronouns is singular.
Remember to stick with
singulars for singular
pronouns.
Someone forgot
to pay his bill.
NOT: Someone forgot
to pay their bill.
There is only one person
in question, so how can
you use their? Their signifies
multiple people, and you
clearly only mean one.
An
easy way to remember: someONE,
no ONE, anyBODY, anyONE.
These are each singular
pronouns and should remain
with singulars.
It’s/Its
The
confusion arises over the
fact that when we make
a proper noun possessive,
we add an apostrophe and
an s. Remember to put its in
a league with his,
hers and theirs, and
you have it.
It’s
(it is) correct.
Its
house burned down.
That/Which
-
If
you can drop the clause
and not lose the point
of the sentence, use which.
If you can’t,
use that.
-
A which clause
goes inside commas. A that clause
doesn’t.
Buster’s
bulldog, which
had one white ear,
won best in show. (non-essential
info)
The
dog that
won best in show was
Buster’s
bulldog. (essential info)
There/Their/They’re
-
"There" means "in
or at that place."
-
"Their" is
a possessive pronoun
showing ownership.
-
"They’re" is
a contraction meaning they
are.
They’re
going to get their dog
from over there.
To/Too/Two
She
wants to get two dogs,
too.
Who/Whom
Who does
something. Whom has
something done to it. (See
direct and indirect objects.)
Who’s/Whose
-
Who’s
means who
is.
-
Whose is
possessive.
If
you can substitute who
is, use who’s.
Who’s
(who is) there?
Correct:
Whose dog is this?
Incorrect:
(Who is) dog is this?
You’re/Your
You
are (you’re)
smart. Your dog is smart. |
