Are You a Member of the allnurses.com Grammar Police?

Altra, BSN, RN · Jul 15, 2010

great thread! :up:

my nails-on-chalkboard moment for the day:

"you will be charge xxx ....."

it's charged. future perfect tense. please. i'm begging you.

NocturneRN · Jul 15, 2010

The one that bothers me the most is when someone says, "Where are you at"?
Also, I'm not sure it's really grammar, but saying, "My bad" makes people sound stupid! Can't they just say, "oops"?

Oh, that drives me crazy! I work with a nurse who says that about 10 times a shift. (MD: "Kelly, I ordered blood work and an IV for this patient half an hour ago, and no lab results are back yet." Kelly [who's been sitting at the desk boasting about her son's Little League prowess]: "Oh, that's because I haven't drawn it yet. My bad. Amanda, will you do me a favor and go draw this blood for me......?") :uhoh3:

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Jul 17, 2010

I notice a lot of typos here and elsewhere in my life...but then I go back, read some of my own posts, and realize how bad they sound. Double or triple that if I've posted while sleepy or mad or otherwise emotional, so I really try not to be the grammar/spelling police.

I do notice them, however. HIPPA and 'laying' being my two 'grrrr'-inducers too.

patientlywaitinagain · Jul 17, 2010

The English language is probably the hardest to master. There are too many rules and exceptions, especially with spelling.

And why do you call it building when it's already built?

And why do you call it driveway, when you park your car there, and inversely why a parkway when you drive your car there?

That's ok. I get revenge from confusing people with my "he", "she". From where I am originally from, we use only one pronoun for both genders.

WilburW · Jul 17, 2010

It's not one of the worst, but alot vs. a lot.

I had an 11th grade English teacher that used to have a cow with this one, "Alot is not a word in the English language. It is two words, a and lot. If you combine them into one word, you will fail." Yeah, that's not one that I will easily forget.

The one that bothers me the most is when someone says, "Where are you at"?
Also, I'm not sure it's really grammar, but saying, "My bad" makes people sound stupid! Can't they just say, "oops"?

To this day, if I make the mistake of asking my mother this question, her response is always "Behind the preposition at. Now son, how many times have I told you that you can't end a sentence with a proposition?"

1 of the things that irks me is not spelling out numbers before 10. :rolleyes: When I was in high school (seems like a hundred years ago) we were taught that you always spelled out one through nine as well as any number if it was the first word of a sentence.

It just seems like grammar and sentence structure is no longer being taught.

P.S., I absolutely hated English, and am so happy that when I did go to college in the late 80's, I passed both English I & II.

sharpeimom · Jul 17, 2010

yes, i am a proud member of the grammar police! i was an editor and proofreader before i switched to nursing, and am married to a college professor. hi, my name is kathy. i am a card carrying member of i'll edit until i drop dead

anonymous and i'm a life member. :eek:

i edit when my husband prepares something for publication, nursing journals, the daily paper, kleenex boxes, burrito wrappers, billboards etc. :uhoh3: :rolleyes:

sharpeimom · Jul 17, 2010

one of my peeves is "their" instead of "they're." in my hometown, many of the generation above mine say "clum" instead of "climbed."

not incorrect but sounds strange when my southern born spouse asks me where we keep the light globes?

(hint: in the same place we've kept them for 20 years. :rolleyes: )

Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2010

I have a very interesting grammar pet peeve. I hate it when a person uses the word "they" (or any form of it) in place of a SINGULAR PRONOUN.

Example:

If one of your patients has their blood sugar drop to 10, you should make them drink orange juice.

AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!! It was painful to type that.

"THEY" = plural, more than one! "No one," "anyone," "someone," etc. are all examples of SINGULAR nouns!

So, it should be "someone has HER panties in a knot," and NOT "someone has THEIR panties tied in a knot."

(And yeah, I know that someone would be CamaroNurse.)

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Jul 17, 2010

"THEY" = plural, more than one! "No one," "anyone," "someone," etc. are all examples of SINGULAR nouns!

"They" can be singular if the gender of the person is unknown. The Handbook of Non-Sexist Writing makes a very good case for it.

allnurses Guide · Jul 17, 2010

Well, :smackingf I'm guilty of the "alot" ....... My Bad....OOPS, didn't mean to say that either!

My peeve is advise vs. advice. One is a verb, one is a noun.

sharpeimom · Jul 17, 2010

"they" can be singular if the gender of the person is unknown. the handbook of non-sexist writing makes a very good case for it.

thanks! you beat me to it!!

Lucky0220 · Jul 17, 2010

I have a very interesting grammar pet peeve. I hate it when a person uses the word "they" (or any form of it) in place of a SINGULAR PRONOUN.
Example:
If one of your patients has their blood sugar drop to 10, you should make them drink orange juice.
AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!! It was painful to type that.
"THEY" = plural, more than one! "No one," "anyone," "someone," etc. are all examples of SINGULAR nouns!
So, it should be "someone has HER panties in a knot," and NOT "someone has THEIR panties tied in a knot."
(And yeah, I know that someone would be CamaroNurse.)

What about when someone says "theirself or theirselves", instead of herself or himself. I'm from NYC originally, but have lived in TX for 30 years. I could write a book!!!! (not to say that NYer's have perfect grammar, by any means.)