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Mocking Poor Grammar
Since 2007

A noun that is formed from a verb and which describes an action. In English it ends in -ing, eg 'the baking of bread' and 'Smoking damages your health'.

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1. Whenever someone would bring up anything about the more confusing aspects of the English language, citing things like “you’re” and “your”, my old boss would invariably cite “through” and “thru” as an example of the same thing.I tried to explain to him that they’re really both the same word, but he was convinced they had different meanings.The only reason I can see for using it is to save space on your “Drive Thru” sign, which is still highly questionable.

   Comment by Jason — 10th January, 2008 @ 6:11 pm

2. It’s not a “marketing spelling.” It’s been around since about 1900 and was used by the Chigaco Tribune. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage calls it “nothing less than standard.”

   Comment by Anonymous — 10th January, 2008 @ 6:59 pm

3. I’m aware of the Chicago Tribune origin. I’m still happy with my description of thru as a marketing spelling as that is the most common use these days.Nothing less than standard? Merriam-Webster do like a giggle don’t they?

   Comment by Gez — 10th January, 2008 @ 7:17 pm

4. Gez, you might want to trademark that last sentence. In any case, I’ll credit you with it whenever I use it. Anonymous, if you’re American, let me introduce you to a little book called the American Heritage(R) Book of English Usage at Bartley dot com.

   Comment by rpmason — 10th January, 2008 @ 11:01 pm

5. The Concise OED has ‘thru’ as ‘chiefly American, informal’. It doesn’t, however, have an entry for ‘nu’ (except one on the Greek letter of the same name…)

   Comment by JD — 11th January, 2008 @ 12:12 pm

6. I’m inclined to approach this on a case by case basis. While I’d gasp and faint if I saw it in any piece that landed on my editorial desk, I actually think “drive thru” is okay. Maybe I’m just too used to seeing it.

   Comment by Mighty Red Pen — 11th January, 2008 @ 2:49 pm

7. Even my politics lecturer uses it! Admittedly she is American but it still grates on me.

   Comment by Grammar King — 11th January, 2008 @ 5:53 pm

8. rpmason, OK… the American Heritage Book of English Usage at Bartley dot com has nothing to say about “thru”. The Columbia Guide to Standard American English says it’s “rarely been questioned seriously in Informal use”, and the American Heritage Dictionary says “Informal”.

   Comment by Anonymous — 11th January, 2008 @ 6:20 pm

9. I agree with mighty red pen. I will also say that errors that are more horrific than “thru” have landed on my editorial desk (and most of my writers are M.D.s).

   Comment by laura — 11th January, 2008 @ 9:51 pm

10. Anonymous, are you deliberately being inconsistent with your closing quotation marks and full-stop placements? If so, well played; I noticed and it got to me.This is assuming anonymous and anonymous are not two people.

    Comment by Gez — 29th January, 2008 @ 7:51 pm

11. No, I wasn’t deliberately being inconsistent, and I hope my inconsistency won’t detract from my point.

    Comment by Anonymous — 8th February, 2008 @ 10:19 pm

12. Be assured: I do not think less of your point due to your punctuation inconsistancies.

    Comment by Gez — 9th February, 2008 @ 12:11 am

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