Comments on: There’re?

By: Nathaniel

Nathaniel — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:15:59 +0000

In answer to an earlier question which I didn’t see answered (“is it acceptable in formal writing? On a final exam paper for an English class, for example?”, Crystal), contractions of any sort are almost never considered appropriate in formal writing. Good to note that they’re almost always preferable for dialogue.

By: Aussie

Aussie — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 05:02:30 +0000

Anything wrong with this?

“They’re going to the zoo, aren’t they? Yes, they’re.”

By: Myrrh

Myrrh — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 01:03:45 +0000

Outrageous! How rebellious! To use a harmless, innocuous, charming little contraction, a logical extension of an existing trend, it’s simply unacceptable! I’m sorry, but this constitutes an abuse of the English language.

By: Englishman

Englishman — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 02:50:34 +0000

It’s very very simple. If you wish to use correct English grammar, never ever use there’re.

Anyone that needs to justify the use of “there’re” in the English language, is only trying to cover up their own bad grammar.

By: Xunnamius

Xunnamius — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 07:23:52 +0000

Aww, my sarcastic “scratch” tags were removed from around the word “here.”

*sad (troll) face*

By: Xunnamius

Xunnamius — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 07:14:45 +0000

Well, “duh.” I’d be mortified if I happened upon *any* colloquial articulation in an otherwise professional piece of writing.

However, there is a simple worldly fact that many book-thumpers around here the globe love to forget: language is not defined by what is written in a book, nor is it defined by the stylistic “hijinks” of a painfully elitist group of grammar nazis (myself included).

That is not to say people like Sarah Palin can just make up new words whenever it piques their fancy.

By: Grammar Monster

Grammar Monster — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 21:55:53 +0000

“I’d've” is another example. As in:

“I think I’d've gone with the foie gras.”

By: Grammar Monster

Grammar Monster — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 21:55:06 +0000

“I’d've” is another example. As in:

“I think I’d've gone with the foie gras.

By: Gabriela

Gabriela — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:25:19 +0000

erratum: “… linguistic forms will be blotted out by more and more informal language features

By: Gabriela

Gabriela — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:24:27 +0000

erratum: “… otherwise appropriate linguistic forms will be blotted out by more and more informal language features (which always tend to be rather inaccurate)