photo credit: ellievanhoutte
In my career as an Administrative Assistant, I’ve seen some grammar mistakes that are fairly common: its vs. it’s, they’re vs. their, to vs. too. One mistake that I see all too frequently has always puzzled me. Perspective vs. Prospective.
This seems to be a fairly common mistake, and not just among the uneducated or those for whom English is their first language. One of my bosses had a Masters degree and was one of the most educated and articulate persons I’ve ever known, and he made mistakes using perspective and prospective.
Actually, I’ve never seen anyone use prospective when they mean perspective. The common error is to use perspective when they mean prospective. I see it on the internet, in business writing, and have even seen it in magazine articles.
So here’s the dish on using the words Prospective and Perspective properly (don’t you just love alliteration):
So, next time your boss gives you a letter to proof and you see him use the term “perspective client” or anyother inaccurate use of the word perspective, correct it and give it back to him.
What other words do you regularly see used incorrectly that just drive you crazy?
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It makes me crazy when someone uses the word irregardless! It is regardless, the ir is redundant.
Oh, me too. I used to fight with my mother about that one all the time.
When I was a kid, my second grade teacher would line us up at the door before recess, and not let us leave until we could correctly pronouce “jewelry,” “performance,” and “library” (instead of jew-luh-ry, pre-formance, and li-bary). I have always appreciated that!
Too bad she didn’t make us spell pronounce each day too…
My second grade teacher was also a stickler for pronunciation. She impressed on all of us that we are judged by how well we speak.
Thanks, Mrs. Crosby, for teaching us that lesson!
HA! I’m in the same boat. My 2nd grade teacher was huge on the correct pronouciation on my words. Too bad she was keen on my speling.
Back in my schooldays, there was much more emphasis on grammar and pronunciation.
What drives me nearly around the bend? Businessmen using “myself” as an alternative for “I” or “me.”
http://www.turnerink.co.uk/copywriting-blog/abusing-myself-understanding-the-first-person-singular/
Ohhh…another one that makes me crazy. Thanks for the link! It’s a good explanation of using (or not as the case may be) myself.
I don’t know, I’ve never really been all that annoyed by someone’s use of punctuation and grammar. Just never really bothers me to see those kinds of mistakes, or course, I certainly make the same mistakes as well.
The main problem is using the wrong grammar in a business setting. It can reflect on the company itself if employees can’t use the language properly.
my teacher impressed on all of us that we are judged by how well we speak. Mrs. Crosby, thanks, for teaching us that lesson!
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