Spelling and grammar
Sparkie, Steve, MK42! Thank you!
I have been trying gently for ages to make suggestions to improve readability. I had almost given up until I saw this thread.
I know most of us are highly skilled in controls, electrical, robots, et cetera. But if we make basic grammar or spelling mistakes in a report or letter to a co-worker (at whatever level and discipline he or she happens to be -- from management to janitor) or a public forum where literally anyone can read it, then our veracity or intelligence may also be doubted.
On a break in the near future, I am going to add a post with some of the very common and very avoidable ones, hoping that others may chip in and share, and we can all learn from it. Any questions about
why, I'll be glad to give my input.
******************************************
Some of the most common ones:
YOUR / YOU'RE
The contraction of
you are versus the possessive form of
you.
You're going to be fixing
your machine tomorrow.
ITS / IT'S
The possessive form of
it is
its.
It's means
it is.
It's satisfying to see a machine working on
its own.
THEN / THAN
Then is for time sequences,
than is for comparisons.
More
than, less
than, rather
than, etc.
I'd rather do it right
than do it twice. (I don't want to do it twice)
I'd rather do it right
then do it twice. (So I'll do it three times?)
HAVE / OF
Would
have, should
have, might have, etc.
The common contraction
've (e.g. should've) sounds like
of, but is never written
of.
PLURALS
Apostrophes are only for making contractions and showing possession, never for making words plural.
A LOT / ALLOT / ALOT
There is no such word as "alot" [sic].
I am going to
allot some time reading to see if
a lot of you have learned this.
For a fun discourse on grammar, look up and watch Weird Al Yankovic's
Word Crimes.