Grammarring!

For the love of God, does ANYONE know how to write anything anymore? I know I am not the expert on grammar matters, and I do probably get things wrong sometimes. HOWEVER, I don't make the silly mistakes that are PLAGUING "literature" (Dan Brown is not literature, get over it), "newspapers" (I'm especially looking at you Asshole (Fox) News and affiliates) and advertisements.

Let's begin Grammar 101!

Their/They're/ There

Okay, so the awful, evil English language decided to confuse the hell out of people by having three words sound the exact same. This is how the separate the scholars from the men/women.

THEIR
1. a form of the possessive case of they used as an attributive adjective, before a noun: their home; their rights as citizens; their departure for Rome.

THERE
[thair; unstressed ther] Show IPA
–adverb
1. in or at that place (opposed to here ): She is there now.
2. at that point in an action, speech, etc.: He stopped there for applause.
3. in that matter, particular, or respect: His anger was justified there.
4. into or to that place; thither: We went there last year.
5. (used by way of calling attention to something or someone): There they go.
6. in or at that place where you are: Well, hi there.
–pronoun
7. (used to introduce a sentence or clause in which the verb comes before its subject or has no complement): There is no hope.
8. that place: He comes from there, too.
9. that point.
–noun
10. that state or condition: I'll introduce you to her, but you're on your own from there on.
–adjective
11. (used for emphasis, esp. after a noun modified by a demonstrative adjective): Ask that man there.
–interjection
12. (used to express satisfaction, relief, encouragement, approval, consolation, etc.): There! It's done.


THEY'RE
They're is quite simply a contraction of THEY ARE. Not too hard.


Let's use all 3 in one sentence, shall we?

They're moving their house over there.

Translation:They are moving the house that they live in over to the place that I am pointing.


RANDOM APOSTROPHES

Okay, the world is out to get me with this one. Stop it. Apostrophes are like McDonald's burgers, they may look pretty, but only have them SPARINGLY and when NECESSARY.

Apostrophes imply OWNERSHIP of the item/items that are being listed after.
Apostrophe then an S is par for the course, unless the name or owner ends with an S, then you simply add the apostrophe.
GOOD
I am in awe of Natassia's awesomeness!
Bill Gates' head needs to be examined because Vista sucks.

BAD
Walk In's are welcome! (This is one I've seen around)
- NO. The Walk In's are not owning ANYTHING in this sentence. STOP IT!

THAN/ THEN

THAN
[than, then; unstressed thuhn, uhn] Show IPA
–conjunction (Conjunction Junction, what's your function?)
1. (used, as after comparative adjectives and adverbs, to introduce the second member of an unequal comparison): She's taller than I am.
2. (used after some adverbs and adjectives expressing choice or diversity, such as other, otherwise, else, anywhere, or different, to introduce an alternative or denote a difference in kind, place, style, identity, etc.): I had no choice other than that. You won't find such freedom anywhere else than in this country.
3. (used to introduce the rejected choice in expressions of preference): I'd rather walk than drive there.
4. except; other than: We had no choice than to return home.
5. when: We had barely arrived than we had to leave again.
–preposition
6. in relation to; by comparison with (usually fol. by a pronoun in the objective case): He is a person than whom I can imagine no one more courteous.

THEN
[then] Show IPA ,
Use then in a Sentence
–adverb
1. at that time: Prices were lower then.
2. immediately or soon afterward: The rain stopped and then started again.
3. next in order of time: We ate, then we started home.
4. at the same time: At first the water seemed blue, then gray.
5. next in order of place: Standing beside Charlie is my uncle, then my cousin, then my brother.
6. in addition; besides; also: I love my job, and then it pays so well.
7. in that case; as a consequence; in those circumstances: If you're sick, then you should stay in bed.
8. since that is so; as it appears; therefore: You have, then, found the mistake? You are leaving tonight then.

I'll use both in the same sentence, again.

"Then Bobby said, that Billy said, that Jenny said, that Kelly said, that you are so much better at grammar than Carla."

At that time Bobby said.........that you are more apt at grammar than Carla.

YOU'RE/ YOUR

YOUR
[yoor, yawr, yohr; unstressed yer] Show IPA
–pronoun
1. (a form of the possessive case of you used as an attributive adjective): Your jacket is in that closet. I like your idea. Compare yours.
2. one's (used to indicate that one belonging to oneself or to any person): The consulate is your best source of information. As you go down the hill, the library is on your left.
3. (used informally to indicate all members of a group, occupation, etc., or things of a particular type): Take your factory worker, for instance. Your power brakes don't need that much servicing.
Origin:

YOU'RE

Simply, it is a contraction of YOU ARE.

I'll use both again in ONE sentence.

"Your biggest problem is that you're not as awesome as I am"

It's funny that most of these grammar mistakes have to do with ownership, and that we are part of one of the most materialistic societies on earth, you'd think we'd learn how to own shit properly.

Yours in grammatical correctness,

Natassia