We always knew Wikipedia wasn't reliable...

I'm writing an article on freeganism and was doing some research on Wikipedia. ( I know...not the best place to do research, but it's a start.) While scanning the definition, I noticed that the period was placed outside the quotation mark at the end of the sentence. This is one of my biggest pet peeves. Unless you're British, keep your punctuation inside the quotes.

Here's a website with some of the other differences between American and British grammar. 

Advanced Planning

One of my friends updated her status on facebook this morning and I found myself a little confused at when her senate formal was. The misplaced modifier makes it sound like her formal is four years from now. 

This sentence would make more sense if it said, "is headed to Iowa City today to find a place to live for four years, then is going to the senate formal."

If this shirt was a guitar, I'd fine tune it.

I saw a magazines major wearing this shirt today. I honestly don't know how she could've walked into the store and bought this shirt without noticing the blatant lack of comma after the phrase "Come on." She must not have taken the editing class yet. 

Shout-Out

I was extremely impressed the other day while reading this article about Obama's first days in office in USA Today. The story was engaging, combining information on Obama's actions, as well as comparing his first days in office to those of other presidents. And it wasn't just another boring, political article. There are bullet points, pictures and charts, making it fun and interesting to read.

Exploding Cameras

I was searching on the internet for a new camera and came across this "Cannon." I'm assuming they meant "Canon," the brand of camera, instead of the weapon. Maybe it's a cheap knock-off.

A picture is worth 1,000 (wrong) words

I came across this picture in Time Magazine while researching the effects optimism has on a woman's lifespan. I was struck and a little disturbed by the picture. There's a difference between seeing the glass half full and laughing at a funeral. I thought the picture was a little insensitive, and the editor could've found a different and better way to show optimism. 

Click here to read the article. 

"Ans I Says to Her, I Says"

This is a police report comes from the Wauwatosa weekly newspaper. This is a very serious and disturbing report, but right smack in the middle there's a typo. Instead of the phrase "he pulled up again and asked her if she wanted to have sex," we get "ans  asked her." This kind of mistake of distracting and discredits the newspaper. 

Click here for funny police reports. 

Written in Paint

I knew that Drake Relays street painting would be a disaster for everything grammar. What would you expect when you give paint to a bunch of drunk business majors? 

I can't decide if they just forgot a letter, or a apostrophe. Either way, this square of shame will be displayed for all to see for a year.

Even Grammar Buffs Make Mistakes

Stuff like this just makes me laugh. The last facebook comment is a long explanation about why "I So Yummy" isn't correct grammar. (Read it, if you're not quite sure what's wrong with that sentence.) But in the midst of his explanation, he spelled the word "grammar" wrong.

Woops.

Why I'm a Bad Catholic

This comes from my church's mass song sheet. I could barely keep singing when I noticed a missing comma. The word "Mary" should be set off my commas, otherwise you can't tell the sentence is asking her something. 

Hold the rain for Relays

This comes from an informational letter about Drake's street painting for Relays. Check out the last bullet point. "Should it rain" isn't a question. It's a declarative statement, as in, "Should it rain, there will not be street painting."

There shouldn't be a question mark. Otherwise, my answer to the question is "no."

Check out the Relays website. We're going on 100 years!

Boy, that's a small car.

Notice anything slightly off about this article? The article is about small cars, and the picture shows a bug (and we're not talking the car). 

Read the entire article.

Rihanna should go to grammar rehab

I was listening to Rihanna's song "Rehab" today and something struck me as odd about the lyrics. 

The lyrics: "The only problem is that you was using me in a different way than I was using you."

It should be "that you were using me."

Here's an awesome website pointing out some other grammar mistakes in songs.

Urban Dictionary

I was doing some stupid facebook note where you look up your name on urban dictionary. While, I'd like to believe I'm a "shrine put on earth by God," I don't want to take credit as being the "most cutest." 

For a dictionary, the grammar isn't very good. 

Shout-Out

Visit drakemagazine.com.

If you want to see my own editing skills, check out the articles featured on the website. Not only are they really funny, but they're near-perfect in the grammar department. 

They won't be getting my money.

Check out what organization the money is going to: Kids for Hunger. 

Unless this a club of anorexics, the organization is wrong. It should be Kids Against Hunger.

Even Jesus Can't Save This Grammar

This is a pamphlet advertising InterVarsity's "Jesus, Justice and Poverty." The word "jesus" should have an apostrophe, making his involvement possessive. 

Way to give Christians a bad wrap...

Informality the headline of the day

There's nothing grammatically wrong with the last headline, but, as an editor, I have a problem with their use of the word 'guy.' It's too informal. I would've used the word 'man' or his last name. 

It's a cool story, though. Check it out.

Potty Talk

Every day I go to the bathroom in the journalism building and see the crap people write on the stall. This particular etching really bothers me.

It says: "The SAE's are hot. There shouldn't be an apostrophe. 

Maybe the compliment would be to use correct grammar.

Shout-Out

With all this talk of poor grammar, I wanted to take the time to acknowledge another grammar blog that I've been impressed with.

The Grammar Vandal has great and funny examples of grammar errors.

Check her out.

Look What the Wind Blew In- Misspellings

Halfway through the first paragraph the word "Because" is spelled wrong. Too bad wind energy can't power better editors.

Click here to see the website.

Politics Book

I found this sentence in my comparative politics book. 

"Like all communist regimes, China's struggles with the relationship between the party and state institutions."

I'm not quite sure what they're trying to say here. There's either some words missing at the end of this sentence, or China shouldn't be in a possessive form.

Here's a link to an article about bloopers made in President speeches.

African Food

This was a table topper in our cafeterias. The first statement is a question, but instead of inserting a question mark, they decided that ellipses might do. They also capitalized the word food, which isn't a proper noun.

RA email

This is just picky, but there should be a period after the word "e-mail" within the parenthesis. 

Auto Insurance

This pop-up really bothered me. They should all say "years old." They're talking about plural years. It just sounds wrong!

Perez Hilton

A link on perezhilton.com for a movie of Justin Timberlake performing on Jimmy Fallon was missing a letter. We know that Fallon is a witty guy, but I think it's supposed to say: "...with new host..."

Click here to see the video.

Drake Relays

I work in the library's digital department. I was paging through the library's Drake Relays archive and found this picture caption, in which "Relays" is spelled wrong.

Click here to go to the Drake Relays 100 Years website.

Click here to see Drake's online archives of the Relays. There's some really neat pictures that took me forever to scan. There's even old pictures of Jesse Jackson and Lolo Jones.

Stallseat Journal

I know this is for bathroom reading, but at least check the grammar.

This writer says: "Then the Drake chapter of the National Residence Hall Honorary (of which many of your RAs and myself belong to) votes on the winner."

Unless this person uses "I" in the beginning of that sentence, he or she shouldn't be using "myself." It should be "(of which many of your RAs and I belong to).

Shameful

I was applying for an internship at Milwaukee Magazine, but am now rethinking. Do I really want to work for a publication that can't even spell "intern" right?

Click here to see it.

Click here to view their website. I'm almost positive they have editors look over their articles.

You're going to regret that one.

What is that rule again? I before E except after C? 

Should be "Believe."

Click here to see other tattoos that make me cringe just looking at them.

Oh, Paris Hilton...

No one ever claimed Paris Hilton was a genius. Her shirt should say: "That's hot! You're not!"

Hilton should pay a little extra for some apostrophes to go with that shirt. 

Click here to order this T-shirt.

Here's a video of Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie saying "That's hot" a ridiculous amount of times.

Missing Comma

A recent book published by Bill Cosby. He should probably look into hiring new editors. This should say: "Come On, People." Otherwise, this book title is an innuendo.

Click here to buy this book.

Unnecessary Quotes

Local Des Moines bar. Apparently, they're hiring a "waitress." 

1. Hiring is spelled wrong. 

2. Are they looking for a waitress, or is this slang for something else? Sounds a little sketch...

Click here for more funny unnecessary quotes.

Facebook Comment

"I was looking through old photo's yesterday and made me miss you."

Should be: "I was looking through old photos yesterday and made me miss you."

AP Stylebook page 323: Apostrophe

-Yesterday, doesn't belong to photo.

-There should be no apostrophe. 

Personal Ad

Hey ladies, want a man that spends more time in front of mirrors than in an English class?

Dear Lord, I'm not quite sure what to say about this one.

Should be: "I was very stubborn, according to my parents, at my very tender age (still awkward), but everyone is surprised about my cooling down and my humbleness these days."

I'm going to look at his use of the phrase "this days."

Click here to see the whole personal ad.

Click here for more hilarious personal ads.

Valentine's Day

Just in case you can't read that, it says: "Happy Valetenis Day!"

Should be: "Happy Valentine's Day!"

Poor spelling aside, it's also missing an apostrophe.

Click here for more hilarious cake mistakes.

Poster about FAFSA

"Don't wait 'til April to file your FAFSA."

Should be: "Don't wait until April..."

AP Stylebook page 240: Till

-Till or until, but not 'til.

Seriously, don't wait! FAFSA is important. 

Click here to fill out the form.

England Street Sign

Birmingham, England recently dropped their use of apostrophes in street signs. Click here to see the article.

Should be: "St. Paul's Square."

Death Race Review

Should be: "...is that it's a very loose remake." Unless the remake didn't win, they mixed up some words.

Click here to see the review.

Click here to visit the movie site. It's a great movie. See it.

Sign to greet visitors of Tampa

"Welcome to Downtown Tampa: There's so many reasons to love it."

Should be: "There are so many reasons to love it."

Come on, even the fine people of Tampa must know that plural nouns need plural verbs.

Click here to read the whole article.

Click here for the Tampa Bay visitors' bureau.

Overheard Conversation

Girl: "Hi, I'm interested in joining this sorority."

Recruiter: "That's great. Was you in a sorority before?"

Should be: "Were you in a sorority before?"

Working with Words page 78: Subject-Verb Agreement

-Singular subject needs a singular verb.

-You is a singular subject, therefore, the verb were (singular) should be used.

Obama Wax figure article

Should be: "To mark the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th U.S. president Tuesday, Madame Tussaud's are letting U.S. passport holders in for free."

OK, forgetting the periods in U.S. sucks, but spelling the name of the museum is unforgivable. 

Click here to see the entire article.

Click here for more info on Madame Tussauds. 

English Class Syllabus

In a class syllabus (for an English class, no less): 

"If you're poem is up for workshop, you should critique it as though it were someone else's poem."

Should be: "If your poem is up for workshop, you should critique it as though it were someone else's poem."

Working with Words page 165: Confused Words

-You're is the contraction of you are. Your is the possessive of you.

-In this case, it should take on the possessive your. 

Yahoo! News Article

Click here to see the article. 

Should be: "...on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Va."

AP Stylebook says to use state abbreviations in conjunction with the name of a city, county, town or village. Since Virginia is listed with a city, it should be abbreviated.

Supermarket Sign

Shopping becomes unbearable for grammar freaks. Should be: "10 items or fewer." AP Stylebook says that you should use fewer for individual items and less for quantity. Since ten items are individual and can be counted, the word fewer should be used.