Spelling Errors: Stupid? Lazy? Or A-OK?

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by Betty

You're sick.

Yes, sadly, I am.

Originally Posted by JWBear

I've gotten over the fact that "whom" has all but disappeared from the English language.

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

I am one of the five last remaining users of "whom."

I often wished I understood the proper usage of "whom" - it is one that I seem to not be able to properly grasp.

Originally Posted by JWBear

...as does the omission of the final comma in a series.

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

I don't believe leaving out the final comma in a series is incorrect in the least.

Either way is considered correct.

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

My constant mistake is it's and its, and I'm constantly proofreading for that and finding I've mistyped it yet again.

Somebody (possibly someone on this board, but I cannot recall) taught me this quick reference: any time you are going to use "its" or "it's", test the sentence by using "it is." If "it is" works, then use the contraction "it's." If it doesn't work, use "its."

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

I often wished I understood the proper usage of "whom" - it is one that I seem to not be able to properly grasp.

That's ok, the OED has acknowledged that whom has disappeared from spoken English.

But if you remember to use it when following a preposition ("to whom shall I deliver the letter", "before whom must I bow", "upon whom did the porn star ejaculate copiously") then you'll understand it better than 95% of the population.

[JWBear]

Originally Posted by Alex

The Oxford or serial comma is completely a choice of style...

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

Either way is considered correct.

I simply don't agree. Every writing class I have ever taken taught that it is proper usage to include it. The practice of omitting it was started by newspapers in order to save space.

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

I often wished I understood the proper usage of "whom" - it is one that I seem to not be able to properly grasp.

Use "whom" when referring to the object of a sentence, and "who" when it is the subject.

"Who was given the book?" (Subject)

"The book was given to whom?" (Object)

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

Somebody (possibly someone on this board, but I cannot recall) taught me this quick reference: any time you are going to use "its" or "it's", test the sentence by using "it is." If "it is" works, then use the contraction "it's." If it doesn't work, use "its."

Remember that possessive pronouns have no apostrophes, and contractions always do.

its, whose, his, hers, theirs = possessive

it's, who's, that's, what's, he's, she's, etc = contraction

[Alex]

Originally Posted by JWBear

Every writing class I have ever taken taught that it is proper usage to include it. The practice of omitting it was started by newspapers in order to save space.

Here's a good presentation of the argument against, one that is accepted by many English speaking countries and the majority of American non-academic styleguides (which, as you suggest, are primarily newspapers and magazines).

Personally, I use the serial comma, but I agree with the con argument that 90%+ of the time it serves no functional purpose and so to the extent that a rule is needed it should be simply that the comma is mandatory only when its use eliminates ambiguity.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by JWBear

I simply don't agree. Every writing class I have ever taken taught that it is proper usage to include it.

Whereas my college courses taught that either was correct.

Ironically, I use (and prefer) the serial comma.

[Not Afraid]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

Somebody (possibly someone on this board, but I cannot recall) taught me this quick reference: any time you are going to use "its" or "it's", test the sentence by using "it is." If "it is" works, then use the contraction "it's." If it doesn't work, use "its."

If only I could remember this. I am constantly getting this wrong and I've tried to get a good pneumonic device to help me out, but to no avail.

[Strangler Lewis]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

If only I could remember this. I am constantly getting this wrong and I've tried to get a good pneumonic device to help me out, but to no avail.

I'm sorry, but . . . bammo!

At least you didn't say "pneumatic device." That would have been quotable.