# Most common typo/bad spelling/grammar on the web? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 31, 2001, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319 "2001-07-31T08:42:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Spritle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Spritle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spritle)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/41 "2001-08-01T20:54:14Z")
I don’t have a problem with typos that may be accidental. Fast typing has resulted in many a “teh” for me. Also, for some unknown reason, I often type apostrophes outside of their appropriate location (didnt’). It’s not that I don’t know how to do so correctly; it’s a result of speed typing. Where I do have a problem is incorrect word placement or usage. One that bothers me is when people use “that” when they should use “who”. To whit: “Many people were invited to my party, and those **that** came had a great time.” And don’t get me started on the “who” or “whom” thing. I’ll second (or third) the “allot/a lot” thing. It’s a matter of knowing the correct word. (same with the “should of”) On losing ground to “popular usage” I present this: I was taught that it is not appropriate to say, “I feel nauseous”; the correct phrase is, “I feel nauseated.” That is “nauseous” has the same effect as “noxious” or “poisonous” – it is an adjective. Now, I read in my dictionary (Webster, btw), > [@](#): > > **nauseous** – 1: Causing nausea or disgust : NAUSEATING > 2: Affected with nausea or disgust > _ **usage** _: Those who insist that _nauseous_ can properly be used only in sense 1 are in error. Current evidence shows these facts: _nauseous_ is most frequently used to mean physically affected with nausea; extended use is quite a bit less frequent. Use of _nauseous_ in sense 1 is much more often figurative than literal, but this use appears to be losing ground to _nauseating_. There seems to be little use of _nauseated_ except by those who prescribe it in place of _nauseous_”. Is this to say that since it’s popular it’s OK? As I told my students, “Please don’t write the way you speak.” ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/42 "2001-08-02T00:38:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jadis \* > **I tried in vain to explain the difference (in general, affect is a verb and effect is a noun).** My US History teacher said she taught English for 3 or 4 years before switching to history. In the overhead notes she gave us, she would always write “effected” when she meant “affected.” It drove me nuts! Also, I agree with **Spritle** on the who/that mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Shiva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shiva)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/43 "2001-08-02T01:01:14Z")
Ok, lets (no wait, that should be let’s) see how you score: [http://www.theatlantic.com/unbound/wordpolice/one/](http://www.theatlantic.com/unbound/wordpolice/one/) Grammar and spelling aside, the most common typo would probably involve the letters ‘o’ and ‘p’. Damn pinky fingers. ---
**Author:** ![Danimal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Danimal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danimal)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/44 "2001-08-02T14:41:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Otto \* > “Cum” is used pretty much exclusively in pornography, as in “his cum spattered my chest.” So I guess we know what sort of websites YOU’RE frequenting! > > It’s used in offline porn too, and I’ve always felt it’s a useful construction, better than turning “come” into a noun. But if on the off chance you’re not surfing the pornsites, then yeah, I agree it’s a nasty use of “cum” but I think perhaps it’s a (gross) style choice instead of a “typo.” \*\* Yeah, I’m talking about “cum” in its sexual meaning. I hate it as a noun, and I hate it as a verb. The verb is “come,” the noun is “semen,” thank you very much. I plead the Fifth Amendment as to where I’ve seen it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Godfrey\_Daniels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Godfrey\_Daniels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godfrey_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/45 "2001-08-02T15:48:22Z")
> [@](#): > > According to Merriam Webster, “orientated” is a recognised form of “oriented.” Thanks, Fire…now my world is completely crushed…😃 ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/46 "2001-08-02T17:56:04Z")
“Websight” for “website” seems to be a fairly common error. (Also “copywrite” for “copyright”) What I find amusing is that when I misspell a word in a Google search, often I still get hundreds of matches. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/47 "2001-08-02T19:20:57Z")
> [@](#): > > Using an apostrophe here is fine if the intent is to say that the parades of or belonging to the city are boring. Then the word is possessive, and does need an apostrophe. In English, we can swing both ways with this sentence. You could say, “Anaheim pride parades are boring.” In this case “Anaheim” becomes a kind of adjective, I guess, and is not a noun that can own things like parades. No, see, it put the apostrophe in “parades.” And I don’t care how one parses it, I will go to my GRAVE battling against the fool idea that “parade’s” is the plural of “parade.” > [@](#): > > “semen,” thank you very much. Yeah, that what I usually say when…never mind. ---
**Author:** ![caircair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@caircair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caircair)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/48 "2001-08-03T01:46:17Z")
One of my biggest pet peeves is Ensure vs. Insure vs. Assure. I keep trying to tell people you can’t INSURE something is correct without paying a premium – you want to ENSURE it’s right. Assure is usually ok, but the first two are constantly switched. Apostrophies are a pain – you’re vs. your, it’s vs. its, etc. In fact, I’ll second all the previous references. In my opinion, spell check is the leading cause of MIS-spellings today. (Just because it’s a word doesn’t mean you used the one you wanted!) ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/49 "2001-08-03T02:39:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by chilidogg \* > \*\*. > I may catch some flack for one that’s always bugged me, but I truly believe the word is ‘oriented’, not ‘orientated’. > Someone please tell me I’m not wrong on that… > \*\* FWIW, **Chilidogg** (and **WEW** and **FireUnderpantsBoobs** , I live in Australia, and had never heard the word “oriented” until I saw it on television once. Everyone I know pronounces it “orientated”. Therefore, I would guess that it is a regional thing. Much like aluminum vs. aluminium. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/50 "2001-08-03T02:41:09Z")
Oh, the joys of forgetting to close the brackets. Here’s the missing piece, just pretend it’s in the above post, following “FireUnderpantsBoobs”. ) ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/51 "2001-08-03T03:07:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by caircair \* > **One of my biggest pet peeves is Ensure vs. Insure vs. Assure. I keep trying to tell people you can’t INSURE something is correct without paying a premium – you want to ENSURE it’s right. Assure is usually ok, but the first two are constantly switched.** Sorry, **caircair** , but according to good ol’ Merriam Webster again… Main Entry: \*\*in·sure \*\* Pronunciation: in-'shur Function: verb Inflected Form(s): in·sured; in·sur·ing **Etymology:** Middle English, **to assure** , probably alteration of assuren Date: 1635 _transitive senses_ 1 : to provide or obtain insurance on or for 2 : to make certain especially by taking necessary measures and precautions _intransitive senses_: to contract to give or take insurance \*\*synonym see ENSURE \*\* A lot of the ones mentioned above are annoying to me, as well, but my biggest pet peeve is the **then / than** thing. It drives me up a wall when I see those words misused and I have to struggle mightily not to correct it every time I see it. The other one that’s like fingernails on a chalkboard to me is “all **the** sudden.” It’s “all **of a** sudden.” * * * Jeg elsker dig, Thomas ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/52 "2001-08-03T03:10:50Z")
**It’s** instead of **its** : the worst of all and certainly the most frequent. **Loose** instead of **lose** is a close second. For _loose_ as a verb, I always quote the Battle Hymn of the Republic: “He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword.” Third worst and weirdly frequent these days is **where** instead of **were**. How can people keep sticking the h in there for no reason? I’ve said I will puke if I see one more person write **Semetic** — it looks like “emetic.” FYI, the real spelling is **Semitic**. **Croation** happens a lot, but people’s fingers have a long-ingrained habit of typing many words that end in -ation, so one little word that ends in -atian is just asking to be misspelled. As for the possessive in -'s: It descends from the Old English genitive that ended with plain old -s (at least in some genders & declensions). Doesn’t the German neuter still have a genitive in -s? The genitive ending with -s goes all the way back to Proto-Indo-European. The apostrophe for non-pronouns got inserted in (I think) the sixteenth century, when Modern English was new. Somehow, literate folks (who knew not ye historie of Old English) analyzed it as a contraction of “his” and for a while they took to writing out “his” in full. For example: “the King his horse” instead of “the Kings horse.” An Elizabethan tune of the Fitzwilliam Virginal Booke type might be headed either “My Lady Marys Dumpe” or “My Lady Mary Her Dumpe”. (Obviously, the theorie of contracted “his” broke downe when it came to the feminine pronoune). Anyway, that must be how the apostrophe got in there: the genitive -s that had been in English from the earliest times got mistaken for a contraction. This also explains why the apostrophe didn’t get into genitive pronouns (his, hers, its), and why millions of semiliterates are confus’d today. ---
**Author:** ![Spritle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Spritle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spritle)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/53 "2001-08-03T12:07:44Z")
good/well I need not say more. ---
**Author:** ![Godfrey\_Daniels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Godfrey\_Daniels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godfrey_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/54 "2001-08-03T16:12:46Z")
_orginally posted by cazzle_ FWIW, Chilidogg (and WEW and FireUnderpantsBoobs), I live in Australia, and had never heard the word “oriented” until I saw it on television once. Everyone I know pronounces it “orientated”. Therefore, I would guess that it is a regional thing. Much like aluminum vs. aluminium. Hey! I asked for someone to tell me I _wasn’t_wrong!😛 ok, ok…Webster’s Ninth says this, nationalities/colloquialisms aside: orientate - to face or turn to the east orient - 1 a: to cause to face or point toward the east; b: to set or arrange in any determinate position esp. in relation to the points of the compass; c: to ascertain the bearings of 2 a: to set right by adjusting to facts or principles b: _to acquaint with the existing situation or environment_ 3: to direct toward the interests of a particular group 4: to cause the axes of molecules to assume the same direction. I don’t really want to nitpick this to death, and as long as we understand one another, it’s not very important. It’s just a little thing that bugs me, and I’ll have to live with it. It kind of fits in there with the way people say “relator” instead of realtor, and “nucular” rather than nuclear. Oh, well… ---
**Author:** ![Godfrey\_Daniels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Godfrey\_Daniels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godfrey_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/55 "2001-08-03T16:17:08Z")
Sorry about the way that post looks…someday I might learn to do it right. :o ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/56 "2001-08-03T16:30:20Z")
Thanks for the info on the possessive. What is a genitive, though? ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/57 "2001-08-03T16:37:52Z")
It’s ATHEIST, not athiest. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/58 "2001-08-03T20:28:28Z")
Ahhh… genitive - Of, relating to, or being the grammatical case expressing possession, measurement, or source. ---
**Author:** ![MrO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@MrO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrO)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/59 "2001-08-03T23:38:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dave Swaney \* > **And as I understand it, yes, possessives DO have a missing letter, or atleast that’s where it originated, as in, “Thomas, his bed.” I’d like to know when that change became "official."** I can’t remember whether it was Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, or maybe Chaucer, but in a college class I read “the King his horse,” clearly referring to the horse of the king. Trying to show off to the prof, I suggested that maybe this is where our system of writing possessives came from–maybe they just replaced the “hi” with an apostrophe before the “s,” using the masculine form only. The professor just said Hmmm, maybe. I don’t think he was all that impressed. But I still think that’s where it came from. As for the OP, I agree with most of these offerings. I think the most common is its/it’s. I haven’t counted, but I often think I see it wrong more than right. Of course this is one case where the possessive does **not** have an apostrophe, so maybe it blows the theory about the possessives. ---
**Author:** ![Another\_Primate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Another\_Primate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Another_Primate)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319/60 "2001-10-11T04:57:11Z")
“Lay”, when “lie” is intended. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-common-typo-bad-spelling-grammar-on-the-web/74319.md?page=4)