# The Nineteenth Letter of the English Alphabet...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nineteenth-letter-of-the-english-alphabet/155462>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [February 16, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nineteenth-letter-of-the-english-alphabet/155462 "2003-02-16T16:49:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![Teelo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Teelo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teelo)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nineteenth-letter-of-the-english-alphabet/155462/81 "2003-03-01T07:11:58Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by C K Dexter Haven \*  
> \*\*Its a sad day when the student’s in my clas’s dont know how to use apostrophe’s.
> 
> I teach an MBA class, and the first paper I hand back, I always have to remind the students of the diff between _it’s_ and _its_… we won’t even mention _there_ and _their_. \*\*

I swear to god I was never taught the its and it’s rule. And i’m 16!

And if I was, and accidentally missed it, it has never been explained to me. Most likely I just got it right by chance, and when wrong the marker probably thought it was simple forgetfulness!

I _recently_ found out about it this way: Microsoft Word corrected me and explained the difference.

Hehe. Sad but true.  
Ahh, you grammer nuts, would you not all agree that English is one lazy, cut corner language? That’s what makes it so great! 🙂  
So cast down at thee apostrophe! Cause more trouble than worth!

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**Author:** ![ProjectOmega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b487fb/32.png) [@ProjectOmega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProjectOmega)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nineteenth-letter-of-the-english-alphabet/155462/82 "2003-03-01T08:36:43Z")

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“Irregardless” and “alot” bug me the most, but “reoccurring”, as in, “I keep having this reoccuring dream!” is annoying too, if less frequent.

The apostraphe thing, most definitely. I can’t stand that, but it’s like a plague, so I’ve basically just stopped correcting it. How do these people pick it up? They’ve never, ever seen it in any reliable literature, so how can it come so naturally that they don’t even doubt their own abilities? Or do they flip a coin and go with whatever comes up instead of maybe checking a dictionary or even quickly scanning a newspaper or book for proper context? Christ, there’s this kids’ play-area thingie around where I live called “Go Bananas!” But apparently the sign painters just love their apostraphes, and as a result, the front of the building says, “Go Banana’s!” while the side proudly displays “Go Bananas’!” Are people that illogical or that lazy?

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**Author:** ![OliverTwistofLime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b487fb/32.png) [@OliverTwistofLime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OliverTwistofLime)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nineteenth-letter-of-the-english-alphabet/155462/83 "2003-03-01T09:18:09Z")

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Hey, Joe, how are you doing? Response= I’m doing good. This causes my hair to stand on end. To hear the person respond with: I’m doing well is music to my ears( if they are, of course).

Now if Joe donates his time helping the poor or the sick, can he then properly reply…I’m doing good?

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