# Of instead of Have



## senwar (Apr 21, 2003)

Where the hell has this come from?

I can't believe the amount of people I see using of instead of have or 've. i.e. could of, should of.

I thought it was a one off with a particular person on a board, but it seems to be totally widespread. Aaaagh.

I shouldn't let something so small get to me, but I am tearing my frikkin hair out. We even got an official flyer today saying 'you could of saved ££'.

FFS!

:evil:


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## ScoobyTT (Aug 24, 2009)

[smiley=bomb.gif] Take a big red pen, mark the corrections on it, and send it back to them with a score out of ten!!

Funny, I was getting hacked off listening to our chavvy receptionist today saying "ov" instead of "have" and a million other literacy grumbles. That's where it stems from though: people who say "ov" because they can't be arsed with the letter "H" and know how to spell "of" and think they're the same thing. :roll: THINK, McFly! Why would it even be "of"? If you HAVE done something you don't write "I of done something". :evil:


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## JNmercury00 (May 22, 2007)

loose and lose are my particular favourites, followed by brakes and breaks.


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## Widget (May 7, 2002)

senwar said:


> frikkin


I always assumed you were from Sheffield, England.


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## Dash (Oct 5, 2008)

I'm guilty of, of. [smiley=dunce2.gif]


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

senwar said:


> Where the hell has this come from?
> 
> I can't believe the amount of people I see using of instead of have or 've. i.e. could of, should of.
> 
> ...


I'm with you Paul; it annoyes me since it first started [smiley=bigcry.gif]


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## T3RBO (Dec 9, 2003)

Really going to notice this now you have highlighted it :lol:


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## Charlie (Dec 15, 2006)

I totally get where you are coming from, I also find it irritating when people use of instead of with - i.e I am bored of X Factor.

The main ones I encounter seem to be: their/there/they're - where/were/we're - to/too - brakes/breaks and various others.

I let it wash over me; as I am sure as much as I know more than some, I know less than others and no doubt make errors myself.

Charlie


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

Its and it's is another one as the ones you've mentioned: there/their; than/then etc.

How is a poor foreigner supposed to speak/write proper English when I'm frequently stumbling across those "derivatives" :roll:


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

A lot of people seem to use it in an ironic way, and I actually find linguistic "jokes" and idiosyncrasies can be quite funny.

Despite knowing full well that it is wrong, I will occasionally slip an "off of" into polite conversation, e.g. "Do you know Matt off of the X Factor?" It is on a par with "I have the internet on my computer..." and other such obviously wrong phrases, purely because it sounds funny.

The problem, now, is that it is really difficult to tell with today's yoof whether they are ill-informed or simply ironic. I had thought it was mainly the latter, but recently I'm not so sure... Youngest stepson is now 16, doing his GCSE's, and easily sits within the A/A* bracket - but I visibly winced when I read some of his English coursework, bearing in mind it will be marked (by teachers and examiners) as an A/A* grade.

Recently, he was writing a cover letter and CV to apply for a part-time job. If I was the employer, I would have binned it immediately without a second thought, because it was poorly constructed, incorrectly punctuated and badly written.

...and if this is what today's A/A* students are capable of, then I shudder to think what level of written / spoken English today's average school-leaver has.

I know that language adapts over time. "Bored of" (to use Charlie's example) is fast becoming acceptable. The problem is, there simply cannot be enough emphasis at school on being able to write / speak fluent, correct English. All teachers seem to be interested in (outside of the English lesson) is "Did they include facts A, B and C to back up their argument?" not, "Was this a well-constructed and readable essay?". Inside of the English lessons? God only knows. Whatever they are doing, is plain wrong.

Nobody minds the odd grammar or spelling mistake, or the occasional missing (or superfluous) punctuation mark. What I do object to is the complete erosion if te English language by casting school leavers out into the community without any understanding of the "rules" of language.


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## ScoobyTT (Aug 24, 2009)

jampott said:


> it is really difficult to tell with today's yoof whether they are ill-informed or simply ironic.


No you're right, it's definitely the former! Apply this simple balancing conundrum: many kids today write and speak like utter half-wits, yet exam grades are continually on the rise. The two are mutually exclusive.

Your example is just one that shows that qualifications today have little value compared to ones of 10, 20, 30 years ago. If someone who gets A* for English is producing crap you want to throw in a bin, then WTF are the mongs doing? Carving pictograms on paper with the wrong end of a pen and texting? :lol: It's a shame that marking guidelines are now more about whatever point the person is trying to make rather than whether they're actually getting the point across using valid English. Any point that requires too much effort on the part of the reader/listener loses its impact anyway and should be marked down accordingly . You can't strive for excellence when you get awarded for mediocrity


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## senwar (Apr 21, 2003)

Widget said:


> senwar said:
> 
> 
> > frikkin
> ...


'frikkin'

A good old Sheffield word... :roll:



T3RBO said:


> Really going to notice this now you have highlighted it :lol:


He he - you will yes!

Thing is, I can take the odd mistake here and there, I know we probably all have grammar imperfections, but this just seems so widespread.

And jampott - totally get what you're saying too. I had to help my 19 year old niece write a cover letter/cv last years. Wow. That was an experience.


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## Guest (Dec 14, 2010)

They all need sum1 to learn them some grammer.


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## techfreak (Aug 13, 2010)

Its frikkin quiet quite on hear 2day


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

techfreak said:


> Its frikkin quiet quite on hear 2day


I would of said the same thing thing but you beat me to it. :wink:


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## senwar (Apr 21, 2003)

Kell said:


> techfreak said:
> 
> 
> > Its frikkin quiet quite on hear 2day
> ...


 :x


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## oceans7 (Oct 20, 2009)

the one that really bugs me...Brought instead of Bought, as in I brought some red shoes today....although on re-reading that it would work IF you did indeed bring some red shoes with you today. Ignore that post.


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## ScoobyTT (Aug 24, 2009)

Yeah but you know that 99% of the time that isn't what they mean. As you were... :lol:


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## techfreak (Aug 13, 2010)

Kell said:


> techfreak said:
> 
> 
> > Its frikkin quiet quite on hear 2day
> ...


Must be grate minds think i like


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## TTCool (Feb 7, 2005)

This chap gets my vote. His pronunciation and demeanor are perfik :lol: 





Joe


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