I’m not a grammar freak or anything, but I have a new reading pet peeve and I see it EVERYWHERE in blogs. And I know I’ve done it in the past, so I have no excuse and really shouldn’t point fingers. Although over the past month I’ve noticed it so much that I’m making a concerted effort to stop doing it myself.
Almost every blog writer I read makes the mistake of writing “it’s” when they mean “it has”. “It has” does not have a contraction. “It’s” is only for “It is.” And yet 99.9% of the blogs I come across (and even some articles on reputable news websites) consistently put “It’s” when they mean “It has.”
Sample of bad use:
It’s recently come to my attention…
NO NO NO!
IT HAS recently come to my attention!
So if you read this, and you are guilty of doing it, then STOP IT!!
I guess it’s just habit for some people. You know language is always evolving. I mean if you ask someone from the UK they will tell you it only took American’s 200 yrs to bastardize their language.
Just sayin’
Another bad habit is using a contraction to show plurality of an abbreviation, such as “The three Dr’s are late”. The correct form is to add just an s: “The three Drs are late”.
Really?? Do I do that? I do tend to be grammar/spelling freak and I’ve never known that.
Amy – I honestly don’t know if I’ve seen it on your blog. Since all my blogs run through the feeder after a while they all run together but I DO always notice the misuse of “it has.”
Jaynee, I looked in both American and British and yet every dictionary I looked in disagrees with you. “It’s” may be a contraction of either “it is” or “it has.”
Where did you hear otherwise? Maybe it’s a new construction?
I remember reading somewhere that “it has” should never be made into a contraction. But you are right, Talmida, there are a few websites out there that say it is okay. But then other sites say it is acceptable for “it is” with no mention of “it has.” So now I’m not sure WHICH is the proper usage!!
From a liberal arts major, such narrow mindedness. Language is evolving, it’s (for it is) probably never existed at some point either, but we have, love it and use it every day. People control the language. The language doesn’t control the people. And that’s all I have to say about that.
As long as it’s isn’t being used like “he petted the cat and then put on it’s collar” I’m okay.
But, I’m pretty horrible with spelling and grammar from time to time.
Actually, Mike, “it’s” should not be used as a possessive either. I learned that last year when I started working for my current company – my boss hammered it into me that “it” cannot own anything – thus no apostrophe for possession. Research at various grammar websites indicates this is correct.
Yeah, I was showing that it is often used incorrectly that drives me crazy. Except when I accidentally do it, of course.
Sorry Mike – I don’t know why I misread what you wrote. I guess even at 9:30 p.m. my eyes can be tired enough to misinterpret what should be elementary reading. 🙁