For Reference

Dear Readers:

I know you are awesome. I know we all graduated the third grade. I KNOW none of YOU would need this, so go ahead and share it with others. It has become apparent that the world needs a little reminder. None of US, of course... but the rest of the world. Just a reminder, that's all. No harsh feelings. Go ahead and link up, and refer back as often as needed.

Love, Me

YOUR

Use this spelling when someone "owns" it. It belongs to the person to whom you are speaking.

• That is YOUR house.
• It is YOUR favorite outfit.
• YOUR money is going down the drain.

See how the person owns the house? The outfit? The money belongs to them?

YOU'RE

Use this spelling when you mean "you are." (If you can't substitute the the words "you are" in there, do not use the apostrophe! Never ever.)

• YOU'RE going to get in trouble.
• I think YOU'RE a great person.

THERE

Use this spelling when you are talking about a location, a place, or a direction.

• I set the book down over THERE.
• We want to go THERE on vacation.
• THERE are too many tomatoes in this salad.

THEIR

Use this form of the word when someone "owns" it. It belongs to them.

• THEIR house is huge!
• I don't like THEIR dog.
• Can you bring THEIR car around to the back?

THEY'RE

This form is to be used in place of "they are." If you cannot substitute the words "they are" instead, you've got the wrong spelling!

• THEY'RE coming at 8 o'clock.
• Can you believe THEY'RE going to Hawaii?

THEN or THAN

This one is tricky! Remember THEN is talking about a time, or order of things. THAN is making a comparison.

CORRECT:

• We will wake up and THEN have breakfast.
• Are you taller THAN me?

INCORRECT!!!!

• I like leather better THEN upholstery.

ITS or IT'S

This one has an easy-to-remember general rule: If you can say "it is" as a substitute, then go ahead and use the apostrophe. If you can't, then you NEVER EVER need the apostrophe. No matter how tempted you may be. This rule ONLY applies to "its and it's."

CORRECT:

• IT'S going to rain today.
• That dog is chasing ITS tail.

INCORRECT!!!

• My phone needs to have it's battery charged. (You wouldn't say "it is battery charged," now would you?)

A FEW MORE ODDS AND ENDS

Apostrophe's are very annoying. Often we start to throw them in all sorts of places they don't belong. Remember, just because a word ends in "s" doesn't mean it needs an apostrophe.

For example, it doesn't need to go after a name unless it's followed by something that belongs to them.

CORRECT:

• The Smiths are coming over for dinner. (Totally not needed here.)
• The Smith's dog is coming over for dinner. (Needed here.)

See the difference?

Another way to mis-use the apostrophe:

INCORRECT!!!

• We had lot's of fun hunting for Easter eggs.

Explanation: Please notice the word "lot's" above. It does not own anything. Does that word "of" belong to "lot"? It's not a shortened version -or contraction- for "lot is".... that doesn't even make any sense! There is NO NEED for an apostrophe in the word LOTS. Never, not ever. In fact, there is no such thing as "lot's."

CORRECT:

• We had lots of fun hunting for Easter eggs. (There, much better.)

One more random favorite of mine. The words A LOT. Note they are 2 words. Just like we can have A CAT, and A BOOK, or A HEADACHE, we can also have A LOT of something. It will always and forever be 2 words. No exceptions.

INCORRECT!!!

• Do you have ALOT of homework today? (No such thing as this word, it doesn't exist.)

CORRECT

• We have A LOT of work to do.

Thank you for reading... class is now dismissed!