Dangit, now I feel more stupid than I used toWrong one. I now know more THAN I used to and am now a smarter person than I used to be.
If you use and, you don't put a comma before it, it doesn't need it, and since you are talking about yourself, you use am, infact, thinking about it, you wouldn't use is at all in that context. If you were talking about someone else it would be, 'They know more than they used to and are now smarter than they used to be.'
Then, than, your, you're
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I before E except after C and about a dozen or so other wordsShoot, I missed the action on this one. Fire away with grammar questions. I love 'em.
Don't feel bad. English is hard, it's just easier for us who have learnt it as a first language and so everything just works, somehow.
The best ones though are the people that translate from one language to English. It can end up in such a mess it is almost unreadable, but makes for some really funny reading.
Except more words contradict that rule than follow it, so it isn't technically a rule. Just another one of those weird English things.I before E except after C and about a dozen or so other words
This whole conversation reminds me greatly of something my English Language teacher told my class at A level "Language is purely a tool to make yourself understood, as long as the target audience understands what you are trying to convey then spelling and grammar don't matter." She then proceeded to cover my coursework in red pen correcting my spelling and grammar mistakes
She's right in a way. Spelling and grammar are only important as tools to help make yourself understood. However, it was her job to make sure you had those tools, so that's why all the red ink.
To get back on the main topic of the original thread maker's post:
"Then" is a sequential word, where something happens after something else when it is used.
i.e. "First, you do this. Then you do that."
(Also, "First, you do this; then you do that," "First, you do this, and then you do that" and "First, you do this. Then you do that" all mean exactly the same thing. Don't forget the punctuation to end those sentences correctly.)
"Than" is a comparative word, where one compares something to something else.
i.e. "A diamond sword is better than an iron sword."
"Then" is a sequential word, where something happens after something else when it is used.
i.e. "First, you do this. Then you do that."
(Also, "First, you do this; then you do that," "First, you do this, and then you do that" and "First, you do this. Then you do that" all mean exactly the same thing. Don't forget the punctuation to end those sentences correctly.)
"Than" is a comparative word, where one compares something to something else.
i.e. "A diamond sword is better than an iron sword."
Here's my attempt at then vs. than.
"Then" means "at that other time."
"Than," as stated about eight times, is the conjunction to use when you're comparing things.
So if you can replace then/than in your sentence with "at that other time", you want "then." Otherwise you want the other one.
"Then" means "at that other time."
"Than," as stated about eight times, is the conjunction to use when you're comparing things.
So if you can replace then/than in your sentence with "at that other time", you want "then." Otherwise you want the other one.
You guys, gals and kitten are awesome! Least I can do is thank you for the help.
True, the Internet is a terrible place to practice one's English but... That's why I had so much fun visiting Leeds, UK, last year. I was THIS close to start talking to random people in the middle of the road, I was so happy to finally speak English in person...
are awesome! Least I can do is thank you for the help.True, the Internet is a terrible place to practice one's English but... That's why I had so much fun visiting Leeds, UK, last year. I was THIS close to start talking to random people in the middle of the road, I was so happy to finally speak English in person...
Code:
package net.language.english
import static net.language.english.Dictionary
public class GrammarUtils {
private GrammarUtils () {}
public static String useThanOrThen (Expression exp, Word word) {
Context context = exp.getContext(word);
Word result = Word.INVALID;
if (context.isComparable() && (context.isConjunction() || context.isPreposition)) {
result = new Word("than");
}
else if (context.isAdverb() || context.isAdjective() || context.isNoun()) {
return = new Word("then");
}
/* DEPRECATED
else if (context.isConjunction() || context.isAdverb() || context.isAdjective() || context.isNoun()) {
return = new Word("then");
}
*/
return result;
}
public static String useYourOrYoure (Expression exp, Word word) {
Context context = exp.getContext(word);
Word result = Word.INVALID;
if (context.isPronoun() && context.isPossessive())) {
result = new Word("your");
}
else if (word.isContractionOf("you","are")) {
return = new Word("you're");
}
return result;
}
}(I jest; language is entirely a system of conventions.)
Don't feel bad. English is hard, it's just easier for us who have learnt it as a first language and so everything just works, somehow.
Actually, most of the people that I've encountered online that struggle with English, and don't seem to care about getting it right or about improving their command of the language have been native English speakers. Those that have asked questions, and are happy to be helped out when they don't quite get it right have been non-native English speakers. I'm a native English speaker, my grammar isn't perfect, but I do try. I'm not sure that young people read as many books as we did when I was younger (yes, I'm fairly "old" compared to many of you guys). In fact, if most of the written word they read is the "lazy English" that most people use on social media sites, then no wonder they struggle with their own language. I used to pick up things people said that didn't make sense, and point them out, but it's generally not appreciated, and I do like to follow Wheaton's Law, so I don't do it any more.
ETA: I try to give people the benefit of the doubt. Sometimes it's a real struggle to read something that someone has written, and try to understand what they actually wanted to say. I imagine what it would be like if I had to communicate in another language, which would involve much use of Google Translate, and a lot of mistranslation!
uNfOrTuN4tElY yEs!!!!
Some time ago it was really popular way of writing among younger Polish internet users, however it seems to fade away.
To the point of most lazy speakers tend to be native speakers...
As Bruce Willis famously said, "Hey lady, I only speak two languages! English and Bad English!"
As Bruce Willis famously said, "Hey lady, I only speak two languages! English and Bad English!"
Yeah, we do shorten some words in Greek and it's annoying hehe. People use it in instant messaging and SMS, for example "θ" instead of "θα". 1337 speak though, no.
The menace of today's Greek youth though, is Greeklish! Writing Greek but with English letters! Because apparently, pressing Alt+Shift when a foreign word is to be used is to time consuming! It's like writing "ταβλε" instead of "table" for you guys. Spelling in Greeklish doesn't matter, therefore in Greek because... why bother?
I'm a geologist and truthfully I like reading papers by people with no idea about English at all rather than some non-native speakers and some native speakers, the first group have had a professional render the document into English, the second I often have to puzzle out what they actually meant but it is still doable and the third often just have no idea how to communicate in their native language at allDon't feel bad. English is hard, it's just easier for us who have learnt it as a first language and so everything just works, somehow.
The best ones though are the people that translate from one language to English. It can end up in such a mess it is almost unreadable, but makes for some really funny reading.
Except more words contradict that rule than follow it, so it isn't technically a rule. Just another one of those weird English things.
I always have a hard time being rough on people who are having issues with English, unless they fire the first shot at someone else. I learned more about English when I tried to learn German than I did in all the English classes I had through high school. There is a whole world of things that we take for granted, but are mandatory to know for other languages.
You got to love English. Where you drive on a parkway, park in a driveway. You send CARgo by ship, and SHIPments by car/truck. Some troll throws a "s" in lisp, spells phonetic with a "ph" and makes abbreviation a long word. More than one goose are geese, yet more than one moose aren't meese. A house can go up in flames as it burns down. A smart ass and a dumb ass are basically the same thing. These are just the tip of the iceberg on some of English's absurdities.
Back in school, one of my favourite poems was one that made fun of English pronunciation, it was funny watching as we all took turns reading it out loud and messing up. http://www.i18nguy.com/chaos.html
On a final note, I'm surprised that no one brought up that "alot" is not a word; it's two, "a lot," unless you mean "allot" as in you have exceeded your allotted time in reading a grammar thread. =P
Back in school, one of my favourite poems was one that made fun of English pronunciation, it was funny watching as we all took turns reading it out loud and messing up. http://www.i18nguy.com/chaos.html
On a final note, I'm surprised that no one brought up that "alot" is not a word; it's two, "a lot," unless you mean "allot" as in you have exceeded your allotted time in reading a grammar thread. =P