Grammar pet peeves

I confess: I have a few grammar pet peeves.  Perhaps I am a bit of a grammar stickler, but poor grammar hurts communication, even when you are just sending an e-mail.  Here are  couple of my pet peeves to watch out for:

  • Misusing the word “literally.”  A television commercial is on regularly that tells me how money is literally flying out my door.  In fact, my money is in my wallet.  It’s no where near the door.
  • Confusing idea with ideal.  An idea is a thought or plan of action.  An ideal is “a conception of perfection,” according to dictionary.com.
  • Interchanging affect and effect.  Affect is a verb (The change is affecting her greatly) while effect is a noun (The effect of the change impacted her life).

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