Grammar Lessons from LRNMGUD

I would like to cover something today that has become a serious source of irritation over the past 23 years of marriage. 

It's not:  I seen it.
It's:        I saw it.  Or, I have seen it (as in:  "I have seen that in the past.")

"Seen" needs a helping verb.  It cannot hang out on its own.  Helping verbs that you can use with "seen" include:  have, had, and has.  Don't make me hunt you down with my Red Pen of Right. 

Use "saw" if it is something that has only happened once (or a few times, at most).  "Seen" is more of a "I can't remember when, but I have seen something similar" usage. 

Are we good?  Have you seen the light?  (Yes.  I do crack myself up sometimes.)



Let's cover something that I see written incorrectly almost once a day.

A LOT.

Two words, kids!  Just remember:  it takes A LOT of words to write "a lot."

Sometimes, people will actually try to correct it with auto correct (thank you for trying!) but they will unintentionally choose another incorrect word:  allot.  Allot means to mete out an item, as in:

The sweatshirts were allotted to members of the team who had achieved an 85% completion average. 

There you go.  Your very first grammar lesson.  If this is old news for you, yay!  If this is new news, I expect I shall never see "alot" out of you ever again. 

Go forth and spread the new words!

My little idea for conquering grammatically incorrect signs--blue painter's tape.  I can do a little "drive by editing" late at night....  I already have one sign in mind that is on the main drag of our little town....