RE: ENGLISH LANGUAGE CONFUSING WORDS SERIES #3: ITS VS. IT’S
How about doing one on "effect" vs "affect"? Also, "who" vs. "whom". These are the two that I've struggled with most throughout my adolescent life.
I see people misusing "then" quite often, too (using it when "than" is the correct word choice). Using the wrong of the following three: "there", "they're", and "their" comes in at a close second. I also see some misuse of the words: "to", "two", and "too", but not nearly at the rate of the former.
Also, I have a question for you about my own writing, if you feel qualified to answer. I notice that I use the word "that" quite often in my sentences. I often find THAT I'll use this word at least one time per sentence, on average, but THAT I can use it as much as three or four times in a single sentence.
My question is, again, if you feel qualified to answer: isn't it true THAT "that" can simply be dropped from most sentences without changing the meaning of the words, taken together?
Take, for instance, one of my first sentences of this comment:
These are the two that I've struggled with most throughout my adolescent life.
Does this not have the same exact meaning as the following: "these are the two I've struggled with most throughout my adolescent life"?
In other words, "that" was unnecessary in THAT it really added nothing, correct? I feel as if I'm over-using this word and perhaps weakening my writing by doing so. Any input on this would be appreciated.
I enjoyed this post of yours, btw, and I appreciate your efforts to clear up some of the confusion about this, well, frustrating language of ours ;)
hi @langostein thanks for dropping by. those you mentioned are already in my list. especially the "who" and "whom". you are exactly right when you say people misuse words. but who can blame them English is a crazy, brilliant, weird, versatile language. Hoping this series will clarify these ambiguities.
I am no guru in writing but I appreciate you shooting at me some concerns about your own writing. Both sentences you referred to, IMHO, are well constructed and by including the word "that" in your sentence, you are simply "emphasizing" and "limiting the scope" of the point you are making within the two things THAT you struggled with. I hope this helps. Again, I don't claim this to be accurate or correct but we have many good writers here in Steemit and hoping they see your concern and jump right in to give their expert opinion.
About the word "that", consider the following sentence:
"He gave me an answer but I know that that is not the right one."
Just something for you to ponder. ;-) Have a good one, today!
I appreciate your response.