• Ænima@lemm.ee
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    2 days ago

    It still baffles me why this is still a thing (for native English speakers)…

    Their

    Possessive

    that is their dog


    There

    Referencing something

    what’s that over there?


    They’re

    Contraction of they and are

    they’re heading to the movies


    Their chicken broke its leg! There used to be a store on the corner. They’re on their way over there!

    If you can replace they’re with they are and it still makes sense, that’s the right usage of that word.

      • Ænima@lemm.ee
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        2 days ago

        Isn’t that the truth? I’m hoping for major social changes from the current administration so we can, hopefully, change some of those ideas. Austerity must end and billionaires should not exist!

        Lots of existing dinosaurs need to take their selfishness and GTFO. I do not mind paying taxes if it helps people, not corporations, thrive, even if I or my family do not personally benefit from. That’s what a lot of our current leadership around the world does not understand or chooses to be the worst examples of humans you could imagine. We are only as good as the worst off of our people.

    • shneancy@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      it’s a problem for natives because they first learnt English by listening and reapeating what they heard, and spoken all those words sound the same. they only saw them written down years later when learning to read and write

      • Ænima@lemm.ee
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        2 days ago

        I’d agree if this was regarding children. These are grown ass people who our educational system has royally screwed.

      • x00z@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        There’s similarities in my native language and people don’t have much trouble with it. And our grammar rules are harder to understand. So it’s more likely because of the education itself.

        • Ænima@lemm.ee
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          2 days ago

          I agree with your sentiment, these aren’t kids failing to nail the nuances of American English perfectly after a dozen years or something. I’ve seen directors/supervisors in business fail to know the correct usage in emails.

          Also, at least we don’t have to know what gender a dishwasher is in English, it’s just about the only thing it has going for it!