How-To Tuesday: Grammar Quickie

When do you use "could of" instead of "could have?"
Never.
The End.
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That really was a quickie, wasn't it?
In true Crystal form, however, I can't resist saying a little more. Here goes:

1. The correct usage is "could have," and its contraction form is "could've."
2. "Could've" sounds JUST like "could of."
3. "Could" is an auxiliary verb (helping verb) in a verb phrase.
4. The word that it helps must also be a verb.
5. "Could see" = yes! correct!
6. "Could run" = yes! correct!
7. "Could smash" = yes! correct!
8. "Could of" = NO! incorrect! Because "of" is not a verb.
9. "Could" suddenly looks like the weirdest word in the English language.

The Real End.


Thank you, Karey, for this Grammar Quickie suggestion.

Speaking of which, is "Grammar Quickie" too suggestive? Your feedback would be appreciated.

My upcoming How-To posts include the following:
     * How to tailor jeans (as soon as I am not too lazy to do it myself & photograph the process).
     * How to make divine wheat bread that your kids will eat (Thank you to the Divine Miss Kate).
     * How to dice garlic, how to butterfly & truss pork tenderloin (as per my sister Jill's request).
     * How to instantly lose the respect of others but love yourself (first hand experience on this one).
     * How to correctly use the freaking 's! (plural, contraction, possessive)
     * How to use Passive vs. Active voice in your writing.
     * How to use Passive Aggressive behavior in your marriage (just kidding.) (sort of.)

Or, I can have Max teach us all how to make weapons out of clothes pins.

You choose.



How-To Tuesday: A Grammar Quickie

Today's grammar quickie will talk about you and me. 

Or will talk about you and I? 

 The answer to this question lies in knowing the difference between the subject and object of a sentence. 

A subject is the one taking action in a sentence and the object is the one serving as the target of the action.

I aimed the arrow at my enemy. 

The arrow is the subject and my enemy is the object. 

I threw water balloons at my children. 

Balloons is/are the subject and children is the object. 

So when deciding to end a sentence with "I" or "me," think:

if it’s in the subject position, you use “I” (the subject pronoun), but if it’s in the object position, you use “me” (the object pronoun).

Today's grammar quickie will talk about you and me. 

“Me” is the right choice because it’s in the object position. You’re the target of the TALKING verb action.

******** 

 I love you. 
You love me. 


I feel giddy. 
You make me feel giddy. 


I fell down the stairs. 
You tripped me. 

******** 


I, you and me are all pronouns. 
Pronouns can be objects or subjects. 

You can't say, "Me feel giddy."
You can't say, "Me fell down the stairs." 

(well, unless you are Grover.)
(or Yoda.)

If you are NOT a Muppet, you must adhere to grammatical rules.  

Me done now.


Stie's readers were so annoyed by this post, they threw water balloons at her and me. (correct, non-Muppet grammar)

Stie loves her canvas maps more than she loves you and me. (again--correct, non-Muppet grammar)


 
Not all "you and I" sentences are actually correct. Sometimes you are correct if you say "you and me."