I love to try new things, which is why today marks the start of a weekly feature I have dubbed the “Grammar Snob Quickie Quiz.” Each Monday, I will post a single multiple-choice question that only a true grammar snob will be able to answer correctly.
“But why?” you might ask. (Did you?)
Although bashing poor grammar is my specialty, I’m a true believer in the saying “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” I can criticize poor grammar until the world ends, but I’d also prefer to do my part to help improve the quality of Average Joe’s grammar. Otherwise, what am I accomplishing?
So, below is the FIRST EVER Grammar Snob Quickie Quiz question. Good luck!
Grammaniac 
Oh no! I failed the quiz! I’m glad you are doing this every Monday, because I need something to help me remedy my crappy grammar! <—-ACK! I don't even know if that sentence was grammatically correct! HA! After I failed the quiz, I looked it up…no more plural possession mistakes for me! Can't wait for next week's quiz!
It’s a great idea! My human is originally from France (and so am I), and there are some rules she learned that she regularly sees “violated,” mostly in newspapers. But as a foreigner, it is more difficult to be sure YOU are right. We scored here though 😉
She’s a real French grammar snob too!
Purrs
Hooray! What a great pickmeup on a Monday morning. I got 100% 🙂
Yeah! Full marks! English is only my second language and I’m astounded at how many English people don’t know how to use the apostrophe. I mean, it’s one of the few cases in English grammar where there are clear, unambiguous rules with no exceptions, at least that I know of. I’m looking forward to the next one.
It is not the apostrophe that is the problem, in this example, so much as it is a question of correct possessive on a word that is plural. I do not know if this is an issue for most English speakers or if it is more of an issue for American English Speakers.
Having lived on both sides of the pond (in the US, UK, and Ireland), I can assure you it’s an issue for pretty much all English speakers. I had better have passed (I did!), as I seem to make my living primarily marking up essays (also known as a teacher).
Oh crap I failed! HA! Wow, I love this idea!
I won! Yay! 😀
That is a great idea, I can’t tell you how many people’s English I have had to correct. As a high school student, I often get asked to edit my friends’ essays, and most of them are appalling. It is a problem that starts in school, when we aren’t taught the rules properly, just expected to know them.
100% for me, yay! Glad to see that all the hours I have spent reading have paid off somehow.
I failed. Shame on me!
100%!!! Boom, baby! 🙂
I love these posts. I think of you every time I see the fast food sign advertising “breakfest” and inwardly cringe at the 10 items or less signs at stores. (It is supposed to be FEWER! Grrrrrrr….)
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