Why is 'could of' wrong? | | Discover why this common phrase is a grammatical misstep, and learn how to avoid this sneaky error that even native English speakers make. | |  | Bennett Kleinman |
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| |  | | E nglish is full of sentences that sound awkward but are grammatically correct. Consider trying to untangle the mind-bending "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo." (Hint: "Buffalo" has three distinct meanings and functions as a noun, proper noun, and verb in this riddle.) Then there are phrases that sound OK, but are actually grammatical errors. These mistakes are easier to catch when writing, and more difficult to recognize when someone is speaking (for example, "intensive purposes" vs. "intents and purposes"). One of the biggest culprits of the "easy to mishear" swap comes with contractions and prepositions; we're saying one thing, but people are hearing another.
Consider the contraction "could've." "Could" implies both possibility and willingness. It often acts as a helper verb, which means it's paired with a second verb to make the sentence clearer. For example, "I could go to the dance" implies a chance of attending the dance. But let's imagine you missed that opportunity and you're telling a friend about it. You might say, "I could of gone to the dance." But wait — that's only what it sounds like. The proper construction of the sentence is "I could've gone to the dance," where "could've" is a contraction of "could" and "have." |
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Emoji Decoded | |  | | Shopping Bags | | | Meaning: Depicts colorful shopping bags, representing shopping, retail therapy, or consumerism.
Evolution: The Shopping Bags emoji is fairly straightforward, but it's become a popular symbol for a relatively new social media influencer phenomenon: the haul video.
Usage: [Post announcing an upcoming video:] Got a bunch of packages today! Haul video 🛍️ will be up tomorrow with lots of outfit inspo! |
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| | Shopping Bags | | | Meaning: Depicts colorful shopping bags, representing shopping, retail therapy, or consumerism.
Evolution: The Shopping Bags emoji is fairly straightforward, but it's become a popular symbol for a relatively new social media influencer phenomenon: the haul video.
Usage: [Post announcing an upcoming video:] Got a bunch of packages today! Haul video 🛍️ will be up tomorrow with lots of outfit inspo! |
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Have you read? | |  | | Saoirse | | By Charleen Hurtubise | | The story begins peacefully enough: Saoirse is an artist celebrating winning a major award alongside her family at their home on the Irish seaside. But the artist is hiding a complicated past stretching across the Atlantic, and as the story jumps between years and places, it gradually reveals how and why Saoirse has been running. This novel is recommended for those who enjoy stories with nonlinear narratives, complicated characters, and Irish settings. | | | | Samantha Abernethy, Word Smarts Writer | | | | We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. |
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| | Saoirse | | By Charleen Hurtubise | | The story begins peacefully enough: Saoirse is an artist celebrating winning a major award alongside her family at their home on the Irish seaside. But the artist is hiding a complicated past stretching across the Atlantic, and as the story jumps between years and places, it gradually reveals how and why Saoirse has been running. This novel is recommended for those who enjoy stories with nonlinear narratives, complicated characters, and Irish settings. | | | | Samantha Abernethy, Word Smarts Writer | | | | We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. |
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