Correcting others grammatical errors in PUBLIC is embarrasing!
By zandi458
@zandi458 (28102)
Malaysia
October 7, 2010 3:30am CST
I came across a member here who before commenting to a discussion rudely pointed out the OP's grammatical error and wrote down the correct word. First and foremost, many of us here are not from English speaking backgrounds and many are still in their infancy of learning this language. Many even admitted that they join mylot to improve their proficiency in this language. And I agree mylot is one of the best place to practice our writing skills and at the same breath to gain confidence in utilizing whatever learned in schools. Does it matter if our grammars are not on par with the native speakers? Since we are in no competition here, I think what matters most is getting ourselves understood and you just need to close an eye for any grammatical errors made by us where English is only our second language.
It is fine to point out the errors but for goodness sake do it in privacy and not for the whole world to see. Make use of mylot PM facility and surely you are doing a great justice to those who are still crawling with this language. A number of my friends here are English teacher/lecturer and are willing to tutor anyone who needs their services. Do you feel it is right to tell someone off in public of their errors?
12 people like this
39 responses
@akp100 (13640)
• India
7 Oct 10
Yes mylot is having users from all over the world.. so it can't be possible that we do all know English properly.. I have improved lot after joining here with my English. So surely it is the best place for learning. Yes no need to pointing this kind of errors.. Not all people good with English here but i am sure they will improve here. Helping them to learn is okay in fact it is good but making fun of others because of that is quite bad .
4 people like this
@gunagohan (3414)
• India
7 Oct 10
I do agree with you, but in the beginning stage when i entered the site, without knowing the outcome effect, i just told in a polite manner that this sentence is grammatically wrong, but later i understood that it was not the correct way to correct in public, so i corrected myself.
I never told anything about any sentence or anything which could hurt others feeling here...
I'm not a good speaker or a writer , i just know to write in simple words, i'm not so good in English, but that was the learning stage, so i told about one thing to that user..
I always feel sorry for that user...
3 people like this
@laurenn08 (125)
• Philippines
7 Oct 10
yes, Learn from mistakes, no man in this world is perfect.
2 people like this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
7 Oct 10
Hi Zandi,
Not only is it rude but it goes against mylot guidelines. As you pointed out, the members here are from all over the world. Heck, even those with English as their primary language make grammatical errors and spelling errors on here. Speaking the language fluently does not always mean someone can write it as fluently. Also, not everyone is a typist. On thing for sure is that we are all human and none of us is above making errors.
2 people like this
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
7 Oct 10
Exactly. Being a native speaker doesn't guarantee a person can write perfectly. When it comes to written English the rules apply unlike spoken English where pidgin English are more popularly used. Like all other languages, English is not easy to master.
@purplealabaster (22091)
• United States
7 Oct 10
I have gone back and read some of the things that I have typed and realized that I have made some silly mistakes, such as using peaked rather than peeked.
I do not think that many people realize or even care about such things, though, and I did not even bother to correct myself. As you said, we are all human, and everyone makes mistakes.
I do not think that many people realize or even care about such things, though, and I did not even bother to correct myself. As you said, we are all human, and everyone makes mistakes.2 people like this
@chrystaltears (3392)
• United States
8 Oct 10
Yes. I think it is very ugly for someone to do that. I took up for someone on here once because he told someone they couldn't write well enough for him to understand what they were talking about. The person who he was being rude to was from another country, and I thought they did quite well compared to what I'd do if I tried to write another language.!
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
8 Oct 10
We should give a pat on the shoulders to those who can express themselves and be understood in a foreign language. I doubt whether those who brag being 'good' in English because that is their mother's tongue can express themselves well in other lingo. So be polite and gentle with people who are learners.
1 person likes this
@ddaguno (3107)
• Philippines
7 Oct 10
myLot guidelines specificaly says --- DO NOT Post discussions, responses or comments criticizing members for bad/broken English or bad spelling. Everyone is welcome at myLot, we have users from all around the world and they are welcome regardless of their proficiency with the English Language.
Whover that person is should be reported to Admin so his post would be erased.
I agree with you zandi. He should have done it in a more dicreet manner.
3 people like this
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
7 Oct 10
The discussion was started by a friend and was about to respond when I saw the comment of that person correcting her grammatical error. I feel bad and moved away from that discussion to refrain myself from telling that person off. He should know that it is against mylot guidelines to pick on others errors.
1 person likes this
@UmiNoor (4522)
• Malaysia
9 Oct 10
I don't think the person is aware of myLot's guidelines about correcting others' grammatical errors. If I were you, I would report the person to admin and rate that person down. It's really in very bad taste to correct others' mistakes in public for all to see. Nevertheless, it also depends on how the corrections were made.
Here is the guideline from myLot under what not to do in discussions :
Don't "Post discussions, responses or comments criticizing members for bad/broken English or bad spelling. Everyone is welcome at myLot, we have users from all around the world and they are welcome regardless of their proficiency with the English Language."
I hope anyone who has the urge to correct others' grammatical mistakes for any reason at all, please read the guidelines.
1 person likes this
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
9 Oct 10
@UmiNoor, yah..I should have exercised my rights and reported the matter to admin. It was clearly infringing the guidelines here. But I was stunned and felt the embarrassment caused to the OP. Instead of doing justice to the OP, I am lost and didn't think of anything else but to move away. 
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
7 Oct 10
No its not right and even those of us that have English for first langauge.
doesnt write good English we have our slang words and the way we talk from what ever part of teh country we are from.
each section of the states all have accents and I hink it shows in our writtings here.
2 people like this
@kawalnarang (1095)
• Trinidad And Tobago
8 Oct 10
Does it Matter?The best of the best make similar mistakes,Y WORRY
@gracefuldove (1668)
• Malaysia
7 Oct 10
I am a professional tutor and the temptation to point out a mistake is always there. However, I keep my peace. Some web pages really need to be chastised. The English there is atrocious even when English is the second language in that country. Truly a banana republic in the making soon!
2 people like this
@rhizjen (140)
• Philippines
8 Oct 10
She should not criticize others due to in his/her incompetence or whatever mistakes he/she have done in public especially if our aim in complaining is just to gain attention and praise from other or just to impressed people. Better yet,we should confront him/her privately but we should also watch our words to be used in order not to offend them.
2 people like this
@cinjhoxmyltc (334)
• Philippines
7 Oct 10
Yes it is true. Some members the so-called pioneer members are acting and responding to the discussion like an English teacher. Yes, it is embarrassing to see this kind of comment and correcting even the spelling of the words. Huh I may not an expert here but sometimes I'm discourage to write another article. What if My Lot admin will try to add this as a rule. What would you think?
2 people like this
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
7 Oct 10
Though I am one of the pioneer member here the person who I meant is a freshie. It is against mylot guidelines as what mylot guideline specify here: Post discussions, responses or comments criticizing members for bad/broken English or bad spelling. Everyone is welcome at myLot, we have users from all around the world and they are welcome regardless of their proficiency with the English Language.
@Cookiebear (159)
• Canada
7 Oct 10
My mother tongue is english, and I always done well in the language in school but out side of a school enviorment I always tend to make mistakes. Some from rushing some from being rusty on it, and sometimes its just the manor of the conversation.
I find it very degrading and feel put down when someone publicly points out mistakes like that.
Sometimes to the point where I don't even want to contiue discussing the topic.
2 people like this
@bettemachete (194)
• United States
8 Oct 10
I agree that action was really rude. I think MyLot helps alot of people learn english, and there was no reason for that person to correct them, of course it was embarassing.
2 people like this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
7 Oct 10
I have nothing but admiration for those who are here to improve their English and to that end I have pointed out errors to my friends but I do so in the nicest way I can to help them, not to criticise or ridicule or embarrass. I also take care with my own posts so as to set a good example. I find it very annoying (and embarrassing) that English speaking people don't take a little time to ensure they are posting with correct grammar, spelling and punctuation.
There is no need to point things out in the way you describe.
2 people like this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
7 Oct 10
I think it is very tacky for someone to do that. I have a good friend that was on mylot & she got so many ugly comments about her spelling she doesn't ever come to mylot anymore. I thought mylot would be something she would enjoy like i do & i think it was awful that people treated her the way they did. I don't think anyone has been appointed censor here. Very good discussion, Zandi as always.
2 people like this
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
7 Oct 10
Thanks for your appreciation. Self appointed censor, yes. I appreciated being corrected but let it be done behind the curtains. I admit I do make grammatical errors here and there and was only been ticked off once and this kind soul has the courtesy to pm me and tell me of my wrong usage of the nouns and verbs. Since then I try to be extra careful with this word 'response' and 'respond'.
1 person likes this
@savypat (20216)
• United States
7 Oct 10
I think I did this one time and have never done it again. It was in response to a discussion about correct grammer. Now I know better. My spelling and typing are so awful that I never speak to others mistakes. But I must admit that there are discussion where the English is so bad I can't understand what is being said on those I will ask for clarification just to be able to answer. I never mean to offend
2 people like this
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
7 Oct 10
Asking for clarification is not a sin here as it shows you are interested in the discussion but couldn't get to the roots of what is being said. We all experienced spelling and typing errors and it is acceptable for such slight mistakes which is considered as 'human errors' and shouldn't be viewed as gross mistakes.
2 people like this
@jaiho2009 (39141)
• Philippines
7 Oct 10
Oh my,i never encountered that mylotters (thanks heaven)
I am not good in English as well,and i am also thankful for mylot i improved a lot since the day i joined it here.
And,i am also thankful to other mylotters who are always here to help and understand me.
This is one of the most friendly site that i've joined so far.
I hope we should maintain a good relationship with each mylotter here and make this site worth it's goal and aim.
@jaiho2009 (39141)
• Philippines
8 Oct 10
i am one of his friend?
well,thanks for the warning...
anyway,i have hundreds of friends...but only few are my close friends.
1 person likes this
@quita88 (3715)
• United States
8 Oct 10
I have only seen this once since I joined Mylot.
I don't judge another one by how they write, speak or type, even I make grammatical errors.
I feel a person is judged by what is in their hearts.
We can read around a few words, add a word here and there if necessary,but certainly not a public display of their English errors.
1 person likes this
@quita88 (3715)
• United States
9 Oct 10
No, far from it, I do see grammatical errors in many discussions and regardless of being a native speaker of English, I do not ever correct another on how they talk or speak or write.........
I DO KNOW it is embarrassing to correct in public...just where in my response does it say I don't believe that??????
I tend to let their errors go unnoticed...it's certainly is not my place to correct unless asked ...............if I wanted to..or ever intended to correct another person's grammar, I sure enough would do it in private.
My first sentence simply meant I have seen someone else correct here, not ever me !
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
7 Oct 10
I can get so frustrated when i hear someone correcting someone else's grammar in public. It is very embarrassing to the person being corrected. Why can't the other person ever see that? I try to never do this to anyone myself. It can hinder someone's self=esteem and confidence with just those few correcting words.2 people like this
