I recently wrote a scene that took place in a grocery store and I learned the difference between lineup and line up. Do you know the difference?
See, this is the kind of English that makes my head hurt. I’m so thankful that English is my first language and I don’t have to figure out the craziness.
Lineup: Noun: So here I need to think person, place, or thing. Ok. This is like the line up for the opening game or a police line up.
Line up: Verb: Ok. Now I’ll think action. So now I can add: lining up or lines up or lined up. So he lined up in the store…verb. The lineup in the store was long…noun.
Well, that’s it for today. What words drive you crazy? Let me know.
Fay, what is your first language? My husband, Sal grew up in Italy. After all these years he still gets upset about English.
Hi Heather! My first language is English. I can’t imagine learning it as an adult. I never was a fan of spelling and grammar but always loved vocal but it’s stuff like this that gets me…speaking fine but writing–it’s a different story. My hat’s off to your hubby!
Don’t you just love English!!! I do actually.
Hey Nancy! Yes! I really love English too. It’s amazing actually that even after all these years I’m still learning new vocabulary rules. Love it. Never a dull moment.
Grammarly and I/me/us fight frequently over words like line up/lineup and a whole bunch of other ones. My first language isn’t English so I reserve the right to maintain my unique spelling. I mean, has anyone here read Shakespeare lately? Okay, did you actually understand it?
lol….yes. I actually understood that Aggie. Too funny. Hows anyone supposed to figure out such petty detail? that’s what I’d like to know. lol…I had to really think about which to use. Hoped I used the correct one. ugh.
These compound word exchanges amuse/irritate me. If a man turns in to a motel, he gets a night’s sleep. If he turns into a motel – he was probably David Copperfield. 😉
LOl. Yes the idiosyncrasies of the English language. I love it! thanks for sharing. Definitely got my twisted brain thinking.
hahaha! Oh my goodness, I loved this! I think we ALL have things that confuse us! Mine include the whole “Lay, lie, laid” thing … and sometimes “farther, further” … Anyway, a good chuckle to start my day 🙂
lol…I love it. Don’t get me started with lay, lie, laid….Ugh. And then there’s the whole British v American….toward v towards, blond v blonde, It’s crazy this thing called language!!