gandpsmommy Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 I'm wondering if I'm using these words incorrectly, since I've seen more posts than I can count over the past few months in which the posters were using them differently than I thought was correct. So, I'm really not trying to be grammar police here; I'm trying to figure out which is correct. I use "lose" to mean one no longer has something that one previously had. The past tense would be "lost". I use "loose" to mean "not tight". Is this right? Or can you use "loose" as the present tense of "lost"? Could it be the British spelling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Your understanding of them is correct :D "Loose" has other meanings as well, but none of them has anything to do with "losing" anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jujsky Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Yes, you are using them correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Just the first time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehogs4 Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 I'm wondering if I'm using these words incorrectly, since I've seen more posts than I can count over the past few months in which the posters were using them differently than I thought was correct. So, I'm really not trying to be grammar police here; I'm trying to figure out which is correct. I use "lose" to mean one no longer has something that one previously had. The past tense would be "lost". I use "loose" to mean "not tight". Is this right? Or can you use "loose" as the present tense of "lost"? Could it be the British spelling? YOU ARE CORRECT!!!! don't be confused by others' inability to spell correctly or use proper grammar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Using loose instead of lose is a common error. People refer to loosing weight or loosing library books all the time. I think people spell it incorrectly more often than not, but it's a pet peeve so I'm more likely to notice it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellyndria Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Using loose instead of lose is a common error. People refer to loosing weight or loosing library books all the time. I think people spell it incorrectly more often than not, but it's a pet peeve so I'm more likely to notice it. Yeah, I never understand why it is such a common error. Lose and loose aren't even pronounced the same! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 If your horse is loose, you're going to lose it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 When people say they are "loosing" weight, I always picture them just shaking it off. Now wouldn't that be nice? :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Well sometimes it does. :lol: Just the first time... :confused: *gasp* :scared: :lol::lol::lol::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenL Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 When people say they are "loosing" weight, I always picture them just shaking it off. Now wouldn't that be nice? :tongue_smilie: This would be FABULOUS!!! Yes, you are using them correctly... this is one of my pet peeves too (along with there/their/they're and your/you're). :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny_Weatherwax Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Yes, you are using them correctly... this is one of my pet peeves too (along with there/their/they're and your/you're). :D My new pet peeve is the misuse of the verb suppose. People use the word suppose when they need to use the word should. "We are suppose to bring cookies." :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 I always wonder if I should let people know when they are using words incorrectly here. Since we are all homeschooling moms, wouldn't we be helping each other out? I would want to know. But I'm afraid of hurting someon'e feelings. I have homeschool mom friends IRL who are incredibly sensitive about things like that. So I never say anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Is this right? Or can you use "loose" as the present tense of "lost"? Could it be the British spelling? And Britain and America agree on this one. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Katia Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 My new pet peeve is the misuse of the verb suppose. People use the word suppose when they need to use the word should. "We are suppose to bring cookies." :glare: I'm not sure I understand what you are saying here. Where, and how, exactly does the word 'should' fit into your sentence? I'm trying to come up with ways....... "We should bring cookies" is the best I see, and I'm not sure the meaning/usage is the same. Is it? I agree that the sentence is incorrect, but it could be easily corrected by simply adding the -ed ending to the word 'suppose': "We are supposed to bring cookies." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 I'm not sure I understand what you are saying here. Where, and how, exactly does the word 'should' fit into your sentence? I'm trying to come up with ways....... "We should bring cookies" is the best I see, and I'm not sure the meaning/usage is the same. Is it? I agree that the sentence is incorrect, but it could be easily corrected by simply adding the -ed ending to the word 'suppose': "We are supposed to bring cookies." That's what I was thinking. Just add "ed" to it. As for lose and loose, a teacher once told me that if it has two "o"'s then it would fit less snug than the other, therefore, it would be loose. Same for dessert and desert. We'd want two helpings of dessert, therefore, it has two "s"'s in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Don't go with what you've read on people's blogs or whatever; there's a lot of incorrect usage out there. I'm with Mrs Mungo on the use of apostrophes (not to be confused with apostrophe's) for plurals. And then there's the whole "myself" issue, which I can't stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 And then there's the whole "myself" issue, which I can't stand. I've never known how to use 'myself' except as in, 'I bought myself a frock,' so the equivalent of a reflexive usage in French. Are there other correct uses? Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hathersage Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 just for a bit of fun in the misspelling department... http://theoatmeal.com/comics/misspelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funschooler5 Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 The lose/loose thing is one of my pet peeves, too. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 (edited) OP, you're right and it drives me crazy when they're used incorrectly ;) Edited January 3, 2010 by lionfamily1999 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 When people say they are "loosing" weight, I always picture them just shaking it off. Now wouldn't that be nice? :tongue_smilie: It always makes me think of 'loose thyself' :lol: I have visions of them stripping the weight off like ropes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom3tn Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 If your horse is loose, you're going to lose it. :lol: Yes, you are using them correctly... this is one of my pet peeves too (along with there/their/they're and your/you're). :D Also, sail/sell/sale... I see those misused a lot. I always wonder if I should let people know when they are using words incorrectly here. Since we are all homeschooling moms, wouldn't we be helping each other out? I would want to know. But I'm afraid of hurting someon'e feelings. I have homeschool mom friends IRL who are incredibly sensitive about things like that. So I never say anything. :iagree: I would want to know. Sometimes it's just a typo, but you can usually tell if the word is being misused. I have a friend who always uses "probable" when she means to write "probably". I don't know why I never pointed it out to her. I think I should... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 I'm wondering if I'm using these words incorrectly, since I've seen more posts than I can count over the past few months in which the posters were using them differently than I thought was correct. So, I'm really not trying to be grammar police here; I'm trying to figure out which is correct. I use "lose" to mean one no longer has something that one previously had. The past tense would be "lost". I use "loose" to mean "not tight". Is this right? Or can you use "loose" as the present tense of "lost"? Could it be the British spelling? You are correct. The multitude of posts using the terms incorrectly make me cringe. Maybe someone (obviously not you) should pick up their kids' grammar and spelling books, or a dictionary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny_Weatherwax Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 I'm not sure I understand what you are saying here. Where, and how, exactly does the word 'should' fit into your sentence? I'm trying to come up with ways....... "We should bring cookies" is the best I see, and I'm not sure the meaning/usage is the same. Is it? I agree that the sentence is incorrect, but it could be easily corrected by simply adding the -ed ending to the word 'suppose': "We are supposed to bring cookies." "We should bring cookies" is what I meant. I apologize for being unclear; I was in a hurry. I have always thought that to suppose meant to assume or to think. So when I read suppose that is what I infer. "I suppose we should go" = "I think we should go" or "I assume we should go". When someone says something like "We are supposed to bring cookies" it feels more like a directive, like "We are obligated to bring cookies. The translations "We are thought to bring cookies" and "We are assumed to bring cookies" do not make sense to me. Is there another meaning for suppose that I am missing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caitilin Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 I've never known how to use 'myself' except as in, 'I bought myself a frock,' so the equivalent of a reflexive usage in French. Are there other correct uses? Laura People here who appear to be unsure of whether to use I or me in any given situation will often substitute myself, with regrettable results. ;) "He and myself were invited to the party." John invited him and myself to the party." :ack2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plimsoll Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 People refer to loosing weight or loosing library books all the time. I loosed some library books the other day. They were through the woods and halfway to the next county before I caught up with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 How about "then" and "than?" There is one particular hs mom I know who only uses the word than: We went to the store on Saturday. Than we went to the bank. I know it's not a typo because she does it every single time. :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Don't go with what you've read on people's blogs or whatever; there's a lot of incorrect usage out there. I'm with Mrs Mungo on the use of apostrophes (not to be confused with apostrophe's) for plurals. And then there's the whole "myself" issue, which I can't stand. My dh uses the myself incorrectly at work. It drives me bonkers. As for the loose and lose issue. I will go out of my way to find a different verb when writing because I inevitably drop or add an "o" while typing. Then I confuse myself by trying to figure out what I meant to write. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Is there another meaning for suppose that I am missing? Yes, I do believe there is. Suppose @ Mirriam Webster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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