[hamster-bamster]

Could someone please look carefully at the questions and edit for grammar/style?

Ex: "42. I cannot concentrate or focus on things like I used to." Should be " I cannot concentrate or focus on things AS I used to."

It is very annoying. Thanks.

[-jimi-]

I'm more bothered by questions that you cannot answer. Because all answers are wrong for you.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by jimi...

I'm more bothered by questions that you cannot answer. Because all answers are wrong for you.

That, too.

[avlady]

we need to use proper English?ha

If you fret about such trivial things such as this, you'll never be able to get through half the writing out there on the web. Fact is writing has become lax today and there's not much you can do about it. I've seen a heck of a lot worse out there and this, on sites supposedly written by professional writers.

the words "like" and "as" are largely interchangable and "as" is no longer considered "in fashion" so to speak. It is dying out, so to speak. English is an ever evolving language and is not stagnant; if it was, what would we call half the stuff we use today in our technologically evolving society? I taught English for over 20 years and can count on one hand the number of times I've seen "as" used as you state. Oops...I didn't start my sentence with a capital...shame on me!

[hamster-bamster]

I taught GMAT prep which included a Sentence Correction component that followed the SWE conventions strictly (SWE stands for Standard Written English) and 'like' was used to compare nouns, while 'as' was used to compare clauses, very clearcut and without interchangeability. Nouns are still nouns and clauses are still clauses, no matter how many times we use all lowercase text in SMS messages or posts and how many technological coinages have entered our language.

That may be true, but it's not taught any more in high school and middle school...it's not even in the book anymore. It is a dying art. When kids can't use "their, they're, there" correctly or simple things like "I and Me", and irregular verbs are almost impossible to get across to some of them....deal with the word "tooken" for a while and see how you feel, "like" and "as" don't seem that important anymore.

[hamster-bamster]

Well, compared to 'tooken', sure.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by avlady

we need to use proper English?ha

No, not you, but the creators of the quiz.

I do see your point, hammy... that it's a quiz/test and it should be written properly. My only thought is that it's like one in a million places out there... and I figure even if you got them to fix it would it really put a dent in the mess that is so widely spread?

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

Well, compared to 'tooken', sure.

"Tooken" is one of my brother-in-law's favorite words. I correct him every time. He accepted it at first; now it is a matter of contention beween us. He honestly doesn't understand why it's wrong.

[Travelinglady]

Even though I am a former English teacher, frankly I didn't notice this error. As folks have said, so many people from the U.S. (native speakers and writers) don't know proper grammar any more, and we're having more and more immigrants who struggle with English as a second language. Alas, I seem to be getting a bit more tolerant. Cringe.

One of the items did floor me, though. I seem to recall it had to do with children, and I really didn't know how to answer it. I think the choices didn't provide me with the exact circumstances of my life--maybe something such as "Do you have children at home?" I have children, but they are grown..... I couldn't figure out what issue this question was trying to address either.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by s4ndm4n2006

I do see your point, hammy... that it's a quiz/test and it should be written properly. My only thought is that it's like one in a million places out there... and I figure even if you got them to fix it would it really put a dent in the mess that is so widely spread?

No, it would not put a dent. It is just one of the few places to actually invite feedback and, therefore, I have an opportunity to make a change.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by PAYNE1

Even though I am a former English teacher, frankly I didn't notice this error. As folks have said, so many people from the U.S. (native speakers and writers) don't know proper grammar any more, and we're having more and more immigrants who struggle with English as a second language.

I am an immigrant. Some immigrants follow the SWE conventions more closely than native speakers do.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by PAYNE1

One of the items did floor me, though. I seem to recall it had to do with children, and I really didn't know how to answer it. I think the choices didn't provide me with the exact circumstances of my life--maybe something such as "Do you have children at home?" I have children, but they are grown..... I couldn't figure out what issue this question was trying to address either.

Oh, bring it to the attention of the site administration.

[Travelinglady]

I'm sorry for my assumptions about all immigrants. I agree that this grammar error needs to be corrected, especially since so many people take this test. I am glad you are picking up on these problems.

I'm also sorry about piggybacking on your post, but I assume that some administrator will read this thread, so I could kill two birds with one stone, since it does relate to the sanity test. I am a psychologist, and I was more conscious of issues of test construction for validity when I took it.

[Pikku Myy]

Sweetie.... "sanity" is what you make out of the wording To me "sanity" means a bit off center.... and I take pride of this. However... you do need to find your inner peace, before you can say the same Hugs

[hamster-bamster]

"loose weight" is another pet peeve of mine. No, it not in the quiz, but it is used by posters more often than not. Much more often than not. I should have gotten accustomed to it by now, but I still cringe.

Sorry for digressing.

[unaluna]

Like and as are used wrong on tv ads all the time, and less and fewer, so I'm always talkIng back to the announcer. My favorite is, "Treat others like you want to be treated" which to me means, you should let them know you expect THEM to pay your way!!

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by hankster

Like and as are used wrong on tv ads all the time, and less and fewer, so I'm always talkIng back to the announcer. My favorite is, "Treat others like you want to be treated" which to me means, you should let them know you expect THEM to pay your way!!

I initiated a long thread in Relationships and Communications when a guy from OkCupid said "Less people". Along the lines of "City A has less people than city B".

The wisdom of the crowds: let it go. I did.

the guy proceeded to ask for my dress size.

The wisdom of the crowds on that: ban him. I did.

I do believe in the wisdom of the crowds.

[Travelinglady]

Years ago, when cigarette ads were allowed, the company got some flack when the ad said, "Winston tastes good LIKE a cigarette should."

Hamster-Bamster, I do a lot of cringing in Psych Central, on facebook, etc. Notice that a lot of folks don't put the comma after nouns of direct address, too. Pachy had a thread awhile back in the "things that matter" forum about the issue of poor grammar. If you can access it, then I think you can identify.

I agree that as an official test, the sanity one should use correct grammar. However, in regular posts, I have just given up on getting upset. I am more concerned about the content.

By the way, this post is in regard to the wording of the test. It doesn't relate to whether we accept ourselves as insane or not insane, as someone suggested in an earlier post on this thread.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by PAYNE1

By the way, this post is in regard to the wording of the test. It doesn't relate to whether we accept ourselves as insane or not insane, as someone suggested in an earlier post on this thread.

Agree, of course. The post was in regards to a very narrow issue of the wording of one specific question on the test. I did not have any other goals in mind.

[venusss]

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

I am an immigrant. Some immigrants follow the SWE conventions more closely than native speakers do.

I am not native English speaker. And I taught people English. They may not speak perfectly, but they do not mess their/there/they're and you're/your as much as native speakers do.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by VenusHalley

I am not native English speaker. And I taught people English. They may not speak perfectly, but they do not mess their/there/they're and you're/your as much as native speakers do.

Agreed. I taught ESL to teenagers before I arrived in the US. I had the same experience - they made fewer mistakes, on average.