Dog Community

Lose vs. Loose

Posted : 6/19/2007 2:16:53 PM

Hello,

I am your resident grammarian and today I am here to explain about two words that are often misused.[

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LOSE:
I don't want to lose my keys, so I always hang them on a hook when I come home.
I hate to lose a game of Scrabble!
I'm going to lose those last twelve lbs. if it is the last thing I do!

LOOSE:
The laundry was loose on the line and flapping in the wind.
Letting your dogs run loose is very dangerous.
My wheel bearings wore out, and my tire came loose and fell off in traffic!

Used Together!
I don't want to lose the lawsuit about my loose tire hitting that Jaguar XKE!

Lose: You can lose a game, your keys, or your car in the parking lot! If you want something gone, you want it lost. You want to lose it.

Loose: You can have a loose tooth, loose morals, and get loose after a few drinks. Some people have been accused of having loose morals. Some people have been accused of having a screw loose!

Fred staggered out of the bar. "Taxshi!" he yelled. He was quite loose by this point, having consumed more than his share of the pitcher and several doubles on the side. "I don' wanna lose my lishence! Where's th' shtupid tashxkey?"

He bumped into the bouncer, who was standing with his arms folded loosely. The bouncer shoved him away and the drunk smacked into the porch rail, mouth open, and came up with a bloody lip. "HEY, buddy! I don' wanna lose my teeth ya moron!"

The bouncer had had a bad night, and being called a moron caused him to lose his temper. Suffice to say that the drunk went home with more than a few loose teeth. And those were the ones he didn't lose.

Benedict

Posted : 6/19/2007 2:23:21 PM

[sm=rofl.gif]

[sm=giantpopcorn.gif]

rwbeagles

Posted : 6/19/2007 2:46:10 PM

Is this a pop quiz?

"Loose women, often lose their knickers in unsual places."

DPU

Posted : 6/19/2007 2:50:19 PM

Now I am lucid about the use of lose and loose.

How about a class on the use of effect and affect.

huskymom

Posted : 6/19/2007 3:51:02 PM

Thank you. [

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g33

Posted : 6/19/2007 3:53:50 PM

THANK YOU!!!!

Reminds me of the Friends episode when Rachel wrote Ross a 18-page letter ("Front AND Back"!!) and Ross finally said to her: Y-O-U-R means YOUR. Y-O-U-Apostrophe-R-E means YOU ARE!!!!

In addition to affect and effect, may I suggest a grammatical lesson on the usage of their, they're, and there!!!

Sera_J

Posted : 6/19/2007 4:00:58 PM

LOL Jean!

can you tell me the difference between:

Clutz and Klutz?

... other than one is spelled correctly!? [sm=smack.gif]

Chuffy

Posted : 6/19/2007 4:31:50 PM

Effect is a NOUN. (It can have "a" or "the" in front of it)
Affect is a VERB. (A "doing word")

Examples:
The EFFECT of the drug was to make her sleepy.
The lettuce had a soporific EFFECT on the flopsy bunnies.
Crate soiling will have an adverse EFFECT on house training

I wondered how the baby would AFFECT our marriage.
That shouldn't AFFECT your chances.

Chuffy

Posted : 6/19/2007 4:39:16 PM

They're is a shortened form of THEY ARE.
Example: They're late for school.

Their is a "belongs to" word, like his or hers.
Example: Because they couldn't find their shoes

There is a "place word".
Example: They were over there by the coffee table

Oh and Apostrophes (sp????!!!!!)

Snails = plural.
Ex: There were seven snails.

Snail's = indicating ownership.
Ex: I drew a face on the snail's shell"

Snails' = indicating ownership, plural
Ex: We drew numbers on the snails' shells so we could tell them apart easily during the race

Sorry. Those are my grammar niggles.

Just watch I'll have got one of those wrong now!!!!!

chelsea_b

Posted : 6/19/2007 5:08:19 PM

LMAO! That was bugging me too Jean! [

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I love this thread!

grab01

Posted : 6/19/2007 5:14:15 PM

bless you, bless you..I thought I was the only one who was irked by that

and on the your vs you're front, I walked into work the other day to be met by a flyer for someone's picnic type deal..and it said, in huge letters.."YOUR INVITED"..sigh[

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Xerxes

Posted : 6/19/2007 5:46:02 PM

Jeano, you can also "loose the hounds..." [

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calliecritturs

Posted : 6/19/2007 6:18:35 PM

I wouldn't want to lose friends by appearing to loose, but Chuffy and Benedict would likely not be able to bear it if I were to bare all and turn this into an Americanisms thing and ask them to explain to their friends that there are a true difference between a corner and a curve, or a 'purse' and a wallet. They're not at all the same. So there!!

Nor would I ask you to explain to your American friends why referring to a fanny pack instead of a bum bag might make you blush. Then, you can go on to affect a true change in our lives by elucidating the effect it might have on all of us if you were to explain the slang behind why my Scots husband was loathe to have a dog named "Muffin" (which is how he came to be known as "Muffin the Intrepid" - which rather puts a spin on the meaning.

You're right in your assumption that this was driving me slowly but surely insane. I just wanted everbuddy to stop posting to the darned thing.

On the other paw, I really wasn't ready to admit I was quite THAT anal retentive! (did someone talk about crate-soiling up there?)

It might be asked how those of us who are such sticklers for grammar can actually walk with that enormous stick up our butts (nor can I, after 10 years of marriage, completely and satisfactorily explain to my Brit husband why I can not, with a straight face, call a 'butt' an 'arse').

[sm=rotfl.gif]

ron2

Posted : 6/19/2007 6:37:22 PM

It's enough to make you loose your mind. [

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I'm so clever.

smilee1079

Posted : 6/19/2007 6:47:42 PM

I can do one on your and you're, it's and its, or there, they're, and their if you'd like!

May I just state that A LOT is two words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My 4th grade teacher made sure we all never made the mistake of making it one word.