You're vs. Your: If Your Not First, Your Last

Kudos to @galensmomma for tweeting an important life lesson:

It's a good idea to have somone proofread your work, no matter how simple.

Where does this truck owner go wrong? He doesn't use the contraction you're as a shorter version of you are.

Quick rules: 

• Use your to show possession. We're laughing our butts off at your grammar blunder.
• Use you're as a contraction for you are. We hope you're taking grammar more seriously.

Correction:

• If you're not first... you're last.

Apostrophe Fail: Your Invited

Zheesh, talk about not winning friends or influencing people. On Twitter, @StaceyFurt shared an invitation that was destined for the delete button.

Where does Boston College Club go wrong? It doesn't use the contraction you're as a shorter version of you are.

Quick rules: 

• Use your to show possession. I think we should use your car this time.
• Use you're as a contraction for you are. When you make that face it looks like you're really mad.

Correction:

• You're Invited

Your vs. You're: It's as Easy as ABC

I love it when folks use Twitter as a teaching tool. @laura_thompson tweeted:

Dear ABC: Next time you use subtitles, remember... Y-O-U apostrophe R-E means "you are". Y-O-U-R means "your"

Where does ABC go wrong? It doesn't use the contraction you're as a shorter version of you are. And why is there a question mark? That's a statement, not a question.

Quick rules: 

• Use your to show possession. We're watching ABC on your TV.
• Use you're as a contraction for you are. It's hard to take you seriously when you're laughing so hard.

Correction:

• I don't get what you're saying.

Your vs. You're: Nothing to Smile About

Many thanks to @liamdutton, a grammar-wise BBC weatherman, for spotting this goof while ogling the candy at the UK grocery chain Tesco.

Where does Tesco go wrong? It mixes up the homophones your and you're.

Quick rules:

• You're is a contraction meaning you are. You're the one who wanted to see this movie. He didn't even notice that you're not wearing any shoes.
• Your is a possessive pronoun. I don't like your shirt. You'd better hang on to your money.

Correction: Smile, you're on camera

Your vs. You're: Is He Really Your Uncle?

Gotta love folks who are quick enough to snap a photo of a grammatical goof they spot on TV. @gabegamauf's photo on Twitpic captures how a your vs. you're blooper apparently made it past MTV's crack proofreading team.

Where does MTV go wrong? It mixes up the homophones your and you're.

Quick rule:

• Use you're when you mean you + are. You're watching MTV.
• Use your to indicate possession. Your TV is turned on.

Correction: Your uncle David was talking about getting married.

Your vs. You're: Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word

This story in the Barrie Examiner commits the oh-so-common mistake of mixing up your and you're.

Do no harm, but if you do, just say your sorry and hope the patient goes away.

Where does the writer go wrong? He means to say 'you are sorry,' so he should have used you're.

Quick rule:  

• You're is a contraction of two words: you + are = you're. You're going to the movies.
• Your signals possession. Your dog is barking.

Correction: Do no harm, but if you do, just say you're sorry and hope the patient goes away.

Paris Hilton: Apostrophe Fail

Oh dear. Paris is looking way dumb in this t-shirt with not one but two whopping typos.

Where does Paris go wrong? Her slogans are missing apostrophes.

Quick rule: That's and You're are contractions, meaning that they represent two words that are contracted together. The apostrophe takes the place of a missing letter. That + is = That's. You + are = You're.

Correction: That's Hot! and You're Not!