Nothing irks me more than people who don't know basic grammar skills. I'm not just saying this because I'm an English major, but I mean the basics that we learned in elementary school. Come on people! First of all, if you're trying to sound smart, and you get the grammar or spelling wrong in your statement, let me save you the embarrassment and tell you to stop and, well, here's an idea, look it up! There's nothing wrong with being unsure of grammar. Hell, I am an English major, and I still have to double-check sometimes. We live in a world where knowledgeable resources are always surrounding us. If you don't own a hard copy of a dictionary, then use Google. I know you're online when you're making these grammatical errors anyway. Trust me, I know it's not everyone's main goal to be formal when they're just tweeting or texting, but it's starting to negatively influence the way we write in an educational and professional setting, and that's a problem. So I've decided to make you guys a grammar guideline you can refer to whenever you need to — just the basics. You're welcome.

1. There, their and they're

OK, this one is huge because people still mix these up, and I'm unsure how. It's easy to remember, so here are the differentiations and examples of the words used in context.

-There is a place. "The ice cream place is over there in that plaza."

-Their is possession. "All of the kids have their own toys to play with."

-They're is a contraction that stands for they are. "If you ask me, they're being way too loud."

2. It's and its

This one I can understand, but if you're in college and you still mess this up, for the grammar gods' sake, please just proofread!

-It's is a contraction that stands for it is. "It's going to rain today."

*It can also stand for it has. "It's come to my attention that the pool is finally open!"

-Its is the possessive form of it and used as an attributive adjective. "The dog likes to chase its tail."

3. Loose and lose

Let's take it back all the way to about second grade with this one people. I mean really just sound it out!

-Loose means that something is either too big or no longer tight enough. "The shirt is loose because I got one size too big by mistake."

-Lose means to misplace something or fail at something. "If we lose this game, it will be our first loss this season."

4. Your and you're

This one just annoys me because how can you not understand that a contraction stands for two words. I mean it's logic people, come on.

-Your is the possessive case of you. "Your food is ready."

-You're is the contraction for you are. "You're going to regret that decision."

5. Affect and effect

This one I can't call out a lot of people for because I honestly still mix up the two, but I always make sure to double-check their meanings so I never actually use them incorrectly.

-Affect is a verb normally used with an object, and it means to act on something. "These allergies are affecting me in the worst way possible this year."

-Effect is a noun and is something produced by a cause, it is the result of something. "The test had no effect on his final grade."

6. Alot and a lot

So this one is pretty simple because alot isn't a word, so by process of elimination it's always a lot.

7. Two, to and too

I think I learned the difference between these in about first or second grade.

-Two is the number. "I have two apples."

-To means you're going somewhere or you're going to do something. "I'm going to college to become a teacher."

-Too means also or the excessive extent of something. "I liked that movie too, but I felt like there was too much violence."

8. Then and than

I think this one just slips people's minds because it can easily be a typo considering it's a one letter difference.

-Then refers to a certain time. "We went to the beach, and then we got ice cream."

-Than is used in comparison of something. "I was taller than Sarah."

9. Where, we're, were and wear

-Where is in or at a place or a position of circumstance. "He went where? And where do you think he got the idea to run away?"

-We're is a contraction that stands for we are. "We're on our way to the grocery store now."

-Were is the past subjunctive of be or the past tense of are. "I thought we were still friends even after our fight."

-Wear is referring to clothing. "I have to wear a dress to the wedding."

10. Commas save lives.

Let me put it simply.

"Let's eat Grandma!"

vs.

"Let's eat, Grandma!"

To physically eat your grandmother, or eat some food with your grandmother — your choice people.