It's not spelled correctly!

[Kilamon]

I was in the local big ORANGE home store (with the orange aprons) and I saw a sign in the garden center, written with one of those big sharpies, in front of the bags of dirt, proclaiming "Spring Sale! 10% off it's marked price!" This annoyed me.

Here is a public service announcement: “its” is the possessive of “it,” parallel to “his” and “hers,” no apostrophe. “It's” is the contraction of “it is,” the apostrophe signaling the missing space and letter. If you are in doubt, try substituting “it is” for the word; if the meaning doesn't change, then “it's” is correct. If it does change, then go with “its.” “Everything in its own place” doesn't work if it becomes “everything in it is own place.” But “It's sad to see writing ignorance” does work as “It is sad to see writing ignorance.” I don't know why this is so difficult. It's so damned common and people can't get it right.

[trunks2k]

At least it's an understanable misuse of the apostrophe, since with most other words an apostrophe is used for the possesive form so it's just force of habit.

It's not as bad when the apostrophe doesn't make any sense like "Christmas tree's for sale"

[ZumZum]

Actually, the sign is correct. It's maybe short for It Is, but it can also be used to assign possession. In this case it is assigning it's possession to be the marked price.

I hope I explained that right.

[CaroPhoenix]

Actually, the sign is correct. It's maybe short for It Is, but it can also be used to assign possession. In this case it is assigning it's possession to be the marked price.

I hope I explained that right.

Then the sign should have read: "10% off of price it's marked." Which though correct gives me a headache just to read it, much less write it. I just cringe. "10% off its marked price" should be the way the sign read.

[Broomjockey]

Actually, the sign is correct.

As presented, it's wrong. There are several rewordings to make it correct, however, including the one provided by idrinkarum.

[rvdammit]

"It's" is spelled correctly, the wrong homophone has been used.

"Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo" is gramatically correct, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo...uffalo_buffalo

[BookstoreEscapee]

I'd be so tempted to find a red marker and put my proofreading experience to good use (I've been known to do that at work but only on signs that were posted in the back for employees).

[Gurndigarn]

Well, before we all freak out, I've seen the same mistake here several times.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Well, before we all freak out, I've seen the same mistake here several times.

So have I...I've done it myself, too, I admit. Probably cuz I type too fast. If I hit submit before I catch it I will edit.

[i4wolves]

Does it really make that big of difference... you will be the only one who noticed the mistake... because as we know customers do not read signs

[sunhasfallen]

Actually, the sign is correct. It's maybe short for It Is, but it can also be used to assign possession. In this case it is assigning it's possession to be the marked price.

Nope, sorry but you are incorrect. The possessive form of "it" is "its". "It's" can only mean "it is".

I suppose the error is trivial, but when I see stuff like that it just looks really unprofessional to me.

[Reyneth]

I suppose the error is trivial, but when I see stuff like that it just looks really unprofessional to me.

Exactly. Easy mistake if you don't know better or aren't paying attention, but in a professional setting, it looks really bad for your company. Proofreading is important!

When I come in to the store in the morning and see a note - Photo's are in the "Q" - I want to that these people make more than me! But at least customers don't see that.

[powerboy]

It is only one mistake. It is nothing to get mad at. Maybe it was by accident?

[Pagan]

I completely understand where you're coming from. To this day, it bugs the crap out of me to hear people say "Victoria Secrets". No, no, no. It's "Victoria's Secret". The name of the company is possesive not plural! What really made me cringe was when the stinking director of the call center said it. You'd think she would've known better. And don't get me started on the newspapers.

I might not be able to diagram a sentence (and there's some verb tenses that I only know what they're called in French!), but I can tell you if it's right or not.

I used to edit the newsletter for the St. Andrew Scottish Society of NM and some of the articles that were sent in, oh my goddess! I would never change the meaning of what they were saying, but I would at least get it readable.

What's really fun though, is using the word "ain't", the contraction of "am not". It's perfectly acceptable if used correctly (Ex: Right - I ain't going with them. Wrong - You ain't going with them.). However, it still has the ability to make some English teachers twitch!

[Rapscallion]

I started a grammatical boycott a while back.

An error like this means that I will not shop there. I will also not shop at "Spud-U-Like" or "Toys-R-Us" etc.

If they can't be bothered to spell correctly, they're not having my money. I nearly lost it at a customer whose account I had to set up, because they changed a perfectly sensible letter 's' at the end of their name to 'z'. I don't know if they were trying to be 'xtreme' (something else that forces my money elsewhere) or trying to be zany (as TP said, redheads in sixties sitcoms are zany, and nothing else is), but ... rawr!

Rapscallion