English is a screwy language. There’s just no logic to it. Why is daughter pronounced daw-ter, but laughter not law-ter? How can though, through, and tough look so similar and yet sound so different? Why does I come before E except after C? What’s so effing SPECIAL about C?

This is the reason that people who speak more sensible languages approach English with stumbling trepidation. English is insane. It has the capacity to confuse even the smartest of its native speakers—including scientists, engineers, and company presidents—especially when it has to be put down on paper.

This is a useful reference list for common mistakes like you’re/your, it’s/its, and their/they’re/there. And yes, the English language is maddeningly difficult to learn because of its idiosyncrasies. But I’d be lying if I said I agreed with the title; as we like to say here at The Grammar Nazi, folks, it is not that fucking hard.

Oh, and according to Merriam-Webster, “ahold” is a word (though Dictionary.com calls its usage “informal” — it seems to be one of those words that arrived at legitimacy after an extended period of casual use).

[via The Daily What]