Good Phrase, Bad Phrase

rogersgeorge on July 26th, 2021

Two things I have opinions about! Panel 1 and panel 2.

Alley Oop Comic Strip for July 02, 2021 — https://www.gocomics.com/alley-oop/2021/07/02

The phrase in panel 1 is correct. Do you see it? Many many people get it wrong. Answer below

Panel 2 is grammatical but not true! Lots of people use this phrase incorrectly, too. What is it?

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Panel one: “all right” two words is correct. Many folks incorrectly use “alright.” ick.
Panel 2: Use “can’t wait” only if you describe doing something because you can’t actually wait. If all you want to do is emphasize your desire for something to happen, say “I can hardly wait.” harrumpf.

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Rogers George has been a technical writer for more than 20 years. He has written on subjects as diverse as outhouse assembly, restaurant reviews, software, information security, and scientific equipment. He has his own writing consultancy and is always happy to discuss writing and grammar. Drop him a line at curmudgeon@writing-rag.com.

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