'Went' Vs. 'Gone'
A
grammar problem that's more common in speech than in writing is substituting
"went" for "gone." Example: "I should have went to the store." The proper form
is "I should have gone to the store."
The
confusion probably stems from the fact that it is proper to say, "I went to the
store," and most of the time you can add "should have" to most verbs and the
verb won't change. "I kicked the ball" properly becomes "I should have kicked
the ball." But it's not the same with the verb "go" in this situation. It
changes to "went."
How
can a person be able to get it right on paper, but not while speaking? The
brain is able to construct properly on paper, many times, better than when a
person is speaking off the cuff. Perhaps it is the kinesthetic cues of holding
a pen, or typing on a keyboard, that help direct someone who's in this habit to
be able to write it right, but say it wrong.
The
best way to prevent this hard-to-break habit is to be vigilant with your
children, and quietly and privately correct them whenever you hear them say it
wrong. Have them say it again, correctly, so that the bad habit doesn't take
root. And if you already have this habit, relax: you're not too far gone, and
you don't have to worry where your grammar skills went. Just practice getting
it right, and every time you get it wrong, correct yourself, and soon you'll
have a new habit.
By Susan Darst Williams • www.GoBigEd.com • Grammar Granny
038 • © 2006