There’s a grammatical error I frequently notice in writing.
It’s the use of could of to represent the contraction could’ve. (And would of and should of.) I frequently see this on social media, and it makes me cringe. It might make your readers cringe. And that’s not going to make them want to read more.
I’m an editor, but when I speak it’s in a casual, colloquial fashion.
That’s because language should sound like it flows. But speech is different from writing. A word or words that sound one way when spoken may look different in writing.
It’s not always a good idea to write in the same way that we speak. Your writing may run the risk of alienating certain readers, such as those for whom English isn’t their native language. It’s important to be respectful of all your readers by ensuring their comprehension. Use clear, direct language so everyone can understand.
Could’ve is a correct contraction that’s accepted in writing. It refers to something that might have occurred in the past, but didn’t happen. However, the phrase could of doesn’t exist.
When the contraction could’ve is spoken, it sounds similar to could of; this is perhaps where the confusion comes from.
But when you write could of, it’s just wrong.
When written without the contraction, could of doesn’t make sense.
The following examples are incorrect and should not be used in writing:
I could of gone to the store.
I would of done my homework.
I should of cooked dinner.
The following are examples of the correct way to write out these contractions:
I could have gone to the store.
I would have done my homework.
I should have cooked dinner.
Of is a preposition. Therefore, it should be followed by a noun or pronoun (the object of the preposition). In the incorrect examples above, the preposition is followed by a verb.
When you correctly spell out contractions, you can be sure that your text is readable. Take a second to say the word aloud so that you can hear what the correct spelling should be. Your readers will thank you.
