Originally posted by Astro forever+Jul 18 2005, 03:47 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Astro forever @ Jul 18 2005, 03:47 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--jeffbert@Jul 18 2005, 03:25 PM
Since I am the closest thing this forum has to mister language person, I will comment.
When I began improving my grammar (lest I be required to take a speech course), I became aware of other people's errors. As I was zealous of my newfound interest, I began correcting them. My mother really hated having her grammar corrected by her son, & I immediately realized I had a new way to irritate her.
But other people were often very offended at being corrected, especailly in public. But I really was POed at the way they spoke. Well, it took a feew years to cool off, but now I can both use formal grammar and remain unoffended at others' colloquial speach.
Formal grammar frowns at the use of contractions, & when I write an essay for college, I use this style. But it is somewhat awkward to use in speach. Both ways you have written this fragment employ contractions, but "You are not" if put colloqually, can also be written "you ain't." To those who might object, I am certain I could find more than a few errors in their own grammar, so they should not point at others' faults.
Sometime conciseness is more important that correctness.
My English improved a lot and is still improving from reading/writing on English forums.

It's cool to think that I entertain myself and do something useful at the same time!

However, I'm aware that people tend to use colloquial speech, just like I do on French forums. So for now, I'm seeking to improve my colloquial English.

I wish I was able to write anything formal properly too, but I'm not expecting to learn that from Internet forums, so I'm settling for a more modest goal!

If you are annoyed by anything I write, or if you just happen to notice a mistake, feel free to correct me. Not only you wouldn't offend me, but I'd welcome your corrections as it would help me to improve a lost faster.

I guess it would also make me less annoying to read as well!

Thank you very much for your answer. [/b][/quote]
To do that, I would need to remember who, of all members requested it. I do not want to risk offending those who do not want correction. However, in your current post, I spotted a mistake:
"
Not only you wouldn't offend me, but I'd welcome your corrections as it would help me to improve a lost faster."
Not only you wouldn't offend me, should be:
"not only would you not offend me"

But please do not ask me to refer to rules, because I do not know them formally.
I only knows good grammar when I sees it. 