Grammar Girl here.

Today's topic is how to correct other people's grammar.

Dr. David asked about how he can correct other people's grammar without losing friends

or sounding like a snob.

A couple of people who I won't name asked how to deal with bad grammar in the workplace,

for example, what to do when they're boss butchers the English language.

To me, these seem more like manners questions than grammar questions, so I've invited

the host of Mr. Manners quick and dirty tips for a more polite life to step in and provide

an answer.

Here's Mr. Manners.

Thanks, grammar girl.

It can be a delicate issue deciding when to correct someone's grammar, so let's start

with a few basic principles.

If the person whom you wish to correct is your child, student, or employee, you should

of course feel comfortable if not obligated to correct his or her grammar, providing you

do it in a polite and constructive manner.

If the child, student, or employee is an adult and it is outside of a classroom setting,

you should also do so in private.

In any other case, you must ask yourself if the person you wish to correct would actually

like to be corrected.

If the answer is no, then you should keep it to yourself.

One exception to this is if you are putting together a work product and there is a grammatical

...