Mekita Rivas, SNR communications associate, publishes a biweekly feature called "Grammar Guru."
Every other week, the Grammar Guru will share writing tips to help make your work as polished as possible. Some of these tips may address common spelling errors, while others will examine the many nuances of the English language.
Grammar Guru Tip #41
"Could've" is a legitimate verb contraction of the words "could have." "Would've" and "should've" are in the same boat. However, when spoken, these contractions can sound like they end in "of" or, more informally, "a." Writing "could of," "would of" or "should of" is incorrect.
Example:
NOT: She should of called her friend on his birthday.
BUT: She should have called her friend on his birthday.
Need some grammar guidance? The UNL Style Guide (http://unlcms.unl.edu/ucomm/styleguide/) is a great resource for all university employees. If you have writing questions that the style guide doesn't answer, feel free to email the Grammar Guru at mrivas@unl.edu.