Where O Where Have The Scholars Gone?

I just have to rant for a few minutes.  Here's the story: I'm trying to sell a few used items on Craigslist.  I've been getting responses from people who are interested in buying our items by way of email.  Let me just tell you that I have been dumbfounded by the lack of English language skills these people have.  I have not had one single email yet that has not been rife with grammar mistakes and/or spelling mistakes.  Most of them have not used as much as one comma in punctuation.  Periods and question marks have evidently gone the way of the 8 track cassette player.  What baffles me is that these people are probably high school graduates, maybe even college graduates. Maybe I should not be so judgmental but am I the only one who makes assumptions about someone's overall intelligence based on the way they write or speak? Here are a couple of grammar mistakes that I have seen a lot of lately.  I don't know why exactly but these two particular mistakes just get on my nerves.  I know, I know... I need to get over it and move on.  

The first mistake is the misuse of the words past and pass.  

My mom-in-law actually had an email notice go around the office where she worked announcing that a co-worker's relative had past.  We are guessing they meant the person passed away. As in died.  Mom-in-law was not the author of said email, she's way smarter than that.  We did have a good chuckle over the obvious and funny mistake.

 I was recently given directions to a specific location telling me to go pass the 7-11 on the right. Pass it where or to whom should I pass it?  Maybe the 7-11 took a test and I should go give it a passing grade?  

A friend of mine sent photos of her pass for me to look at.  I saw lots of pictures from when she was a child (her past) but not a single one of her pass.  

Why is this so difficult?! If you don't see the mistakes here then please go crack open a fourth grade grammar book.  

OK, the second little grammar peeve I have is the misuse of the words then and than.  I cannot tell you how many times I read the word "then" when it should be "than".

Incorrect: I have better language skills then the average Craigslist user.

Correct: I have better language skills than the average Craigslist user.

Incorrect: If you want to appear intelligent than you should work on your language skills.

Correct: If you want to appear intelligent then you should work on your language skills.  

Maybe English is just too difficult for some folks? I can understand that.  It isn't exactly an easy language to master.  The fact of the matter is though that MOST of us spend 12-13 years learning the ins and outs of the English language.  So I'm trying to figure out who failed.  Are the teachers no longer teaching or are the students no longer learning?

I'm done with my rant now.  I better run this post through spell check to make sure I have all my words spelled correctly.   I don't want to end up with egg on my face.