Can You Correct the Grammar of These Famous Christmas Movie Quotes?

By: Teresa McGlothlin
Estimated Completion Time
9 min
Can You Correct the Grammar of These Famous Christmas Movie Quotes?
Image: Hughes Entertainment/ Warner Bros.

About This Quiz

Admit it! You walk around every holiday season, spouting quotes from your favorite Christmas films. But do you know how to correct their grammar? During this quiz, you'll get to put your language rules knowledge to the test. Will you be able to fix our mistakes, or will we have taken things too far, like Harv and Marvin from "Home Alone"?

Classics like "It's A Wonderful Life" and "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" always warm our hearts, and it's a good idea to take that feeling into the questions you're about to be asked. For every perfect quote, there are dozens of other quotes that need your editing expertise. We haven't made it easy to find our mistakes, but we trust that you have enough goodwill in your heart to correct them and make them sparkle like a tree topper. 

If you can find the issues in all 35 of these famous Christmas movie lines, you can walk away with this year's bragging rights. Plus, you'll be inspired to spread even more cheer this year now that you've seen so many beautiful quotes staring back at you from the screen. How well will you do correcting them? Lay a finger upside your nose and see how you do! 

Question 1 - Elf
New Line Cinema/ Guy Walks Into a Bar Productions/ New Line Distribution
"We elves try to stick to the four basic food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup." Where's the mistake in this "Elf" quote?
There are no grammar mistakes here.
You don't need the colon.
There shouldn't be a comma after candy corns.
It should be "elfs" instead of "elves."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Some of you are not going to like this! As of 2019, AP rules have discontinued the use of the Oxford comma. In this case, there should be no comma between the words "candy corn" and "and."

Question 2 - Bing Crosby
Paramount Pictures
How would you fix Bing Crosby's, "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas"?
The "W" in white doesn't need to be capitalized.
It should end with an exclamation point.
I don't see any problems here.
Christmas is misspelled.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If we said that Bing Crosby sang "White Christmas," it would be acceptable to have a capital "W." Since we are not talking about the title of a song, only the word Christmas needs to be capitalized.

Question 3 - Frosty
Rankin/Bass Productions/ Mushi Production/ CBS/ Freeform
According to Frosty, "There's a certain magics that comes with the first snow." Can you figure out what we messed up?
There are no errors.
The "F" in first should be capitalized.
First should be written as 1st.
It's magic, not magics.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Frosty did not sing about magic with an "S," and we shouldn't have added it either. If we left it, we would have to rewrite the entire sentence. Then, it would say, "There are certain magics that come with the first snow."

Advertisement

Question 4 - Elf
New Line Cinema/ Guy Walks Into a Bar Productions/ New Line Distribution
"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to here." Can you correct Buddy the Elf's quote?
"The best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to here."
"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all too hear."
"The best ways to spread Christmas cheers is singing loud for all to hear."
"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Here, here! Since 2003, Buddy the Elf has been singing loud for everyone to hear! Starring Will Farrell, "Elf" grossed over $220 million at the box office. It's one of America's favorite Christmas comedies.

Question 5 - Love Actually
StudioCanal/ Working Title Films/ DNA Films/ Universal Pictures
What's the better way to write the "Love Actually" line "To me, you are perfect"?
"Perfect you are to me."
"You are perfect to me."
"To me, your perfect."
"Too me, you are perfect."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's not Christmastime unless someone is walking around quoting 2003's "Love Actually." There are no errors in this quote. The comma after me adds the perfect pause to emphasize the rest of the statement, but it's better written the other way.

Question 6 - Miracle 34th
20th Century Fox
Where's the issue with the "Miracle on 34th Street" line that goes, "Oh, Christmas isn't just a day, its a state of mind"?
It's perfect. There's nothing wrong with it.
You don't need the comma after "Oh."
It should be "it's" instead of "its."
Christmas doesn't need to be capitalized.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Even Kris Kringle will tell you that we've used the wrong version of it's during this quote. Since 1947, "Miracle on 34th Street" has been filling hearts with Christmas joy and making it last all year.

Advertisement

Question 7 - Were No Angels
Paramount Pictures
In 1955's "We're No Angels," Humphrey Bogart says, "I'm going to buy them their Christmas turkey." Can you make it better?
It should be they're instead of there.
You haven't made any grammatical errors.
You don't need the word "them."
"A" should be used in place of "their."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There, their and they're — everyone messes them up sometimes! In this quote, it's used the right way. But to enhance clarity, the better way to say it would be, "I'm going to buy them a Christmas turkey."

Question 8 - The Holiday
Columbia Pictures/ Universal Pictures/ Relativity Media/ Waverly Films/ Sony Pictures Releasing/ Universal Pictures
What's the oops in this "The Holiday" quote? "It's Christmas eve and we are going to celebrate being young and being alive."
It's should be its.
Christmas doesn't need a capital "C."
It's Christmas Eve, not Christmas eve.
I don't see an oops.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If we were writing Christmas card or Christmas stocking, there would be no reason to capitalize the word that follows Christmas. Since Christmas Eve is considered a day, the "eve" here should have a capital "E."

Question 9 - Elf
New Line Cinema/ Guy Walks Into a Bar Productions/ New Line Distribution
How would you correct "You stink. You smell like beef and cheese. You dont smell like Santa"?
You forgot the apostrophe in "don't."
There should be a comma after "stink."
Beef should have a big "B."
There should not be a comma after "cheese."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Leave it to Buddy from "Elf" to say exactly what he thinks. We've messed up his quote, though. We forgot to put an apostrophe in the word "don't." As a contraction, it needs the apostrophe to combine the words do and not.

Advertisement

Question 10 - Miracle 34th
20th Century Fox
"Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to." What's wrong with this quote?
I don't see anything wrong.
It should be Common Sense.
You left out a word.
You shouldn't end a sentence with "to."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When writing in a conversational tone like movie scripts, the rules are a little different. However, even if you are authoring "Miracle on 34th Street," you should avoid ending sentences with prepositions.

Question 11 - Elf
New Line Cinema/ Guy Walks Into a Bar Productions/ New Line Distribution
How did we mess up Buddy's quote that goes, "You have such a pretty face, you should be on a Christmas Card"?
There shouldn't be a comma after face.
You haven't messed anything up.
Card does not need to be capitalized.
It's "could," not "should.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While you do need to capitalize things like the day known as Christmas Eve, it's not necessary to capitalize the word "card." If Christmas Card were a company, you would make it a big "C." Since it's not, you don't need to do it.

Question 12 - Home Alone
Hughes Entertainment/ 20th Century Fox
Kevin McCallister asks, "You guise give up, or are you thirsty for more?" Can you find our mistake in his question?
Give should be gave.
For should be fore.
You don't need the comma after "give up."
Guise should be guys.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When "Home Alone" was released, it broke box office records! As Kevin continues his brutal assault on home invaders Marv and Harry, he says, "You guys give up, or are you thirsty for more?"

Advertisement

Question 13 - White Christmas
Paramount Pictures
What's wrong with "May all your Christmasses be white" from "White Christmas"?
White should be capitalized.
It should be Christmases.
It should be you're.
There's nothing wrong with this quote.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

With the iconic theme song composed by Irving Berlin, "White Christmas" has been a holiday favorite since 1954. We've botched up this quote by misspelling Christmases. There's no need for the extra "S."

Question 14 - Grinch
Imagine Entertainment/ Universal Pictures
The Grinch wasn't being very nice when he said, "Your name is Rudolph, you're a freak with a red nose." Which way is the right way to state this?
"You're name is Rudolph, your a freak with a red nose."
"Your name is rudolph, and you are a freak with a red nose."
"Your name is Rudolph, and you're a freak with a red nose."
The quote is fine the way it is.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Before his heart grew three sizes, The Grinch didn't have many nice things to say. If this Jim Carrey quote were written correctly, you would add "and" after the comma. You could also add a semicolon after Rudolph, or a period to create two separate sentences.

Question 15 - Polar Express
Castle Rock Entertainment/ Shangri-La Entertainment/ ImageMovers/ Playtone/ Golden Mean Productions/ Warner Bros. Pictures
According to "The Polar Express," you should "Just remember, the true spirit of Christmas lays in your heart." Is that right?
I think it's right.
No, you used "lays" when it should be "lies."
You don't need the comma after "remember."
"Just doesn't need to be capitalized."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This "The Polar Express" quote echoes the sentiment of most Christmas films. They tell us that Christmas "lies" in our hearts all year round. It's doesn't lay there, though. That would be too lazy!

Advertisement

Question 16 - Die Hard
Gordon Company/ Silver Pictures/ 20th Century Fox
Which of the words from this "Die Hard" quote is incorrect? "I got a hundred people down here and they're all covered in glass!"
Their
Got
Here
Hundred
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tisk, tisk. If you were trying to rescue a few hundred people, your grammar might not be that great, either. In this quote, "got" should have been replaced by "have." It should say, "I have a hundred people down here, and they're all covered in glass."

Question 17 - Ernest
"Touchstone Pictures/ Silver Screen Partners III/ Emshell Producers Group/ Buena Vista Pictures"
As Ernest is saving Christmas, he says, "Ever since I was a little kid, I always felt like it was my own personal holiday." Do you see anything wrong with the quote?
It looks good to me!
It's every, not ever!
There's no need for the comma after "little kid."
You should have ended it with an exclamation point.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

We love "Ernest Saves Christmas" so much we didn't want to mess up his words. You could end this statement with an exclamation point, but we try to use those very sparingly — or only for yelling. For once, Ernest wasn't yelling when he said this.

Question 18 - Yukon
Videocraft International/ NBC/ CBS/ Freeform
Yukon Cornelius says, "This fogs as thick as peanut butter!" Where did we botch his words?
You didn't add an apostrophe in "fogs."
Rudolph actually said that.
It should be "that fogs."
I don't see any errors.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1964's "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," Yukon Cornelius leads the group through a thick batch of fog to find the misfits. We messed up his words by forgetting the apostrophe in "fogs." It's supposed to be "fog's" because it's combining the words fog and is.

Advertisement

Question 19 - Scrooged
Mirage Productions/ Paramount Pictures
Have we made any mistakes in the "Scrooged" quote that goes, "For a couple of hours out of the whole year, we are the people that we always hopped we would be"?
Yes
No
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When Bill Murray was playing Frank Cross in 1988's "Scrooged," he didn't do much hopping like a bunny. He did, however, do a lot of preaching about the virtues of Christmas and how it fills up with hope.

Question 20 - Xmas Vacation
Hughes Entertainment/ Warner Bros.
What's the issue with Clark Griswold saying, "Hey kids, look! It's a dear"?
"It's" is not right.
You misplaced the comma.
It's fine. There are no mistakes.
It's "deer" not dear.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Unless Clark was pointing out the window and telling Russ and Aubrey to look at someone he's fond of, we have misspelled the word "deer." The way we've written it here gives the quote a whole new meaning.

Question 21 - Xmas Vacation
Hughes Entertainment/ Warner Bros.
Which was is the right way to write this "Christmas Vacation" line? "Hey Kids, I herd on the news that an airplane pilot spotted santa's sled on it's way in from New york!"
"Hey Kids, I heard on the news that an airplane pilot spotted Santa's sled on its way from New York!"
"Hey kids, I herd on the news that an airplane pilot spotted Santa's sled on its way in from New York!"
"Hey kids, I heard on the news that an airplane pilot spotted Santa's sled on its way in from New York!"
"Hey kids, I heard on the new that an airplane pilot spotted Santa's sled on its way in from New York!"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Leave it to the Griswolds from 1989's "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" to make it feel like the holidays. We made a lot of errors in our question. There are a total of five!

Advertisement

Question 22 - Elf
New Line Cinema/ Guy Walks Into a Bar Productions/ New Line Distribution
Can you find the mistake in "First we’ll make snow angels for two hours, then we’ll go ice skating, then we’ll eat a whole role of Tollhouse cookie dough"?
It's roll not "role."
"Cookie" should be capitalized.
You don't need to capitalize "Tollhouse."
"Ice skating" should be one word.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Audiences may have eaten up the "role" Will Ferrell played in "Elf," but a roll of cookie dough is a totally different kind of roll. Buddy uses the word like a roll of paper towels — not a part in a movie!

Question 23 - Charlie Brown
Lee Mendelson Films/ CBS
Lucy looked at Charlie Brown and said, "We all know that Christmas is a big comercial racket." Which word have we written incorrectly?
Christmas looks wrong to me.
I don't see any out of place words.
"Racket" is spelled the wrong way.
"Comercial" is missing an "m."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1965's "A Charlie Brown Christmas," Linus and Charlie have a hard time convincing Lucy to get into the Christmas spirit. In this quote, we have intentionally misspelled the word commercial.

Question 24 - Home Alone
Hughes Entertainment/ 20th Century Fox
Can you correct the error in this "Home Alone" quote? "Will you please tell Santa that instead of presents this year, I just want my family back?"
It should end with a question mark.
The comma is in the wrong place.
The word "just" isn't really in this quote. You added it.
There's no errors here.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If we had written this quote the right way, it would end with a question mark. It would say, "Will you please tell Santa that instead of presents this year, I just want my family back?"

Advertisement

Question 25 - Nightmare
Touchstone Pictures/ Skellington Productions/ Walt Disney Pictures/ Buena Vista Pictures
The mayor in "Nightmare Before Christmas" says, "Oh. How jolly our Christmas will be!" Can you pick the correct way to write it?
"Oh, our Christmas will be jolly!"
"Oh. How jolly hour Christmas will be!"
"Oh, How jolly our Christmas will be!"
"O. How Jolly our Christmas will be!"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although this is written conversationally and not too terribly wrong, grammar buffs will want it written completely differently to eliminate "will be" at the end. Although, it sounds so stuffy the correct way, doesn't it?

Question 26 - Grinch
Imagine Entertainment/ Universal Pictures
Which of The Grinch's words are wrong in this quote? "Saving Christmas is a lousy ending, way to commercial."
You used the wrong version of "too."
Lousy is spelled the wrong way.
You don't need a comma after "ending."
You shouldn't start a sentence with a word like "saving."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Once again, we've tried to fool you by using the wrong version of "too." Jim Carrey brought brand new life into the role of The Grinch in 2000. We're sure Dr. Seuss would have been proud of his performance.

Question 27 - Elf
New Line Cinema/ Guy Walks Into a Bar Productions/ New Line Distribution
What's the problem with "It seems I’m not an Elf" from "Elf"?
All of it is wrong.
There's a problem here?
You don't need to capitalize elf.
It should be "a elf."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After Buddy says that, Leon the Snowman says, "Of course you’re not an elf. You’re 6-foot-3 and had a beard since you were 15." In Buddy's quote, elf does not need to be capitalized since it refers to an elf, in general, not the movie's title.

Advertisement

Question 28 - Kranks
Revolution Studios/ 1492 Pictures/ Columbia Pictures/ Sony Pictures Releasing
Can you correct our error in the "Christmas with the Kranks" quote? "Youre skipping Christmas! Isn’t that against the law?"
It doesn't need a question mark.
The exclamation point is wrong.
Your guess is as good as mine!
The apostrophe in you're is missing.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

2004's "Christmas with The Kranks" is chock full of memorable lines. In this quote, we've tried to trick you by leaving the apostrophe out of the word "you're." It helps to combine the words you and are.

Question 29 - Fred
Silver Pictures/ Warner Bros. Pictures
"No, only a Claus can deliver the presents, and that is a claus." Which word have we messed up in this "Fred Claus" quote?
"Presents" should be "presence."
The second "claus" should be "clause."
There's nothing wrong here.
"Claus" doesn't need a big "C."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Vince Vaughn and Kevin Spacey might make unlikely Christmas partners, but they pull it off flawlessly in 2007's "Fred Claus." Here, we've used the wrong "clause" to make this quote incorrect.

Question 30 - Jingle All lthe Way
1492 Pictures/ 20th Century Fox
"Jingle All the Way" and correct the grammar of "You guys are nothing but a bunch of sleazy conmen in red suites." Which way is the correct way to write it?
"Yous guys are nothing but a bunch of sleazy conmen in red suits.
"You guys is nothing but a bunch of sleazy conmen in red suits."
"You guys are nothing but a bunch of sleazy conmen in Red suits."
"You guys are nothing but a bunch of sleazy conmen in red suits."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Long before Arnold Schwarzenegger was called Governor, he delivered a few memorable quotes during his time as an actor. In this "Jingle All the Way" quote, we've added an "e" to "suits." It would be correct if he were talking about a hotel room rather than a costume.

Advertisement

Question 31 - Santa Clause
Walt Disney Pictures/ Hollywood Pictures/ Outlaw Productions/ Buena Vista Pictures
In "The Santa Clause," Scott Calvin says, "You want this doll or not? Go back to asleep." Can you figure out what's incorrect about it?
I don't see any mistakes in this quote.
It should end with an exclamation point.
You forgot to add the word "do" to the beginning.
It's "sleep" not "asleep."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When playing a reluctant Santa in "The Santa Clause," Tim Taylor says, "You want this doll or not? Go back to sleep" We added an unnecessary "a" to the word "sleep." It doesn't make any sense the way we've written it, does it?

Question 32 - Muppet Christmas Carol
Walt Disney Pictures/ Jim Henson Productions/ Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
"Let us deal with the eviction notices for tomorrow, Mr. Cratchit." Where is the mistake in this "Muppets Christmas Carol" line?
There are no mistakes.
It doesn't need the word "for."
"Cratchit" is misspelled.
It should be "let's" instead of "let us."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Poor Kermit! It's a good thing Mr. Cratchit comes to his senses about Christmas before it's too late. We haven't made any mistakes here. That's the way it's written in the movie script.

Question 33 - Home Alone 2
Hughes Entertainment/ 20th Century Fox
What would you do to fix "Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal"?
"Mary Christmas, ya filthy animal."
"Marry christmas, ya filthy animal."
"Merry Christmas, you filthy animal!"
"Merry Christmas, ya fifty animal."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Perhaps one of the "Home Alone" series' most memorable lines, "Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal," is uttered all over the world. While you can get away with "ya" in a conversation, formal writing requires that you change it to the more proper "you." (Yes, we know it sound stuffy. What can we tell ya?)

Advertisement

Question 34 - Vacation
Hughes Entertainment/ Warner Bros.
Do you see the error in "We’re kicking off our fun old fashioned family Christmas by heading out into the country"?
You didn't make any mistakes.
It should say, "Were kicking off our fun old-fashion family Christmas by heading out into the country."
There should be a hyphen between "old" and "fashioned."
I think it should read, "We’re kicking off our fun old-fashion Family Christmas by heading out into the country."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Clark Griswold knows how to turn every moment of Christmas into an adventure in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation." Certain phrases require a hyphen, and "old-fashioned" is one of them.

Question 35 - Christmas Story
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/ MGM/UA Entertainment Co.
In "A Christmas Story," Santa tells Ralphie, "You’ll shot your eye out, kid." Can you make it read correctly?
"Youll shoot your eye out, kid."
"You’ll shoot your eye out, kid."
"You’ll shoot your eye out kid."
"You’ll shoot your I out, kid."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Oops! It looks like we've forgotten to add an "o" in the word "shoot." 1983's "A Christmas Story" is full of great quotes. We didn't think it was fair to ask you to correct "I want an official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle," though.

You Got:
/35
Hughes Entertainment/ Warner Bros.