What is Grammar?
“Grammar is my mother’s mother” replies the young child.
It’s humorous isn’t it? Of course we know grammar is actually the rules of English language; and not the old lady sitting on the rocking chair with a cat on her lap, while she knits lilac sweaters (since that colour was all the rage when she was a little girl).
It’s scary to think children these days have such poor literacy, but what about the adults? I suppose we could blame technology and the use of slang and abbreviations while texting messages on mobile phones and chatting on the internet. But even spoken English is almost another language these days. For instance two girls were sitting on the bus the other day (Odd that; me on a bus?) having a conversation, I couldn’t help but hear, since they were not only poor, but also very loud speakers. They were saying things like “You know what I mean in it?” and “We was tellin em they was fuckers”
“Grammar is my mother’s mother” replies the young child.
It’s humorous isn’t it? Of course we know grammar is actually the rules of English language; and not the old lady sitting on the rocking chair with a cat on her lap, while she knits lilac sweaters (since that colour was all the rage when she was a little girl).
It’s scary to think children these days have such poor literacy, but what about the adults? I suppose we could blame technology and the use of slang and abbreviations while texting messages on mobile phones and chatting on the internet. But even spoken English is almost another language these days. For instance two girls were sitting on the bus the other day (Odd that; me on a bus?) having a conversation, I couldn’t help but hear, since they were not only poor, but also very loud speakers. They were saying things like “You know what I mean in it?” and “We was tellin em they was fuckers”
What's scary is not the blatant swearing and shocking use of language, but these are supposedly educated humans? Which makes me wonder if teachers have given up teaching English language in schools nowadays?
The Daily Mail released an article highlighting this bombshell entitled:
Teacher’s cant punctuate.
Two in three would not notice the errors above – Did you?
Here are some more to test yourself. I’ll reveal the results in a few days to give you time to try them.
1.
a.The Smiths’ house is a disused windmill, and they are delighted with it.
b.The Smiths’s house is a disused windmill, and they are delighted with it.
c.The Smiths house is a disused windmill, and they are delighted with it.
d.The Smith’s house is a disused windmill, and they are delighted with it.
2.
a. Your perfectly within your rights.
b. You’re perfectly within your rights.
c. You’re perfectly within you’re rights.
3.
a. My monies on David’s cricket team.
b. My moneys on Davids cricket team.
c. My monies’ on David’s cricket team.
d. My money’s on David’s cricket team.
e. Mt moneys on Davids cricket team
4.
a. The 70’s was a great decade for music
b. The 70s’ was a great decade for music
c. The 70s was a great decade for music
5. I implied/inferred/ensued from his art collection that he was extremely wealthy.
6. She implied/inferred/ensued to Susan that Dennis wasn’t her first husband.
7.
a They gave the girls and I a typing test at the interview.
b. They gave the girls and me a typing test at the interview.
8.
n. Chris and me were puzzled at the outcome of the research.
o. Chris and I were puzzled at the outcome of the research.
9. He doubted he would be able to affect/effect significant change without the cooperation of the team.
10. Either of the two main options would effect/affect the environment adversely.
That was easy I hear you say…or maybe not? It’s actually quite surprising how we think our grammar is fine, until we are tested.
b.The Smiths’s house is a disused windmill, and they are delighted with it.
c.The Smiths house is a disused windmill, and they are delighted with it.
d.The Smith’s house is a disused windmill, and they are delighted with it.
2.
a. Your perfectly within your rights.
b. You’re perfectly within your rights.
c. You’re perfectly within you’re rights.
3.
a. My monies on David’s cricket team.
b. My moneys on Davids cricket team.
c. My monies’ on David’s cricket team.
d. My money’s on David’s cricket team.
e. Mt moneys on Davids cricket team
4.
a. The 70’s was a great decade for music
b. The 70s’ was a great decade for music
c. The 70s was a great decade for music
5. I implied/inferred/ensued from his art collection that he was extremely wealthy.
6. She implied/inferred/ensued to Susan that Dennis wasn’t her first husband.
7.
a They gave the girls and I a typing test at the interview.
b. They gave the girls and me a typing test at the interview.
8.
n. Chris and me were puzzled at the outcome of the research.
o. Chris and I were puzzled at the outcome of the research.
9. He doubted he would be able to affect/effect significant change without the cooperation of the team.
10. Either of the two main options would effect/affect the environment adversely.
That was easy I hear you say…or maybe not? It’s actually quite surprising how we think our grammar is fine, until we are tested.
Good Luck!
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