Almighty Grammar

The issue of grammar is one that is important for me, mostly because it is a continuing struggle. I feel that I have a better-than-average grasp of it, but I know that I am far from perfect. I know that some of the rules that I thoughtlessly use as I quickly write a first draft are way off and I rely on revisions to catch my slips. Even with the extra work, some things slip by and make solid points and arguments weak. Maybe that is a myth to investigate in itself: a paper is only as good as its grammar.
In the process of gaining writing skills the biggest point for me was having solid content. Even before I really understood what a good thesis statement was I wanted to write papers that left some sort of impact on the reader. As I developed rhetorical skill and learned better analysis methods, I felt that there was still a gaping hole when it came to grammar. The grammar I was taught in grammar school was not formal and relied more on cultural transfer than solid lessons on rules. As I progressed, there seemed to be a general disagreement as to where formal teaching should be. Some said "you will get to that later", while others said "you should have already learned that" with no one taking charge. By the time I reached university, I realized that many of the flaws in my writing came from an absence of formal instruction and a dependance on transfer.
I am at the point now where I can appreciate the importance of proper grammar, but know that it is not the be-all-end-all that I feared it was. It can be a huge issue when it interferes with clarity, and professors will surely make something of it. It is more than fair to penalize for grammar mistakes to ensure that the student learns something, but it is a disservice to not acknowledge what they do right in terms of content. So I will put this myth to rest for myself. Grammar is extremely important in composition, but is far from the only factor.
Gary Lindeburg
Blog 8

Comma, Errors.

The biggest grammar myth I was taught was that you are supposed to use a comma everywhere you take a pause. Naturally, under this assumption, a comma could go anywhere. I find my overuse of commas habitual in my writing, and to this day I have to go back and delete several commas in my work. I was never taught that there were comma rules, I just put them wherever it seemed natural. It has been difficult for me to distinguish between where we put a comma regarding a FANBOY, and if we place a comma after the final item in a list, but I am catching on.

Another aspect of grammar that I was never taught was the difference between affect and effect. I assumed that effect was always the proper use, due to the fact that everything is EFFECTED by something. I was never taught the difference between any commonly confused words, really. I am sure this is likely due to the fact that because my mother was an English teacher at my high school, my other English teachers assumed that I was a grammar whiz. Slowly, but surely, I am beginning to distinguish between affect and effect, and am able to teach the differences to my tutees.

Also, I was taught to refrain from using a first-person point of view. I am assuming that my teacher didn't think that we execute it properly, and that we may be subjective in our writing. Still, it would have been helpful if they explained that to us. I find students use roundabout ways of asserting their reflection. I try to distinguish between the students opinion and their reflection. I have discovered that this is the best way to help a student understand how to effectively use first person point of view.

Comma Confusion and the Rise of Grammarian Discord (Blog 8)

Everyone knows that grammar is not only taught by teachers but also by the family members who raise you. I do not recall being taught in school that you should place a comma in a sentence anywhere that you would naturally pause in speech. However, my mom taught me this rule while she was helping me complete by composition homework in grade school. Needless to say, my teachers eventually noticed by habitual overuse of commas and retaught me the correct means of grammatical comma use. It was at this point in my life that my mom stopped helping me with my homework as I had the means to complete it without assistance.

Fast forward several years.

I distinctly remember a day in high school where I had my mom proof read an essay for my English class. She handed the paper back with a few corrections but I noticed she inserted quite a few unnecessary commas. I asked her why she would give me suggestions like that and she told me that she was always taught to place commas where she would pause in speech. I remembered her teaching me this as a young girl but I also remembered by teachers taking great pains to break me of the habit.

I engaged my mom in a long discussion over the grammatical rules of English and watched her surprise in learning that she had been wrong her entire post-grade school life. Not only had she had one teacher educate her on this grammar myth, every English teacher she had emphasized this as proper comma usage. Ergo, she taught me the same concept believing she was only helping me improve my understanding.

I cannot help but draw conclusions about the state of grammar when she was in grade school. My mother attended public school in Tuscola, Illinois – a small town of about 4000. Though I have not researched the state of public school curriculum in Illinois in the 1960s-1970s, I do know that her school was not considered to be academically rigorous or challenging. Especially after reading Hartwell’s, “Grammar, Grammars, and the Teaching of Grammar”, I wonder if the consistent teaching of grammar myths and false formal grammar instruction created a generation of scholars who – confused by the poor instruction – decided to question formal grammar instruction as a whole.

In any case, both my mother and I understand the proper grammatical uses of commas. I have also used my position as Writing Center Tutor to dispel students of their preconceived notions of grammar myths and engage them in proper grammatical rules on commas and beyond. 

To boldly go where no tutor is expected to really want to quickly go to. . . .

I already posted on this (years ago), but I discussed how "ending a sentence with a preposition is bad" was the biggest myth I knew of.  The discussion we had on that (and split infinitives) were the most interesting ones we talked about.  To sloppily write a sentence (or worse a paper) might make a teacher wonder whom the student was writing for.  The student did not think about the audience they were writing for.

First we talked about prepositions, then we talked about split infinitives after.  It was interesting to learn where these rules originated from; I never thought about what English grammar was influenced by.  I am now much more aware of all of these "superstitions" going on.  I see them often during a session and sometimes see them after.

People using passive voice was also discussed during.  Of course, these archaic rules are often broken by writers without realizing it because, while writing the paper, they threw their whole voice and informal tone in.

This was a lot harder than I expected it to really be, and these rules might be seen as silly, but when it comes to this blog, future tutors might be required to read through -- I know whom I am writing for. :)