JS Tip 530: The Grammar Series, Part I

Two weeks ago, we promised to begin a series on language basics and grammar. Whoa. 

Here we are. We’ll start with two background discussions. 

Why are We Frustrated with Grammar?

Because we expect the language to be logical. And it’s not. 

For every rule Miss Landers gave us in the eighth grade, she gave us sixteen exceptions to the rule. And that was frustrating. 

Here it comes: English isn’t a logical language. It never has been. It is not now. It never will be. 

Richard Lederer, in The Miracle of Language, asks, “If you think the language makes sense, then why do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?” 

Why Should We Care about Grammar? 

Because when our car won’t start, we need to know where the battery is.

What?

To fix the car, we need to know how the car operates. 

To fix our language communication, we need to know how the language operates. It operates on grammar. Grammar describes how language works. 

When a friend proofreads your USC application essay and says, “You need to work on your subject-verb agreement,” you need to know what subjects are and what verbs are and why they should agree.

Your credibility is at stake. And your admission to USC.

Next week, we’ll talk about subjects. And verbs. As a beginning. 

We love this stuff. We appreciate you. Thank you.