I try to teach that grammar is like building a Lego set. You must find the right pieces to build the picture on the cover of the box. Once you build it exactly as shown you then have the liberty to change things up and break a few rules. Why? Because once you know how to build it your knowledge will guide you in the proper way to rebuild tailoring to your personal style. If you disregard the proper way to build your set you will end up with no appreciation for the pieces and lack the creativity to expand on your knowledge of how it was supposed to fit.
Many would have you believe grammar went out with the dodo bird. Those who confuse “effect” and “affect” would rather grammar not exist to haunt their writings. The fact is grammar is here to stay. Removing grammar would be like removing the skeleton from a body. While some shudder in fear of judgment by the semicolon or comma some take comfort in the consistency and predictability of grammar. Regardless of which camp you affiliate yourself with there are two resources that will help improve your understanding and use of grammar.
The first is My Grammar and I…Or Should That Be Me? How to Speak and Write it Right by Caroline Taggart and J. A. Wines. A delightful little book suitable for elementary through high school students to explore and sharpen grammar skills. The book covers spelling and confusables, parts of speech, sentence structure, punctuation and elements of style. I found the book fascinating, well organized and far from a boring text on the subject. A book you can give to your older student or use as a guide to teach a grammar course to your younger students. My favorite aspects are the Teacher’s Corner and Smart Aleck highlights which provide you with trivia and interesting facts on grammar. Yes, there are plenty of interesting facts on grammar. You will be amused by common errors and how to correct them. Did you know you write “Happy Birthday, Kim” and not Happy birthday, Kim”. Vengeance is mine as now I have a handy tool to prove to some naysayers of my capitalization of both “happy” and “birthday” is correct.
Tune in tomorrow to explore a second recourse you can use to sharpen grammar skills and make your friends grammatically jealous. Yes, you too can be the one who silently corrects everyone’s grammar.