WHY
GRAMMAR MATTERS
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Two-thirds of the newly
revised writing section of the SAT focuses
on understanding and applying grammatical
concepts.
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Rightly or wrongly, the
world judges us by the way we speak and write.
We should be able to choose what impression
we leave by deliberately abiding by or disregarding
the "rules" of grammar. One need
not always use perfect grammar (in fact, some
occasions demand the dismissal of its "rules"),
rather one needs to be in conscious control
of the power of language.
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A solid foundation in English
grammar allows students to more quickly and
easily acquire foreign languages -- an essential
ability in today's global world.
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"Meaning what we
say," and "saying what we mean,"
can sometimes be challenging, particularly
if we are not intentional with our diction
and syntax. By harnessing the power of grammatical
concepts, we help to clarify our thoughts
and give proper emphasis to our ideas.
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Convincing, powerful prose
goes hand-in-hand with a solid understanding
of grammar. When we teach students that they
have the power to control a reader's pace,
cognition, and emotion through their grammatical
craft, we expose students to the writing techniques
of literary masters.
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By arming students with
a comprehensive grammar toolkit, we give them
the confidence they need to tackle formidable
pieces of literature. Instead of being overwhelmed
by complex prose, the grammatically sound
student has several ways to begin to interpret
literature.
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Great literature is riddled
with the author's conscious grammatical decisions
to defy or adhere to the "rules"
of grammar. By initiating "grammarlogues"
with students, teachers build a shared language
with which to analyze literature further.
This creates a classroom atmosphere where
questioning and thinking is modeled over blind
acceptance.
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The dynamic nature of language
forces us to continually reevaluate how daily
parlance affects formal writing, how form
affects content.
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