The Importance of Grammar


While brainstorming for the topic of this issue’s column, I had an epiphany. It suddenly seemed foolish for me to have written so many columns about the observation of proper grammar without having defined and outlined why that observation is important. In this column, I hope to rectify the situation.


Grammar is the structure of language. Without grammar, learning how to speak and write English would be a nightmare. There would be no organization. It would be like trying to find an uncollected chess set in a toy closet with no shelves. As a second illustration, consider playing a game of baseball with no rules. The batter could hit the ball, tag first base, skip second and third and go instead directly to home. The batter would argue that he was “allowed” more than three strikes. The pitcher would argue that four balls do not constitute a walk. In reality, the game would be impossible to play without rules. In the same way, language is impossible without the rules of grammar.


It would be difficult to understand the importance of grammar without mentioning the value of language. Language is the vehicle by which we communicate our thoughts to others. I find the biblical account of the end of the Tower of Babel an interesting illustration. While they spoke the same language, the people were able to communicate their ideas effectively. A project manager could easily communicate his desire that more bricks be made. Without the use of some type of language, the manager would be unable to make the workers understand what he wanted. Without the use of language, the engineers of the tower could not coordinate their efforts, and the work of the builders very well might result in a misshapen, unsafe, unsteady monster of brick and mortar ready to collapse at any moment. It was only because they shared a language that their building efforts were successful. This fact is evidenced by the result of God’s confusion of their language. When one man spoke to another in English, and the other responded in Chinese (languages chosen for the sake of argument), the communication of ideas was blocked by the language barrier. It is impossible for one person to effectively communicate ideas to another unless both persons understand the same language.


Imagine a grammar-less language: there would be no punctuation to mark the end of this sentence there would be no capital letters to indicate the beginning of this sentence there be would organization no sentence to this and adverbs and adjectives would be used interchangeable


It is because of this that we study grammar. Consider the goals that we as young aspiring authors share. We want to effectively communicate our ideas to other people via the written word. If we really want to achieve such a goal, it is vital that we first understand the rules of grammar that form the basis of that communication.


The Grammarian

The Grammarian Speaks


Run-ons, Clauses, and Punctuation Marks—Oh My!


One of the most frequent problems I have noticed in stories, letters, and essays written by young authors is the run-on. A run-on is an improper sentence form created when two independent clauses are connected improperly. (An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence.) There are three ways to join two independent clauses properly as a sentence and avoid run-ons.


The first and most common way is to separate the clauses by a comma and coordinating conjunction. “And”, “but”, and “yet”, are common coordinating conjunctions. As an example, consider the following: “The girl threw the ball, and the dog caught it.” A more common, but incorrect, method of writing this sentence would be “The girl threw the ball and the dog caught it.”


A second method is to place a semicolon between the independent clauses. This works best when a pause between the clauses is preferred, such as in a suspenseful moment in a novel or an important point in an essay. As in the sentence above, instead of “The girl threw the ball and the dog caught it”, one would write “The girl threw the ball; the dog caught it.” This method would not fit in many situations, and is thus not as versatile as the comma and coordinating conjunction.


The third way is to make both independent clauses separate sentences, separated by a period or other end mark. The only problem with this method is that, if overused, it could tend to shorten and stagger one’s writing style. Of course, simple sentences have their place in writing, but their use should be carefully monitored. Thus, the above example would be “The girl threw the ball. The dog caught the ball.”


Of course, one of the marks of a talented author is the ability to mix up his clauses, punctuation, and sentence types for a varied and exciting style. Avoiding run-ons, however, is an excellent step in the right direction. I wish you the best of success!


The Grammarian

Quite Trite, If I Do Say So Myself!


The English language, and any language for that matter, is host to a sea of overused and, quite frankly, dead phrases. Because these phrases are used in everyday English so much, they can be appropriate in normal dialogue between characters in a work of fiction. Place trite phrases in an essay or other formal writing, however, and they will glaringly demonstrate the author’s lack of experience.


What constitutes a trite phrase or expression? By definition, “Trite expressions are those which are dull or stale because of overuse.”* These phrases have been used and repeated so much that they no longer convey their original feeling and thought. Some examples include “adding insult to injury,” “as luck would have it,” “dead as a doornail,” and “slow as molasses.” While the use of trite expressions is the mark of an inexperienced author, the changing of these phrases into original and lively descriptions can manifest the author’s genius.


Consider some of these suggested alterations to the trite phrases above that would convey a more original thought. “Commencing a particularly biting attack on his character…” does not use either “insult” or “injury,” but conveys the same thought in an original way. In the same way, “The awful winds of chance have willed it,” or “By the decree of mindless Fate…” could express to the reader “as luck would have it” in a much more interesting manner. “Dead as a doornail” has been used for so long that its meaning is only tacitly understood by modern readers. When one considers the basic meaning of the phrase, one must question what a doornail is and why it should be considered particularly dead! Perhaps something like “Possessing no breath of life” or “Dead as roadkill gathering flies” could be used instead, depending upon the context of the piece. For “slow as molasses,” one could use “With less speed than a snail on a prickly pear,” or “Slower than a grizzly bear on a tightrope.” Of course, some of these suggestions would be quite awkward when inserted into some paragraphs. That is why they are merely suggestions.


Every talented author should be capable of coming up with phrases that are sufficient to grip the reader’s imagination in a new and exciting way. The elimination of trite phrases from one’s writing is a slow and tedious process: it can be difficult to write differently than one speaks! However, the end result is always worth the extra effort: an essay without trite phrases will be enjoyable, original, and interesting.


(Note: This article was written with information taken from the Handbook of Grammar and Composition, third ed. Written by James A. Chapman. Published by A Beka Books, Pensacola: 1996. Page 139)


The Grammarian

Which Word?

In continuation of last column’s theme, I will consider in this column the correct usage of several more commonly confused words: compose/comprise, complement/compliment, contemptuous/contemptible, and continual/continuous.

“Comprise” and “compose” are very often and quite easily confused. Both are used in describing the parts that make up a whole. How do they differ? “Comprise” means “composed of,” and is only used with the whole as a subject. “Compose” can be used with the parts as the subject. For example, “The flower arrangement comprises irises, hyacinths, roses, and daffodils,” while “Roses, daffodils, hyacinths, and irises compose the flower arrangement,” or “The flower arrangement is composed of roses, daffodils, hyacinths, and irises.”

“Complement” and “compliment” are another tough pair to work with. Is one just a misspelling of the other? They are actually different parts of speech! “Complement” is a verb, which means “to improve, set off, or accentuate.” “Compliment,” on the other hand, is a noun that means “Praise or a constructive remark.” Using our previous example, one could say that the flower arrangement would complement the décor in one’s living room, and then receive compliments on how nice it looks.

“Contemptuous” and “contemptible” both come from the same basic word: “contempt.” What does each mean? These words differ in the subject and object. Considering once more our flower arrangement from the first example, we could say that the flower arrangement is contemptible, if it is the object of contempt, that is, on the receiving end. The guests that are giving the contempt, however, would be described as being contemptuous.

Our final word pair, “continual” and “continuous,” seem to be synonymous, but they are not. “Continual” refers to an action that repeats over a long period of time. Notice that something that is occurring continually is being completed and redone over and over again. “Continuous” describes an action that never stops. Therefore, our flower arrangement could be continually replaced (that is, flowers drying up and being replaced, in a cyclical fashion), while new flowers could be continuously added (which refers to a constant action of adding new flowers, not necessarily including the removal of old ones).

Remember, if you are ever confused about a word pair, refer to a good dictionary. Most dictionaries (like the American Heritage Dictionary) include usage notes about words, which will help you understand which word is properly used in the context of your writing.

(Note: This article was written with information taken from Glatzer, Jenna. Words You Thought You Knew… Adams Media: Avon, MA, 2004. (64, 65, 69, 71)

The Grammarian

A Choice of Words


Have you ever found yourself having to make a choice between two words similar both in meaning and appearance? Did you ever solve the dilemma? There are many instances of word confusion—from lie/lay to emigrate/immigrate. This and future columns will deal with the correct usage in some of these situations.


Does one lay down, or lie down? If you are doing the “laying,” the proper word is “lie,” as in “I must lie down for a few hours.” The principal parts of “lie” are as follows: “lie,” “lying,” (I am lying down), “lay,” (I lay down for a few hours), and “have lain,” (He has lain there for the past half-hour!).


“Lay,” on the other hand, means to place something down. It would be properly used in a sentence like this: “Will you please lay that on the counter?” Its principal parts are “lay,” “laying,” (I am laying the tablecloth on the chair until I can clear the table.), “laid,” (She laid the wounded cat in its bed.), and “have laid,” (I have laid the keys there before.). The correct word may not sound right in context, but it will sound better once you get more to using it correctly.


What is the difference between “cite” and “site”? Is there any? In fact, the word “cite” is a verb, and “site” is a noun. To “cite” something is to make note of it. This word is properly used in a context such as “Have you properly cited all your sources for this essay?” (You may also know of portion of the research-paper called the “works cited page.” This page makes note of all the sources you used in researching for the paper.)


“Site,” however, means something entirely different. This noun refers to a place, a “site.” It is properly used thus: “This is the site of the catastrophic sinking of the Titanic,” or “My house is two blocks away from a busy construction site.” “Site” basically means “place where.”


Whenever you have a problem with what word to use, always consult a good dictionary. Most good dictionaries have usage notes that include information about these common word confusions. They will define the words you are uncertain about and explain which is properly used in the context of your piece.


As always, keep working in the pursuit of good grammar—it’s a life-long but worthwhile activity!


(Note: This article was written with information taken from the Handbook of Grammar and Composition, third ed. Written by James A. Chapman. Published by A Beka Books, Pensacola: 1996. Pages used were 66 and 130-131)


The Grammarian

A (Pronoun) Case in Point


“Bobby and her did what Helen and her wanted their to do.”


“Sharon and him go to school with he and I.”


“Carl and Gregory did it theirselves.”


“Give this to whomever likes history books.”


There are plenty of problems in the sentences above. All of them have to do with the proper usage of pronouns. We can do either of two things to check to make sure we are using pronouns correctly: first, learn all the different case forms of the pronouns; and second, separate the pronoun in a compound subject/object from the noun, so you can see what sounds right.


Using the first method, one should learn the objective, subjective, and possessive case forms for common pronouns. For example, “I” and “we” are subjective case pronouns, singular and plural, respectively. “He” and “she” are subjective. As the name implies, the subjective case is used in place of a subject in a sentence or clause. Take extra care to ensure that you use the pronoun “who, whom” correctly. “Who” is in the subjective case, while “whom” is objective. Again as the name implies, a pronoun in the objective case is used as an object of the preposition, a direct object, or an indirect object. When “who, whom” is used, it is generally in a clause, as in the fourth sentence listed above. However, to determine the correct case for a clause, you have to consider the clause as a sentence of its own, with its own subject and verb. The possessive case is used to show possession, and is generally not confused in writing.


Using the second method to check for correct pronoun usage, you simply separate the “her” from the “Bobby” (in the first sentence), and see what it sounds like: “Her did what Helen and her wanted their to do”? If you do the same thing to the compound subject of the clause introduced by “what,” you will come up with “Her did what her wanted their to do.” There are some obvious problems with this sentence. “Her” will be readily recognized as an objective case pronoun; however, this pronoun is being used as a subject, and should be in the subjective case. The proper form is “she.” Once again, remember that the words in a clause must be considered as a separate grammatical unit to check for proper case usage. “Her wanted their to do” isn’t quite right. If you will notice, “her” should be “she” in this instance as well. “Their” is also improper in its context—it is possessive, and should be subjective (the subject of the infinitive phrase).


As a final note on pronoun cases, “theirselves” is not a word. The proper form is “themselves.”


These are the correctly stated sentences. Review them to help you understand the proper usage of pronoun cases.

The Stopped-Short Sentence Situation

The dog was big. The dog was chasing the cat. So the cat was afraid. The poor cat! And they went up the stairs.

The above is an example, exaggerated though it be, of the stopped-short sentence. A writing style using mainly simple, short sentences is known in the writing world as a “choppy” style, and should be avoided. That choppy style is what this month’s grammar column is about.

While I would never accuse anyone of writing a sentence quite as dull as the one above, we would all be surprised at how frequently we slip into this choppy style, whether in our formal essays, short stories, or novels. It is important to note at this point that the simple sentence is not entirely the problem; the overuse of it is. The optimum style includes all lengths and structures of sentences for variety.

We should all be able to easily distinguish a sentence fragment from a simple sentence, and know how to avoid the former. A sentence fragment is not a complete sentence, and should never be used in any formal writing. Its use is occasionally acceptable in informal writing, such as fiction, but even in that venue must not be used frequently. Two examples of a fragment are the third and fifth sentences in the selection above.

A choppy style can be improved by condensing a number of simple sentences and fragments into one or two longer, more complex sentences. For example, we can take the first paragraph above, about the dog and the cat, and condense it into one much more natural sentence:

The big dog chased the poor, fearful cat precipitously up the staircase.

Good luck on improving the choppy writing in your work!

The Grammarian