WTF is that with the newly educated teachers hating commas trend?

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LMAO

sorry, have nothing relevant or constructive to contribute

 

Got any website teaching the good use of English punctuation? It's not in my school I'll get that info!

 

Get yourself a grammar book, but make sure punctuation is covered. You could google something up, but make sure it's a respectable institution, such a university with a name.

 

Shouldn't that comma be taken out? It adds an unnecessary pause there... it sounds better: They usually do some sports as well.

 

What is your brother doing taking lessons from the council? Why doesn't he go to school for that?

 

They mostly just teach English, run the library and coordinate exams.

 

British people simply don't know how to use commas.

I hate to use stereotypes, but that's one that basically seems to hold up.

 

It's our language, we can do what we like to it
Besides, grammar isn't seen as important to teach children these days

 

It's going to be like in the middle ages soon, I guess. Everyone speaking more or less the same, but writing it however he sees fit, just so long as it gives a remotely similar sound. And forget punctuation.

 

Middle ages were fun! No hygiene, government persecuting people, war, famine, no writting structure. Wait! That's simply High school...

 

My highschool English teacher would have conniptions if I forwarded this thread to him...he he he.

On topic...I agree with Chev. This is atrocious. Have you spoken to the teacher about it?

 

@ Faraaz: Conniptions? I had honestly never seen nor heard of that word before.

Obviously, you have never interacted with japanese or chinese. Especially the japanese (those exchange students at my university, anyway) can write perfect english, but to hear them speak it is an atrocity to the english language and, more importantly, my ears. And those are the japanese that have a fairly good grasp of the english language.

As Fel pointed out, the comma after 'In poland' is optional. I would've skipped the comma in front of 'as well', though.

The comma after however is not optional, of course. Putting a comma after 'In my opinion' seems to me not only advisable, but rather mandatory. The sentence certainly sounds very strange if there's no comma there.

 

But those who can make the best teachers.
(I should know, I'm a teacher).

Compared to other languages, English grammar looks quite simple and it may mislead people into thinking there is no real grammar which is certainly not the case.
Well, you can always thank William the Conqueror and the Normans. Had there been no Norman Conquest it could well be argued that English grammar would involve this nice little linguistic phenomenon called declension as it is the case in Old English.

 

@Henkie: I'm pretty sure I was grammatically and contextually correct in using it...

[ October 18, 2006, 09:59: Message edited by: Faraaz ]

 

@Henkie: I'd say you missed Chev's point.

@Faraaz: Channeling a Xaositect there?

 

@Faraaz: I was not saying the word did not exist, I merely pointed out I did not knew it existed. Always fun to expand one's vocabulary, no?

@Taza: Quite possibly. But it's a forum where we can post random thoughts, so I thought I'd post mine.

 

@henkie: Oh...no worries then!

 

Well I agree, English's grammar *is* simplier that let's say... French . However in the High school I went, English teacher simply skip all grammar althogether. That's the root of the problem I think. It is also why I've no idea whatsoever where to put a coma in english.

 

Use a comma where you would 'pause' if you were reading it aloud.

We can blame Bush and rappers for mangling the English language. Sometimes I don't know what the **** they are tying to say.

 

Primo, I wasn't talking about people with vocal problems in English. Secundo, it depends. I've met French people studying English at an academic level and still not being able to get the sounds right. There are also teachers who teach something different from Received Pronunciation. But the problem is much less intense than what we have with the general poor quality of grammar and syntax. And, of course, ever so neglect punctuation.

Traditionally, both have to be there, especially the one before "as well". I wouldn't cut a student's grade for that (I teach English sometimes), but I would suggest putting the commas there.

Yeah. And crossing out mandatory commas is something not easily forgiven. In fact, I already am in a very, very bad mood when they cross out optional ones. But when they cross out the traditionally not skippable ones, then it's bad. Of course, it's also bad when they enforce optional ones, but crossing out mandatory ones is no longer teaching English. It's either doing a poor job or making some stupid revolution.