When we were young, we learnt gramma in school. Since 1973, if i remember right,  schools started not to teach gramma and the English level of the students dropped gradually. Our Grade D in English is much much better than those Grade B or C nowadays.Therefore I reckon that gramma books are essential.

Understood and concurred.
Westerners never learn gramma because English is their mother-tongue but we are not.
Any suggestions to help the nowadays students to beef up their English standard?
I think, gramma is the foundation of it.  I suggest parents should encourage their children to read gramma books and learn how they work.

Your version saw the importance of Gramma......for good English

You must be an oldie.... I studied "a pen and a man... this is a pen and this is a man..." more than 50 years ago.

Your version saw the importance of Gramma....for good English

You must be an oldie.... I studied "a pen and a man... this is a pen and this is a man..." more than 50 years ago.

Hi Brothers taurus & dd05ng,

We are the oldies and we do have somethings in common, for sure.
I would very much like to share the past experience, either in school or society, with anybody here.

Taurus, I suppose, we studied in the same school .  Perhaps, we had had kicked up rows before as most of us were teddy boys with waxed protruding hair style.  We didn't use school-bags in secondary schooling; we carried those thick and heavy textbooks, e.g. Arithmatics, Physics, Biology and etc., in our hands exhibiting our supremacy in school.

Recitation and unseen dictation were the must in the class but i hated them because I never got a pass.  Maybe the teacher had picked on me since I was the most naughty guy and trouble-maker.

I enjoyed those school days since there were few distractions.   Life was simple and happy though hard. The 'Ting Dong Song" is my favourite but the school song was rather boring...lol

So long, cheers.

Hi brother TAURUS.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to Brother Taurus, happy birthday to you..."

The party was held in the hall of St. John ...we used to celebrate our birthdays or seasonal holidays by holding parties on private premises.  We needed to take the pick-up, plastic discs, drinks and decorations to the venue.. of course our partner...hmmmm... but the most important and exciting aim was we could meet many lovely gals ....maybe your best half....

I am just on the wrong side of 60.  Don't you think we were classmates?

Anyway best wishes to you on your birthday and Long Live Brother Taurus

引用:

原帖由 koolaar 於 2006-8-31 11:24 AM 發表


May I?

May I?



QUOTE:

        I attended the high school in NZ when Grammar wasn't taught .  I can speak day-to-day English fluently but I would probably make a lot of grammatical mistakes when writing business letters and the like.


No hard feeling

引用:

原帖由 Luar 於 2006-8-31 04:23 PM 發表
Dear all,

I am new to this forum and have been following your frankly discussions with great joy.

For some reasons, I have got the feelings that a lot of people in Hong Kong reject the use of ...

Hi Brother Luar

Welcome to join in.  What you write is precise and laconic.

I have been engaged in the use of English language for years and i opine:


First, only about 2000 different words are required for our daily conversation and communication. The mastery of those words will sure make us masters of correct speaking and writing.  Nobody ever use all the words in the dictionary.

Second, I reckon that simple English is good English. It is ignorant to use big words or complicated sentences when simple ones will answer the same purpose. Most the famous speakers and writers do use simple words and sentences.

Third, the most important thing is that the foundamental principles of Gramma must be mastered otherwise we may be making conspicuous blunders while thinking we are speaking or writing with the utmost accuracy.

Fourth and so on...  what you have mentioned are correct and most useful.

In the nutshell, since English is not our mother language and we have little knowledge of thier culture, dont expect we could speak or write as good as the real McCoy though we have tried our best.


Ciao

引用:

原帖由 taurus 於 2006-8-31 10:18 PM 發表


Buon giorno ! Buona sera ! Signor Neiahyeah,

Seeing you saying ciao, so I greet you in Italian ! That's all I know ... haha ...

Arrivederci, ciao !

Buon giorno ! Buona sera ! Signor Taurus


Arrivederci, ciao


I dont know Italian but I am sure my return is correct, :

引用:

原帖由 oldfella 於 2006-9-11 05:54 PM 發表
Since you guys are the very few who can still remember the importance of gramma, you might want ot share with us common folks  :
1. why is gramm not taught in schools now ? There must be a reason  ...

Hi Brother Oldfella,

Welcome to join in.  Though we are old fellas, we are still young at heart and behaviour.  Sure, we don't have hard feelings on any comments and criticism.

"The definition of Grammar includes a set of rules making a prescription for the proper use of the language. Nevertheless, language usage is not a recipe and English usage has changed considerably.  These grammar rules tell us nothing about how people actually talk or write.  If you spoke or wrote according to the rules as found in grammar books, you would have the trouble being understood.

The BEM might have the conceptions that grammar was taught because it was a way for teachers of English to acquire professional status when the profession first emerged and there was any reason to believe this was an effective way to teach a language. They might opine that if you were speaking and writing early, you probably knew most of it by the time you were 4. "

The above may answer to your question (1).

As previously said by most of the readers in this forum, it is beyond doubt that grammar is the foundation of the usage of English.

Since English is not our mother language, knowing its grammar is the only way to master our spoken and written English efficiently and accurately in our daily life.

For one, i surely would suggest and encourage young kids to read grammar books as an extra-curricular activiity to develop and enhance their proficiency in Egnlish.

I am sure the other fellas may wish to answer the other parts of your questions.

Cheers