The insistence of “progressive” teachers of English not to teach grammar explicitly in the classroom is the cause of the degeneration of language use among speakers of the language. There is no other explanation. Teachers are reluctant to talk about the “continuous tense” and the “auxiliary verb” out of fear of being labelled “old-school” and “conservative.” As a result, a whole legion of young English teachers has shied away from the explicit teaching of grammar, producing learners who parrot McD’s slogan “I’m lovin’ it” without knowing why they are saying it, and why it is ungrammatical.
It is not because of pedantry that I am preaching the active learning of grammar. Learning grammatical terms and rules makes one aware of their proper usage, and more importantly, the logic of linguistics. A learner who can spot and explain the difference between “I have done” and “I did” is one who is conscious of the mechanics of the language he uses. This is an essential quality; it enables the learner to produce clear, dignified speech.
On the other hand, a learner who does not see the absurdity of “party’s” as a plural, “I’ve done my work yesterday,” and “If I would win the lottery…” is one who deserves to be derided, and if he should protest that he does not see why these things should matter, we should turn to his English teacher and give him/her a piece of our minds.
EO
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