Write Like An Economist's Journalists

January 17th 2011

Snowy Monday, -17’c

“English learners do not need to study grammar.” I have seen this sentence quite often on English club and some other English-teaching websites. In my view, English learners need to know grammar. First, imagine you are talking among English native speakers and are making many mistakes grammatically. Don’t you feel humiliated? Second, what would English speakers think? Don’t they think we are destroying their language? Do we like someone ruin our mother tongue language? Isn’t it insulting? Third, be careful not to be beaten up because some do not tolerate your grammatical mistakes. I have heard from my Korean friend that he was kicked because he was not able to talk fluently and making a lot of mistakes made it hard for the salesman to understand him. And, how did the salesman respond? You can imagine the rest!

Apart from this, I found a website dedicated to Economist's journalists to study grammar. We know that they are professional writers. Despite the fact that they are professionals, they are still studying grammar. So, why don’t we study it?

Be Fun and Free,

Nafis

Comments

Nafis January 20, 2011 14:47

Dear Anele, would you please elaborate more on learning "phrases"? What do you mean by that? It's really great to read your comments. Thanks a lot.
Nafis January 18, 2011 20:27

Dear Nida, I think when some say students don't need to learn Grammar, it attracts more English-learners since we like to escape from boring and tough jobs.
Nafis January 18, 2011 20:22

Dear Ramona, I really appreciate it. Take care,
Nafis January 18, 2011 20:21

Dear Monika, thanks a lot for your comment. Take care,
nida January 17, 2011 19:55

Hello Nafis, wonderful blog!

I agree with all what you have written in your blog. When I started to learn English, I decided I won't learn grammar because it's too boring. I studied grammar in school too and it didn't help me to learn any English. Moreover I thought that I don't know the grammar of my native language too, so it didn't make any big difference whether you learn grammar or not.

When I decided to take help from internet for learning English, I came across countless number of websites that claim that learning grammar don't help you to learn English because it's not the natural way to learn English. Most of them gave examples that a baby when start to learn his native language or any other language, don't learn any grammar. And many students who learn English in school as a second language, never become fluent speakers of English. So learning grammar is an outdated method to learn English. As all that also happened with me too in the past, so I decided that I won't touch any grammar book..........

However, after trying to learn English for a quite a long time, I didn't find any improvement in my English. I wasn't able to write down only a few sentences in simple English. Then and only then, I realized that learning English with learning grammar is impossible. Then I started to learn grammar. Although my English is not good even now , but at least I can communicate with people in English and can write down my thoughts and opinions in English. So in my opinion, leaning grammar is vital part to learn any language........

Thank you so much Nafis for this wonderful blog!

Have a great time....
Monika January 17, 2011 14:52

Interesting topic,Nafis,I think some learners would rejoice it,but the sad facts are opposite.

I think any foreign language learner needs to learn grammar,in order to learn the structure of the language deliberately.

While being a child,everyone learns the language impulsively,at least our own mother tongue.Learning a foreign language as an adult,we need grammar to see and notice the logic of the language,and to imprint the rules of the language on our mind.

Thank you for the link:)
Nafis January 17, 2011 14:23

Thank you dear Najwa. Grammar is boring, however, we need it. Good time,