My Pet English Errors

I have two (or three) English errors that I have a difficult time fixing.

1. The pronunciation of 'pronunciation.'

I don't know if I can ever stop saying it "pro-noun-see-ay-tion."

2. I tend to say "It needs washed."  That is wrong in most parts of the world. (Though in the mid-west it is dialectically correct.)

The correct way would be: "It needs to be washed" or "It needs washing."

Why English is the Most Important Subject in School

Every teacher I've ever had has told me their class was going to be the most important class I would ever attend.

Except for one.

He was an economics teacher my first semester at university.  He said this:

"Every teacher is going to tell you that their class is going to be the most important class you will ever take.  They are all lying, unless they are an English teacher. 

"No matter what other classes you're taking, or businesses you're working in, how well you write will determine how well you're able to do.
"And in the real world, the difference between a mechanic, and the mechanic's manager, is the ability to communicate."

And it's been true.

In every American university I've attended, I've out-performed a lot of other students who are smarter than me and understand the course content better, because I read the instructions, and write the assignments clearly.

I've often been surprised by how correct that economics professor was.

No matter how awesome your ideas, business, or story may be, if you can't share them clearly and efficiently, those awesome ideas and stories lose their value.

Don't let poor grammar, punctuation, subject confusion, or disorganization distract from the beautiful, meaningful, significant things that you have to say.

I repeat:

Don't let poor writing distract from the important things you have to say.  I made a hipster-quote photo, so that you will remember.

I've had the privilege to read, proofread, and edit some beautiful pieces of writing.  I love reading a paper or a story that has true content.

I love watching that content battle its way through the haze and fog to become not just legible, but intelligent.

And as those stories and ideas drop the shackles of poor grammar, the meaning becomes clear, strong and bright.  Unfettered by confusion and error, those ideas and stories become free to enter into the minds and hearts of others.  Those ideas become free--to swirl about in the minds of any stranger who reads them.

It's a beautiful thing, to imagine how space and time become incapable of separating the collective-consciousness of authors and readers.

Share your words.  Write.

Free your ideas.  Learn grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

You can do it. It only takes practice.

Explaining: sentences ending in 'though'

At the request of an intermediate student, who frequently hears 'though' on English television and wants to understand how it is used in conversation:

What does 'though' mean?  When is it appropriate to use 'though'?

The best way that I have found to explain this is to relate it to the us of 'but.' Most languages have an equivalent for the English word 'but.'  'But' is a word typically introduced in beginning or pre-intermediate grammar.

In a sentence, 'but' usually separates a two opposing statements.  For simplicity's sake, we will say that they are positive statements and negative statements.


I love ice-cream, but I don't like chocolate ice-cream.

Positive + but + negative = correct use of 'but'


This is also true of a sentence that is structured:

Negative + but + positive = correct


For example:

I don't like chocolate ice-cream, but I love vanilla.


'Though' and 'but' have similar functions, and are used for a different word order.  'But' separates two opposing statements in one sentence.  'Though' follows two opposing statements, instead of dividing them.  To use 'though'  both opposing statements need to be in their own sentences, with 'though' attached at the end of the second sentence.


Positive + negative + though = correct use of 'though'

or

Negative + positive + though = correct use of 'though'


For example:

I love vanilla ice-cream.  I don't like chocolate though.

I don't like chocolate ice-cream. I love vanilla though.


Because one cannot see punctuation in conversation, the only real difference between 'but' and 'though' is word order.

Did I make a mistake? Do you have suggestions to improve this post? Let me know in the comments below!