Grammar Is a Challenge - Essay Example

I have learned that no matter what I write, the piece will never reach its zenith without proper grammar.

            I enjoyed English class in elementary school. I don’t believe that I found much inspiration in the subject because I knew it was a core class and I was expected to get the all-important “A”.  It was not until middle school that I began to lose points on other tests because of poor grammar.  I became aware of the importance of grammar during my first Social Studies test and lost ten points because of improper grammar.  I can recall readying myself to do battle with my teacher and demanding my well-earned “A” and watching my imagined victory deflate as my teacher explained to my classmate that they were lucky they did not receive an “F” because of the poor grammar on their test!

Diligently I studied subject and verb placement, but still found myself bewildered by past participles!

            Erroneously, I presumed that my grammar would improve with my widening repertoire of vocabulary.  I had hoped that by writing for my school newspaper, I would be the new maven of journalistic news, but not so.  My grammar held me back.  I found my articles being consistently edited due to my lack of grammatical skills and realized that if I did not do something about it, my grades would fall, I would be thrown off of the newspaper, and fail the SATs!  I realized that any point that I tried to make in writing would be belied by horrid grammar use.  It was then that I realized that grammar skills are the common denominator of all subjects.  I sought tutoring in high school from my English teacher and we began from square one.  Slowly but surely I gained confidence in adverbial placement.  Additionally, I became determined to not rely upon the spell and grammar check feature on my computer. 

            I felt intimidated when I began this course. I am not a scholar, nor am I looking to be.  I had expected everyone to be far more advanced than I was.  To prepare myself for this course, I began tutoring myself on a website called Edhelper.com. I studied acrostic poems, conjunctions, and collective nouns and I began to study adjectives.  Once this class began, I felt that I was starting with solid footing, but I soon came to learn that “composition” means far more than a simple name to a class.  This class in English composition has taught me to compose.  I have learned to take thoughts and bring them together to create a vision.   As I mentioned earlier, I do not consider myself a scholar or the next Pulitzer Prize winner.  I do believe, however, that my progress in grammar has affected my writing in a positive way not just in prose but in speech as well.

            I am a mature woman now. I am not a child, adolescent or young adult.  My grammar usage, both written and oral gives the reader and listener respectively, their first impressions of me.  I want them to be positive impressions.  Grammar usage, whether we care to admit it or not, is a reflection of our intellect and our wit.  This class has been the most challenging by far as applied to grammar.  I am well aware of the fact that I have not mastered grammar and I am learning to proofread my work because I am a reactive writer.  Nonetheless, I think this is my most successful class because I am confident in grammar usage both verbal and written. I appreciate all of the advice that I have received and the encouragement that greets me as I read my feedback from the various assignments from this semester. I realize that the perfection of grammar is evolving, but I also think that I am off to a great start. Read More