Styling Written EnglishStyling Written English

How Knowing a Little About How Knowing a Little About Grammar Helps You Be CoolGrammar Helps You Be Cool

Three Definitions of Three Definitions of Grammar:Grammar:

Grammar 1—Inherent KnowledgeGrammar 1—Inherent Knowledge

the system of rules in our headthe system of rules in our head

Grammar 2—The Grammar Taught in Grammar 2—The Grammar Taught in School School

formal description of rulesformal description of rules

Grammar 3—Usage Grammar 3—Usage

linguistic etiquette—and can linguistic etiquette—and can changechange

Guidelines for Usage Guidelines for Usage Choices:Choices:

Does it communicate clearly?Does it communicate clearly?

Does it consider the following:Does it consider the following:

TimeTime SituationSituation

Age Age RegionRegion

GenderGender Social and Social and Educational StatusEducational Status

Guidelines for Writing Guidelines for Writing Choices:Choices:

AudienceAudience

who am I addressing?who am I addressing?

SituationSituation

How formal is the writing situation?How formal is the writing situation?

Formal? General? Informal?Formal? General? Informal?

PurposePurpose

Our goal should be to help students Our goal should be to help students make the most appropriate language make the most appropriate language choices for the audience, situation, choices for the audience, situation, and purpose of the subject. And, to and purpose of the subject. And, to help them learn to be successful help them learn to be successful editors of their own writing.editors of their own writing.

Good Academic Writing can Good Academic Writing can Blend the Formal with the Blend the Formal with the

InformalInformal““relaxed language can often enliven relaxed language can often enliven

academic writing and even enhance its academic writing and even enhance its rigor and precision. Such informal rigor and precision. Such informal language also helps you to connect with language also helps you to connect with readers in a personal as well as an readers in a personal as well as an intellectual way. In our view, then, it is a intellectual way. In our view, then, it is a mistake to assume that academic writing mistake to assume that academic writing and everyday language are completely and everyday language are completely separate things, and that they can never separate things, and that they can never be used together.”be used together.”

(Graff and Birkenstein, p.116)(Graff and Birkenstein, p.116)

Making and judging formal and mechanical errors in student Making and judging formal and mechanical errors in student papers is one area in which composition studies seems to papers is one area in which composition studies seems to have a multiple-personality disorder. On the one hand, our have a multiple-personality disorder. On the one hand, our mellow, student-centered process-based selves tend to mellow, student-centered process-based selves tend to condemn marking formal errors at all. Doing it represents condemn marking formal errors at all. Doing it represents the Bad Old Days, Ms. Fidditch and Mr. Flutesnoot with the Bad Old Days, Ms. Fidditch and Mr. Flutesnoot with sharpened red pencils, spilling innocent blood across the sharpened red pencils, spilling innocent blood across the page. Useless detail work. Inhumane, perfectionist page. Useless detail work. Inhumane, perfectionist standards, making our students feel stupid, wrong, trivial, standards, making our students feel stupid, wrong, trivial, misunderstood. Joseph Williams has pointed out how misunderstood. Joseph Williams has pointed out how arbitrary and context-bound our judgments of formal error arbitrary and context-bound our judgments of formal error are….as Peter Elbow says, English is most often associated are….as Peter Elbow says, English is most often associated either with grammar or with high literature—”two things either with grammar or with high literature—”two things designed to make folks feel most out of it.”designed to make folks feel most out of it.”

(Connors and Lunsford qtd. By Graf and Birkenstein p. 116-117)(Connors and Lunsford qtd. By Graf and Birkenstein p. 116-117)

So how many grammatical So how many grammatical terms and concepts do we terms and concepts do we

need to teach?need to teach?

Enough to cover the most common Enough to cover the most common errorserrors

Enough to address the fact that not all Enough to address the fact that not all

errors are created equalerrors are created equal

(see Connors and Lunsford, 1988; Lunsford and Lunsford, 2008)(see Connors and Lunsford, 1988; Lunsford and Lunsford, 2008)

Level of Seriousness of Level of Seriousness of ErrorsErrors

1. Status-marking errors, i.e. those that 1. Status-marking errors, i.e. those that mark the writer as poorly educatedmark the writer as poorly educated

2. Very serious errors2. Very serious errors

3. Moderately serious errors3. Moderately serious errors

4. Minor or unimportant errors4. Minor or unimportant errors(See Hairston, 1981)(See Hairston, 1981)

Mythical Rules for Mythical Rules for Writing:Writing:

1. Never end a sentence with a 1. Never end a sentence with a prepositionpreposition

These rules are too hard to put up These rules are too hard to put up withwith

Who are you writing the letter to?Who are you writing the letter to?

Where is the library at?Where is the library at?

2. Never split an infinitive2. Never split an infinitive

BBoldly to go where no man has gone oldly to go where no man has gone beforebefore

TTo go boldly where no man has gone o go boldly where no man has gone beforebefore

To boldly go where no man has gone To boldly go where no man has gone beforebefore

3. Always use the generic 3. Always use the generic hehe to refer to refer to both males and femalesto both males and females

Any student who comes without Any student who comes without his his textbook will be penalized.textbook will be penalized.

Each person who believes Each person who believes he he has been has been cheated should file a claim. cheated should file a claim.

4. Never start a sentence with a 4. Never start a sentence with a coordinating conjunction (coordinating conjunction (and, but, or and, but, or nor, for, yet, sonor, for, yet, so).).

Hitler didn’t think the Allies could Hitler didn’t think the Allies could successfully invade Normandy, but they did.successfully invade Normandy, but they did.

Hitler didn’t think the Allies could Hitler didn’t think the Allies could successfully invade Normandy. But they successfully invade Normandy. But they did.did.

5. Never start a sentence with “there 5. Never start a sentence with “there is/are” or “it is”is/are” or “it is”

It is a truth universally acknowledged that It is a truth universally acknowledged that any unmarried gentleman in possession of any unmarried gentleman in possession of a large fortune must be in want of a wife.a large fortune must be in want of a wife.

There is no doubt that the leaders of the al There is no doubt that the leaders of the al Qaeda terrorist network are ruthless and Qaeda terrorist network are ruthless and evil.evil.

6. Never use contractions in formal 6. Never use contractions in formal writingwriting

Here’s a last and more extended example of Here’s a last and more extended example of Rowling’s plain but lively style. It’s the Rowling’s plain but lively style. It’s the final paragraph of the opening chapter final paragraph of the opening chapter of of The Sorcerer’s Stone.The Sorcerer’s Stone.

7.7. Never use Never use I I or or wewe in formal writing in formal writing

I have outlined this tradition elsewhere I have outlined this tradition elsewhere and have argued that reading diaries and have argued that reading diaries through a literary lens privileges through a literary lens privileges diaries that are coherent, crafted, diaries that are coherent, crafted, and whole, excluding ordinary and whole, excluding ordinary diaries like Annie’s that define the diaries like Annie’s that define the diurnal form in their dailiness.diurnal form in their dailiness.

(Rhetoric Review)(Rhetoric Review)

8.8. Never address the reader as “you.”Never address the reader as “you.”First PersonFirst Person I, weI, weSecond PersonSecond Person youyouThird PersonThird Person he, she, theyhe, she, they

For some kinds of writing, particularly For some kinds of writing, particularly instructions, it is better to be more instructions, it is better to be more direct. Have you noticed how often you direct. Have you noticed how often you have been addressed directly as “you” have been addressed directly as “you” throughout these pages?throughout these pages?

9. Use 9. Use that that for restrictive clauses, for restrictive clauses, whichwhich for for nonrestrictive clausesnonrestrictive clauses

The book that I want to read is on the The book that I want to read is on the floor.floor.

The book which I want to read is on the The book which I want to read is on the floor.floor.

The book, which I want to read, is on the The book, which I want to read, is on the floor.floor.

10 Never write a paragraph with only 10 Never write a paragraph with only one sentence (less than five one sentence (less than five sentences, more than ten, etc.)sentences, more than ten, etc.)

Arbitrary rules about the length of Arbitrary rules about the length of paragraphs simply won’t hold up paragraphs simply won’t hold up when one begins to scrutinize when one begins to scrutinize actual writing.actual writing.

12. Never use double negatives12. Never use double negatives

No: He don’t owe nobodyNo: He don’t owe nobody

Yes: I couldn’t not go to the party.Yes: I couldn’t not go to the party.

Awk: I wouldn’t not say I don’t like Awk: I wouldn’t not say I don’t like your newyour new

haircut.haircut.

12.12. Avoid Passive Voice like the plagueAvoid Passive Voice like the plague

Some well-meaning people have truncated Some well-meaning people have truncated Orwell’s rule “Never use the passive where Orwell’s rule “Never use the passive where you can use the active” to “Never use the you can use the active” to “Never use the passive.” But the passive voice has its place.passive.” But the passive voice has its place.

We should take the sentence in context to We should take the sentence in context to judge efficiency of its use: emphasis and judge efficiency of its use: emphasis and rhythm of sentence.rhythm of sentence.

The Passive ConstructionThe Passive Construction

Active: Jack built the house.Active: Jack built the house.Passive: The house was built by Jack.Passive: The house was built by Jack.

Object (house) becomes subject Object (house) becomes subject ++

““to be” verb (was) with past participle to be” verb (was) with past participle verb (built)verb (built)

(+) (+) by Jackby Jack

The house was robbed.The house was robbed.

““The judiciously placed passive construction can The judiciously placed passive construction can provide welcome relief from an onslaught of provide welcome relief from an onslaught of

sentences in the active voice.” sentences in the active voice.” (Einsohn, (Einsohn, The The Copyeditor’s Handbook, p. 396)Copyeditor’s Handbook, p. 396)

Thomas stopped and looked around for the Thomas stopped and looked around for the cause of the odd noise. The cause of the odd noise. The odd noiseodd noise had been had been

mademade byby an old car as it sputtered down the an old car as it sputtered down the street.street.

Rules for Tricky Rules for Tricky SentencesSentences

1.1. Subject/Verb AgreementSubject/Verb Agreement

2.2. Pronoun CasePronoun Case

3.3. Pronoun ReferencePronoun Reference

4.4. Pronoun AgreementPronoun Agreement

5.5. Reflexive PronounsReflexive Pronouns

6.6. Parallel StructureParallel Structure

7.7. ShiftsShifts

How to get students to do How to get students to do what you teach them about what you teach them about

editingediting Threaten whippings (just kidding)Threaten whippings (just kidding) State clear expectationsState clear expectations Hold students accountableHold students accountable

don’t accept papers that aren’t editeddon’t accept papers that aren’t edited

impose sufficiently stringent grade penaltiesimpose sufficiently stringent grade penalties Teach grammar/usage/sentence style in Teach grammar/usage/sentence style in

contextcontext

give feedback in draft conferencesgive feedback in draft conferences

give feedback when gradinggive feedback when grading

Teach usage as an important part of Teach usage as an important part of communication—presenting yourself communication—presenting yourself as knowledgeable and credibleas knowledgeable and credible

Hold peer editing workshopsHold peer editing workshops Use Writing FellowsUse Writing Fellows Use the Writing CenterUse the Writing Center Use clever and humorous examples Use clever and humorous examples

to teach withto teach with

Be patientBe patient

Editing doesn’t come naturally to Editing doesn’t come naturally to most peoplemost people

Even editors need editorsEven editors need editors