Subject: How to define a 'present action'? A present action seems to be very basic knowledge, but it is most puzzling. May someone kindly tell me, how to define a present action? Shun englishtense.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Geoff Layton" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Friday, June 15, 2001 10:12 AM Subject: Re: Grammar and Literature -- Help Please > At 09:02 PM 6/14/01 -0400, you wrote: > >>>> > Geoff, I was under the impression that not all grammarians believed that > grammar instruction will improve writing, and that many of those who were > "consumed" with the belief were reacting to the NCTE anti-grammar stance. > At least I don't have to defend it as writing process, which I know will > get me in trouble with the masses. > > I wanted to change that "consumed" line, but failed to do so. I guess I > was trying to get across the point that many people (like me), who think > grammar is important, can't quite accept the "anti-grammar" position, even > though years of research and in my case personal experience tell us > otherwise. Peraps quixotically, I do want to defend grammar as being > helpful to the writing process, all the while not getting myself in trouble > with "the masses." > > I have found that the only way to connect grammar with writing is to > de-emphasize the definitions and teach instead the usage and usage in a > very particular way - namely, having my students learn how writers create > meaning. It seems to me that writers create meaning - and, similarly, > readers create meaning from writing - only by using grammatical > constructions that can be taught, but do not necessarily have to be named > and analyzed. To continue with the tool analogy, you don't have to know > that a drill is called a drill in order to use it, although if you use one > enough you'll probably want to find out. > > This is where I have come up with what I call my "sentence stuffing" idea > (I'm working on a book!) that requires students to use specific grammatical > constructs to create meaning - again, the "crying baby" sentence is the one > I start with. Once a student gets going, all of a sudden dependent > clauses, prepositional phrases, appositives, adjectives and adverbs are > flying all over the place - all used correctly even by the most marginal > students. > > I now have hope that English teachers, just like the Washington > politicians, can finally stop our bickering and have a bipartisan agreement > on the value of grammar! > > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: > http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html > and select "Join or leave the list" > > Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ > > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/