Good Grief......

[Redmurty]

. And ?
how come now a days you can use "And" after a full stop ? changed rules ?
cheers Spud

[daveuprite]

I've been in Engineering all my life--and even lectured at BSc and MSc levels. Having to wade through loads of reports, exam mark and so on I must admit that if the grammar was bad, together with the spelling, punctuation and so on, it eventually detracted and distracted me from the technical aspects--and that isn't good. The bottom line is that if you want to get your point over then read it at least twice before posting/mailing/printing--or get someone else to proof read it. I'm sure that I'm not perfect --but do try and make it a flowing read without glaring errors--I hope!--tank-yu

I was at Bristol Uni as a mature student in 1992 (which just meant I was over 25 when I studied rather than 18-21 like the vast majority of the under-grads). Back then essays were typed either on type-writers or using Wordperfect 3.1 or such-like and submitted as hard-copy. Many students couldn't type or couldn't be bothered to spend the time typing very slowly, so I used to offer a typing service at £5 per 500 words. However some of the handwritten essays I had to process were so poorly punctuated that I eventually offered an 'enhanced' service (at £7 per 500 words) to also correct poor grammar and/or spelling mistakes - which usually gained the student a few marks just because it was readable. This service was really popular and kept me in beer for several terms. What was sad was how many 18 year olds, fresh from about 13 years of formal education, simply couldn't string a written sentence together.

[DavidS]

Or 'Eats shoots and leaves' by LynnTruss.

Not sure if I have actually got the spelling or punctuation right for the title but it is a brilliant book showing why it is so important.
The standard of written and spoken English is dreadful these days.

If It's so important and if written and spoken English is dreadful these days, why haven't you got the spelling or punctuation right?

Signed,
A. Pedant

Fair comment but I wasn't at home to check my copy and the wifi were I am is iffy so it makes goggling a longwinded affair. I knew I shouldn't have posted it until I checked.

[catcitrus]

I've been in Engineering all my life--and even lectured at BSc and MSc levels. Having to wade through loads of reports, exam mark and so on I must admit that if the grammar was bad, together with the spelling, punctuation and so on, it eventually detracted and distracted me from the technical aspects--and that isn't good. The bottom line is that if you want to get your point over then read it at least twice before posting/mailing/printing--or get someone else to proof read it. I'm sure that I'm not perfect --but do try and make it a flowing read without glaring errors--I hope!--tank-yu

I was at Bristol Uni as a mature student in 1992 (which just meant I was over 25 when I studied rather than 18-21 like the vast majority of the under-grads). Back then essays were typed either on type-writers or using Wordperfect 3.1 or such-like and submitted as hard-copy. Many students couldn't type or couldn't be bothered to spend the time typing very slowly, so I used to offer a typing service at £5 per 500 words. However some of the handwritten essays I had to process were so poorly punctuated that I eventually offered an 'enhanced' service (at £7 per 500 words) to also correct poor grammar and/or spelling mistakes - which usually gained the student a few marks just because it was readable. This service was really popular and kept me in beer for several terms. What was sad was how many 18 year olds, fresh from about 13 years of formal education, simply couldn't string a written sentence together.

I graduated in 1969--and I know what you mean!!--I went to a small village primary school in Hampshire with about 60 kids total. The headmistress was a dragon of the "old school"--total focus on writing skills, 12 times table and so. Three of us passed the 11 plus that year---and one of us became the chief constable of Avon and Somerset--so the basic start (and the cane was still in operation) did set us up well!
ps my parents were strictly working class,with a very strict father. They worked hard with long hours to make ends meet--so I suppose I just kept my head in the books and tried my best--but as a kid I was a bit feral at weekends--living off the land and only coming home at night to sleep. A great childhood still remembered well.