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Perfect for pedants' corner

(113 Posts)
CariGransnet (GNHQ) Wed 06-Feb-13 09:15:03

Saw this and thought of you (and us!)

www.guardian.co.uk/teacher-network/teacher-blog/quiz/2013/feb/04/grammar-punctuation-quiz-test?CMP=twt_gu

Nelliemoser Wed 06-Feb-13 19:28:21

That emoticon should have been blush. Not a wrongly spelt embarrassed. Double blush

gracesmum Wed 06-Feb-13 19:15:40

That's deep, Lilygran!
I don't necessarily disagree but remember being abolutely gobsmacked when an otherwise intelligent Sixth former in my A- level German class asked in all seriousness, "But what exactly is a verb Mrs Gracesmum?"

absent Wed 06-Feb-13 19:15:08

No one asked to differentiate between a gerund and verbal noun, not to mention the gerundive. grin Lot of old rubbish really. grin

Lilygran Wed 06-Feb-13 18:53:47

If you can do this kind of exercise all it means is that you've learned some rules like learning tables in maths. You don't have to know what the thing is called to use it properly. It's a bit like faith and ethicssunshine

Nelliemoser Wed 06-Feb-13 18:48:36

9 out of 14. [embarrased] but what I would say is that this test seems to just be about understanding "grammatical terminology" which is not the same as being able to write grammatically.

Having made many posts, I don't think I make too many grammatical errors, which has to be more important I hope!
I would be interested to know if anybody can be bothered to check stuff I have written.

Anne58 Wed 06-Feb-13 18:15:20

There was an article in todays Telegraph about a teacher trying to get pupils in Teesside writing in "proper" English as opposed to using dialect.

One example given was instead of "Gizit'ere" pupils should say "Please give me it"

I was rather shock

Bags Wed 06-Feb-13 18:06:30

Yes, graces, Tweeple use #es smile #Ithinkit'sfunAbsentthinksit'stiresome

gracesmum Wed 06-Feb-13 17:36:56

I wondered that, just thought I was missing something. But harmless decoration eh? I'm assuming it's a bit Twitterish?
I suppose it could also be shorthand for making a bit of a # of something?grin

Galen Wed 06-Feb-13 17:34:17

Why#?

gracesmum Wed 06-Feb-13 17:28:35

Right
#enlightenedthankyou smile

Ana Wed 06-Feb-13 17:26:45

Yes. But only one at a time wink

gracesmum Wed 06-Feb-13 17:25:32

Is ########################the new must have?

Ella46 Wed 06-Feb-13 17:23:07

No I didn't Ana.......#goodguessergrin

gracesmum Wed 06-Feb-13 17:02:29

Moral: If you don't get the answer you expect, perhaps you are asking the wrong questions.

Ana Wed 06-Feb-13 17:01:39

Well, as long as you didn't Google 'gerund' Ella, you've done better than me!
#notthatIcaremuch

gracesmum Wed 06-Feb-13 17:01:07

Or maybe I mean "we might go to the beach"? hmm scratching head emoticon

Ella46 Wed 06-Feb-13 16:59:29

12/14 for me too, I'm gutted shock

gracesmum Wed 06-Feb-13 16:58:48

"He thought" = straightforward past tense
Subordinate clause "that he might....." whatever = conditional
So no I don't agree with any of their options!

Example of a conditional verb? - If it wasn't raining, we would go to the beach. (I think)

Bags Wed 06-Feb-13 16:47:20

So, graces, what's your view on the supposed conditional sentence?

gracesmum Wed 06-Feb-13 16:43:24

I just think it is rich that The Grauniad published this test - the only newspaper ever heard of to mis-spell its own masthead. (Passive voice)
(You might have guessed that this would flush me out (subordinate clause) smile

ayse Wed 06-Feb-13 16:33:59

I wasn't very good a English Language at school but I had a go and managed 14/14. I have to say rather a lot was what is called an educated guess! Still I learn something everyday.

Bags Wed 06-Feb-13 16:33:40

Actually, I did suggest it was subjunctive (thought it anyway wink). And I agree, absent, 'might' expresses doubt. The thinker isn't sure he can do something.

jane, thank you. Yes, I remember now, but I didn't know it didn't include thinking. I suppose thoughts don't count as actions. Why? They could, couldn't they? Mental action.

Anyway, which is the conditional bit if it's conditional? If he's able to? Hmm. He didn't think he would do it, he only thought he might be able to. Different.

Riverwalk Wed 06-Feb-13 16:11:00

12 but I googled gerund! grin

absent Wed 06-Feb-13 15:55:56

This really is Pedants' Corner isn't it? grin

absent Wed 06-Feb-13 15:55:30

feetlebaum It wasn't Bags who suggested the sentence was subjunctive; it was I. Might expresses doubt. Conditional, surely, is something along the lines of If the weather stays sunny, we shall have a picnic this afternoon.