Good grammar is still important, here is why

Good grammar illustration

A panda walks into a cafe. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and proceeds to fire it at the other patrons. "Why?" asks the confused, surviving waiter amidst the carnage, as the panda makes towards the exit. The panda produces a badly punctuated wildlife manual and tosses it over his shoulder. "Well, I'm a panda," he says. "Look it up." The waiter turns to the relevant entry in the manual and, sure enough, finds an explanation. "Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves."

From "Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation" by Lynn Truss

Most of us tend to let bad grammar and incorrect sentence structure slide by. But if any formal communication must happen then good grammar is of the highest importance. How many times have you not been able to communicate correctly, when what you've said or written was misinterpreted or misunderstood? Good grammar is essential to make certain that ideas and information, are never lost in translation. Communication, both verbal and written, is key in any social or formal setting. For any interaction to take place, proper communication is important.

A simple sentence with incorrect punctuation can completely alter a sentence. For instance the sentence; "Let's eat grandma" and "let's eat, grandma", can have entirely two different meanings. The first one could implicate that they are about to eat their grandmother, while the second one states that they are asking their grandmother to join them for a meal.

Why Good Grammar Matters

Here are a couple of reasons to why is it important to improve your grammar:

  1. With proper grammar you can express yourself better as a person as well as your thoughts and ideas. Using correct grammar effectively improves your communication skills and enhances your fluency, giving you complete control over the language.
  2. Using proper grammar allows you to think more logically and distinctly. If you improve your writing skills, you can share your thoughts and ideas in a more clear and distinct pattern. Good grammar gives you accuracy, so that you do not confuse your readers or leave them misunderstood.
  3. You could be in school, college, or working for a large organisation, but if you have a great grasp over the English language, you can deliver your messages promptly without diminishing your image and the image of your institution. Good grammar also increases your credibility as a writer. If you fail to write correctly, your work will seem less accurate and could lose its credibility.
  4. People who have great communication skills are more prone to success. It could be in school or even at their jobs. Writing and speaking fluently shows a much higher level in professional competency. It also creates a positive impact and a lasting impression on their peers, superiors and customers.
  5. If a piece of writing has incorrect grammar, it only showcases the lack of clarity the message has, deeming it to become meaningless. It goes to show that the writer is unable to express himself, thereby causing confusion to the intended reader. All meaning could be lost due to bad grammar.
  6. Works wonders in the digital world, especially for bloggers and those who write articles. Your credibility could drop and you could lose subscribers if you make tiny errors in grammar. Knowing and using the basic rules of grammar are of utmost importance.
  7. Gives you an edge over your competition. Proper grammar attracts your readers and also shows your knowledge of the subject matter.

Ways to Improve Grammar

To avoid any mass confusion or misinterpretation of your write up, much like the punctuating panda, here are a couple of ways you can improve your English grammar:

  1. Read, write and listen more in English.
  2. Practise the language as much as you can and wherever you can.
  3. You may know all the big words in dictionary, but make sure you know when to make use of them. Till then, keep it simple.

And for everything else, you've got Lanquill!