I consulted a grammar book again when I was trying to find an answer to a question this morning - it's been a long time since I last read the book. When I was looking through its table of contents, I found I needed to read some of its items again because I wasn't so sure if I really understood them, or rather some of the entries were so unfamiliar to me now even though I had read them more than once.
Yes, people forget things, and repetition seems to be one of the most effective ways to learn. Sometimes, you may think you have understood all of the contents in the book you've just read. But you need to consult the book from time to time, especially when you're trying to solve a problem or to answer a question, because you want to make sure you truly understand what you're trying to give. For example, when you are not so sure if you should use "in" or "of" in the following sentences:
(1) He is the tallest member in the team.
(2) He is the tallest member of them all.
I've read the grammar book several times - you bet it's one of my favorite books. The more times I read it, the more I learn. So I'll try to read it again. It sounds crazy, doesn't it? So, why not?
And, I'll try to read some of the comments, messages, blog posts here (on MyEC) again, because "people speak English."
Comments
I just changed the "repeat" to "repetition" when I read this post again.
Yes, "repeat" can be used as a noun, but you should know the subtle difference between the two words.
It's funny you two often argued about grammar when you were working together. So, there's no wonder your grammar is so good. I enjoy talking about grammar, too!
Tips on its and it's:
Are you confused about them? Many people are. Even native English speakers make mistakes when they use them.
Here is the explaination.
Two more sentences for you:
(1) I love its colour.
(2) It's very important to make sure you really understand what I just said.
@anele
I bet you mean that a student with good memory may not be so clever or intelligent. But they often get good marks in tests because they can memorize things easily. It seems you don't think intelligence has anything to do with good memory.
Sometimes, I forget to close the window of my kitchen or a tap in the bathroom. But I don't think I'm old enough to easily forget things like that. Yes, it seems some young women forget things now and again, which may make them even more loveable - it's funny, isn't it?
@Ohnie
Yes, some of the grammar rules have changed. Old people might think you're making grammar mistakes when they are not familiar with what you use. That can be a problem, especially when they think you're using something inappropriate in a business letter.
less complicated***
I'm typing from my phone so somehow, I keep tapping on the wrong keys. Apologies.
Doc, my boss and I would proof each other's work. You know, it's easier to catch someone else's mistakes than your own and plus we both came from different generations where some of grammar rules he's learned back in his days have been updated in my days. Not making any sense? Few examples of issues I can recall are the use of comma, it's/its, none is/none are, and some obsolete words used in business writing compared to modern and more applicable words used nowadays. So, I'd say it's all because of generation gap. He writes in a more traditional manner while I try to be less conplicated than that.
@Ohnie
Thanks for being the first! I'm curious to know more about how you and your boss were arguing about grammar. And, what's more impressive is you were trying to argue about grammar with a native English speaker who always carried a grammar (book). I hope we can discuss grammar with each other - I bet you know I often read grammar books.
@anele
As always, I just read your comment with curiority. I enjoy reading your comments. Thanks for taking the time to comment on my blog. I can tell you have a good command of English grammar. It's understandable for you to be interested in grammar since you're a teacher of English. May I recommend a grammar book to you? You might enjoy it. The name of the book is: Practical English Usage (by Michael Swan).
And yes, you can say that again. Reading is one of the most effective ways of learning English. But be careful to choose the right thing to read, because some reading materials can be so boring. I often read articles on VOA (Voice of America) - everything on it seems to be so concise, easy-to-read, or rather reader-friendly.
We do forget things, though. I wish I could remember everything I've read. Do you think intelligence has something to do with memory? Does it seem an intelligent student has a good memory?
You remind me of my old boss. At my previous job, my boss (an American) keeps a little white book in his office. It's just a thin pocket book that he consults to whenever we have a dispute on grammar while writing a report. He is very particular and meticulous when writing a report and therefore, won't allow even a single misspell or grammatical err. He said he took possession of that little book back when he was in college and has always used it. Imagine, he is now 70 years old. He's made me read it several times. Very useful!