Good Grammar is the foundation of excellent writing; Books and websites covering a plethora of topics abound on the web. Here are some grammar lessons I use in my ESL college classes.
Relevant Reading
As part of college writing, students read a variety of literary stories. Here are some of the lessons that have accompanied such stories in my classes.
Everyone is welcome here!
New Year’s Resolution
Happy New Year! According to my quick internet search over 45% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions every year. Unfortunately, most don’t fulfil them very long! Perhaps this occurs because we don’t really understand what the word resolution means? I’m going to take a deeper look at resolution and its other derivatives in today’s post. For this and most of my language posts, I will be referencing the Merriam Webster dictionaries as these are my favorites. Occasionally, for deeper dives, I might delve into the Oxford English Dictionary a bit.
The dictionary tells us that the first known use of the word resolution was in the 14th century where it meant an act or process reducing something from a complex to a simpler form by solving or determining its elements often used with sound, chemical compounds, language components, and light or energy waves. Clearly, that is a stretch from how we use it today for the “New Year’s resolution.” Later, reducing something to its simpler form began to be applied to actions and goals, ultimately meaning “something that is resolved” or “settled determination,” which is how it is applied to the New Year’s theme today.
In its noun form, resolutions often collocate with specific verbs, the most common being the verb make. For example, I will make a New Year’s resolution or Have you made your New Year’s resolutions yet?
There are other related parts of speech to the noun resolution. Resolute, interestingly, is also a noun as well as an adjective and verb. The adjective form is closest to the meaning usage of the New Year’s resolution, since as an adjective resolute mean “characterized by a decided purpose.” Of course, then, the adverb resolutely, follows this adjective. So, I am resolute in my decision to resolutely make a New Year’s resolution. The verb resolute, however, is intransitive, so one cannot resolute a resolution, given that intransitive verbs do not allow direct objects.
Nonetheless, a similar verb, resolve, is transitive, allowing a direct object. With its definition, though, it would rarely be used with a resolution. To resolve leans more to changing one’s direction or finding an answer than to making a promise about an action. Actually, the verb resolve collocates with nouns like fate and doubts and even problems. Thus, you will never see resolve a resolution, but you can resolve a problem or resolve a doubt. It is good to note that resolve can also be used with a noun clause as in I resolve that I will fulfill all my New Year’s resolutions.
Resolve is also a noun that can be easily used as a subject or object of a sentence. An example of subjective use could be something like her resolve to get to class on time paid off in her increased grades. As an object, this noun often collocates with negative verbs like threaten, weaken, and damage, but also with the positive action strengthen. Therefore, I must strengthen my resolve to meet my goals and not let this resolve be weakened by a lack of time or energy.
I encourage you in this New Year 2017 to strengthen your resolve for language improvement. Resolve any language dilemmas and be resolute in your efforts to achieve better English. Make a New Year’s resolution to follow my blog to learn more about English words. Finally, resolutely apply yourself to increasing your vocabulary!
Start Anew Idioms
5 Useful Idioms for 2017
Wipe the slate clean (or start with a clean slate)
History: Back in the days before tablets and the internet, in the 14th century students wrote in class on slate boards (preview to the chalk board, preview to the white board, preview to today’s technology!) with chalk. At the end of the lesson they would “wipe the slate clean” to have a new fresh canvas on which to learn.
Currant Usage: Erase mistakes and start over.
History: Moving forward in history to the 16th century, the pages in a book were called leaves. Thus, in the classroom, when a student was starting a new blank page in a workbook, she would “turn over a new leaf.”
Current Usage: Change previous behavior and start over.
History: Since the 18th century, the term “scratch” has been associated with various sports, some of which has lines in the playing field. One of these sports is the British sport of cricket. Similarly in boxing and track there may have been scratch lines. Starting at the line or the beginning was to “start from scratch.”
Current Usage: Start at the beginning often with few resources.
History: Moving forward again in time to the 20th century, the artist Peter Arno in the New Yorker created the first known usage of this phrase in a cartoon. Paper drawing boards or blueprints were used (and still are but are mostly digital today) and when a design failed, one would have to go back to those original plans to reassess, fix, or start anew.
Currant Usage: Fix mistakes and start over.
History: Back before Hatchanimals and Xboxes, in the 20th century children played outside with fewer toys. One game, hopscotch, was played by drawing numbered squares, throwing a stone and then jumping on the squares without the stone. To start over, you would return to square one.
Currant Usage: Fix mistakes and start over.
All of these idioms can be similarly used to show starting anew. For example, I haven’t been that successful with my exercise program but in 2017, I will wipe the slate clean. I haven’t been able to lose the weight that I’d like to, so it’s back to square one for me! In 2017, I’ll get it right! I have to go back to the drawing board to figure out a new exercise routine. Luckily, I don’t have to start from scratch as I already have gym membership. Now, I just have to turn over a new leaf and go regularly!
I used many sources to look up the history of the phrases, but one was particularly good and you might use it in the future for your own idiomatic queries.
Here it is: http://www.phrases.org.uk
Try out these idioms for yourself in your own conversation in the weeks ahead!
Mini-Blog About Advice
Mini-Blog About Advice
Mrs. C, can you help me…?
Advice is something I’m often asked to give. Let’s be clear that I am only an expert in college writing and ESL language usage. I’ve studied the topic and taught others for many years. I’ve learned effective techniques and I know my grammar rules. I am quite comfortable advising what to do when it comes to that.
Academically, culturally or personally, though, I do not pretend to have or even be aware of all the answers. Nonetheless, I have lived in the USA, am well read, and have had many relationships and experiences, both good and bad, which I guess qualifies me to offer bits of advice on certain subjects. I must preface all advice with one caveat. There is no one RIGHT way to live one’s life; I’m not even convinced there is a BEST way. Hence any advice I give are simply suggestions of possible ways to handle cultural or classroom situations according to my own experiences and knowledge.
I will share some of the most common repeated student questions in my semi-weekly blog. If you have a question or concern, comment and let me know!
Academic Edits for College Writing
Academic Edits for College Writing Book 1: Verb Form, my latest project , is coming along nicely. The picture you see here is a possible cover. I have just finished updating the 65 practice edits and am now working on the appendixes. I’ll be doing a final polishing edit soon! It will be out in 2017 for sure!
IVC Students
Meet Mrs. C
An ESL Student’s Guide
An ESL Student’s Guide to Good Communication with Classmates is available for $10 at amazon.com.
It provides cultural and communication tips for college success. Also included is vocabulary development, conversation topics, and writing prompts. This guide is at a beginning to intermediate language level.