Grammar strikes again!

Even though I think grammar is useful, it doesn't mean that I think about it all the time. When an article comes up that directly is talking about grammar, though, I pay attention.

The BBC reported today that a corporation is about to make a huge change in the way it does business. Tesco is a huge supermarket chain in Europe, and now it's considering changing the "10 items or less" to "Up to 10 items" which is more grammatically correct.

What's funny to me is that there is this kind of "Grammatical Activism" in the air - I don't know much about The Plain English Campaign, but I'm impressed that those folks were powerful enough to make a difference - even if it means educating someone on the difference between when to use "fewer" and "less." And kudos to Tesco for realizing that even small changes might be important!

"Fewer" is for things that can be counted individually: "I would like more points on the SAT."

"Less" is for things that can't be counted individually: "I would like less stress in my life."

The Olympics are over.....*sigh*

I always get this "let-down" feeling when something amazing ends. The Olympic closing ceremonies finished on Sunday, and it was the end to an Olympics that I think people will be talking about. In fact, I bet some people will be writing about it. Say....you could write about it as the subject of a test essay!

For example:
1) the perseverance of athletes winning medals against some tough competition
2) sportsmanship as part of the ideals of the Games
3) writing about your favorite athlete
4) examples of unsportsmanlike behavior at the Olympic games
5) China as a host to the world yet quelling protests and anything that stands in the way of a united, positive image.

and the list goes on and on! Here are only a few writing ideas to work into an essay.

Today's Oprah Show on The State of American Education: A "Shocking" Truth

If you saw today's Oprah Show (a rebroadcast from months ago), then you saw failing, crumbling schools right here in America. You're supposed to be shocked. But anyone who's done even a bit of investigation into why U.S. schools are failing or why students aren't learning or whether it's even a good idea to send their children to public school already knows that American schools are in a lot of trouble.

I really would like to meet some people who were shocked by the show, because they have sooooooo much to learn! I was especially sad to see a parent crying on national television because her child goes to school in a poor school district, so the school can't afford resources for its students. A few students in a similarly lousy school building were taking photos of the awful physical condition of the building. They weren't doing it to shame their principal, which I bet is what happened anyway, but to simply call attention to their school.

I felt really bad for the young woman who was valedictorian of her high school and then was floundering once she was in college. She felt like high school didn't prepare her at all for what was coming up in college. I see Test Essay Prep as something that is trying to fill some huge holes. I'm scared that the problem of education is so big, that it will take some time to reverse the negative effects. In the meantime, though, students drop out of school, some graduate, some go on to college, some drop out there, and some graduate from college. High school students who see college as one of their life goals need to be prepared for everything that could happen on the way to that goal - the SAT (or even just the SAT essay part!) is just one of those hurdles that can change a future. It's a lot of pressure, and a lot to think about.