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Thread ID: 107633	2010-02-24 06:59:00	English grammar in computer courses.	Nomad (952)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
861229	2010-02-25 00:50:00	Hmm... In all seriousness though, universities are probably trying to make courses "easier" for international students whose English skills aren't necessarily the best, as they make a lot of money off them in fees etc. I would disagree. You need to get a high grade in IELTS to get admission into a NZ university. A lot of international students have problems speaking english, on paper their english is, dare I say, better than ours. Speaking english daily since day one makes it simple for us. Written english isn't all that similar to spoken english. kind of, couldn't of, kinda, etc etc., (sorry for the lack of better examples) aren't words you would use in an essay. We take a lot of grammar for granted. Alot isn't a word. A lot. We tend to write things how we think they should sound, rather they how they should be written. It's automatic. You would be shocked at the use of "thou" instead of "though" or the use of "there" and "their". But if those writing in newspapers can't get their grammar right, who are we? :p (Read an Chinese/Indian/Japanese-English newspaper, and compare the grammar with the Herald or stuff.co.nz and you'll see my point.) Edit: Where be roddy?	Cato (6936)
861230	2010-02-25 01:31:00	We tend to write things how we think they should sound, rather they how they should be written. It's automatic. You would be shocked at the use of "thou" instead of "though" or the use of "there" and "their". But if those writing in newspapers can't get their grammar right, who are we? Many posts in this Forum will use "your" instead of "you're", "too" instead of "to". To add to your example, "there", "their, and "they're" are frequently seen as interchangeable. And we must not forget the appalling disregard for the incorrect use of the possessive apostrophe. In spoken English, the sound is sufficient to convey a usually accurate meaning. But inadequate written English by those who can't get their grammar correct can be annoying for those who have to stop momentarily and translate to get the meaning of what's been written to what the writer intends to say. The News Media in this country? Shocking standards. Recently I pulled the Royal NZ Herald up on a headline in the on-line edition, where an Air NZ aircraft was reported as having to abort a takeoff because "the breaks overheated". I took delight in emailing them with the subject line being, "Them's the brakes." I agree, the standard of writing and grammar of many new immigrants often surpasses the standards of us lot in Godzone. :clap	WalOne (4202)
861231	2010-02-25 02:14:00	Edit: Where be roddy? Awaiting correction.	R2x1 (4628)
861232	2010-02-25 02:38:00	And we must not forget the appalling disregard for the incorrect use of the possessive apostrophe. Oops. incorrect = correct :horrified Hoist with one's own petard? :blush:	WalOne (4202)
861233	2010-02-25 06:12:00	Doesn't say much for the teaching faculty:D That's probably why I'm not there any more :) In all seriousness, at 6:27am somehow the word "for" becomes "from"...	somebody (208)
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