Out of Style

50 Years of Stupid Grammar Advice

Although my high school was (allegedly) one of the best in (purportedly) one of the top systems in the country, I have only a fleeting memory of studying English grammar. For some reason, this did not deter me from majoring in English, with a heavy dose of journalism. I interned at the local daily, which published my efforts, and passed the AP reporters' exam. My entire career was in communications, most of it as an editor.

Somehow I usually just know what's right and wrong. I read a lot from an early age, and I picked up more grammar studying French and Spanish than I missed in English. To this day, though, I couldn't diagram a sentence if my life depended on it. I know what gerunds are, but I never mastered the difference between subject and object.

As for the book in question, I'm disturbingly versed in several style manuals, mais pas celui-là. It sat on my shelf for many years, unopened.

The link is from Peggy, another proud B-CC graduate.