Department for Continuing Education
Contemporary and non- standard grammar • Recent and ongoing changes in grammar. • To teach or not to teach non-standard grammar?
Can you think of any examples of recent and/or ongoing changes in grammar usage?
There are just a few dozen grammatical features commonly identified as nonstandard English. David Crystal, The Stories of English who / whom out hate , ' ' Goldman said . ` ` Who does he connect himself to ? ' ' As Goldm hink he ' s on here ? Mhm . Hey ? Who does he think he ' s talking to ? Get thi sus forgave people they said ha ! Who does this man think he is , forgiving peo comes back relative to the test . Who does this go to ? To David or to Cathy ? ffort to invigorate the process . Who does the White House hold responsible for , that had more detail on that . Who does he send the determination to ? Congr certainly raises the question , ' Who does it benefit ? ' In Governor Hull ' s he ' s going , Bernice thought . Who does he think he ' s fooling ? And if his doing here ? " they had asked . " Who does she know ? What ' s her game ? Where who is unaware of being watched ? Who does the heart hurt when it sees the unat ck . " " All right , " I said . " Who does Thorpey work for these days ? " He d him . I will , I ' ll kill him . Who does he think he is ? I ' ll bloody kill uietened at this frosty reply . " Who does it belong to now ? " " It will be Je . He reaches between my legs . " Who does that belong to ? " he asks , and I s t long enough to cramp my style . Who does she think she is ? Certainly not one Jonathan Powell d Melanie Burns 2 Who does Tim already know ? a Bill Andrews b
off of, outside of etc
This film really caters to the young person inside of us. Katy Perry, 2011
Millar’s shot deflects off of Pique. Sky Sports, 2010
Do you know Hazel outside of Facebook?
Outside of the European Union If you're travelling outside the EU, the price you pay to check the web is different. Virgin Media Come off of it Sir, I blame Mick Jagger for the overuse of ‘of’, who in the 1960s popularised the song exhorting an unnamed individual to get off ‘of’ his cloud. Things have never been the same since.
DAVID MARTIN Bristol less / fewer
We’ve had less repossessions. Labour Candidate, May 2010 o £238.50 less than 10 seats ba.com
Less apps, more apples
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7E-aoXLZGY&t=50s Many people use less with plurals (eg less problems).
This is also correct, but some people think it isn’t (including some teachers and examiners), so be careful!
OEGC Intermediate, 2011 was sat
Jo Watts is sat in the garden with the new penny vincenzi, utter bliss!
Thank you. Well, I’m stood above the stadium here, and … Sky Sports
You should’ve been sat down two minutes ago Primary school teacher
Stative verbs
I’m hearing what you’re saying, but I don’t agree I’m afraid. (Judge, BBC Classical music show)
The police … are out looking constantly. We're just really wanting some news where to look next, that’s all. (Aunt of missing girl Feb 08)
The team are really needing helpers for next week. (drara email)
Polly, who was disliking the Queen, would not have let her hand be taken if she could have helped it. (CS Lewis)
It is not verbs which are stative or dynamic but situations. Jack Richards Are there any stative verbs that are never used in the continuous form? If I would’ve ..
If Mr Simpson would’ve known …, he wouldn’t have done it. OJ Simpson’s lawyer
If I would have played better and I would have won
my match, maybe we would be talking and writing a I’d’ve gave that DJ my last dime if he would’ve played it different story. Sergio Garcia just a one more time. Luke Bryan, Play it again
In informal speech, (but rarely in writing) conditional sentences may have would in both parts. OECG Advanced Ooohh this is definitely something I'd have liked to have seen. Pls post any interesting snippets she says. would like to have / would have liked to
I would’ve liked it to have gone better. Over the Rainbow contestant
And I would have liked to have known you, but I was just a kid. Elton John is / are The Beatles is/are the greatest band ever.
The FA is/are right to take their time over any decision about ….
The Taliban is/are active in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The soldier’s family has/have been informed.
Thing is I have two groups, one is/are not even intermediate and the other is/are very good.
The band itselfitself were like ‘We’re making a record. Can you believe this …’ Life, Keith Richards https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovi7uQbtKas @jonhirdelt
Jon Hird ELT jonhird.com [email protected] He tries to hit it diagonal but he’s give it away.
Dean Saunders, football pundit, Euro 2016 Football grammar! Look, at least they didn’t get beat. (Mark Lawrenson) Maybe we can get rid of all them nightmares. (Joe Cole)
We’ve got to credit the Americans for the draw There was a lot written about him before he against ourselves. (Gareth Southgate) come to Chelsea. (John Terry)
He’s chased it, but the ball’s ran out. (Alan Shearer) He’s went out there and said what he said. (Steven Gerrard) Maybe we’d have gone 2 or 3 up and then he might have threw me on. (Gareth Barry) At the moment Messi looks disinterested. (BBC Commentator)
There’s not too many out there. (Alan Shearer) If it’d’ve been 2-2 at half-time, … . (Frank Lampard) He did fantastic. (Harry Redknapp)
If they can keep them two quiet, they’ve got a What they’ve done was just change like for like. chance. (Harry Redknapp) (Alan Shearer)
Millar’s shot deflects off of Pique. (Gareth He was stood on the goal line. (Mick McCarthy) Southgate)
I don’t know if they could play different. (Harry If we’d’ve won at the weekend, we’d still have to go Redknapp) out there and win tomorrow. (James Milner)