What is correct SPAG?

[Cal]

I really want to get that, it's really interesting. It's cool to see different ways in which a sentence can be written and I really do think that it should be a compulsory book for English class.

I might buy it at the weekend...

[Si-Co]

Yup, I've read that book. It's a very interesting read - as well as hopefully learning something, it's actually quite entertaining. I recommend it!

[penny lane]

Yup, I've read that book. It's a very interesting read - as well as hopefully learning something, it's actually quite entertaining. I recommend it!

Good good, i think i'll try and get it once my exams are over then!

I really do think that it should be a compulsory book for English class.

Me too, absolutely. That, or something like it. I mean, i go to a school that is considered to be full of pretty brainy people really, and i think there's definitely something wrong in the curriculum if many of them haven't mastered basic command of grammar.

My mum is a teacher, and she specialises in this sort of thing - as in, why some children can read almost as soon as you tell them the alphabet, and some children just can't. I won't go over it all here, but it's really interesting to hear her talking about some of her students. A love of reading was really instilled in me at an early age, and that's something i'm genuinely very grateful for as i think it's helped me in so many other ways. Any children who aren't getting that kind of support at home should definitely get it at school.

Ok, i'm kind of off on a tangent here, so i'll stop now!!

[Frankie]

Did you know that that book was on the best seller list for like...the longest time? I loved that book, it was so funny, and I learned a lot too. I think everyone should put it on their christmas list

[Elise]

Yeah, heard about that in my report writing seminar (paid for by work ), I agree in thinking it is a must read, proper spelling and grammar is a dying breed these days.

[emmasi]

emmasi will have to go for a cold shower when she reads this!

I knew there was a reason I came in here...

[Eli]

I'm back with a new question.

I was writing this sentence

"...imagine me, who exercise..."

and suddenly I was tempted to add an "s" at the end of the word "exercise". I'm not really sure, cause I mean, "me" should technically have the same conjugation rules as "I", shouldn't it? Meaning it doesn't get the s-ending.

At first sight it seems to me like "exercise" is the main verb, which makes "me" the subject, but isn't "imagine" the main verb in this sentence? Cause if it is, that would make the person imagening (e.g "you") the subject, "me" the direct object and "exercise" the indirect object or something (It's been a long time since I've done this kind of sentence analysis, and I've only ever done it in Norwegian and French )

So is it "exercise" or "exercises"?

Sorry if I have used the wrong words for the grammar stuff or something, like I said I've never done sentence analysis in English, so I'm just translating very directly from Norwegian and French

Thanks in advance!

[Jess]

No, your question made perfect sense, Eli!

It should be - "Imagine me, who exercises" (with the 's' on the end). Even though 'me' should normally have the same verb conjugation as I (as they're in essence referring to the same person), in this sentence it should use the he/she/it part of the verb because you're asking whoever you're talking to to imagine you in the third person. Sorry if that makes absolutely no sense, but I just know it should be "exercises". I can't really think of a clearer way of explaining it - sorry!

[Eli]

No, that makes prefect sense, the "who" was the word that made me want to use the he/she/it conjugation as well, but I wasn't sure at all.

Thanks for clearing that up

[John]

No, your question made perfect sense, Eli!

It should be - "Imagine me, who exercises" (with the 's' on the end). Even though 'me' should normally have the same verb conjugation as I (as they're in essence referring to the same person), in this sentence it should use the he/she/it part of the verb because you're asking whoever you're talking to to imagine you in the third person. Sorry if that makes absolutely no sense, but I just know it should be "exercises". I can't really think of a clearer way of explaining it - sorry!

I think the complexity of this explanation ( correct as it is ) demonstrates why most schools don't teach complicated grammar. In countries where English is the spoken language children learn to speak it by imitating those around them speaking it. The quality of the English they speak is influenced by the quality of the English they hear being spoken. That's why students from overseas come to Australia ( and other English speaking countries ) to improve their English by surrounding themselves with people who are constantly speaking it and becoming part of the conversations. We had a Korean student stay with us a couple of years ago. I was amazed how quickly her stilted English became almost indistinguishable from ours!! Learning the complications of English grammar rules with their myriad of exceptions doesn't necessarily lead people to write and/or speak better English as correct English is determined by usage which constantly changes. Something which is regarded as incorrect usage can become correct usage if it goes on for long enough. That is why English is described as a "living" langauge. For us the grammar rules are there to describe how we speak and write "after the fact" rather than to determine how we speak or write "before the fact".

That is why my admiration for people from other countries who learn English is so great. That particularly applies to the members of this board who participate in English even though it is not their native language.