When Will I Ever Need

to Know This?
A Look at English Grammar and Usage in Real Life

To be specific
If you love the English language and you enjoy
reading and writing, there are several careers that
you can look into to pursue this passion.
Journalists, authors, editors, teachers, lawyers, and
many other professionals rely on their English
expertise in their everyday lives.
Any career that involves extensive reading, writing,
and communicating will require strong knowledge of
English grammar and usage.

Just a few examples!

Public Relations
Manager

Work with the media to

build a good reputation
for your company.
Education: Bachelors
Salary: $67,000$128,000

Newspaper Editor

Piece together news

stories into a finished
paper.
Education: Bachelors
Salary: $29,000$97,000

Lawyer

Provide legal advice or

courtroom guidance to
your clients.
Education: Doctorate
Salary: $75,000$165,000

All of the above data is taken from Inside Jobs Blog: 100 Careers for English
Majors: They Do Exist (Really!) [July 31, 2012]
http://www.insidejobs.com/blog/100-careers-for-english-majors-they-do-exist-really

But my future career wont

specifically revolve around
Considering the English
vast amount of careers the
modern world offers, statistically, this applies to
most people!
However, no matter what future career you chose,
you will always need to have basic skills in
English grammar and usage.
It is vital to use your language correctly and
effectively if you want to succeed in any
professional setting.

Aspects of Career Life

that Require Skills in
Public speaking and presentations
English

Communicating via email

Writing cover letters and resumes
Interview processes
Use of social media (whether it be personal or
representative of your career)
Business and legal negotiations
Report filing
Just to name a few!

Grammar dictates the very fabric of our language.

Without its rules, our language would fall apart, and
effective communication would halt in its tracks.

Activity: You will be given pictures of real-life examples

where grammar was used incorrectly. You will also be given a
cheat sheet of various grammar and usage rules. Record
which rule was misused for each picture, and change each
sentence/phrase so that they are grammatically correct.
Some rules may be used more than once, and some pictures
violate more than one rule!

2. In a series of three or
more terms with a single
conjunction, use a comma
after each term except the
last. (Fun fact: this rule is
often
hotly
debated!)
Without the commas, the sign could be
suggesting that no food or beverages that
are smoking (from being on fire, perhaps) are
allowed in the clinic. This doesnt make
sense.
No smoking, food, or beverages permitted
in the clinic.
No smoking, food or beverages permitted in
the clinic.

6.All ordinal numbers carry a suffix: -nd, -rd, -st, or -th

First (1st)
Sixth (6th)
Seventh (7th)

Should say:
26th Math
21st Science
17th Reading

3. The word your sits

before another word
(usually a noun or a
pronoun) to show that
it belongs to "you, is
of "you, or is related
to "you".
Youre is a
contraction of
you and are
(which would be
the correct
usage here).
Sometimes youre the dog, sometimes youre
the hydrant.

5. To is a preposition which begins a

prepositional phrase or an infinitive.

Too is an adverb
meaning
"excessively" or
"also."
No Dream Is Too
Big

4. Misplaced modifiers
are modifiers that
modify something you
didn't intend them to
modify.
Wearing a tuxedo is
supposed to modify Drake,
not a hot dog. It is placed
awkwardly in the sentence,
which causes confusion.

Aww Drake, you dont eat a

hot dog WHILE wearing a
tuxedo! (intended meaning)
Aww Drake, you dont eat a

Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding

Because
lasts is
NOT meant to
be
possessive,
the phrase
should read
Nothing
lasts

8. Common
introductory phrases
that should be followed
by a comma include
participial and infinitive
phrases, absolute
phrases, nonessential
appositive phrases,
and long prepositional
phrases (over four
Without including a comma
words).
to indicate an introductory
phrase, the question asks if
the audience wants some
baby.
Want some [pancakes],
baby?

Homonyms,
homophones, and
homographs are words
that are easily confused
because they look alike
or sound alike (or both)
but have different
meanings.
Here, the word that the sign7.

maker was looking for was

bear, not bare.
To bear is to endure (an ordeal
or difficulty).
Please bear with us

9. Malapropism: Absurd or humorous misuse

of a word, especially by confusion with one of
similar sound.
The composer of this tweet most likely
meant to say cologne instead of
colon. This switch would make for a
very different meaning!

Ignoring the strange use of

capitalization and punctuation
Rule #1: Misuse of s
Rule #3: Your vs Youre
Misspelled management
Youre not allowed back here if
youre off duty unless youre a
closer.
-Management
EMPLOYEES ONLY

Assuming that a POO is

something that a dog does,
the most noticeable error in
this sign is its misplaced
modifier (Rule #4).
It is meant to refer to
POO, but it is currently
modifying the subject,
DOG, instead. The
misplacement of it in the
sentence makes the signs
meaning unclear.

If your dog does a poo,

please put the poo in a litter
bin.
Gross, but unambiguous!

Be honest, what
were your initial
thoughts when you
looked at these
pictures?

blems That Arise With Poor Gram

Ambiguity
Confusion
Humor
Lack of professionalism

forth and keep those skills shar