For the Love of Grammar

What’s something everyone uses every single day, but is not often thought about? Give up? It’s grammar!

National Grammar Day is observed in the United States on March 4. It was established in 2008 by Martha Brockenbrough, author of “Things That Make Us [Sic]” and founder of the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, grammar is defined as “the study of the classes of words, their inflections, and their functions and relations in the sentence.” It’s the set of rules that explain how words are used in a language.

Rather than list off a bunch of grammatical ramblings, I wrote the following poem to honor grammar on its special day.

Ode to Grammar Day

Guess what day is drawing near?
Come one, come all—there’s no need to fear.
March 4 is National Grammar Day,
And this is something to celebrate I say!

It’s true, grammar has a day to behold.
Without grammar our sentences would be lost in the fold.
When you hear grammar what do you think?
In all languages, it’s the vital link.

From word choice to sentence fragments, run-ons, and more,
Commas, possessive, verb tense—the difference between pore, pour, and poor.
Do you need a period or semicolon, question mark or what not?
Thank goodness for grammar and all we are taught!

Imagine building something without all the tools,
Or using language without grammar guides and rules.
Not me. Not I. Nor them, he, or she.
Good grammar unlocks the language key.

But is ending a sentence with a preposition so wrong?
To, of, by, above, and such just wish to belong.
Some rules you love and some you hate.
But overall, ain’t grammar great?

Post by Suzan Kurdak, former FLVS Communications Specialist