On the first day of school during an assembly, seniors were presented with a PowerPoint, with one of the slides proclaiming, “Colleges are watching, even after your accepted!” with the incorrect use of “your.”
The fact that a high school made a common grammatical error most students are taught to avoid in elementary school is not only embarrassing, but it sends a message to students that grammar is unimportant. With a lack of knowledge of basic spelling and grammar rules becoming the norm, schools need to implement more grammar lessons, and students need to start taking grammar more seriously.
Teenagers may not think knowing the difference between “its” and “it’s” is a big deal, but they may find themselves in trouble later when they need to use grammar daily in the workplace, such as when sending out a professional mail.
According to a March 2013 Forbes article, in a study of LinkedIn profiles of 100 professionals, those who had achieved higher positions, on average, had fewer grammatical errors in their profiles, and the profiles of those who had been promoted six to nine times made 45 percent fewer grammatical errors than those with one to four promotions.
Making grammar mistakes could also affect the chances of getting hired for a job. It could make one seem unprofessional and immature and therefore an undesirable candidate.
According to the Forbes article, good grammar skills often indicate positive workspace traits, including attention to detail, critical thinking, and intellectual aptitude.
Future employment is not only the situation where incorrect grammar usage could be detrimental. Simple spelling and grammatical mistakes that could be easily corrected with a proofread come off as careless and affect colleges’ decisions.
According to the ACT’s list of Top Ten College Applications Mistakes, the number one mistake is misspellings and grammatical errors and is a big pet peeve of colleges because it shows lack of skills and disinterest.
Given the rise of social media websites like Twitter, the expectation of using correct grammar and spelling seems to have fallen by the wayside. With only 140 characters, it can be hard to fully express a thought or idea without cutting a few words or punctuation marks. However, it is imperative for students to understand the difference between when it is acceptable to use text abbreviations and when it is appropriate to use formal and correct sentences.
According to a June 2012 Wall Street Journal article, as younger people become more accustomed to texting and social networking standards, the grammar mistakes increase. Mistakes may be due to this “new norm” rather than a lack of skill.
Students need to start learning and correctly using grammar starting with CHS staff setting a positive example.
