Grammar is like… Highway ENGINEERING
A dirt road might get us there, but it will likely be uncomfortable, inefficient, and messy. There will be bumps, rocks, flat tires, mud holes, and maybe even rivers or canyons that we are unable to cross. If we are lucky enough to arrive at the destination, the trip will not have been a smooth one.
Understanding the specifics of highway engineering (including knowing the layers of a road and their functions as well as the parts of a road - such as bridges, ramps, junctions, shoulders, roundabouts, intersections, etc.) not only empowers us to construct clear, easily-navigatable, long-lasting paths to our destinations, but the roads themselves can be beautiful, complex, and interesting. They can open creative possibilities and allow us to reach new and unique destinations.
Grammar is the STRUCTURE OF THE LANGUAGE
(How language is constructed or built)
- Understanding parts of speech and their functions and relationships with each other in phrases and sentences
- Understanding parts of sentences (subjects, predicates, words, phrases, clauses, etc.) and how they can be combined to form sentences and paragraphs
- Understanding the accepted or customary practices, patterns, rules, and boundaries of the language (homophones, misplaced or dangling modifiers, fragments, run-ons, etc.) – “using a word or phrase correctly”
Mechanics are like… ROAD SIGNS AND TRAFFIC SIGNALS
(Things that direct a reader toward a destination)
A perfectly constructed road doesn’t guarantee that a traveler will reach the destination. Without road signs and signals, it is easy to get lost. Similarly, all the right road signs on a poorly built road won’t guarantee arrival. You need both!
Mechanics are CONVENTIONS
(Things readers expect a courteous writer to do)
- Punctuation
- Capitalization
- Spelling
- Paragraphing
- Formatting