Grammar is One of My Weaknesses

You may have noticed, I focus on grammar once a week here at Dispatches. The truth is I’m not innately good at grammar it is one of my weaknesses. Because writing is such a large portion of my job responsibilities, I have to work at getting better at grammar. That is why I focus on a specific grammar topic once a week—to reiterate what I learned and to share the knowledge.

I transferred school districts the summer before sixth grade. My old district did not include grammar in the curriculum until middle school. My new district covered it in elementary school. While I was able to catch up in math, due in part to some very patient teachers and my parents, I never caught up in grammar.

I desperately wanted to take a grammar class in high school, but by the time I was eligible, the class was phased out. As I was an Honors English student, the department did not listen to my pleas for this class.

To me, grammar is perfect. If you follow the rules, you are rarely wrong. I am not perfect, so having rules makes it easier for me.