Grammar on College Apps and Essays

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back 20 years ago, when I was first year in USA and in English composition course (it was a required one and they did not had one for foreigners), I was shocked when the teacher explained that you should not write,
"James, Brandon and me." My reaction was, how can you even make a mistake like this?

We had "native" speaker who was taking that class third time.... He failed at the end. I passed...

While I applaud your being bilingual, I have read several of your comments in this forum and your use of English is not as refined as you think.

After awhile on DCUM, you can pick out a writer's pattern.

1) I do not camp here.
2) This was not about my grammar.
3) If I post, I usually type something quickly in the middle of doing something without paying attention to my grammar or style. I do not have time...
4) I am one of the technical people mentioned above, who currently does not write a lot at all.
5) So far none of my bosses complained
6) If I need to, I can write quite effectively.
7) I was shocked to discover that students in US are taught in colleges how to write. In my original country writing training was done in HS. Colleges were for teaching majors and not how to write essays.
I could write an essay for any topic in 30-45 minutes. My problems were grammar and lack of English, since I was not a native speaker. I've never was considered advanced writer in my home country...
Students around me were native speakers and had no idea how to write at all... It was State University.
I was always technical, so my "writing" skills on my scale of zero to expert are very average.

By the way, can you write as well as I can in English in some other languages? Are you a linguist or may be a lawyer?

How did you determine that I am considering myself an expert in English? Because I am not...

You do not have to be nasty or aggressive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back 20 years ago, when I was first year in USA and in English composition course (it was a required one and they did not had one for foreigners), I was shocked when the teacher explained that you should not write,
"James, Brandon and me." My reaction was, how can you even make a mistake like this?

We had "native" speaker who was taking that class third time.... He failed at the end. I passed...

While I applaud your being bilingual, I have read several of your comments in this forum and your use of English is not as refined as you think.

After awhile on DCUM, you can pick out a writer's pattern.

1) I do not camp here.
2) This was not about my grammar.
3) If I post, I usually type something quickly in the middle of doing something without paying attention to my grammar or style. I do not have time...
4) I am one of the technical people mentioned above, who currently does not write a lot at all.
5) So far none of my bosses complained
6) If I need to, I can write quite effectively.
7) I was shocked to discover that students in US are taught in colleges how to write. In my original country writing training was done in HS. Colleges were for teaching majors and not how to write essays.
I could write an essay for any topic in 30-45 minutes. My problems were grammar and lack of English, since I was not a native speaker. I've never was considered advanced writer in my home country...
Students around me were native speakers and had no idea how to write at all... It was State University.
I was always technical, so my "writing" skills on my scale of zero to expert are very average.

By the way, can you write as well as I can in English in some other languages? Are you a linguist or may be a lawyer?

How did you determine that I am considering myself an expert in English? Because I am not...

You do not have to be nasty or aggressive.

At least you acknowledge that you are not an expert in English and many 'natives' are not experts either. However, you find it necessary in some of your posts to spout a sense of superiority because you do speak English, albeit it at times haltingly which I sense not a result of you being rushed to type.

And since you accuse people of being nasty or aggressive, you might want to revisit some of your posts in other forums. We all have a tendency to spout off anonymously, and you are definitely no different than the rest of us 'native' speakers.

I will not debate you on your ability to speak/write English nor your self-professed opinion that you were better at learning English in your classes than 'natives.' Your impression of others who are not as eloquent as you is more obvious than you think.

I have said my peace, right or wrong, in your view. It's not being nasty or aggressive but offering an opinion based on your writings and opinions of others who appear not to meet your standards.

I'm done with this debate. I have my opinion, you have yours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back 20 years ago, when I was first year in USA and in English composition course (it was a required one and they did not had one for foreigners), I was shocked when the teacher explained that you should not write,
"James, Brandon and me." My reaction was, how can you even make a mistake like this?

We had "native" speaker who was taking that class third time.... He failed at the end. I passed...

While I applaud your being bilingual, I have read several of your comments in this forum and your use of English is not as refined as you think.

After awhile on DCUM, you can pick out a writer's pattern.

1) I do not camp here.
2) This was not about my grammar.
3) If I post, I usually type something quickly in the middle of doing something without paying attention to my grammar or style. I do not have time...
4) I am one of the technical people mentioned above, who currently does not write a lot at all.
5) So far none of my bosses complained
6) If I need to, I can write quite effectively.
7) I was shocked to discover that students in US are taught in colleges how to write. In my original country writing training was done in HS. Colleges were for teaching majors and not how to write essays.
I could write an essay for any topic in 30-45 minutes. My problems were grammar and lack of English, since I was not a native speaker. I've never was considered advanced writer in my home country...
Students around me were native speakers and had no idea how to write at all... It was State University.
I was always technical, so my "writing" skills on my scale of zero to expert are very average.

By the way, can you write as well as I can in English in some other languages? Are you a linguist or may be a lawyer?

How did you determine that I am considering myself an expert in English? Because I am not...

You do not have to be nasty or aggressive.

At least you acknowledge that you are not an expert in English and many 'natives' are not experts either. However, you find it necessary in some of your posts to spout a sense of superiority because you do speak English, albeit it at times haltingly which I sense not a result of you being rushed to type.

And since you accuse people of being nasty or aggressive, you might want to revisit some of your posts in other forums. We all have a tendency to spout off anonymously, and you are definitely no different than the rest of us 'native' speakers.

I will not debate you on your ability to speak/write English nor your self-professed opinion that you were better at learning English in your classes than 'natives.' Your impression of others who are not as eloquent as you is more obvious than you think.

I have said my peace, right or wrong, in your view. It's not being nasty or aggressive but offering an opinion based on your writings and opinions of others who appear not to meet your standards.

I'm done with this debate. I have my opinion, you have yours.

NP here. Sir/Madam, you have issues.

Also I think you meant piece, not peace. No peace about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back 20 years ago, when I was first year in USA and in English composition course (it was a required one and they did not had one for foreigners), I was shocked when the teacher explained that you should not write,
"James, Brandon and me." My reaction was, how can you even make a mistake like this?

We had "native" speaker who was taking that class third time.... He failed at the end. I passed...

While I applaud your being bilingual, I have read several of your comments in this forum and your use of English is not as refined as you think.

After awhile on DCUM, you can pick out a writer's pattern.

1) I do not camp here.
2) This was not about my grammar.
3) If I post, I usually type something quickly in the middle of doing something without paying attention to my grammar or style. I do not have time...
4) I am one of the technical people mentioned above, who currently does not write a lot at all.
5) So far none of my bosses complained
6) If I need to, I can write quite effectively.
7) I was shocked to discover that students in US are taught in colleges how to write. In my original country writing training was done in HS. Colleges were for teaching majors and not how to write essays.
I could write an essay for any topic in 30-45 minutes. My problems were grammar and lack of English, since I was not a native speaker. I've never was considered advanced writer in my home country...
Students around me were native speakers and had no idea how to write at all... It was State University.
I was always technical, so my "writing" skills on my scale of zero to expert are very average.

By the way, can you write as well as I can in English in some other languages? Are you a linguist or may be a lawyer?

How did you determine that I am considering myself an expert in English? Because I am not...

You do not have to be nasty or aggressive.

At least you acknowledge that you are not an expert in English and many 'natives' are not experts either. However, you find it necessary in some of your posts to spout a sense of superiority because you do speak English, albeit it at times haltingly which I sense not a result of you being rushed to type.

And since you accuse people of being nasty or aggressive, you might want to revisit some of your posts in other forums. We all have a tendency to spout off anonymously, and you are definitely no different than the rest of us 'native' speakers.

I will not debate you on your ability to speak/write English nor your self-professed opinion that you were better at learning English in your classes than 'natives.' Your impression of others who are not as eloquent as you is more obvious than you think.

I have said my peace, right or wrong, in your view. It's not being nasty or aggressive but offering an opinion based on your writings and opinions of others who appear not to meet your standards.

I'm done with this debate. I have my opinion, you have yours.

NP here. Sir/Madam, you have issues.

Also I think you meant piece, not peace. No peace about it.

Not the PP but I think the objective of the post was missed by you. You are correct that it should be piece vs peace but you go overboard with PP having issues. Your contribution only fuels the fire. Chill out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It isn't really just annoying.

There are a few documents in life where this matters, a lot. Your resume. Your cover letter. Your college essays.

In each, you are introducing yourself and putting your best on display. If you don't care enough about how you present yourself in these documents that purport to show you at your best, why should a reader excuse you. Or, why shouldn't a reader believe that you know you best. And since you don't believe you are worth the time to ensure proper grammar, why should they value you any more?

+1. This applies not only to a college application!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you don't know the difference between "your" and "you're" by 11th or 12th grade, you probably shouldn't bother applying to college.

Agreed! I cannot believe this is even up for discussion. No mistakes. Period!