Grammar Question....

[TSDible]

Hello all...

I have a dispute to settle with a co-worker and I'm wondering if you can help. Which of the following is best....

<edit> sorry.... I actually wrote the wrong sentences. Sheesh.
I speak with good grammar.
I speak with proper grammar.
</edit>

Are they equally acceptable? Is one better than the other? Why? Links would be great.

 

[StageLeft]

I think both are of equal quality, but just hearing them it seems that both are also wrong ! Maybe not, I'm not english major but I don't think one is better than other..

 

[UG]

I speak at least with good grammar, and at best with proper grammar.

 

[TSDible]

up with edit.

 

[UG]

If 'good' was good enough, there'd be no need for 'proper'.

Proper trumps good in this instance.

 

[UG]

When I speak, I do so with good attention to the accepted rules of good grammar.

When I speak, I do so with proper attention to the accepted rules of good grammar.

When I speak, I do so with good attention to the accepted rules of proper grammar.

When I speak, I do so with proper attention to the accepted rules of proper grammar.

I prefer the last of the four examples.

 

[DataFly]

Yes, but doesn't &quot;proper&quot; vary with the situation?

😀:Q

 

[HappyFace]

Which sounds better

1. I speak good grammer.
2. I speak proper grammer.

Number 2 obviously, so I suppose &quot;I speak with proper grammer&quot; is the better of the two.

However, I'm sorry to report that neither one of you used proper grammer. The word &quot;with&quot; is not necessary!

I'm not an english major or any such thing, but I'd like to think I got this right. 🙂

 

[MereMortal]

Both choices seem awkward to me. Grammar is not the thing that is 'good' or 'bad'; it is your speech that is being evaluated.

I prefer the phrase:

My speech is grammatically correct.

 

[Gorgonzola]

i'd have to agree with MereMortal.

they both seem awkward and out of place.

 

[nd]

In any correct sentence you should be able to ignore the adjectives and still have it sound okay.

&quot;I speak with grammar&quot; doesn't make a lot of sense, so both aren't acceptable to me.

 

[cxim]

Neither...

speaking &quot;with grammar&quot; is poor grammar

Both are improper context...

You can say &quot; I speak well&quot; or &quot;I speak with emotion&quot; or &quot;speak with tongues&quot; or &quot;with fire&quot; or &quot;with conviction &amp; from the heart&quot;

One, however, can not &quot;speak with grammar&quot; !!! If one can not speak with grammar, then speaking with good grammar is equally out of place.

It is appropriate to say, &quot;I spoke with Grammar &amp; she is OK&quot;, or &quot;I speak with Grammar every day &amp; she wishes you well&quot;.

You can say &quot;I use good grammar, when speaking.&quot; &amp; be correct or &quot;I use proper grammar&quot;

Both mean different things, in context !!!!

Good implies correct, without error, without reference to a particular, local standard.

Proper implies conformation to a particular standard, such as the Queen's English.

 

[ChrichtonsGirl]

I'm with cxim. You don't &quot;speak with&quot; grammar, you speak with your mouth and vocal cords, so you use proper or correct grammar when speaking.

&quot;Good&quot; in any of these sentences sounds awkward - you don't use or do something &quot;good&quot; you use or do it well or properly. Even in the context of using it as an adjective, it doesn't sound right (or good, to be sarcastic, LOL).

When I speak, I use proper grammar.

or

When speaking, I use correct/proper grammar.

Just my one cent's worth. 🙂