Grammar myths
This paper looks at the continued survival of "myths" about English grammar, for example, the statement that in negative and interrogative sentences "any" should be used instead of "some". It is based on a survey of 195 Hong Kong students majoring in English, in five di...
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| Published in | Language awareness Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 15 - 37 |
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| Main Author | |
| Format | Journal Article |
| Language | English |
| Published |
Abingdon
Routledge
02.01.2015
Taylor & Francis Ltd |
| Subjects | |
| Online Access | Get full text |
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| Abstract | This paper looks at the continued survival of "myths" about English grammar, for example, the statement that in negative and interrogative sentences "any" should be used instead of "some". It is based on a survey of 195 Hong Kong students majoring in English, in five different cohorts, which found that such myths are quite prevalent; with choices of "true", "false", "don't know" and "partly true", the true option was chosen in over 50% of cases. Differences between subjects are identified and discussed, as well as changes across time from the first to the last cohort. Then the individual myths are discussed and explained one by one. A number of possible sources for the myths are suggested, and the means of combatting them are discussed, along with the reasons for their resilience. |
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| AbstractList | This paper looks at the continued survival of "myths" about English grammar, for example, the statement that in negative and interrogative sentences "any" should be used instead of "some". It is based on a survey of 195 Hong Kong students majoring in English, in five different cohorts, which found that such myths are quite prevalent; with choices of "true", "false", "don't know" and "partly true", the true option was chosen in over 50% of cases. Differences between subjects are identified and discussed, as well as changes across time from the first to the last cohort. Then the individual myths are discussed and explained one by one. A number of possible sources for the myths are suggested, and the means of combatting them are discussed, along with the reasons for their resilience. |
| Audience | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Author | Berry, Roger |
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| CitedBy_id | crossref_primary_10_1080_09658416_2017_1410552 crossref_primary_10_1080_09658416_2017_1410553 crossref_primary_10_1515_iral_2023_0229 crossref_primary_10_1515_iral_2016_0105 crossref_primary_10_1371_journal_pone_0263123 crossref_primary_10_22599_jesla_95 crossref_primary_10_1080_09500782_2019_1690503 crossref_primary_10_1016_j_linged_2019_06_004 crossref_primary_10_1080_00131911_2024_2409949 crossref_primary_10_1093_applin_amad011 crossref_primary_10_1093_applin_amz001 crossref_primary_10_1080_02671522_2018_1493742 crossref_primary_10_17323_jle_2023_11999 crossref_primary_10_1080_02671522_2020_1784258 crossref_primary_10_1111_lnc3_12513 crossref_primary_10_1111_modl_12241 |
| Cites_doi | 10.1016/j.system.2008.11.007 10.2307/3585883 10.3998/mpub.211505 10.1017/9781316423530 10.1093/0195142888.001.0001 10.1093/elt/42.2.117 10.1111/0023-8333.00136 10.1111/j.1467-9922.2004.00255.x 10.3998/mpub.2132445 10.21832/9781847691767-003 10.1111/j.1467-9922.2010.00562.x 10.3726/978-3-653-01235-4 10.1093/applin/11.2.129 10.1093/actrade/9780192803474.001.0001 10.3998/mpub.23925 10.1093/elt/ccp101 10.3998/mpub.261514 |
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| References_xml | – volume-title: Folk linguistics year: 1999 ident: cit0028 – volume: 37 start-page: 330 issue: 2 year: 2009 ident: cit0041 publication-title: System, doi: 10.1016/j.system.2008.11.007 – volume: 13 issue: 3 year: 1979 ident: cit0035 publication-title: TESOL Quarterly, doi: 10.2307/3585883 – ident: cit0040 – volume-title: Writing myths year: 2008 ident: cit0032 doi: 10.3998/mpub.211505 – volume-title: English syntax: From word to discourse year: 1999 ident: cit0004 – volume-title: The English verb year: 1986 ident: cit0025 – volume-title: A comprehensive grammar of the English Language year: 1985 ident: cit0031 – ident: cit0004a – start-page: 70 volume-title: Writing myths year: 2008 ident: cit0018 – volume-title: The Cambridge grammar of the English language year: 2002 ident: cit0017 doi: 10.1017/9781316423530 – volume-title: Myth: A biography of belief year: 2001 ident: cit0024 doi: 10.1093/0195142888.001.0001 – volume: 42 start-page: 117 issue: 2 year: 1988 ident: cit0026 publication-title: ELT Journal, doi: 10.1093/elt/42.2.117 – ident: cit0029 doi: 10.1111/0023-8333.00136 – volume: 54 start-page: 227 issue: 2 year: 2004 ident: cit0013 publication-title: Language Learning, doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9922.2004.00255.x – start-page: 132 volume-title: Language myths year: 1998 ident: cit0002 – volume-title: The study of second language acquisition year: 1994 ident: cit0012 – volume-title: English grammar in use year: 1994 ident: cit0027 – volume-title: Listening myths year: 2011 ident: cit0006 doi: 10.3998/mpub.2132445 – start-page: 3 volume-title: Implicit and explicit knowledge in language learning, testing and teaching year: 2009 ident: cit0014 doi: 10.21832/9781847691767-003 – volume-title: Longman grammar of spoken and written English year: 1999 ident: cit0005 – ident: cit0036 doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9922.2010.00562.x – volume-title: Sprachmythen – Fiktion oder Wirchlichkeit? year: 2012 ident: cit0001 doi: 10.3726/978-3-653-01235-4 – ident: cit0037 – start-page: 113 volume-title: Language myths year: 1998 ident: cit0010 – volume-title: The grammar book year: 1983 ident: cit0008 – ident: cit0039 – ident: cit0033 doi: 10.1093/applin/11.2.129 – volume-title: Language myths year: 1998 ident: cit0003 – volume-title: Exploring corpus linguistics year: 2012 ident: cit0009 – ident: cit0004b – volume: 4 start-page: 27 year: 1991 ident: cit0019 publication-title: ELR Journal, – volume: 11 start-page: 51 issue: 2 year: 2009 ident: cit0023 publication-title: Hong Kong Journal of Applied Linguistics, – ident: cit0034 doi: 10.1093/actrade/9780192803474.001.0001 – volume-title: Vocabulary myths year: 2004 ident: cit0015 doi: 10.3998/mpub.23925 – start-page: 17 volume-title: English pronunciation models: A changing scene year: 2005 ident: cit0030 – volume: 65 start-page: 24 issue: 1 year: 2010 ident: cit0021 publication-title: ELT Journal, doi: 10.1093/elt/ccp101 – volume-title: How myths about language affect education year: 2008 ident: cit0020 doi: 10.3998/mpub.261514 – volume-title: Who cares about English usage year: 1984 ident: cit0011 – volume-title: The input hypothesis year: 1985 ident: cit0022 |
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| Snippet | This paper looks at the continued survival of "myths" about English grammar, for example, the statement that in negative and interrogative sentences "any"... This paper looks at the continued survival of 'myths' about English grammar, for example, the statement that in negative and interrogative sentences any should... |
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| SubjectTerms | Between-subjects design College Students English (Second Language) English language Foreign Countries Grammar Hong Kong Knowledge Level Majors (Students) Misconceptions Mythology Polls & surveys Questionnaires Second Language Learning Student attitudes Student Surveys Students |
| Title | Grammar myths |
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