A Word to My Students of English

Dear

First Published: 16th of May, 2018 by Patrick Carpen.

Students of English,

First of all, thanks for taking the time to study English: it is not an easy task. In fact, at times, it can prove frustrating. Nevertheless, for some people, like myself, the study of English is a labor of love.

But for you, it might be a tedious task. After all, there is nothing straightforward about the English language. It is full of intricacies and there are exceptions to almost every rule. Nevertheless, a fair understanding of the English Language, and its complex machinery, is essential to your success in almost any field.

This is so because the one thing that separates us from animals is our ability to communicate through complex language patterns. And right at the top of every subject area are the masters of English who edit the books of all other subjects and make sure every clause and punctuation fit into place.

What would life be like without all these English rules and regulations? Imagine a city roadway with no road rules or traffic lights: total chaos.

In closing, I’d like to say that, for many of you, English is just a small part of your life. It is not your entire life. Your passion and focus may be elsewhere. In some cases, you may prefer to turn over your written work to a professional editor. In others, you may be satisfied to write just good enough to be understood. If English is not your career field or principal focus, you do not have to break your back trying to master every rule, but it still serves a great purpose to understand and apply the rules to the best of your abilities in order to avoid misunderstandings and more importantly, to communicate effectively and gracefully.