Monday, September 29, 2008

USING "USED TO"...

... and other difficulties for the Italian student learning English:

With regard to pronunciation, how to pronounce - ed when added to a verb has to top the list; it is nearly always enunciated as a separate syllable here. Then we have difficulties with the pronunciation of th as in the and th as in think. Constant work on both of these does, eventually, lead to success, though.

Much harder to correct are misconceptions about used to: it is not understood that use to has no meaning in the present tenses and that it cannot translate usarsi = "to be in the habit of". Teach this 100 times to a group and no matter, reader, for you will have to teach it 100 times more! And then, poor dears, your students also have to grapple with the complications of get used to / be used to.

What is worrying, to me, is that these incorrect usages are actually being taught in certain State schools here. Mind you, in Britain I have even witnessed native speaker teachers of English [but not ESOL] instructing students that the negative of used to is didn't used to, instead of didn't use to! And that brings me to my final point this evening; I have 2 other "pet hates" when it comes to incorrect grammar use by native speakers. They are:
- incorrect use of apostrophe in general, but in particular with its
- of for have as in should/could/would have.

What are yours?

19 comments:

Crushed said...

I actually use a surprising amount of bad usages in real life conversation which I manage to avoid in writing.

My speech grammar is often quite common, I'm afraid.

CherryPie said...

I hope I don't use too many of those in my posts...

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Hi, Crushed. I think we all do, but these poor students are having to do an exam and for that, they have to be more correct then the British! I'm sure you don't, cherrypie!

Damon Lord said...

Pet hates? My pet hate is more an orthographic thing than a grammar thing....

txt-spk is nt gr8. I thnk its wors thn missng da apstrfe.

jmb said...

It seems that the didn't use/used to construction is not so straight forward according to here. I would probably say I never used to or I used not to. Didn't use to is a very inelegant structure to my mind/ear.

I notice in typing I often use its and it's incorrectly but always catch it on rereading. I think it's because one's thoughts are ahead of one's typing and one is not paying attention properly.

Off of is my all-time pet peeve. Take that pen off of the table. It seems the norm here.

Saretta said...

People talk in all kinds of strange ways, and I think that's normal. What I can't stand are native speakers who don't know how to write in correct English. To me, that's a real sign of ignorance. Does that make me a snob?

As for my students, I can forgive them any mistake as long as they are actively trying to improve their language skills!

DeeJay said...

I only wish I could of thought of any more pet grammatical hate's but you have already listed the two that really, really bug me.

I would however add what is a particularly annoying habit; the way that the modern generation has to keep inserting the word 'like' into every sentence, sometimes more than once, where it is entirely superfluous and has no meaning.
Like, you know, when like talking to my friend like the other day ......

Sally said...

Hi Welshcakes - have you read Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynn Truss? A wonderful compendium and critique of bad grammar and punctuation use which, I suspect, sums up everything we feel about such things.

Whispering Walls said...

I am used to foreigners misusing this. My favourite English phrase by an Italian is "I have been bitten by a bee!"

Wolfie said...

Using talk where one should use speak.

Ending a sentence with an adverb (Americans).

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

I understand the incorrect use of apostrophe. I am sure I have been guilty of that. But you have completely baffled me about the "used" to thing. I have read it over and over and to be very honest I do not understand a word of what your saying. I think I need to go back to school!!! :-)

PinkAcorn said...

I have to admit... even my use of the English language is dismal at times...After speaking with several grammar school friends (yes,as far back as the first grade)we concluded that our country school did not drill the correct usage of English in our studies. This is one reason my sister went on to obtain her masters in Eng. Literature...

I don't think it's case of ignorance.., it's just a lack of proper education. My parents weren't educated beyond high school and never expected us to be either! Hard to believe these days.

I still find it amusing listening to someone from the midwest or southern states here in the US. Ya'll, ain't got no, done didn't...the list goes on.

Dragonstar said...

"Off of" is my pet hate, too.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Hi, Damon. I hate that as well - unless it is, well, in a text message! Thanks for the info, jmb. In the exams my students will have to sit, though, "didn't use" is the required form. I hate "off of" too! Satretta, the written form was what I was thinking of with "should of", etc., as in soeaking you can't really hear the difference. It doesn't make you a snob at all! Agree re students. Oh, deejay, I do so agree about the use of "Like" all the time! Hi, SaLLY. I certainly have and treasure this tome! Got the giggles over that one, WW! Wolfie, I hate that adverbial use too. Sorry you are baffled, Anne! Talk to you soon on messenger. Interesting to read your take on it, pink. Agree, dragonstar.

Leslie: said...

My pet peeve is the incorrect use of "less" and "fewer." I hear them used incorrectly on TV advertisements and just cringe!

Devika Jyothi said...

Hi Limon!

Wrong English usages are a common occurrence here in India.

Educated in Brtish English, I try my best..yet they do occur with me also..

would love if the lessons continue Limon :-)
devika

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

I hate those, too, Leslie. Thanks, devika.

Liz Hinds said...

I have the same two pet hates! Oh and I agree with Damon lord about text speak!

Hello, by the way! I'm back form hols and gradually trying to catch up on people's postings. Hope you're well. I had a lovely time with Leslie and jmb. One day we'll ALL have to meet!

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Ciao, Liz. So glad you had such a great time over there. Yes, it would be wonderful if we could ALL meet - maybe one day!

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