disc grammar uk schools forwarded message recently received rather roundabout route contributions discussion nt therefore know everything said teach advanced level english language well separate course english literature sixth form college e students aged 16 come us 80 different schools wide range previous educational experience far arriving taught avoid splitting infinitives ending sentences prepositions arrive never taught infinitives prepositions lack reasonably precise vocabulary analysis referred larry rosenwald contribution 5 june teach terminology scratch find bed would done familiar basic grammatical concepts much earlier age days ago spent whole lesson teaching students distinguish active passive verbs something could done easily age 12 thanks oldfashioned grammar teaching received wanted try old exam question knowledge would helped see two texts would harder young children read ended nursing exercise much work next lesson gave another old exam question extracts animal farm analyse light orwell suggestion amongst others one prefer active passive many students took long decide verbs active passive time write analysis recurring problem course students struggle higherorder analysis lack lowerorder skills teachers past least grace teach children recognise infinitives prepositions described prescribed proscribed however teachers seem anxious avoid prescription proscription avoid even description like larry rosenwald think prescriptivist descriptivist dichotomy taken far jennifer chew end forwarded message