What the ChatBot says...

What does ChatGPT have to say about English grammar, I wondered. So I asked. The first part of the answer comes as no surprise, but I beg to differ on what followed...

Dear ChatGPT, what points of English grammar are most important for students?

The Bot's answer:

... One of the most crucial aspects of English grammar that students should learn is sentence structure. It provides the framework for clear and effective communication in English. Without a good understanding of sentence structure, students may struggle to convey their intended meaning or misunderstand what others are saying.

In addition to sentence structure, students should also focus on areas of English grammar such as verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and parts of speech.

Word Order and Tenses

So far, so good. Who could disagree with the Bot's verdict that sentence structure, tenses, subject-verb agreement, and parts of speech are fundamental to constructing clear (...) sentences and play a significant role in effective communication? 

Next, the Bot suggested that articles are a significant issue. So sorry, dear Bot, but I fail to see how a(n) and the could be in the same league as word order and tenses. They're not.

Mountains and Molehills

Articles may take some getting used to for speakers of article-less Asian, Slavic or Turkic languages. English speakers who study Japanese or Russian initially find a lack of articles equally confusing. So it may complicate matters, but let's not mix grammatical mountains and molehills.

Not all grammar is created equal - nor is ChatGPT information. It all depends on how you go about it. And it should help, not hinder. So if Grammar or AI scare you, maybe all it takes is looking with different eyes, like Wayne Dyer said: "If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." 

To Bot or Not to Bot

I enjoy playing around with ChatGPT and discovering its many applications, possibilities and limitations. Who knows what I'll find... To Bot or not to Bot - is that even a question? But rest assured that I don't just leave my writing to a ChatBot. A Chatbot? An Chatbot? The Chatbot? Oh, those pesky articles...

👉🏻 Hi, I'm Leon, and I help English language teachers discover how a One Rule approach to grammar empowers them and their students. Grammar should HELP, not hinder, so less is more: One Rule, to rule them all