I’d hate to be learning English again. Apostrophes are a nightmare | Adrian Chiles
Thursday 16th May 2024
Spell unlikely words, cram them into sentences: there must be a better way for kids to get the measure of a language
The mice’s nest was under the floorboards. The geese’s pond was smelly. There, I’ve done it. I’ve put two words, possessives I have never used and will never use again, into sentences. These were two of 10 awkward possessives that my friend’s daughter had been tasked with putting into sentences. Men’s and ladies’ were on the list too. My friend asked how she might go about explaining the rules behind these apostrophe positions to her nine-year-old. I’m afraid I couldn’t be of much assistance. Rather her than me.
The exercise was almost triggering for me. I hated doing these things with my daughters when they were at primary school. This was about the only homework they were ever set – learn how to spell these words and put them into sentences. The purpose is obvious. I get that teaching English spelling is a nightmare and putting a word into a sentence shows that you know what it means, and hopefully helps you remember how to spell it. But, oh Lord, the agonising, circuitous routes around words you’d have to find to construct a bloody sentence.
Adrian Chiles is a broadcaster, writer and Guardian columnist
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