Everyday Grammar: 3 Grammar Rules That Are Dying

  For VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. Today we have good news for English learners. Just as words come and go in English, so do grammar rules. Today we will show you three difficult grammar rules that are disappearing from American English. Don’t end a sentence with a preposition When I was in school, my English teacher told me that it is wrong to end a sentence with a preposition. For example, “Who are you talking to?” The last word of the sentence, to, is a preposition. In traditional grammar, you would have to move the preposition before the subject. “To whom are you talking?” The rule applies to statements as well as questions. “I know where you’re from,” would be, “I know from where you come.” Today, it sounds very old­-fashioned to speak this way. The rule against ending a sentence with a preposition goes back to the 18th century, when it was fashionable to borrow grammar rules from Latin. British grammarians celebrated Latin as a pure and logical language. They thought they could improve English by importing Latin grammar rules. One of the Latin rules that survives in English is the ban on ending a sentence with a preposition. But some of the most common phrases in everyday English ignore the rule. Who are you talking to? I don’t know what you’re talking about. Who are you waiting for? Did you notice how all of these sentences end in prepositions? If you followed the Latin grammar rule, they would sound like this: To whom are you talking? I don’t know about what you are talking. For whom are you waiting? As you might hear, these sentences sound overly formal, even a bit snobbish. The word order, borrowed from Latin, does not feel natural in English. Fortunately, the prohibition against ending a sentence with a preposition is disappearing. A large number of writers and editors say it is acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition. The Economist, a 150­-year-old British news magazine, called the rule “an invented bit of silliness rightly ignored by many excellent publications.” Whom as an object pronoun Another rule that is disappearing is the requirement of using whom when referring to an object pronoun. Whom is the object form of who. Grammatically speaking, whom has the same function as other object pronouns, such as me, him, her, and them. For example, “There’s the man about whom I was speaking.” If you put a preposition before whom, you can easily avoid ending a sentence with a preposition. For example, “Who did you go with?” becomes very the formal “With whom did you go?” Does all this sound unnecessary and confusing? It is. ​ Fortunately, whom is rarely used in spoken American English today. More and more publications have stopped using it. In fact, whom has been dying for the past 200 years. But it still has a place in formal writing. And test makers often make questions with whom to confuse students. A few pronouns have died completely, including ye, thee, thy, and thine. They do, however, still appear in religious texts and classic literature. Their cannot be used with a singular pronoun A third dying rule involved third-person pronouns. English does not have a single word to say both he and she. In other words, there is no gender-neutral singular third­-person pronoun. So what do you say when you do not know if someone is male or female? In the past, people used the male pronoun he to refer to all people. “Every student has his own opinion.” In later years, his or her came into use. “Everybody has his or her own opinion.” The change from his to his or her reflected the power of the women’s movement in the 1970s. But many speakers found that his or her sounded a little strange, especially in conversation. Today more people say, “Every student has their own opinion.” This example uses the plural their with the singular student. Their means the subject could be male or female. But it breaks a very old and very basic grammar rule: Pronouns and their antecedents are supposed to agree in number. But when you say, “Every student has their own opinion”, the singular student does not match the plural their. So is it wrong to say, “Every student has their own opinion”? Well, it depends on who (or whom!) you ask. More and more mainstream media organizations are allowing they, them, and their as a gender­ neutral pronoun. But disagreement remains. Like fashion and etiquette, grammar changes over time. ​Why not invent a gender­ neutral pronoun for English? After all, languages like Swedish and Indonesian have one. Plenty of people have tried. However, more than 100 attempts to create a gender ­neutral pronoun in English have failed. I’m Jill Robbins. And I'm John Reynolds. What do you think about these disappearing grammar rules? Will you miss them? Adam Brock wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Jill Robbins and Kathleen Struck were the editors. ________________________________________________________________ Words in the Story   snobbish – adj. having or showing the attitude of people who think they are better than other people : of or relating to people who are snobs gender ­neutral – adj. a word or expression that cannot be taken to refer to one gender only antecedent – n. a thing that comes before something else mainstream – adj. the ideas, attitudes, or activities that are regarded as normal or conventional; the dominant trend in opinion, fashion, or the arts etiquette – n. the customary code of polite behavior in society or among members of a particular profession or group ​

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Suicide Bombers Kill At Least 41 in Beirut

  Twin suicide blasts killed at least 41 people and injured 200 Thursday in a mostly Shi’ite area of South Beirut, Lebanese officials announced. The explosions occurred minutes apart, according to officials in Lebanon. Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, claimed responsibility on social media. There was no independent verification. The area hit is a stronghold for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. According to Hezbollah’s Al Manar news service, the blasts occurred moments apart during the evening rush hour and after sunset prayers to maximize casualties. Lebanese officials declared a national day of mourning Friday and ordered all schools and universities to close. “We condemn the cowardly criminal act that can never be justified, and we call on the Lebanese to be more watchful and united against strife,” said Lebanon’s Prime Minister Tamman Salam in a statement released by Lebanon’s embassy in Washington. Bruce Alpert adapted this story for Learning English from VOA News reports. Kathleen Struck was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   maximize – v. d to increase (something) as much as possible stronghold – n. an area where most people have the same beliefs, values, etc. : an area dominated by a particular group strife - n. very angry or violent disagreement between two or more people or groups We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook page.

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Fears About Emerging Economies to Dominate G20

The world’s richest nations will meet at the annual G20 Summit next week. Several emerging economies — including Russia, China and Turkey — are struggling. Experts said their economic issues will dominate the meeting.

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ASEAN Calls for Code of Conduct in South China Sea

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is calling for enforcement of a 13-year-old Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. The call comes less than two weeks before the yearly ASEAN summit. The meeting opens in Kuala Lumpur November 21.   China’s development of islands in the South China Sea has increased tensions between China and ASEAN member countries. Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam also have territorial claims to the area. In 2002, ASEAN member states agreed to a document known as the “Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.” Its language calls for peace and security in the waterway. Other parts of the declaration express support for the respect of international law and freedom of navigation. The sixth part of the declaration states that ASEAN members should protect the environment and support marine research. That part finishes by asking all to assist in search and rescue operations and to fight crime in the South China Sea. The territorial dispute will take time to resolve said Kung Phoak, a political science professor from Cambodia. He said a code of conduct could decrease tensions. The measure could also prevent conflicts. I’m George Grow. Jim Dresbach reported this story for VOANews.com. George Grow was the editor. ___________________________________________________ Words in This Story code - n. a series of rules or laws; ideas about how to behave conduct - n. the way that something is directed; the way someone acts summit – n. a meeting or series of meetings between the leaders of two or more governments navigation – n. the act, activity or process of finding the way to get to a place when you are traveling in a ship marine - adj. involving or related to the sea or the creatures that live in the sea We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page.  ​

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VOA English Newscast: 1400 UTC November 12, 2015

  From Washington, this is VOA News. I’m Ira Mellman reporting. An Iraqi stronghold comes under attack. Kurdish fighters backed by U.S. airstrikes recaptured some areas around the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar from the Islamic State group after launching a new operation Thursday. Kurdish officials said their forces were in control of villages on either side of the town and had taken control of a key road on a major supply route between Islamic State-held Mosul to the east and the group's self-proclaimed capital to the west, in Raqqa, Syria. The route, known as Highway 47, is used by the Islamic State to transport weapons, fighters, illicit oil and other commodities that fund the militant group's operations, according to the U.S. Central Command. It says the U.S.-led coalition intends to increase pressure on Islamic State fighters and isolate their components from each other. About 7,500 fighters are taking part in the effort. In addition to retaking Sinjar, they want to establish a buffer zone in the area to protect civilians. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry begins a three-nation trip Thursday that includes a second round of talks on Syria's political future and the fight against Islamic State militants there.  The meeting in Austria follows the initial talks in late October on the political turmoil in Syria. Russia recently denounced U.S. plans to send ground troops to Syria to fight ISIL, accusing the U.S. of creating a proxy war with Moscow. Before Kerry heads to Austria to address the Syria situation, he will first stop in Tunisia, where he will meet with officials for the second U.S. Tunisian Strategic Dialogue. During an initial dialogue last April officials discussed issues including the economy, partnerships and security. This is VOA News. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This News   backed – v. giving help to; providing evidence in support of key – adj. important or influential route – n. a road or pathway illicit – adj. barred by laws, rules or customs commodity – n. something that is bought and sold fund – v. to provide financial support according – adv. as stated by or in intends – v. to plan or want to do something isolate – v. to keep separate from others components – n. to parts buffer – adj. neutral zone – n. area initial – adj. at the beginning of something turmoil – n. unrest or disorder proxy – adj. related to giving the power to do something for someone else address – v. to speak about; to deal with strategic – adj. involving a general plan that is set up to carry out a goal; useful or important in reaching a goal dialog – n. discussions; communications   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the comments section.

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Questions Remain in Myanmar Election

Vote counting continues in Myanmar, but international observers say the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) is heading for a landslide win. Questions remain how much authority the newly elected leaders will be given. Results released so far show the NLD has won 126 seats. The Union Solidarity Development Party that is backed by the military has won only eight seats. It is the first free election in 25 years. “The fact that that losing USDP candidates are accepting defeat is encouraging for process credibility,” said Alexander Lambsdorff, head of the European Union’s election observation mission at a press conference Tuesday. He said the election “process went better than many people expected beforehand.” More than 30 million people cast ballots in Sunday’s election. Still, Lambsdorff said the vote cannot be considered truly democratic because 25 percent of the seats were not contested. Under Myanmar’s constitution, 25 percent of the seats are set aside for the military. He also voiced concern that Rohingya Muslims were largely absent from voting rolls and candidate lists. He said the lack of Muslim participation reflects their disenfranchisement. Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland, said she would not call the election “free and fair.” Robinson represented the Carter Center as an election observer. The Carter Center, founded by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, monitors elections across the globe. “And I wouldn’t tend to use that expression anyway, if you’ve got 25 percent of both houses (of parliament) to the military, problems with the constitution, people excluded because they’re Muslim or the Rohingya,” Robinson told the Voice of America.   Steve Herman reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert  adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. VOA Learning English wants to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or share your views on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   observers -- n. person who sees and notices someone or something transition -- n. change from one state or condition to another encouraging -- adj. causing a hopeful feeling credibility – n. the quality of being believed or accepted as true, real, or honest contested – v. an event in which people try to win by doing something better than others

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Father Bush Critiques Son’s Presidency in New Book

  For all eight years of his son’s presidency, former President George Herbert Walker Bush was supportive. But in a new book about his life in politics, President George Herbert Walker Bush mildly criticizes his son, George Walker Bush. The elder Bush says he approves of some of his son’s controversial decisions, such as invading Iraq. But sometimes his son used overly “hot rhetoric,” the senior Bush says. George H.W. Bush mentioned a 2002 speech describing an “axis of evil.” In the speech George W. Bush said Iran, North Korea and Iraq were among the nations that fit the “axis of evil” description. Tough talk will get you headlines, “but it doesn’t necessarily solve the diplomatic problem,” George H.W. Bush said. His comments came in Jon Meacham’s new book, “Destiny and Power.” George H.W. Bush served as president from 1989 to 1993. George W. Bush was the U.S. president from 2001 to 2009. George H.W. Bush was the 41st president of the United States. His son, George W. Bush, was number 43. In the interviews with Meacham, George H.W. Bush says his son was not well served by two of his administration’s top officials – Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Both had “iron-ass views,” the senior Bush said. By that, Bush meant he believed the two officials were acting too tough in dealing with threats to the United States after the 2001 terrorist attacks. Cheney and Rumsfeld served as President George W. Bush’s key advisors. They promoted U.S. military action overseas after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington. They pushed for U.S. war efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Cheney “had his own empire there and marched to his own drummer,” Bush said. Rumsfeld was an “arrogant fellow,” he said. The younger Bush said in a statement that he was “proud to have served" with Cheney and Rumsfeld. He said both "did a good job for him and the American people.” Over the weekend, George W. Bush talked about the book with its author, Jon Meacham. The discussion was broadcast from his presidential library in Texas. Bush expressed surprise at some of the book’s disclosures. He said he hadn’t seen the diaries his dad kept -- the ones that Meacham used to write the book. But George W. Bush said proudly that his dad strongly supported his most controversial decision – the one to go to war with Iraq in 2003. At Meacham’s urging, the younger Bush read aloud a letter from his father. The elder Bush wrote about how proud he was of his son’s leadership in dealing with Iraq. Another George H.W. Bush son, Jeb, is running for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. I'm Anne Ball. Zlatica Hoke reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or comment on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   controversial  – v. relating to or causing much discussion, disagreement, or argument rhetoric -- n. language that is intended to influence people and that may not be honest or reasonable definition promoted -- v. to change the rank or position of (someone) to a higher or more important one arrogant -- adj. having or showing the insulting attitude of people who believe that they are better, smarter, or more important than other people  

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Fresh Rumors of 'Purge' in North Korea

  For a North Korean official, not appearing at a state funeral can mean a fall from power. Choe Ryong Hae, 65, was not listed among the 170 officials attending a North Korean state funeral this week. So, speculation began almost immediately about the fate of the 65-year-old. Could it be that Choe had been purged from his job as a powerful aide to Korea’s supreme leader, Kim Jong-Un? “Given the North’s track record, it is unusual that a North Korean official such as Choe was not on the list,” said South Korea’s Unification Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee. Choe’s official title is secretary of the Workers’ Party. Wednesday’s funeral is a major event. It honors Ri Ul Sol. He was 94-years-old and the marshal of Korea’s People’s Army. He fought alongside North Korean founder Kim Il-Sung against the Japanese in World War II. Also notable is that Choe did not offer condolences at the wake for Ri. Still, all this doesn’t mean that Choe has been removed from his post, said Kim Youg-Hyun, a professor of North Korean studies at South Korea’s Dongguk University. A purged official is removed from official documentaries and news reports on state-run television. But Professor Kim says Choe was seen on TV just last week. Kim said, “He repeatedly appeared in North Korean documentaries from November 4th to the 8th, so we need to see carefully whether he has been purged or not.” There were also reports that Choe was removed from power in 2014. Those reports turned out to be wrong. Since Kim Jong Un took power after his father, Kim Jong Il, died in late 2011, he had purged many high-level officials. Some 70 North Korean officials have been executed, according to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service. It also reports that 20 percent to 30 percent of senior party officials have been purged or replaced. On the military side, more than 40 percent of senior officers have been purged or replaced, as well. I'm Anne Ball.  Brian Padden reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Have you followed the news from North Korea? Tell us your opinion in the Comments section or on our Facebook page.  _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   speculation -- n. ideas or guesses about something that is not known purged – v. to remove people from an area, country, organization, etc., often in a violent and sudden way condolences – n. a feeling or expression of sympathy and sadness especially when someone is suffering because of the death of a family member, a friend wake – n. a time before a dead person is buried when people gather to remember the person who has died and often to view the body We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or share your views on our Facebook page.

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Uganda Prepares for Worst El Niño in 20 Years

  Uganda is experiencing some of its most unpredictable weather in 20 years. Weather experts say the reason is El Niño: a climate event that affects weather conditions worldwide. El Niño takes place when water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean warm, and redirect wind movements. Godfrey Mujuni works at Uganda's meteorological data center. He says rains will continue through what should be the country’s dry season. He says that if El Niño remains strong, he expects heavy rainfall during the months of January and February. Heavy rains have already led to a rise in cholera cases. The disease has killed at least six people in western Uganda. In rural, mountainous areas, people have been asked to leave their homes because of the risk of landslides. In the capital, Kampala, a number of wetland systems are responsible for drainage. These systems remove surplus water during periods of increased rainfall. However, both legal and illegal building projects have blocked the flow of water. A World Bank report blames weak rules for the worsening of local wetlands. A spokesman with the Kampala Capital City Authority says his agency working to combat this problem. He says one problem is people leaving wastes and other objects in drainage channels. Uganda has increased disaster management teams around the country. But even preventative measures could leave some of the nation's poorest residents with nowhere to go.   I’m Jonathan Evans. VOA’s Lizabeth Paulat reported this story from Kampala. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Flooding and climate change are causing problems around the world. How is your town, city or country affected? Leave us a comment below this story, or post on our Facebook page.  _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   channel – n. a path, tube, or long narrow place where water flows drainage – n. the act or process of draining something : the act or process of removing water or liquid from a place or thing management – n. the people who make decisions about a business, department, sports team, etc. resident – n. someone who lives in a particular place

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ExxonMobil Investigated on Climate Change

ExxonMobil is facing questions about what it told the public and investors about the risk of climate change. The state of New York is investigating the oil company. The case focuses on whether ExxonMobil failed to warn investors about climate change and its impact on the oil business. An ExxonMobil spokesman rejected the charges that the company tried to change research. The oil company said it stands by its 40 years of climate research. New York sent a subpoena to ExxonMobil that demands financial records, emails and other documents. The oil company is deciding how to respond, said a public affairs executive with ExxonMobil. I’m Mario Ritter. Jim Dresbach wrote this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Should oil companies be responsible for their role in climate change? Let us know in the Comments section or on our Facebook page.  _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   focus - v. to direct one's attention on something impact - n. a powerful influence or effect subpoena – n. a written order that commands someone to appear in court to give evidence respond – v. to say or write something in answer to something executive - n. a supervisor or top official We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or visit our Facebook page.  ​

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Are Children Taking Too Many Tests?

Urban school systems in the US give too many tests, says a new study. President Obama agrees. In an open letter to parents, he asks: “I’ve got a pop quiz for parents and teachers across the country. If our kids had more free time at school, what would you want them to do with it? "A. Learn to play a musical instrument. "B. Study a new language "C. Learn how to code HTML "D. Take more standardized tests "If you’re like most of the parents and teachers I hear from, you didn’t choose 'D.' I wouldn’t either... In moderation, smart strategic tests can help us measure our kids’ progress in school.  "But I also hear from parents who rightly worry about too much testing. And I’ve heard from teachers who feel so much pressure to teach to a test that it takes the joy out of teaching and learning. Both for them and for the students.”   A group of 68 of the largest urban public school systems in the U.S. calls itself the Council of Great City Schools. It released a new study in October that looked at school testing in 66 urban school districts. The study found that Grade 8 students in the 2014-2015 school year spent an average of 4.2 days, or 2.3 percent of school time, taking tests. Grade 8 had the most testing time of any grade. Too many tests? The report said that schools gave too many tests in the same subject. Students had to show how much they had learned again and again.   Often, schools did not receive test results until months later. When test results arrived, schools could not make timely changes to the curriculum to improve learning. Also, the report found that the majority of tests did not align with educational standards. The tests gathered information about how the students were doing. But it was unclear that the tests measured if students had the skills to succeed in college or a career. The result, the report says, is an illogical system of national testing. The system does not seem to be well planned. Why are there so many tests? The study comes at an important time in the debate over testing in U.S. schools. In recent years, politicians and educators have debated how much testing is necessary. Historically, local and state governments have been responsible for schooling. In the 1990s, educators and politicians demanded that the federal government step in. They asked that state and local governments agree to education standards. Some schools in some states and cities were not doing well. In 2002, Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act. The law's goal was to improve standards at primary and secondary schools. It required states to find the substandard schools by testing them. But many students performed poorly even though they graduated from high school. Some were not prepared for college or for a career. Politicians debated about using national standards to measure education across the US. They never reached an agreement. In 2009, some US states began the Common Core Standards Initiative. Common Core sets milestones students should reach for English, Language Arts and mathematics. States that have adopted Common Core will test to measure student's success in the same subject areas. However, local and state governments can also give their own tests. And those tests differ, even if they cover the same subject. This partly explains why schools give so many tests in the U.S. International Perspectives on Testing Ideas about testing in schools vary around the globe. In Japan, it is common for schools to have many tests, particularly in high school. Glen Hill, an assistant professor at Obihiro University in Hokkaido, Japan, said the private school where he taught had five tests a year. They lasted all day and covered many subjects. Like in the U.S., test results in Japan were used to measure a school's performance. In other countries, students spend very little time taking tests. In Finland, high-school students take one national test for entrance into a university. Students may take other tests, but they are smaller, and measure progress. The results do not hold schools accountable, as they do in the U.S. Many education experts consider Finland to have the best education system in the world. One feature of standardized tests is that they allow for comparison. Australia has a website with test scores, so that parents, students and educators can compare schools across Australia. They can see which schools or groups are performing at a lower level.   What do children really remember? The White House released an action plan on testing after the Great Cities report. It suggests principles and steps to balance teaching with testing.  President Obama said he did not remember how teachers prepared him to take a test. Instead, he remembers how they prepared him to explore the world around him. “But when I look back on the great teachers who shaped my life, what I remember isn’t the way they prepared me to take a standardized test. What I remember is the way they taught me to believe in myself. To be curious about the world. "To take charge of my own learning so that I could reach my full potential. To inspire me to open up a window into parts of the world I’d never thought of before. That's what good teaching is. That's what a great education is... Because learning is about so much more than filling in the right bubble." I’m Jill Robbins. And I'm John Russell. John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Now it’s your turn. If you are a parent, how do you feel about your child taking many tests? If you are a student, do you feel you are taking too many tests? Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   standardize v. to change (things) so that they are similar and consistent and agree with rules about what is proper and acceptable urban adj. of or relating to cities and the people who live in them standards n. a level of quality, achievement, etc., that is considered acceptable or desirable bubble n. a circle in which you make a mark to show that you choose something (often on a test). illogical adj. not thinking about things in a reasonable or sensible way    

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