Madness & Method

When I first started teaching English, I soon noticed that something was off about the grammar. Students struggled with grammar in general and verb tenses in particular. But why the struggle?

It took me a while to figure out why exactly. I only discovered my own method once I recognised the madness inherent in standard ones. And once I saw it, I could not unsee it: taking the usual starting point means starting on the wrong foot.?

Though this be madness, yet there is method in it. (Polonius, in Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act II Scene 2)

What's that wrong foot? In traditional grammar, learning about tenses starts with the exception instead of the rule. It's basically because, as Bill Bryson puts it, "making English grammar conform to Latin rules is like asking people to play baseball using the rules of football.” I often describe it as learning how to cycle on a one-wheel circus bike. If that isn't madness, I don't know what is.?

The One Rule approach leads you out of the madness. It follows the typical pattern of English, so it gets language learners started on the right foot – or on a proper bike. English verb forms all behave like bikes. Intrigued how that might work? Find out via the link in the comments. Grammar should help, not hinder, right??

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???? Hi, I'm Leon, and I help English language teachers discover how a ONE RULE approach to grammar ?EMPOWERS them & their students, ?SAVES TIME better spent on serious fun with the language, and ?BOOSTS motivation & results. ONE RULE, to rule them all...