English like it should be spoken

Is it, like, such a tough ask to speak proper English?

Graham Lord

25 July 2007

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We all know that correct English is no longer taught in most of our schools, but now at last the government seems to agree.

We all know that correct English is no longer taught in most of our schools, but now at last the government seems to agree.
A few weeks ago it announced the introduction of new A-level grades to make it more difficult to achieve the highest ranking. From next year pupils will have to gain 80 per cent to be awarded an A-grade A-level and 90 per cent if they are to earn an A* — and they will not be allowed to sit the exam again to achieve a higher mark.
A damning research programme has just found that there are fewer school-leavers in work or training now than there were when Tony Blair entered Downing Street ten years ago. An alarming 206,000 16-to-18-year-olds are classified as NEETs — not in education, employment or training — and employers are finding increasingly that even some university graduates are barely semi-literate. No wonder the proper use of English is declining so rapidly.

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Clare Flowers

January 21st, 2008 3:50pm Report this comment

Yes, yes, yes!

And what about the ad campaign for the Goldfish credit card, featuring various "celebs" including Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Meera Syal. It begins: "Me and my Goldfish went to ... " It gives me indigestion.