GrammarBlog

Mocking Poor Grammar
Since 2007

A noun that is formed from a verb and which describes an action. In English it ends in -ing, eg 'the baking of bread' and 'Smoking damages your health'.

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1. And a slightly sinister accent.

   Comment by Tom — 30th October, 2007 @ 9:00 am

2. I’m not sure the half-South African half-Texan GM in the credits is old enough to be Chris’s Mom, but by the time the programme begins, she is. Magic! It’s a treat to imagine the session band that recorded the theme tune. In my mind, the bass player is really going for it. I think his bass is really high up and he’s slapping. His face is a picture and he is called Rex.The sexual tension in the credits is tangible. Scott is clearly riding the GM, and Susan is jealous. Chris is just lonely and keeps saying “Susan, why do Scott and Mom keep going upstairs all the time? Has she really got a 24-volume dictionary up there?”.It’s far better than The Sopranos, all this.

   Comment by Dan — 30th October, 2007 @ 1:21 pm

3. With a bit of vision and the necessary funding there’s no reason why this couldn’t have been a fully-fledged soap opera. Plotlines could include the discovery of grammatically incorrect daubings on the side of Grammar Mechanic’s house in the dead of night. The kidnapping of the 24-volume dictionary with no clues as to the culprit save for a badly punctuated ransom note. It turns out it’s all down to her beloved son Chris, 17, who’s on a revenge mission for the grudge he’s borne ever since she shouted him down in public when his first uttered sentence contained a compound split infinitive.

   Comment by Paddy — 30th October, 2007 @ 9:46 pm

4. I’d get some better actors in though. Andrea Stewart is uselss as the Grammar Mechanic and seems intent on emphasising the wrong words in sentences, much like BBC News’ Nick Robinson.Scott: Why do you call yourself Grammar Mechanic if you are a writer? (a perfectly valid question)Grammar Mechanic: Scott, grammar RULES ARE the TOOLS a writer uses to communiCATE an intented message.I’d just say “Scott, GRAMMAR rules are the tools a writer uses to communicate an intended message” if I was really intent on emphasising any words, which I wouldn’t be. Also I notice GM’s son Chris, 17, is played by Andrea Stewart’s real life son Michael Stewart. So she’s not only a pushy mother when it comes to grammar, but career choices too.

   Comment by Paddy — 30th October, 2007 @ 9:54 pm

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