For too many, grammar means something to correct or fear, rather than a way to make the world a better place. This book is different.
Through analysis of human stories based on real-world events in which what people knew about grammar made things worse but could have made them better, the book shows how what we know about grammar can make all the difference. Knowledge of grammar can make the world better by enabling us to encounter English with grammatical knowledge with more kindness and curiosity. Chapter One gives a practical, easy-to-use answer to the question 'What is grammar?' according to what is possible, meaningful, and in use in global English today. Chapters 2-5 offer scenes from four common places in which what we know about grammar can make all the difference: the classroom (schools); the coffee shop (public places); the courtroom (sites of legal decisions); and the copy room (workplaces). Through human stories and responses to them, these scenario-based chapters show how grammar knowledge and curiosity can allow us to resolve similar situations in ways that make the world a little more kind and fair for everyone. The concluding chapters summarizes the case for grammar for good in real-world encounters and offers further fun facts, including: current distinctions between human and AI grammar, and how to explore their differences; and other scenarios in which grammar may play an important role.