re Don't kids learn by imitating the language of others, and being shown how to say it right when they say it wrong, rather than by learning rules?
I realize now that I have avoided dangling participles throughout my life, but it's not because I understood the rule against "dangling participles". Obviously, I didn't because I just learned the rule a few minutes ago. [In fact, I just learned what a "participle" is a few minutes ago ... and even now I'm not sure I know what it is.]
I have avoided dangling participles all my life because it just didn't sound right to dangle them.
Isn't this proof that people learn from listening to proper english being spoken, or by reading it, not from rules?
From my own experience, I am convinced this is true. Why wouldn't it be true for all children?
Maybe we could make more headway in grammar school without all the intimidating names for parts of speech and the like and all the intimidating, not to mention confusing, rules?
