Chapter 9 Good English and Bad Summary and Analysis

Bryson discusses the grammatical aspects of the English language with particular attention to parts of speech and how words are used in different ways to express both different and similar meanings. He gives many examples of how English grammar is misused, even by academic experts on the subject. One of the reasons for this, according to Bryson, is that English grammar rules are based on Latin, which has a different grammatical structure than English.

Attempts to analyze and regulate the English language go back sometime and eventually result in various organizations that left no lasting changes. The proposals of national academies, such as the Academie Francaise, have generally failed as reforming tools. Instead, the language is left to academic and public figures to use and often misuse. Bryson explores a range of issues...