The New Normal of English for Teachers
As English teachers, we often find ourselves balancing two competing demands: teaching “correct” grammar and helping our students communicate naturally. The “Grammar Police” are always nearby – students, parents, or even colleagues who believe that the English they learned decades ago is the only “proper” English. But language evolves, and the way people speak and write today is not always the same as the “Queen’s English” of old.
Grammar vs Communication
Many “mistakes” that teachers correct are features of regional dialects, natural speech, or simply the influence of English as a global lingua franca. For example:
- “He weren’t happy.” (common in parts of the UK)
- “She don’t care what he thinks.” (used in southern US English)
- Double negatives like “I don’t have no money.”
- Misuse of conditionals “I would’ve went if I’d known there’d be free food.”
Native speakers often get away with these forms, but when learners use them, they can be unfairly penalised. The challenge for teachers is to distinguish between regional or stylistic variation and genuine learner error.
Tip for teachers: When you hear a “mistake,” ask: Is this an error, or is it acceptable in some contexts? If it’s a valid regional form, explain it, but also guide learners on when formal alternatives may be expected.
Speaking vs Writing
One of the clearest distinctions teachers must emphasise is the difference between spoken and written English. Speech is more flexible, informal, and forgiving of “mistakes.” Writing, however, is less tolerant.
- Saying “It was a tiny dog what bit me” in conversation might slip by unnoticed, but in writing it’s clearly incorrect.
- Stylistic choices like “drive safe” or “eat healthy” are increasingly common in advertising and spoken English, but in formal writing “safely” and “healthily” are preferred.
Classroom application: Encourage students to think about audience and purpose. Text messages, emails, and academic essays all demand different registers. Practising switching between registers can be a valuable exercise.
Connected Speech and Natural Fluency
Fluency isn’t just about grammar—it’s about sounding natural. Learners often overuse “will” (“Tonight I will watch Netflix”) when native speakers are more likely to say “Tonight I’m gonna watch Netflix”.
Similarly, over-pronunciation (“proper speech”) is not how English works in real life. Connected speech—where words blend together—is the norm: “gonna” “wanna” and “didja”, rather than “going to”, “want to” and “did you”.
Tip for teachers: Model connected speech and contractions in class. Show students how natural pronunciation works, while reminding them that in writing, they should avoid contractions in formal texts.
Grammar Myths
- Myth: You must use “would” to be polite.
Reality: Overuse now sounds old-fashioned. “Please send me the invoice” is perfectly polite. - Myth: Passive voice is more formal.
Reality: Too much passive voice makes texts heavy and unclear. Active voice is increasingly preferred, even in law and academia. - Myth: “Who” and “whom” must be strictly distinguished.
Reality: “Whom” is archaic in speech. Overusing it can make learners sound unnatural or pretentious.
Classroom application: Rather than drilling outdated rules, focus on clarity, tone, and appropriateness for context.
Common Misconceptions
Learners often get tangled up in rules that don’t exist:
- “The lady who grows flowers” vs “The lady that grows flowers” — both are fine.
- Subject pronouns: “An individual should decide if they want to go” is perfectly acceptable and avoids awkward gendering, with ‘they’ referring to either gender.
- “There is a dog, three horses and a cow” is correct because the verb agrees with the first item in the list, and is not determined by the fact there are multiple items in the list.
Teaching idea: Bring examples of “grammar debates” into class. Let students discuss what sounds natural to them, and then explore how grammar choices may vary by context, region, or register.
The Influence of Technology
Technology has also changed English. Acronyms from text messaging (LOL, BRB, IMO) have crept into spoken English, especially among younger generations. While these may be fine in casual contexts, they are rarely appropriate in formal writing.
At the same time, digital communication encourages brevity. Phrases like “drive safe” or “live happy” as mentioned before reflect the compressed style of advertising and social media.
Classroom tip: Help learners practise code-switching – using informal, shortened language with friends and more formal, precise language in professional or academic settings.
Writing Errors That Still Matter
While spoken English is flexible, some mistakes are unacceptable in writing:
- Confusing they’re / their / there or you’re / your
- Misusing apostrophes (‘open to all customer’s’ instead of customers)
- Mixing up than and then
- Non-capitalisation of names, places, or days (monday, germany)
These errors are not stylistic – they signal poor mastery.
Practical advice: Encourage proofreading habits, peer feedback, and the use of grammar-checking tools to catch surface-level mistakes before submission.
What This Means for Teachers
The “new normal” of English asks teachers to balance accuracy with authenticity. Students need to know what’s “correct” in exams and formal contexts, but they also need to be prepared for the real world, where grammar rules bend, spoken English is fluid, and clarity matters more than pedantic correctness.
Here are three key takeaways for your classroom:
- Teach flexibility, not rigidity. Show students that English is adaptable, with multiple correct options depending on context.
- Prioritise communication. Encourage students to focus on meaning and fluency first, then refine form.
- Acknowledge change. English is evolving. What was “wrong” 30 years ago may now be mainstream.
Final Thought
As teachers, we are not just guardians of grammar but facilitators of communication. Our role is to prepare students to navigate English in all its forms – academic essays, workplace emails, casual chats, and social media posts. The new normal of English reminds us that correctness is not always about rigid rules, but about choosing the right form for the right moment.
When we embrace this flexibility, we help our students become confident, competent communicators in the real world.
