Is Grammar Overrated?

This summer, I had an internship with a marketing firm that specialized in pharmaceutical products. It was the first time I had taken on a job of this kind and I was very nervous. During my first few days spent there, I made sure to check my work a million times over to insure that I had not made any grammatical errors. The company also communicated with each other using an online system similar to that of AOL instant messenger. When a message box would pop up on my screen, I would reply with more attention paid to my grammar then I might if talking to a buddy on AIM.

The language I used in my basic verbal communication with others was structured differently as well. From the hours of 8am to 6pm, Monday’s trough Friday’s my word choices were considerably different then the language I used after that time. I couldn't help but ask myself why this was.

It was then that I realized; the extent to which people pay attention to their grammatical errors is based upon the environment they are surrounded by. Many times following this trend can get you into trouble. If you are not consistently practicing the usage of proper grammar, you might forget many of the simple but important rules.

For instance, you are composing a resume to use on a job interview that is filled with grammatical errors; the likelihood of you attaining that job is not strong. If you are involved in a heated debate with a co-worker and your use of grammar isn’t up to par, the chances of your argument being heard and respected is less likely. These are only some examples where the misuse of grammar can get you into trouble.