中国英语教学偏重于语法，语法规则设定得非常细碎、僵硬，考卷和平时作业上，有大量的语法上的考题。这种完美主义的做法实际上禁锢了学生把英语当作日常工作和生活语言的积极性，对英语望而生畏。
学生甫一张口，便立即考虑是否语法上犯了哪条清规戒律，导致反应速度慢、语言不能流畅表达。
反思一下，实际上英语语法只是英语的常见规律之一，或大致的规律，并不代表对错的唯一标准。英语中常有一些似乎看上去不合规则不符合所谓语法的现象，但这在中国的英语教学中都当作错误看待，或刻意回避之，或根本没有注意到这些现象。以下举例若干：
1) 中国英语语法书上说，must只能在现在时使用，过去式是had to，但实际上是，这是错的。比如狄更斯《双城记》里面的片段：
His resolution was made. He must go to Paris.
Yes. The Loadstone Rock was drawing him, and he must sail on, until he struck. He knew of no rock; he saw hardly any danger. The intention with which he had done what he had done, even although he had left it incomplete, presented it before him in an aspect that would be gratefully acknowledged in France on his presenting himself to assert it. - Page 258, A Tale of Two Cities
As he walked to and fro with his resolution made, he considered that neither Lucie nor her father must know of ituntil he was gone. Lucie should be spared the pain of separation; and her father, always reluctant to turn his thoughts towards the dangerous ground of old, should come to the knowledge of the step, as a step taken, and not in the balance of suspense and doubt. - Page 258, A Tale of Two Cities
2) - look后面必须接at, down upon, like等。实际上这也是错的，比如常有类似句型：I looked him in the eye。
3) 语法书说，陈述句后必须是反问句，范句是Are you XXX, are you not?或Aren't you XXX, are you? 实际上，生活中也会有Are you XXX, are you? 只是语义不同。
4）good 是形容词，指“好”之类的意思，别无他意。实际上这也是错的。可以当名词，“善事”，也可以当语气词，比如 “a good many people....”。
Then, that glorious vision of doing good, which is so often the sanguine mirage of so many good minds, arose before him, and he even saw himself in the illusion with some influence to guide this raging revolution that was running so fearfully wild.
5) 英语中常说 I'm come, I'm gone, I'm arrived，也就是说，助动词+come/go/arrive的过去式，作形容词用，表示我来了，我走了，我到了之意。在口语和文学作品中常见。但这在中国英语课本中统统没有体现，而只能说 I have come, I have gone, I have arrived。
6) 做时间状语时，since后面必须是一般过去时。实际上这不是铁律，比如在Godfather一书里，有这样一句话，"For the first time since she had known him, she saw Hagen angry"。按照中国现行语法书来说，这却是错的。实际上，这种用法在英语国家里用的很普遍。
网上有网友问了一个类似的问题，从答题者的答案来看，他或她是这个铁律的捍卫者，他举出了since的四样用法，却对这个句子的对错不知可否，而是说"具体的你就问一下你们的老师"。链接是：https://wenda.so.com/q/1362813418060545?q=I+have+++++since。
问答摘录如下：
问题：I have met him often since I have lived here.这句话对吗？不是现在完成时中since+从句用一般过去时呀?
现在完成时中，since后的从句到底用什么时态？？？这儿还有一句： I have learned a lot from him since I have known him.这句话对吗？这句话since后怎么也是现在完成时呀？不是since+从句（从句用一般过去时）呀？ 我英语水平不是很好，哪位高手帮助我？？（谢谢）
答案：
I have met him often since I have lived here这上面的应该是网络翻译意思是：自从我在这里住下之后，我常看见他 如果就时态来说的话就不对：I have met him often since I lived here.自从我在这里住下之后，我常看见他。具体的你就问一下你们的老师……我可能帮不了你了since的四种用法
1） since +过去一个时间点（如具体的年、月、日期、钟点、1980, last month, half past six）。例如：
I have been here since 1989. 1989起，我一直在这儿。
2） since +一段时间+ ago。例如：
I have been here since five months ago. 我在这儿，已经有五个月了。
3） since +从句。例如：
Great changes have taken place since you left. 你走后，变化可大了。
Great changes have taken place since we were here. 我们走后，变化可大了。
4） It is +一段时间+ since从句。例如：
It is two years since I became a postgraduate student. 我考上研究生有两年了。
7) 与6）类似，向来教材都说，when后面接一般现在时或一般过去时，但实际上，when后面现在或过去完成时的例子在实际生活中非常常见，我是说，在英语为母语的实际生活中。比如，狄更斯的David Copperfield中，有这样的话：
When I have come to you, at last (as I have always done), I have come to peace and happiness. I come home, now, like a tired traveller, and find such a blessed sense of rest!'
究竟为什么在中国存在着这些根深蒂固的所谓语法规则，不得而知，可能是沿用过去七八十年代一些名家的语法书的原因吧。他们为什么会造成这类错误，同样不得而知。鄙人只是想说，这样的错误传承太久，影响面很大，有种固步自封、闭门造车之嫌。
在中小学的英语教学中，这种僵硬固化的语法至上的做法，造成老师和学生在英语学习上只抓芝麻不抓西瓜的倾向。师生在英语说写读等方面的实际应用上下的功夫太少。也造成了师生在语法上钻牛角尖的癖好，且沾沾自喜着，实在是荒谬之极！
当然，中国学校里教的这种英语在中国的应试体系里是行得通的，反正标准答案不会出现以上列出的现象和情景。但我们学的英语毕竟是世界范围内广泛应用的英语，而不是仅在中国领土范围内应用的英语。
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