Grammar is no longer taught as a discipline despite retaining an insignificant place in the curriculum. That is not to say that all teachers in majority of schools are not teaching grammar at all.  However, by and large, the place that grammar occupies has certainly been relegated to the back room.

These days, high school children are slack in using their tenses and plurals. The door is open for convenience albeit it cannot be considered creativity.

You could tell from the compromises markers of essays have to make, trying to gloss over bad language so long as the idea and content is there. 

Even so-called commendable and published works online contain ungrammatical and incomplete sentences that do not clearly convey information or the writer's intention. It really makes you wonder how bad the rest are. 

There's a general belief that pictures speak volumes in place of words. Photos may be useful to substantiate and highlight a point, but it is not an excuse to make up for lack of proficiency.

Vocabulary inventiveness is another new ball game. Words that are popularised by the social media and abbreviations which are coded,  are not found in the Oxford dictionary. OMG! 

Perhaps, the younger ones are more eloquent and street wise. Listen closely. Even in spoken language, the habit of using "like" is annoyingly American and juvenile. 

Worse, some believe it is just fine. We could have fun trying to do some guesswork and let things take its natural course. 

Don't get me wrong. The middle and older generation are not insisting that grammar be taught in the old-fashioned and boring way where the teacher is strict and sometimes inflexible, and even wielded a cane in one hand pacing around the classroom.  

Neither are seniors claiming that we have perfected and mastered grammar. At least we are given the tools and encouragement to have a go and aim high. A weak foundation will likely result in a structurally unsound building. Effort and time spent learning go to waste.