Public Embarrassment! Government Minister Fails Grammar Question Meant for 11-year-olds (Photo)

The government is under fire for setting brain-scrambling tests for kids as young as six – so schools minister Nick Gibb stepped up to answer one meant for 11-year-olds, The Mirror reports.

 

The incident took place while Schools Minister Nick Gibb appeared on BBC Radio 4’s World At One, Mr Gibb was tackled by presenter Martha Kearney.

 

‘Let me give you this sentence: ‘I went to the cinema after I’d eaten my dinner’. Is the word ‘after’ there being used as a subordinating conjunction or as a preposition,’ Ms Kearney asked.

 

‘It’s a preposition,’ Mr Gibb replied confidently, only for Ms Kearney to shoot back: ‘I don’t think it is. In this sentence it is being used as a subordinating conjunction.’

 

Mr Gibb protested: ”After’ is a preposition. It can be used in some contexts as a word that co-ordinates a sub-clause.’

 

He added: ‘This isn’t about me. This is about ensuring that future generations of children – unlike me incidentally, who was not taught grammar at primary school – we need to make sure that future generations are taught grammar properly.’