Effective, precise, and beneficial

Effective, precise, and beneficial communication depends upon grammar and a good vocabulary, the two essential assets for students, but they are not being taught in schools. Just this morning, my son and I were eating breakfast when I attempted to add milk to my tea. "Dad," he said, "If I were you, I wouldn't do that. It's sour." "Oh my!" I said, swelling with pride toward my son, "That's a grammatically perfect sentence. You used were instead of was." "I know, I know," he said with a long agreeable sigh. "It's the subjunctive mood." I was, like, whoa!