Why study syntax?

I am sure most of my students ask themselves this during and after my syntax classes. To be honest, it is truly a valid question. I mean, if you think about it, all you get to know is a bunch of rules. But (there is always a "but"), I must, as a syntax teacher, comment on the plus that this bunch of rules has given to my writing.
By studying syntax, my writing has become more correct; my word order, more precise; my selection of structure, more well thought out. It is through knowing the basic syntax concepts that I have stopped writing like I speak (an unpunctuated flow of language, that, when on paper, is ambiguous and cumbersome to read). My punctuation now helps my readers rather than hindering them. While this may seem unimportant to most people, for those who are constantly putting pen to paper (or fingers to a keyboard), this is an essential tool that will change the way you view written communication.
There, I've said my bit....