Shakespeare molded language to meet his needs. Can students learn from his example? In this article, the author suggests studying Shakespeare's creative use of functional shift, spelling, and vocabulary to help students develop greater control of their own writing. The author is advocating that teachers approach Shakespeare as descriptive grammarians who see the language and observe its effects. In this manner, one can also see and observe the students' language and draw parallels if they functionally shift a word or utilize homonyms to give a sentence layered meanings. As students learn that language is not static but rather flexible, they can begin to see how their English habits are part of the same larger picture that Shakespeare's English is. (Contains 3 notes.)