This article reports on a study into the level of grammatical knowledge among English primary teacher trainees, following a one-year Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) course. Since 1997, official expectations have changed, with greater emphasis on grammar teaching. Trainees' grammatical knowledge was examined in the light of the 1998 standards for teacher training courses and the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy. It is suggested that there is a tension between public expectations and what can be achieved during training.