What planet do English teachers come from?

The only thing wrong with that is the punctuation in one of the options. Maybe it's not that they're worse at expressing ideas, maybe it's the fact that you're not on that elevated level yet. To be fair, your professor really should keep his audience in mind. He (or she) may be too impressed with himself that he forgets that real communication happens between people who can make connections with their words! If you're confused, just go talk to him and get clarity. Professors aren't out to get you. Don't be so sensitive and stressed.