What is grammar? Grammar is a set of rules. They allow communicators (speakers) to understand one another. I won't go into a lot of detail (just a little) but Advanced Linguistics (the study of languages) teaches us that any one language could have several different grammars (or sets of rules). It all depends on dialect, culture, or traditions passed down from one generation of speakers to another. Think about slang, idioms, how many ways to say "tomato," or the difference between "rubbish" and "garbage." All this is to say that there is no one way to communicate an idea and that there is no "one" dominant grammar for any particular language. When someone asks me how they can improve their English grammar, they almost always have a specific grammar in mind, whether they know it or not. That is, Academic English, the English we use in school. In my opinion, this grammar is the strictest (or most challenging) of all grammars. Then why do studnets want to learn it so badly? Why learn Academic English grammar? There are several reasons. Academic English
Perfectionism doesn't make you a better English speaker Before I continue, I'd like to stop and remind you that you don't have to know grammar to have good grammar. Think about it...
In other words, try not to obsess over every little rule or every tiny grammatical mistake while you are learning English. Try your best, ask questions, and have fun! Having said all that, learning grammar can build confidence and help you feel more fluent, so it's worth doing! The rest of this article are tips and resources for improving your grammar. Tip #1 Go to the "Grammar Gym" often Think about improving your grammar like going to the gym. There are a lot of exercises and weights to use to build your muscles. Grammar exercises build "muscles" so you can use the grammar you practiced in real-world experiences--- like speaking, listening, reading, and writing in English. It's like someone who goes to the gym to build muscles so they can run a marathon (race). I suggest "working out" or doing grammatical exercises for 10-15 minutes at a time. If your schedule allows, you can increase your work outs (slowly!) to 30-40 minutes. Tip #2 Determine your English "level" Doing grammar exercises sounds easy enough, but which ones should you focus on? How long should you work out? It depends on your level, your personal schedule, and your motivation. To determine your English level, try reading this article I wrote called "How's my English?" Tip #3 Don't give up! Being healthy and "fit" in English grammar take time. Be kind to yourself and always ask questions to your English teachers, tutors, and trusted native speaker friends if something doesn't make sense to you. Grammar Exercises The table below lists some of my favorite FREE websites to help you learn difficult grammar for your level. For Beginners
For Intermediate
For Advanced
I hope these suggested topics and websites are helpful to you. Let me know if you have any questions!
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