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Good grammar is like personal hygiene. You can ignore it if you want to. However, don’t be surprised if people judge you. In this article, we discuss the essential rules of grammar at length. Also, you learn about English learning courses that help greatly.
Definition of grammar:
In the simplest words, grammar is the set of rules on how to use words in a language. It is also, how those words change in different situations.
The hard but more accurate definition:
The set of structural constraints on the composition of clauses, words and phrases. In addition, it includes the study of phonology, syntax, morphology, semantics and phonetics.
Essential rules of grammar teach how it works and how to use it.
Why is grammar important?
With the increase in usage of slang terminology, some say that grammar isn’t important. People do not care much about grammar these. Why would you worry about misplaced modifiers when you have so many emojis to choose from?
Well, here’s why you should consider grammar important:
In daily life:
Just like good manners, good grammar helps you give a more sophisticated impression. It can make you seem more intelligent, educated and professional.
Grammar gives the ability to express oneself. If you want to express yourself clearly without getting misunderstood, work on your grammar.
When we talk about family, job, education, movies, books, interests, hobbies, etc we need to express our feelings with ease. Proper grammar helps us do that.
At the workplace:
Good grammar at the workplace is an essential tool. Using correct spelling and grammar helps employees understand instructions better. Therefore, less time is wasted and more time getting the job done. Ideas and information get conveyed with clarity, precision, and professionalism. In the age of email, texting, and tweeting, a simple grammatical mistake can put off clients.
On the other hand, grammatical errors show sloppiness. Indeed, attention to detail in grammar comes across as a good trait.
In writing:
Grammar plays a very vital role in creative writing. To achieve clarity, credibility, and good readability, good grammar is necessary. Therefore, knowing the essential rules of grammar is a must. It not only allows the writer to write well but also provides stylistic choices. Thus, it is easier to capture your reader’s interest and attention. With good grammar, a writer can inspire and motivate. Also, it can make the reader imagine and wonder. It can make people question and ponder. With good writing, writers can change the world. Read Top 18 Authors who challenged the status quo. Poor grammar can upset clients, particularly if you’re a writer. A single mistake may not be a big deal but a string of grammatical errors shows poor attention to detail.
For students:
Knowing the essential rules of grammar not only helps the students read but also understand written or oral material. It also helps them communicate with ease. When a student asks proper questions, he/she learns the written answers.
All students of all grade levels, benefit from knowing the essential rules of English grammar. Some may consider it confusing or dull. But, grammar is the foundation for communication. Knowing the essential rules of grammar will help students:
- Be ready for college
- Make clear verbal communication
- Help in achieving success in careers
- Boost confidence
If you want students to excel in academic, personal and corporate, realms, grammatical knowledge is not only valuable but vital.
In Communication:
Incorrect grammar leads to meaningless or misunderstood sentences. Furthermore, it may lead to misinterpretation. Following the essential rules of grammar makes communication easier and more enjoyable. Good grammar lessens the chance of confusion. On the other hand, bad grammar easily leads to hilarious results. For example: “Let’s eat Grandpa” and “Let’s eat, Grandpa” has a huge difference.
Can you learn English without learning Grammar?
Grammar lists the word groups and the types of words that make up sentences. If you think about it, even children can put sentences together without knowing the essential rules of grammar. So basically we can all deal with grammar. To know how sentences are built and words and word groups are knowing grammar. Indeed, people associate grammar with correctness and errors.
But that is not the case. It opens a window into the human mind. Moreover, it offers a peek into our amazingly complex mental capacity. It allows one to understand the language to its fullest. So, learning English is possible without learning grammar, it won’t be anything more than baby talk.
Types of grammar:
To understand the essential rules of grammar one must first know the types of grammar.
English grammar is divided into five parts:
- Orthography: this is the spelling system of a language.
- Etymology: this is the study of a word’s origin and changes in its meaning throughout history.
- Syntax: this is the arrangement of words to create well-formed sentences.
- Punctuation: these are the marks used in writing such as commas and periods to separate sentences and to clarify meaning.
- Prosody: the patterns of stress, sound, rhythm and intonation in a language.
Parts of speech:
- Noun
Names, places, animals and things are nouns. For example, Mike, London, cat, book, etc.
- Pronoun
Words that replace a noun. For example, he, she, her, his, we, they, their, us, etc.
- Verb
Words that describe an action. For example, run, look, play, are, etc.
- Adverb
Words that describe verbs. For example, slowly, extremely, quickly, etc.
- Adjective
Words that describe nouns or pronouns. For example, red, happy, longest, big, etc.
- Preposition
Words that show position. For example, is, on, under, above, over, etc.
- Conjunction
Words that join a group of words. For example, and, or, but, yet, though, etc.
- Interjection
Independent words that express feelings or reactions. For example, wow, alas, ouch, etc.
Essential rules of grammar:
Rules help use the language properly. Armed with the best grammar guidelines, one feels more confident while speaking or writing. Also, it gives you a fuller grasp of the language.
However, learning all the rules at once is not required. You can start with the basics. Then, as you become more comfortable with the language, you can learn the nuances.
If you wish to improve your language, here are some essential rules of grammar to keep in mind:
1. A sentence consists of a subject and verb and makes complete sense.
The easiest building block of language is the sentence. A sentence is a bunch of words that make complete sense. Furthermore, a sentence invariably has a subject and a verb.
Sentences always start with capital letters. They can end with a period, an exclamation point, or a question mark.
A sentence may have a group of words or a minimum of two words. Also, in rare cases, sentences can have even one word.
For example,
- Joe waited for the train. Here ‘Joe’ is the subject, and ‘waited’ is the verb.
- Mary and Samantha took the bus. Here ‘Mary, Samanta’ is the subject and ‘took’ is the verb.
- Go! This also makes complete sense and the subject is understood as the person being spoken to. So this one word is also a sentence.
2. Understand when to capitalize
Sometimes even capitalizing letters can be tricky. However, it can be made easy. Always remember to do the following:
- Make the first-word capital.
For example, He asked me to be on time.
- Capitalize proper nouns and names.
For example, He said his name is Mohan and he is from Mumbai.
- Capitalize on the majority of titles.
For example, I told Mrs Shanti to call Dr Prasad first before taking the medication.
- Capitalize events and periods.
For example, Middle Ages, the period in European history from Roman civilization to Renaissance.
- Capitalize “I” as a pronoun.
For example, I made the decision that I would always eat healthily.
- Capitalize any locations and direct addresses.
For example, The green car parked at Banjara Hills road.
- Capitalize months, holidays and days
For example, We partied the whole month of October.
- Capitalize trademark names
For example, His favourite car is Tesla.
3. Understand Articles
The English language consists of two types of articles. A definite article and two indefinite articles. They are used as adjectives. Also, they are used before nouns and noun equivalents.
The indefinite articles – ‘A’ and ‘an’- is used before a noun that is common or when identity is not known. Before a consonant sound, use ‘a’ and before a vowel sound, use ‘an’.
For example: Let’s take a bus. That’s an umbrella.
The definite article- ‘the’ – is used before a noun when the identity is known. While referring to a specific item, use ‘the’.
For example, Harry took the Knight Bus to Diagon Alley.
4. Homophones
Homophones- The words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. Most people get confused between such words and make errors. Here’s a small table to help you understand homophones better.
| addition | edition |
| accept | except |
| than | then |
| here | hear |
| affect | effect |
| weather | whether |
| you’re | your |
| bear | bare |
| one | won |
| compliment | complement |
| aloud | allowed |
It is easy to mix up such words. The result can confuse and cause embarrassment. However, with patience and practice, mistakes can be avoided.
Tools that help improve and correct grammar:
If you are still doubtful about your written grammar there are tools that you can use to improve. When you write, these grammar checkers let you know if you go wrong. They are blessings in disguise for writers:
1. Grammarly
Grammarly is one of the best grammar correcting tools. It assists your writing not only by correcting grammar but also gives feedback. It can be added as an extension to your browser. Furthermore, you can download the desktop app or use it as a keyboard on your mobile. Therefore, it is compatible with almost all platforms. It is available as a free version with basic features and a premium version with advanced features.
Check out Grammarly.
2. Language tool
This proofreading and grammar- checker tool fixes spelling mistakes and grammatical errors in more than 20 languages. As a basic spell checker with generic checking features, it fares well. Its main highlight is the fact that it supports different languages.
Check out the Language tool.
3. WhiteSmoke
This app lets you use it to check spelling, punctuation, grammar and style and correct any mistakes. Indeed, it is obviously one of the best grammar checkers out there! However, there is no free or trial version available. It comes at an affordable price and can be integrated with different platforms.
Get WhiteSmoke.
When was grammar born?
The Greeks wrote the rules of how to use words first. To them, grammar was the tool to judge speech or writing. Hence their love for literary language. The 1st century Alexandrians further developed Greek grammar to preserve the essence of the language.
On the other hand, The Ancient Greeks called it grammatikē tékhnē, the craft of letters.
Father of Grammar:
Lindley Murray, a lawyer, writer and grammarian, is also known as the Father of Grammar. Although he started as a lawyer he later changed his focus to the study of the English language.
His book, English Grammar, became hugely popular. Furthermore, it underwent nearly fifty editions. Edited, simplified, and enlarged It is widely used in schools in England and America.
Some interesting and fun facts about grammar:
- Grammar Nazi is a term used for people who habitually correct others’ grammar.
- ‘Enneacontakaienneagon’ is actually a word in the English dictionary. It is a shape with ninety-nine sides.
- The word ‘Swims’ would read the same upside down!
- ‘I am’ becomes the shortest sentence in the English language.
- A sentence that contains every letter is called a Pangram.
- The word ‘I’ holds the title of the shortest, oldest and most used word.
- Regardless of their origin, all pilots have to speak in English while in the air. Therefore, this makes English the language of the air!
- ‘Bookkeeper’ is the only word that has three consecutive repeated letters.
- No words rhyme with ‘month’,’ orange’ or ‘purple’.
- Words added to the dictionary due to printing errors have no meaning. They are known as Ghost words.
Some examples of bad grammar:
Grammatical mistakes have led many to embarrassment. Take a look at a few errors that arose because of not following the essential rules of grammar:
- A notice at a cafeteria read: ‘Table are for eating customers only’
- A sign outside a store read: ‘Please bare with us while we have lunch’
- A note on a door read: ‘This door is alarmed’
- A road sign read: ‘Caution pedestrians slippery when wet’
- A sign outside a restaurant read: ‘Over 10 billion severed’
Do you see the errors in the above sentences? They sure do end up amusing or annoying people. However, it also causes embarrassment to those who made the errors. In addition, it may result in gross misunderstanding and misinterpretation.
Bonus!
If you too like to avoid making such blunders with grammar, consider learning the essential rules of grammar. In addition, you can also take these courses from Henry Harvin Institute. It will certainly help you improve and upskill your English.
English speaking course by Henry Harvin:
Henry Harvin stands as one of the leading providers of training and advisory services. With a strong team of 400 and more employees and 650 plus consultants, it has offices in more than 11 cities in the world.
Needless to say, it certainly offers an amazingly curated course for those who wish to learn how to speak English. Core fundamentals of English speaking like diction, pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary are taught.
English language speaking course by Henry Harvin makes you a proficient and confident English speaker. It enhances your skills and enables you to read complicated texts easily and quickly. Indeed, writing long paragraphs and sentences is a feat. This course helps you do it fast and quickly by teaching all the essential rules of grammar. One-on-one live interaction classes will undoubtedly provide added benefits. The Common European Framework (CEFR) is followed by this English-speaking course.
Henry Harvin offers six levels of different durations each. Such as, Levels 1-4 are for 40 hours. Levels 5 and 6 are for 50 hours each. Fee: Candidates can choose one-to-one training for Rupees 1400/- per hour.
In addition, trainers are industry experts with 12+ years of experience.
Learning Benefits
- Learn fluent, confident, and flawless English.
- Prepare for English language exams.
- Communication and understanding ideas, concepts, and topics become easy.
- Also, teaches advanced English grammar.
- Express yourself in English with fluency
- Debate or speak on trending topics with ease.
- Helps you become a fluent speaker in the global language.
- Provides the best learning environment.
- Moreover, a comprehensive curriculum allows candidates to gain confidence and fluency.
- 1 year of Gold Membership gives access to recorded videos, masterclasses, and live projects.
- Regular Bootcamp sessions are conducted.
- In addition, provides regular career guidance and weekly job support.
- Also, mock interview sessions help improve communication skills.
- Provides training, certification, internship, membership and much more in the 9-in-1 course.
Not just an English-speaking course, Henry Harvin offers English writing courses as well!
Needless to say, it certainly offers an amazingly curated course for those who wish to learn how to write in English. Core fundamentals of English writing like spelling, syntax, grammar and vocabulary are taught.
English language writing course by Henry Harvin makes you a proficient, eloquent and confident English writer. It enhances your skills and enables you to write complicated texts with ease and speed. Indeed, writing long paragraphs and sentences is a feat. This course helps you do it fast and quickly by teaching all the essential rules of grammar. One-on-one live interaction classes will certainly provide the added benefits. The Common European Framework (CEFR) is followed by this English-speaking course. Assistance for English exams like IELTS and TOEFL is also provided.
This course has different levels according to the Common European Framework (CEFR), as follows:
- The beginners level – this level teaches beginners basic concepts such as writing simple sentences, words, and pronunciations.
- The pre-intermediate level – in this level, the student learns sentence formation, essential rules of grammar, sentence reading, etc.
- The intermediate level – this level teaches the students to structure sentences and phrases in English.
- The upper intermediate level – in this level, the student gains knowledge of the main concepts of complex texts and chapters.
- The advanced level – this level of this course enables a student to handle complex texts and speeches. Finally, they begin to possess an excellent command of the language.
Here are the best features of this course:
- Learn fluent, confident, and flawless English.
- Prepare for English language exams.
- Communication and understanding ideas, concepts, and topics become easy.
- Also, teaches advanced English grammar.
- Express yourself in English with fluency
- Debate or speak on trending topics with ease.
- Helps you become an eloquent speaker in the global language.
- Provides the best learning environment.
- Moreover, a comprehensive curriculum allows candidates to gain confidence and fluency.
- 1 year of Gold Membership gives access to recorded videos, masterclasses, and live projects.
- Regular Bootcamp sessions are conducted.
- In addition, provides regular career guidance and weekly job support.
- Also, Mock interview sessions help improve communication skills.
- Provides training, certification, internship, membership and much more in the 9-in-1 courses.
Some other blogs that you might like reading:
20 Best Grammar Tools: Ranked and Rated
The 9 Best Grammar Books To Make You A Stronger Writer
Top 18 Political Authors That Challenged The Status Quo
Basic English Learning Grammar Rules
Conclusion:
Therefore, awareness of the essential rules of grammar helps monitor the meaning and effectiveness of the language. We begin to see not only how to correct one is, but also how others use language. It fosters precision, detects ambiguity and presents clarity. It lets the writers explore the richness of expression available. Thus, grammar is the foundation of language. If you get the grammar wrong, you speak the wrong language. And, it would be difficult to communicate without a language! Therefore, knowing the essential rules of grammar is a need as well as a necessity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Apart from enrolling in an English learning course, you must learn about the parts of speech and build vocabulary. Also, practice verb forms.
Vocabulary can be improved by:
Reading books
Speaking in English
Listening to English by watching the news, movies or sitcoms
Using a dictionary
Creating word associations
Any language without grammar is like a ‘body without a heart. Experts believe that without a grammatical structure, a language would cease to exist.
In spite of what is popularly believed, English is an easy language to learn. Because while other languages have cases, gender, and word agreement, English has no such thing. It has a simple grammar system.
A grammarian is a specialist who studies grammar and writes books about it. For instance, Panini was a famous Sanskrit grammarian.
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