Basic Grammar Concepts

(January 18, 2021)

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Grammar

The word grammar comes from Greek, meaning "craft of letters." It's an apt description. In any language, grammar is:

Grammar is all the rules that apply a language for speak and write.

Why is Grammar Important?

Grammar is very important because helps to know sentence structure, sounds and make better use of the language.

Descriptive Grammar

Descriptive grammar focuses on describing the manner how either native or non-native speakers use the language on a daily basis.

Therefore, it includes a set of rules about language based on how it is actually used, not how it should be used.

Descriptive rule:

Any may mean ‘it doesn’t matter which’. With this meaning any is used in affirmative sentences. (Swan, 1980: 55)

Example:

I didn’t see anybody.

I didn’t see nobody.

Prescriptive Grammar

Prescriptive grammar explains or rather prescribes rules on how a language should or ought to be used by the speakers.

Consists of a set of rules that teach the speaker the most accurate and the correct manner to use the language, highlighting what should be used and what should be avoided so that he can achieve that certain grammar and the language standard.

Example of a prescriptive rule:

Always use is with he, she, and it

Example:

This is the house (which) he lives in.

This is the house in which he lives.

Importance in the Teaching-Learning Process of a Language

• The goal is to teach the students grammar through meaningful activities which are both fun and engaging.

• It is important that the teacher always has the goal in mind for teaching grammar and that the students learn this in a communicative way.

"METHOD FOR THIS LESSON"

THE GRAMMAR TRANSLATION METHOD

Is one of the most traditional methods It was originally used to

teach “dead” languages (and literature).

Involving little or no spoken communication or listening comprehension.

It focused on:

• Grammatical rules.

• Declensions and conjugations.

• Translations of texts by doing written exercises.

• Memorization of vocabulary.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cristal, David. The Fight for English. Oxford University Press, 2006.

Greenbaum, Sidney, and Nelson, Gerald. An Introduction to English Grammar. 2nd ed., Pearson, 2002.

Pinker, Steven. Words and Rules. Harper, 1999.

Aguilar, I. (2011, 15 agosto). The way we teach grammar. Slideshare. https://www.slideshare.net/ivanslides/the-way-we-teach-grammar

Quintana, K. (2019, 23 febrero). WHAT IS GRAMAR? prezi.com. https://prezi.com/p/py6e0ec9u7tt/what-is-gramar/