7 Ways to Improve English Grammar – Be Confident:

Before we start working on our grammar, let us understand why it is essential to have good grammar skills. Grammar governs and determines the structure of a sentence so that it remains meaningful.

Any random arrangement of words is not comprehensible. It is important to arrange them according to the syntax of grammar. Any small violation of this syntax can change the meaning of the sentence from east to west. Thus, grammar is a crucial part of any language.

Coming back to English, it is noted that we tend to focus more on the spoken aspect of the language. And yes, this can sail you through in most cases. You can make a few mistakes while speaking, and no one will even notice.

If you want to learn how to improve your spoken English read this.

But when you are in a formal environment, such as your workplace, university, an official event, or an interview, you cannot afford to make silly grammatical mistakes. Similarly, while undertaking any formal writing like an official email, quotations, applications, or invitations, your writing needs to be error-free.

So, let us see how we can work on our grammar and improve it.

1.Get a reliable source:

The first thing you need is a reliable source that you can trust and with which you can start your basics. Finding such a source is very important. Because you will always need such a source which can explain the concepts in plain language and is accurate.

This source can be a book, a teacher, a website or a YouTube channel. But it is always better to have a teacher or book as your reliable primary source. Reason being, the flow or the procedure with which we learn really matters. And a teacher or a book provides you with the best flow and the most accurate and essential knowledge.

Here are some good grammar books that can help you.

Wren and Martin: This is a high school level book published in 1935. The language used in this book is very simple. It has enough practise questions and covers all grammar topics and rules. It also has a writing section which helps you with your writing skills. It is a highly recommended book.

Practical English Usage by Michael Swan: It is an in-depth grammar book which was first published in 1980. The grammar topics are explained thoroughly with many examples. It also covers grammar related to problematic and usually confused words in English.

An A-Z of English Grammar & Usage by Leech, Conrad, Cruickshank, and Ivanic: This is another excellent grammar guide with all the topics arranged alphabetically. This book can be a great source which you can refer for your grammar-related queries.

2.Begin from the beginning- focus on basics:

Begin with the most fundamental things. Understand the structure of the sentence and the types of sentences. Then learn the building blocks of a sentence which are the parts of speech.

Going slow and step – by – step will genuinely help. Don’t jump on complex rules immediately. Make small targets. This way, you will not get overwhelmed as you will have smaller chunks to complete. Also memorising, recalling, and implementation will be better.

Starting immediately with complicated rules or jumping on them too quickly without practising the basics enough will not form a good foundation, and you might end up feeling demotivated. Taking your time with the fundamentals is important.

3.Use apps, forums and online communities at your disposal:

Today in the world of internet gaining knowledge is pretty easy. All you need is the intention. There are many apps, forums and communities that you can join to practice what you have learned and to seek answers to your questions. The benefit of joining a forum or community is that you can have a two-way conversation. There are many people asking and answering questions on these platforms.

When it comes to apps, you can choose the learning method according to your interest, whether you want to focus on vocabulary or pronunciation or grammar. And if you’re going to follow the traditional manner or learn with the help of fun games. It is your choice. Some apps and websites that you can look up to are:

Rosetta Stone:

This is a useful and engaging app if you want to start your English journey from basics. This app has three levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced. You can opt for the level according to your requirement. If you are a total beginner, then this app is for you. It starts from the very basics and focuses on vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar. However, this app is not free. But the amount spent will be worth it.

Duolingo:

Yet another fantastic app. Duolingo makes your learning process very entertaining. You will feel engaged for the entire time. It starts from very basic and covers vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar.

This app has daily goals, and the time you can spare for it depends on you. You will find various activities on this app, from listening and typing the sentence for your listening skills to listening and repeating the sentences for your speaking skills. And the best part about Duolingo is that it is free. You can also learn from its website.

BBC Learning English:

This is a very reliable and deep knowledge website. It is quite diverse. It has a variety of free courses, quizzes and topics with a basic, intermediate and advanced level. Please don’t be overwhelmed with this site when you visit it for the first time. Just consider your requirements and go with the desired level. Here you can find all the topics of English explained in depth.

4.Punctuation matters:

Punctuations are as crucial as any other grammatical unit. They can make or break the meaning of a sentence.

Words alone are not enough for a conversation. We humans talk with emotions and feelings. Therefore, it is vital to incorporate them in a conversation to be able to express ourselves fully. The way we include our emotions in a conversation is greatly by utilising the articulation and modulation of the voice.

Emotions and feelings are important even while writing. And in writing, this articulation and vocal modulation are expressed using punctuations. So, punctuations give a whole new level of clarity to a written piece.

Let us quote some examples to understand it better.

• How much time you want? (Question)
• How much time you want! (Exclamation)

The first sentence, ending with the question mark is a question, where someone wants to know the amount of time needed. While the second sentence, ending with an exclamation mark is an exclamatory sentence where someone is expressing a hurry and wants to know how much more time will be needed.

• Stop them, not let them go.
• Stop them not, let them go.

In the above example, just a small shift in comma’s position and the entire meaning of the sentence changes. The first sentence implies to stop someone, While the second sentence, on the contrary, implies not to stop someone and let go.

So, it is quite evident how important punctuations are in grammar.

5.Practice and Test yourself:

What you learn, try to implement it and practise. Usually, we learn and then move ahead to a new topic, without practising enough. It leads to poor retention of prior learning. Therefore, practice and implementation are essential.

 Try to make sentences similar to those you read as examples. You can verify yourself on the internet using grammar checker tools. If you do this, you will understand the rules at length.

You can take grammar exercises available on the internet. You can easily find interesting and interactive practise tests on various websites. These are organised topic wise, so you can see how well you understood a topic. Moreover, this will be like a revision to what you have learned. This way, you can assess your progress.

6.Context will help:

It is essential to understand the context. Grammar depends on the scenario in which a sentence is said. Like, facts are always said in the simple present tense. Similarly, collective nouns can be either singular or plural depending on the speaker, whether the speaker considers the collective noun as a unit or talking with reference to each member of the collective noun.

Therefore, understanding the circumstances under which specific grammar rules apply will help you to remember them better. This way, you will not just memories them, but also you will be able to absorb them in life.

7.Simultaneous implementation in spoken:

Just reading theory and rules is not enough. Also, the importance of grammar is not limited to only writing. Grammar is important in spoken as well. So, whatever you learn, try to use that while speaking. This way, you will be mindful about the grammar for a more extended period and better retain what you have learned.

Let us help you to improve your spoken English….

Having good grammar makes your communication and writing impressive. It will always give you an upper hand. Moreover, your context becomes apparent when you try to implement grammar while speaking.

Improving grammar is a time-consuming process and requires efforts and patience. But, when you follow a procedure and stay consistent, you definitely see results. Because to learn something, it is most important to remain disciplined and fairly committed. So, go slow and steady and craft your grammar. All the above steps will for sure give you a tight grip over English grammar.