Importance of Grammar in English

The importance of grammar has been a debatable topic for many centuries. While many academicians and language experts acknowledged its importance for students. Some others did not hesitate to write it off!

It is interesting to note that in the past 5 decades, the disconnect related to grammar in English resulted in its deletion from the secondary school syllabus both in Britain and the USA. But once again, the world is back to square. And we are acknowledging the rules in grammar and therefore consider it an integral part of the English language.

This article will uncover the importance of grammar for students. Let’s start with the basic definition first.

What is English Grammar?

The origin of the English language dates back almost 5000 years. Today, English is spoken by 1/3^rd of the world’s population i.e. around 2 billion people.

Grammar is defined as the important study of rules about the forms and combinations of words that contribute to sentence construction. In the language learning process, grammar is the solid foundation that determines the right acquisition. And also helps the learner to be proficient in the language. All in all, grammar is the system or set of language rules that apply to the use of language in all forms.

Why English Grammar is Important for Our Indian Students?

Globally, English is spoken by around 1.5 billion people (both as a native and a second language). Here’s a look at some more languages that fall in this category.

Language	Speakers in Millions
English	1,456 (Figure in Billions)
Mandarin Chinese	1138
Hindi	609.5
Spanish	559.1
French	309.8

Globally, this language is bridging the communication gap of billions of people globally. Hence, it is more than a necessity for our Indian students. Today, the world is a global village with common challenges and opportunities. And in this highly connected world, language acquisition is nothing less than a valued skill. So much so that it is also considered an essential skill of the 21^st century (a part of communication)

We all know that English is a global link to the world at large. NDTV sums up the use of foreign languages brilliantly for Indians. One of its reports states that foreign languages strengthen trade, military, and diplomatic relations. So, it’s easy to connect how our younger generations can make use of this knowledge, to avail the best opportunities of the global workforce.

In our next section, we will discuss the uses of grammar in English.

General Uses of English Grammar

In India, the last census recorded 260 thousand English native speakers in the year 2011. And in the present times, the number has certainly grown at an unprecedented rate.

Here’s a list of some more uses of grammar in English language:

To create a correct structure

Accuracy is one of the most important aspects of language. Basic Grammar in English helps in creating a correct structure of sentences for a perfect expression.

Clarity in communication

A well-spoken or written sentence defeats all chances of ambiguity. It is a perfect way to pass a clear message. And correct grammar gives the right impression of one’s command over the language.

Confidence

An individual/student feels confident if he/she is capable of using the right grammar while expressing thoughts.

Success

Effective communication is also a key to success in relationships, workplace, and social life.

Makes an individual likable

People who know how to speak and write without many errors are often liked by others. They add value to a conversation. And make a conversation vibrant with their skills.

How to Help Students Learn Correct Grammar?

By far, we have already explored that English is a gateway to new opportunities and a link to this post-pandemic global village. Hence, we must expand these opportunities keeping in mind the importance of grammar for students in this competitive information age.

As discussed earlier in this write-up, the teaching and learning of grammar were criticized and held up by many academicians in the past. They believed that grammar is quite difficult for students. In fact, the typical teaching and learning process of English grammar was not very effective through traditional practice, workbooks, assignments, and typical techniques. All these factors led to new and better ways of teaching and learning grammar in modern times. We will explore these ways in the next section.

We can help our students learn correct grammar in the following ways:

Mentor Text

The concept of mentor text is highly effective in teaching basic grammar in English. In simple words mentor text is a good piece of written text/information. It acts like an ideal way of writing/expression. And often represents the perfect structure of a sentence/passage for cascading a thought with clarity.

A learner can rewrite, reproduce, practice, and rephrase a mentor text many times. So, this is more like showing a well-written piece of information. And setting a standard for the learner to imitate/follow through rigorous practice.

Mostly, a mentor text is a passage, poem, write-up, article, or newspaper text. And the best part is that a teacher can create numerous engaging activities to make use of this technique even through the online mode (online schooling or courses). Experienced online teachers make use of varied pedagogies like collaborative learning, and interactive sessions. And help students learn correct grammar through fun-filled learning approaches that can help students to master the skill of creating correct sentence structures through a mix of all these approaches.

So if you are looking for an answer to the question, how to learn English with grammar?

This might be just the right solution for you!

Engaging Pedagogies in Real-World Context

The role of a teacher in teaching grammar or grammar mastery building is paramount. Since this teaching is no more based on traditional textbook teaching, a teacher must be trained in making this teaching relevant for the students. For instance, when we teach about active or passive voices, verbs, nouns, etc. pictures, animations, videos and engaging graphics, and role-plays (with real-world scenarios) can always add great value to it.

The rules in grammar like word arrangement, selection of voice, and parts of speech, etc. can be explained very well with the help of age-appropriate examples. Teachers can try engaging instructional material like comic strips, short animated stories, colorful banners, etc. to teach basic rules initially.

In the next step, a teacher can also divide students into small groups and ask them to identify the components of the sentence. He/she can also make it more interesting by giving them opportunities to improvise, rewrite or recreate the example collaboratively through impromptu presentations. Parents/teachers can use simple reinforcements like applause, rewards, or names on the star charts. Later, give enough practice time with a couple of assignments on the topics covered.

Sentence Combining Way

Most of us know that speaking and writing are completely different from each other. And the latter can be improved through an effective way called sentence combining. This technique is used by presenting a sentence (in simple form). And later it is elaborated with the help of connecting information/words.

To teach sentence combining, we need to help our students understand how to separate key information from the entire sentence. Later, we can use the rules in grammar (already taught) and attach all information to the original sentence. This approach is quite useful for students including the ones who struggle with writing English. And this can be used effectively for most of the age groups. Once again, it is a great idea to use examples that relate to one’s real-life scenarios.

Learn English Online

Accredited online schools or online platforms have plenty of resources to help students learn English online. Many parents acknowledge the importance of grammar for students. And they choose to enroll their child in an online school/platform or simply arrange for access to online lessons. These engaging resources are ideal to teach basic grammar in English. Because they cover topics like nouns, verbs, parts of speech, adjectives, punctuations, repositions, conjunctions, etc. All these exercises are loaded with features of gamification (game-based elements). And students enjoy an immersive learning experience with the help of these innovative educational opportunities.

Final Thoughts

Today, we are in an age where the importance of grammar for students is felt like never before. Because the pandemic has created a serious learning loss for our students and hampered their linguistic abilities badly.

A UNICEF report states that 92% of our Indian students have lost a language ability (specific). And similarly 82%of them have lost a specific mathematical ability. In general, around half of our student population (50%) lacks foundational learning.

A ray of hope is that we have new ways of making up for these losses through the power of technology. Let’s harness this power and assist all our students to get back on track. And simultaneously help them to master the English language, a key to future success.

Thanks for Reading!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the five importance of grammar?
Grammar is important for:
- Clarity
- Confidence
- Professionalism
- Credibility
- Impression

Which is better, books for grammar or Grammar online classes?
This depends on the learner. Online schools or classes are very effective for many students. While some other Indian students might like books more than virtual resources.

How to learn English with grammar?
Virtual resources, good mentor texts, books, and engaging activities are great to help students basic grammar in English.

What is the importance of grammar in language?
Grammar is imperative to create comprehensive and accurate expressions. Without the knowledge of grammar, an individual cannot attain proficiency in the language.