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Learning grammar of a foreign language is not easy. If your native language is English and you learn for example, Russian, you have in front of you quite a demanding task as both languages are very different and have different alphabet and grammar systems. I hate grammar. But like it or not, if I wanted to progress in my foreign language learning, I had to deal with it and the way how to learn grammar. Here is how I did it.
First examine the topic
You have to understand clearly what the topic is about. I found it useful to work with a grammar book at an appropriate level. You can find all grammar topics in there with examples and exercises. You will also have access to explanations of rules and examples of usage. It is also great as a reference. You can highlight interesting parts, write your notes and use it for revision. In case you don’t understand it, try to find the topic in another source. You cannot use anything correctly if you don’t understand the rules.
Learn basic examples off by heart
It will help you to build the right grammar structure at the right time. For example, my basic sentence for present perfect in English is 'Have you ever been to Europe?' There is a clear characteristic of present perfect in this sentence and clear grammar structure, have plus past participle of the verb.
Exercise
The next step is to do as many exercises as possible and as many as you need to. The best way to train is to use grammar exercises on the computer. There are many free sources you can use. You will get instant correction so you know straight away if you are doing well or not. If not, go back to the rules and try again. Some easy topics are quite clear. But you will have to work hard on grammar which is different from your native language. It is hard to understand present perfect if no such thing exists in your native language. You either learn it, or keep it as a huge gap in your knowledge.
Try to recognize the topic in text or speech
Try to catch usage of your grammar topic in text or speech. Think why was the grammar structure used, what the contest was and which rule was followed. Write down sentences you like or you think you can use in the future.
Try to use the grammar topic in your text or speech
If you are able to recognise the grammar topic in speech and are familiar with rules then now is the right time to use it! Try to use it in the correct manner and in the right circumstances. Ask native speakers or your teacher if you are not sure. And there we go, you now can use new grammar in a topic.
Summary
I wanted to show in this article how to learn grammar topics. I hope it helped you to focus on grammar. I hate grammar! But unfortunately I cannot ignore it and have to try to improve my grammar as much as I can. There is a possibility to ignore many grammar topics if you are a beginner. But there is no way to ignore grammar if you are an advanced learner. Learning grammar is simply a must.
Brandon8 thank you for your comment. Yes- I have major issues as well! LOL Can't complain much as it is me who doesn't learn at the moment. I know I will start again - as learning a foreign language is never ending process - and will find resources to correct my grammar. You can easily find help in the internet - just google your grammar topic and start to learn. Good luck! :o)
Amy4 thanks for your comment. Yes, you are right. To speak properly, pronounce properly and use all sentences is somehow out of fashion. As I am a court interpreter I really admire barristers as they talk brilliantly. I learn my little son to say "water" instead of "waer" ... typical Brumie accent but I am not sure if I will win this battle. lol
Hi Marie, I hate grammar too, even in my native language! I must say that when I lived overseas for 12 months I just listened and repeated and got along quite well. I'm sure if I'd stayed longer though I would have had to become more serious about the second language's grammatical structure. Enjoyed your article!
Thank you for your comment Heather. Great you have experience with a foreign language. It is a huge difference in between " to "got along" and a serious knowledge of foreign language. My goal is to be as close as possible to native speakers - what is horrendous task but it motivates me. It is fun as more I know shows me how much I don't know!
Great article Marie! Grammar is very important to acquiring and keeping reader interest. The minute that your content becomes difficult to read, people will move on. There is too much content out there for people to be wasting their time on poorly written content. This is a timeless piece that will continue to hold true as long as we create content and use written content to obtain information.
Yes Kyle, it is not easy to learn grammar but it is worth the effort. I do not mind lack of grammar on fb while chatting with friends but I do not feel comfortable to speak with others knowing I made mistakes. In written content the correct grammar is a must. I use my native English friend to edit all my articles. So it is not so difficult to produce correct grammar even with the help of someone else. Obviously - it is part of my learning process.
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