Grammar is the foundation of any language. It is impossible to achieve proper fluency in a language if one is not well versed in the grammar. Therefore, to achieve proficiency at the highest level, it is essential to realize the importance of having a sound grammatical foundation. Languages have a way to evolve.
To keep up with the pace of the modifications in a language, grammar has to be thoroughly understood. Fortunately, there are plenty of facilities available for individuals to learn and polish their grammar skills in today's world. For starters, here are some online Tutor tips and tricks to improve your grammar. Let us take a look.
Building the basics
1. Appropriate punctuations
Punctuation is a crucial part of any language as it adds modulation to the sentences by pacing the words. You should learn the proper use of a comma, colon, semi-colon, full stop, question mark, exclamation mark, apostrophes, hyphens, quotation marks, parentheses, dashes, to name a few.
Always remember to capitalize the first letter of a proper noun and when you begin a sentence. Learning the basics of punctuation enables you to determine where to pause and how long the pause should be. This is the first step toward improving your grammar as well as spoken.
2. Ordering of words
The sentences in the English language are structured according to this rule-first comes the subject, then the verb, and the object order in the end. For example, Peter came to the party. Here Peter is the subject.
As a general rule, adjectives modify nouns, and they come mostly before those nouns that they are supposed to modify. Although, when it comes to the grammar of a language, there are always some exceptions. You should remember to take them into account as well.
3. Mastering the parts of speech
There are usually eight parts of speech-nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, prepositions, adverbs, interjections, conjunctions in a language. In some cases, articles might also be included. To put together sentences correctly, one should have complete knowledge of the parts of speech of a language. You should understand their functioning in detail.
Studying From Reliable Sources
1. Online tutoring for grammar
Today, where the internet has taken over the world by storm, online tutoring has emerged as a new learning way. The best way to improve your proficiency in a language is to start taking online grammar lessons.
Online grammar tutoring provides flexibility and allows the person to learn according to his or her own convenience. There are a series of online grammar tests that students can opt for to assess their progress.
2. Home tutor
If you prefer to take grammar classes in person, then grammar home tutors are the best choice for you. That way, you will have a teacher whose prime focus will be on improving your skills. With such keen focus and individualized attention, you will have a solid grammar base to flaunt your newly developed command over a language within no time.
3. Read grammar books by established authors
In addition to taking classes, you must put in some efforts of your own. When you read the rules repeatedly, they get absorbed into your mind deeply, making them almost impossible to forget.
It is a good idea to read many style guides as each of them offers unique tips and tricks to approach a concept. When you understand something from different perspectives, you get an in-depth insight into grammar's whole idea.
4. Online Resources
Nowadays, everything is just a mouse click or a mobile tap away. You can find some really valuable resources on the internet. All you have got to do is sort them out in a way that makes them easy for you to grasp. There are plenty of videos available on Youtube that can prove to be of great help.
Knowledgeable people from different parts of the world have put together a series of helpful grammar learning videos that are all accessible to you on a single platform. Online resources triumph over traditional libraries so that they are accessible to everyone irrespective of the place they reside in.
Taking Note Of Common Errors and Avoiding Them
1. Do not let words confuse you
Languages have so many words that look or sound alike. But you must differentiate between properly and avoid mistakes that can prove to blunder. This requires an in-depth study of homonyms, homophones, homographs, and heteronyms. Unawareness regarding these four concepts can cause unavoidable silly mistakes.
2. Punctuation errors
Nothing gives a bad impression of improper punctuation. It is very common to confuse the use of a comma with a semicolon. Similarly, most people tend to reverse the use of quotation marks with single inverted commas.
Sometimes, the separation of independent clauses in the same sentence with a comma can become an error. You should also know how to make use of coordinating conjunctions with a comma. Quotations should be used to indicate what another person has exactly said.
3. Simplification of sentences
Learning grammar does not mean that you unnecessarily complicate things even when a task can easily be accomplished. For example, people who use too much passive voice tend to turn others off as they might come on too strong. Of course, there is nothing grammatically wrong with the use of passive voice as long as the sentence framing is correct, but it seems forceful when used unnecessarily.
An active voice implies clarity and simplicity. It is good to use active voice sentences while speaking and writing unless you wish to emphasize something. For example, "I wrote the check" implies that a person wrote the check. It's simple, easy to understand, and gives the required information. But in case of any confusion, the person might say " the check was written by me" to emphasize who wrote the check.
4. The sequence of reflexive pronouns
Pronouns that are used to emphasize a person or a group of people are known as reflexive pronouns. Some examples are myself, herself/himself/itself, yourself, yourselves, ourselves, and themselves. They signify the intensity with which a person wants to convey a message.
When the subject and object of a sentence are the same, then a reflexive pronoun can be used as an object. They are used to reinforce that the subject has performed a particular action and that it is confirmed. Reflexive pronouns eliminate a sense of doubt and ensure a sense of surety.
Practice Till You Are Perfect
1. Writing
Before you attempt a fluent spoken of a particular language, it is important to master the writing skills. Writing gives you plenty of time and provides you with an opportunity to practice at your own pace. Writing a journal is a good way to pace up your learning. It improves your descriptive abilities and helps maintain continuity in your grammar routine. Different events occur in your everyday life.
When you write a journal, you learn how to describe positive and negative incidents with varying intensities. You will definitely encounter some problem areas that you can work on the very next day when you sit down to write in your journal again. And let's face it! Writing about yourself can be fun and improve you as a person. So, two birds with one stone! Doesn't seem like a bad idea, does it?
Another way to improve your grammar is to write short stories. You can start with simple stories for kids and work your way up to more complicated ones. You can also increase the length of your stories as you progress. The most important part of this step is you give your stories to someone to read. That way, you can also understand the reader's perspective and use the judgment to your benefit.
Last but not least, if you truly wish to have an expert's writing skills, you have to give up the typical SMS language, which is widely prevalent in today's world.
Nowadays, informal conversations rarely occur via mail. Everyone is using messaging apps and chatting online. While this technological advancement is certainly super beneficial for society as a whole, it spoils people's grammar, especially young children. They tend to use twisted short forms instead of typing the correct word.
It is important to check such behaviors and start conversing with each other using proper grammar by following a language's rules and syntax.
2. Grammar Checkers
It is okay to use reliable grammar checkers once in a while. Although one should note that these checkers are not a substitute for a teacher or actual experts. Proofreading services often make the corrections automatically, depriving the learner of a chance to explore mistakes and work on them. But it is plainly wrong to become completely reliant on grammar checkers.
If you don't have someone to check right away, then carefully note the changes made by the automatic proofreader to improve upon your mistakes.
3. Games
Regardless of which age group, the best way to learn something is to make a game out of it. Nowadays, many schools include word games as a part of their curriculum to make grammar learning fun and imaginative time for children. Instead of playing those usual bike and car racing games, it is good that children are gaining some knowledge while playing games and enjoying a productive time.
But that doesn't mean that these games are only meant for little kids. Consider the situation. You need to work on your grammar, and you decide to read a book full of text. At the same time, if you are too sleepy to dig your eyes into that much text. Will you be able to make the most out of your learning session?
Well, unless you get a big caffeine boost, I'm going to say no. Now, if you consider playing an interactive game, you are less likely to feel sleepy or bored, and you might end up enjoying one of the most productive learning sessions. This will also help you retain the rules for a longer duration. Some of the games also let you compete with other learners over a network to have a chance to see where you stand among a crowd and learn from others' mistakes.
4. Be a good listener
Try to stay among people who constantly converse in the language you wish to develop a mastery over. When you listen to people framing sentences, take note of their word usage and vocabulary. Don't be afraid or nervous to ask questions or clarify any queries. You can also repeat what others have said to practice.
5. Bring variety to your reading
Authors have the best grasp of the language. Read novels by different authors and of different niches. That way, you will know how to describe different fields. Different writing genres, such as textbooks, classic literature, science-fiction, biographies, blogs, essays, science books, and articles, teach us something different and innovative. Each one composes a different kind of description that improves our usage of adjectives and grammar.
While reading, keep a dictionary around so that you can look at words you don't understand right away. Listen to the radio and watch the news to get a deeper insight into spontaneous speaking. Reading newspapers and solving crosswords is an excellent way to improve your vocabulary. Since most of the headings are given in passive voice, it can automatically prepare a few concepts for you.
In conclusion, to sum up, whatever you do, start with the basics and work your way up to the complicated concepts. Once you take note of a mistake, make sure that you don't repeat it. If you stay focused, determined, and keep practicing, nothing can stop you from having the grammar of an expert.