What is Grammar?e

Grammar is the system of a language. People sometimes describe grammar as the "rules" of a language; but in fact no language has rules*. If we use the word "rules", we suggest that somebody created the rules first and then spoke the language, like a new game. But languages did not start like that. Languages started by people making sounds which evolved into words, phrases and sentences. No commonly-spoken language is fixed. All languages change over time. What we call "grammar" is simply a reflection of a language at a particular time.

Do we need to study grammar to learn a language? The short answer is "no". Very many people in the world speak their own, native language without having studied its grammar. Children start to speak before they even know the word "grammar". But if you are serious about learning a foreign language, the long answer is "yes, grammar can help you to learn a language more quickly and more efficiently." It's important to think of grammar as something that can help you, like a friend. When you understand the grammar (or system) of a language, you can understand many things yourself, without having to ask a teacher or look in a book.

So think of grammar as something good, something positive, something that you can use to find your way - like a signpost or a map.

* Except invented languages like Esperanto. And if Esperanto were widely spoken, its rules would soon be very different.

English Grammar

Welcome to English Club English Grammar for ESL learners. Many of these grammar lessons also have quizzes to check your understanding. If you still don't understand something, feel free to ask a question at the Grammar Help Desk.

grammar (noun): the structure and system of a language, or of languages in general, usually considered to consist of syntax and morphology.

Hot Links Verbs Passive voice Modal verbs Conditionals Questions Irregular verbs Going to Gerunds Phrasal Verbs Tenses Nouns (Un)Countable nouns Adjectives Articles Preposition List

What is Grammar?

English Grammar Terms (long version)
English Grammar Terms (short version)

The 8 English Parts of Speech
These are the words that you use to make a sentence. There are only 8 types of word - and the most important is the Verb!

• Verbs be, have, do, work
• Nouns man, town, music
• Adjectives a, the, 69, big
• Adverbs loudly, well, often
• Pronouns you, ours, some
• Prepositions at, in, on, from
• Conjunctions and, but, though
• Interjections ah, dear, er, um

Grammar Quizzes
Parts of Speech Quiz Verb Classification Quiz Main Verb Forms Quiz Active or Passive Quiz Subjunctive Quiz Future Time Quiz Continuous Tense Quiz Used to do Quiz	Have to, Must Quiz Can, Could Quiz Questions Quiz Tag Questions Quiz Infinitive or -ing Quiz Gerunds Quiz Phrasal Verbs Quiz Phrasal Verbs Quiz	Conditionals Quiz For or Since Quiz Present Simple Quiz Present Continuous Quiz Present Perfect Quiz Present Perfect Continuous Past Simple Quiz Past Continuous Quiz
More Grammar Quizzes

English Grammar Links
Search the English Club ESL Webguide for links to many other grammar sites.

Interview with Grammarman
Josef Essberger chats with Brian Boyd, creator of Grammarman, the world's first and only grammar superhero.

Word Up
The ESL board game that's fun to play and improves your grammar.

Easy English Question of the Day
Check your grammar knowledge with the Question of the Day at EasyEnglish.com.

This English Prepositions List is a list of all English prepositions, showing them in context with example sentences. Multiple question quizzes help you check your understanding, and illustrations clarify meaning.

• 150 English prepositions including
  • 94 one-word prepositions
  • 56 complex prepositions
• 370 example sentences
• 200 quiz questions and answers
• illustrated