MEANING, IMPORTANCE, AND PURPOSE

What is Grammar?

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

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.

Why is Grammar So Important?

Grammar is very important within the English language, since it is, in effect, the glue that holds the language together. With the use of incorrect grammar sentences can become meaningless and their message is unclear. This means that you aren’t able to communicate effectively and the person who is reading your work may well be quite confused as to your meaning.

In effect, grammar is the way in which sentences are structured and the language is formatted, so whilst it may be considered a bit boring to study correct grammar, it really is worth the time and effort. If you don’t know the rules of grammar, then you will never be able to communicate clearly and effectively in the English language. 

Is grammar important? Why should we spend time improving our level of English Grammar?

When learning or using a language, many people find that their grammar is far from perfect. But grammar is inescapable; it is the backbone of any language and must be understood in order for one to communicate effectively. Every time you write something, you are being judged for your grammar, even if it is subconscious. You are less likely to land jobs, you are less likely to get replied to on social media sites, and you are less likely to get contacted when online dating. Having good grammar simply makes you look more intelligent, so it is important for everyone to spend a little time perfecting theirs.

People communicate through writing now more than ever. As phone calls decrease and text messages increase, emails have become standard for business and countless discussion forums have opened on the internet. Using proper spelling and good English grammar is imperative for all of these methods of communication. What’s funny is that while shorthand and abbreviations are not always looked down upon, bad grammar almost always is. For instance, you would probably get a bad reaction by saying “I’m going too the store,” but “I’m going 2 the store” is generally considered to be socially acceptable (though not in academic settings, of course).