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English grammar, what is it like? The grammar of the English language, as any other concerns itself its structure, namely types of sentences or word combinations, words changing. In other words it is a certain set of norms and rules that are used in the construction of a competent speech. Some people believe that the grammar is not complicated and does not cause any inconvenience. Why, then, for others, learning English grammar is so difficult? As it seems to me, the fact is that with the word "grammar" we immediately imagine a list of boring, tedious, uninteresting rules that have to be learnt by heart. It was really so several years ago. However, nowadays there is a wide range of material which can make a process of teaching grammar exciting and informative at the same time. Moreover teachers’ modern tendency is to say that grammar is not needed at all. You should just extend your vocabulary, for example get into the language environment. Do you speak English? Yes, you speak; the only question is - at what level? Grammar its language skeleton and vocabulary is skin. Of course during speaking with native speaker students will enrich their vocabulary undoubtedly. One more goal as language barrier or fear of speaking appears to be far behind. But after a while any student will face with a complete lack of knowledge about how to use all these words together, nevertheless, will force him or her to study the grammar of the English language. Equally to grammar you need to develop other skills and abilities: reading, writing, speaking, listening. All this should go in a complex – only in this case, you will achieve the desired effect. The next point is: what should teaching English grammar look like? First of all, it is worth remembering that English is not your students’ native, to which they are so used and which they use in communication, almost without thinking about theory. While teaching English grammar, problems arise with the understanding of a phenomenon, for example, an article or a large number of tenses. And it is not necessary to include logic here and try to compare all this with the native language. Never begin to study more complex material, if you are not sure that its foundation "stands firmly". Only a solid knowledge of the basics will make it relatively easy for students to get more complicated rules. The best remembered theory presented with the help of visual aids and manuals. It can be diagrams, tables, pictures, models, and presentations, that is, everything that allows you to visually show the meaning of this rule. According to goals teacher can use additional material as “English grammar in tables and charts” or use channels with cartoons for younger learners. And you can also teach English-based grammar of songs, as suggested by Mark Hancock in his book “Teaching Grammar through songs”. The main thing is never to teach grammar on the "bare" examples, completely different from life situations. Everything that you study or give to study for someone should be presented in the context of real speaking. Summing up everything stated above I should say that the most useful part of teaching English grammar is the practice of theory for activating grammatical material and developing speech. Let it be not only exercises (in large numbers), but also a variety of games, dialogues, competitions.
