Grammar
Grammar is the way we arrange words to make proper sentences. Word level grammar covers verbs and tenses, nouns, adverbs etc. Sentence level grammar covers phrases, clauses, reported speech etc.
- What is Grammar?
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- 20 Grammar Rules
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Word-level Grammar
9 Parts of Speech
Action verbs, express what is happening (do, work). State verbs express a situation (be, have).
Nouns
Nouns represent people (teacher, Mary), places (town, Asia) and things (table, music).
Adjectives
An adjective is a word that tells us more about a noun (big, red, expensive).
Adverbs
Adverbs tell us more about verbs, adjectives or adverbs (loudly, really, extremely).
Determiners are words like the, an, this that start a noun phrase.
Prepositions
A preposition expresses the relationship of a noun or pronoun to another word (at, in, from).
Pronouns
Pronouns are small words like you, ours, some that can take the place of a noun.
Conjunctions
Conjunctions join two parts of a sentence (and, but, though).
Interjections
Short exclamations with no real grammatical value (ah, dear, er)
Sentence-level Grammar
Phrases
The five main types of phrase in English. With quiz
What is a Sentence?
When is a sentence not a sentence? With quiz
The 4 Types of Sentence
Declarative, Interrogative, Imperative, Exclamative. With quiz
The 4 Types of Sentence Structure
Simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences. With quiz
Linking, Intransitive and Transitive Verbs
To understand sentence construction, it helps to know about these verbs. With quiz
Direct Object
The direct object receives the action of the verb directly. With quiz
Indirect Object
The indirect object receives the direct object. With quiz
Reported Speech
Here is the structure that we use to "report" what another person has said. With quiz
Parenthetical Expression
Words added to a sentence without changing its meaning or grammar. With quiz
Grammatical Category
Including number, case, gender, tense, aspect etc. With quiz
People often ask
FAQ: frequently asked grammar questions
- What are the 12 rules of English grammar?
- What is grammar in easy words?
- What are the 5 types of grammar?
- What are the basics of English grammar?
Grammar Theory
Universal Grammar 
The idea that the ability to learn a language is built into the human brain
More Grammar Articles
5 Common Subject-Verb Agreement Mistakes of ESL Students
It’s not always easy to get the verb and the subject to agree in terms of number. Even native speakers sometimes get that wrong.
8 Ways to Use the Preposition “by”
Andrew Forrester looks at different uses of “by” as a preposition, and gives you practical examples.
What's IN a Preposition?
When is a preposition not a preposition?
Grammar is your Friend
How grammar can help you to learn a language more easily
Grammar Games and Quizzes Online
Test your knowledge of English grammar with these fun online activities:
Recommended Grammar Links
- English grammar section on Cambridge Dictionary (British English)
- Grammar pages at Purdue Online Writing Lab (American English)
- Grammar page at Wikipedia
Whenever you correct someone's grammar just remember that nobody likes you. Jim Gaffigan