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One can know every word in the English language but without knowing how to string them together it is nearly impossible to effectively communicate with others. That’s where an understanding of English grammar becomes essential. Though it would be imprudent for a teacher to dive into their first lesson and focus solely on grammar, at some point, it will become a necessity to teach how grammar impacts the English language in order for a student to progress. So why is this the case? I want to look at three key features that proper use of grammar provides. First, proper utilization of grammar makes it possible to better communicate one’s ideas with others and avoid drawing attention to themselves when unwanted. Second, teaching a student the correct uses of syntax in the English language provides a grammatical framework for an ESL learner to follow. Third and finally, I want to discuss the importance of teaching English morphology and its uses in everyday life. Perhaps the most immediate advantage of knowing and using proper grammatical structure comes from being able to exchange ideas with another person or persons and save face. In my experience, ESL learners are quick to learn new vocabulary and are able to understand much more than they can speak, at least initially. Additionally, many of my ESL learners have been exposed to English vocabulary though various types of media like movies, music, and online video platforms. They spend time online reading blogs and following others on social media but lack an understanding of English grammar. As a result, they start to struggle when they are needing to communicate their own thoughts and ideas with others, and it shows. For example, look at almost any online platform that allows an individual to write a post and one might see posts from an individual like this. “Sorry english is bad. I’m only started study. Please be kind. I really love these video. Is so cool.” I think that statements like “Please be kind” shows how they fear someone’s response. I’d argue that those who better understand English grammar don’t draw as much of this unwanted attention to themselves. In reality, this problem might affect not only their presence online but also other aspects of their life such as their job and social standing. When it comes to teaching the syntax of a language it’s important to let a student know that there is a proper order to how things are said and written. Omitting a word or adding one that isn’t necessary can and does cause problems for those who are listening or reading. For example, if a Japanese ESL learner wrote, “Walked a dog,” the absence of the subject might go unnoticed, as the subject is often dropped in Japanese. In English we need to include the subject. So even though the example includes a verb, an article, and an object, it is still missing the subject/noun. This makes it incorrect because a proper sentence requires a subject or noun. Again, proper use of grammar in English brings about less ambiguity between those who are exchanging ideas. In the last part I want to look at the morphology of English. There are many rules, and to the frustration of ESL learners just about as many exceptions to those same rules encapsulated in the English language. All of these rules make learning English a bit of a headache for some. That said, when a teacher is able to demonstrate how to change the tense of a sentence, form a question, or how a root word plus a prefix or suffix can change a word’s meaning, this can help the most flabbergasted of students get to a point where they can actually understand what is being said and respond appropriately. It’s these aspects of morphology that sets ESL learners up with rules they can follow to accurately relay a central thought or idea. In the end, grammar is key to knowing how to effectively communicate ones ideas and thoughts with others. This is what I believe language is all about. If one has the foundational understandings of how to compose a sentence, one should be able to communicate with others more effectively.
