Easy Steps to Improve Your English Grammar

When learning English, we come across a lot of jargon when it comes to grammar. We often don't understand what fluent English speakers are saying since the words don't exist in our original tongue.

This article contains ten strategies to help you enhance your mastery of English grammatical rules, as well as one bonus bit of advice from literaturemini on how to learn verb tenses.

10 Ways to Improve Your English Grammar. Let's get this party started...

1. Keep an eye out for apostrophes:

The apostrophe is used to form contractions as well as the possessive case (for example, sister's book, John's son). Don't overlook this important punctuation mark. You may simply change the meaning of words by omitting the apostrophe: its – it's, their – they're. Take care!

2. After introductory or prepositional phrases, always use a comma:

It may appear to be illogical, yet it is actually quite straightforward. A prepositional phrase is a word combination with a preposition as its main component. The prepositional phrase is usually preceded by a preposition and followed by a noun or pronoun.

Some instances are as follows:

Under the pile of books, I found my pen.

After a hard training session, Messi loves to relax in the backyard.

3. Make a list of as many heteronyms (homophones) and suffixes as you can:

Homophones are words that are pronounced the same but spelled differently, such as too – two, your – you're, accept – except. Knowing how to build new words in English and which suffixes to utilize is crucial. The suffix –able, for example, can be added to the core word trendy; the word can also exist without it. When a term has no meaning without the suffix –ible, it is used: divisible.

4. Recognize the articles:

There are two types of articles in English: definite (the) and indefinite (a/an). Remember that while referring to something in general, a/an is used, and when referring to something specific, the is used.

Examples:

A doctor was summoned.

The doctor who lives next door was summoned.

5. Be aware of the term "appositive."

An appositive is a noun or pronoun that is used to explain or identify another word or pronoun.

It's a simple technique to add more information to a sentence. The term "appositive" comes from a Latin word that means "to place close," and it usually appears right after the word or phrase that it identifies.

Example:

He was a Hindu, a frail wisp with a shaved head and hazy watery eyes.

6. Separate the words that, who, and which with a comma:

However, only do so if the phrase contains nonessential information that might be removed from the sentence without losing its meaning. Let's look at few examples.

Politicians who lie are distrusted by the public.

Mr. Mahbub, who is wearing a blue shirt, announced his candidacy for mayor.

7. Keep in mind that a semicolon replaces a period and divides two independent clauses:

Within a complex sentence, a semicolon can be used to separate two sentences or independent clauses. Semicolons are frequently used in English novels.

The class had never seen Sayma mam so mad; everyone thought the teacher was going to have some serious health issue.

8. Understand the distinction between countable and uncountable nouns:

The term many is used with countable nouns like dress, house, car, and so on, while the word much is used with uncountable nouns like money, snow, time, and so on. Both countable and uncountable nouns can be used with the phrase a lot of.

9. Make an effort to expand your vocabulary:

Read more books, periodicals, and newspapers to expand your English vocabulary. You might also want to consider enrolling in one of the many online English courses available to improve a variety of abilities.

"In order to improve the intellect, we should contemplate rather than learn." — Rene Descartes

10. Double-check your spelling and proofread your English work:

You can use an online tool to help you.

Expert advice from literaturemini on how to memorize English verb tenses:

When studying English, many students struggle with knowing when to utilize which tense. Even if you know how to build sentences to describe the past, present, and future, it's very easy to get them mixed up. Literaturemini has some tips for you.

Memorizing the trigger words that help you in your mind when you're talking can be really beneficial. Practice phrases that begin with "yesterday," "last week," or "last year" if you're studying the past tense. This will remind you that you must use the past tense whenever you mention "yesterday." If you write down a list of these trigger words and then practice using them, your brain will eventually recall the tenses. For the present tense, use "today," "next week," and "next year," while for the future tense, use "tomorrow," "next week," and "next year."

If you repeatedly practice those small triggers, they will eventually become subconscious. That is our strongest recommendation. Make sure you're thinking about "How would I create a sentence using this?" when you're learning verbs in different tenses. "What would be a good trigger word?"

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How to Improve Your English Grammar: Frequently Asked Questions

What are some of the most prevalent grammatical errors?

There are several grammar errors that English learners and native speakers alike make. Comma splices, overuse of adverbs or prepositions, passive rather than active voice, "it's" instead of "its" (or vice versa), and mixing together "they're," "there," and "their" are all common (and avoidable) errors.

How do I double-check my grammatical errors?

An online grammar checker is one of the most useful tools for improving your grammar. These tools allow you to type text into a window and flag any potential grammar mistakes. While not perfect, these tools can assist you with the fundamentals.