English Grammar: How to Learn It Well

Hello language learner – I hear you’re trying to learn English grammar. Many have been in your place before, many will be and many still are. You are in the process of learning English, but sometimes it’s not the amazing adventure that you were promised. You have doubts and questions about specific grammar topics of course, but also general questions about the process of learning a language.

I bet that we know some of those questions because, as language experts, we have either had those questions ourselves or answered them before.

In this article you will find eight very common questions that English learners often ask about learning grammar, along with complete answers that we hope will make everything clear for you.

Read them all to find some very good common sense suggestions on how to navigate your relationship with English grammar.

Common questions that English learners ask about learning grammar

Where should I start?

This is a good one. There is this thing about languages – they don’t come in small doses. From the moment a native speaker opens their mouth, you will encounter an insanely fast flow of new words, grammar rules and structures, pronunciation peculiarities and fashionable slang. In your mind you might have an idea of what you will do with your top-of-the-line English proficiency as soon as you achieve it, but at this point you are still not ready to dive head-first into Shakespearean sonnets.

Take a deep breath. Look around you. There is a principle in language teaching that is generally accepted and usually works. A language will come to a new learner as concentric circles, like the ones you get when you throw a rock in the water.

In the first circle you learn to describe yourself, your needs, and to have basic conversation. In the following circle, you start talking about your past experiences, and then about your wishes and desires. Finally you get to the outer circle, where you learn to discuss the influence of Shakespeare on today’s movie industry, but that will be for later. In the meantime you will learn how to ask questions, to use plural nouns, to form positive and negative sentences.

Most language courses created by experts have a specific order of grammar topics. This can vary, of course, but in general you will go through a process. Bear in mind that the process is not always straightforward and that there is most likely always going to be something that you don’t know. Enjoy the ride!

What is the best method for learning grammar?

As with most marketing campaigns in language learning you will find a lot of promises. Learn in 48 hours! Speak like a native! The only 100 words that you will need for everything!

As usual, the reality is a little bit more complex than that. These promises don’t take into account one pretty important factor in the equation. Do you want to know what that factor is? Well, it’s you, darling. Your beautiful self might stand in the way between the goal set by someone who wants to sell you an English course and your own success.

This happens because you come with your own set of wonderful features, and not all of them will work in your favor. You might be a perfectionist (very bad when learning a language), you might find all of this incredibly boring, or you might be really shy.

The perfect method will have to factor you in, and the one who knows you the best is… you! What do you think you will enjoy? The best way to find out is to try different things and then go with what works for you.

Should I use textbooks, apps, online courses, teachers…?

Yes, yes, yes, and yes.

Here is a very controversial take – you should take into consideration quantity, not only quality. This doesn’t mean that it will be enough to just blast English music 24/7. You may still be at a beginning level (or intermediate, if you got this far), but if you fit a little English into many moments of your day, it will be a good thing. You could listen to music, take a language immersion course with other people, or practice with a great language learning app, for example. Everything adds up, and there isn’t just one perfect thing that you should do.

I understand the grammar rule, but when I speak or write I always forget. How can I internalize it?

This is part of the process of learning a language. We have already said that progress doesn’t come in a neat upward curve. You might have setbacks and yes, it takes time, practice, and a lot of mistakes to internalize a grammar rule.

Let’s take a simple example. When you use a present tense verb after he, she, or it you need to add ‘s’ at the end of the verb, right? And yet, this is one of the most common mistakes that every teacher has corrected a thousand times.

Here is what progress usually looks like. Student X learns this rule (in a class, an app, or a textbook, for example). Okay, it seems easy. Student X first hesitates after saying he, she, or it and then adds the ‘s.’ But then they forget to add ‘s’ for the following nine verbs. And then they remember to add it again. In the meantime, Student X starts noticing that people add ‘s’ to verbs, and it becomes easier for Student X to do this regularly.

The thing is, it’s important to learn and practice English grammar rules, but keep in mind that progress is not linear. Don’t worry – you’ll get there! It’s all part of learning a language.

Check out our dedicated article on the 12 basic rules in English grammar to give you a head start!

Great. I learned a grammar rule and now I discover that there are variations and exceptions to the rule?

One thing that is very clear to anyone who has learned another language is that languages don’t always follow the grammar rules. Languages are messy, and English is no exception!

But learning English grammar rules is still very useful. These rules show how English is used most of the time, and learning them will help you communicate clearly. Once you understand a rule, you will start to notice exceptions to the rule, and you can gradually learn these exceptions and incorporate them into your own speaking and writing.

So try not to get too frustrated – finding these exceptions is just part of the fun of language learning, and it’s part of the process of becoming fluent in English.

How can I stay motivated?

This is tricky – since progress is not linear, it can be pretty hard on you to make the same mistakes over and over again. Unfortunately, this is really common in language learning.

At the beginning, everything is new. You learn something new every day – nothing can stop you. After a while, though, you might notice that you make some mistakes. You get corrected and then you make the same mistakes again. You don’t understand how contractions work, verb tenses are difficult, and your sentences are a mess.

But don’t worry! Trust the process. This is a long term thing you are aiming for. Progress will come – you may not feel it every day, but you’ll get there if you keep working at it!

Isn’t grammar boring?

Who told you that? Grammar is pretty, grammar is great, grammar is magnificent! And yes, it can be hard to understand and a little boring sometimes.

Languages are wonderful, amazing creations of nature and the human brain. Through a series of sounds and hisses we can express anything that comes to our minds. Grammar rules are the laws of nature that describe languages. If language is the superpower of humans, grammar rules are the rules of engagement. How is that not cool?

How will I know that I am getting better?

This is also an interesting one. As you get better you will know more things and you will be more confident and you will speak better. Right? Right.

But in reality, as happens with most language learners, you will not always feel this way. You will be filled with doubts, questioning your progress and feeling like you are the last one to get there. These feelings are very common. As you become more knowledgeable, you will learn that there are many more things to learn. This can cause your confidence to waver.

So when in doubt, always look back and carefully think about all the things that you couldn’t do before but you can do now. These may be small things, but a lot of small things add up to a lot of progress.

Wrapping up

Learning English grammar can be difficult, but with the right attitude, you can definitely succeed. Remember that your goal is not to learn a bunch of dry English grammar rules, but to learn how to communicate clearly and effectively in English. The grammar is just a tool to help you along the way.

So if you think of it this way, you may even be able to find some joy or pleasure in it. This will make your language learning journey more enjoyable and also effective. Trust the process – don’t expect to see results every day or right away. But if you keep practising a little every day, you will certainly get better and better at English. Enjoy your journey!