Forums » Discussions » How to learn English grammar?
There are many different materials on the Internet for studying English grammar and the language in general. However, it is worth considering that not all materials are suitable for study. Some of them are terribly compiled and are not eligible for independent study at all. For example, I recently searched for 1st grade reading worksheets. However, it was very difficult to find excellent material. As a result, I found great free worksheets on englishlinx.com. These sheets are in PDF format, and you can simply print them out and start. My child likes to learn English in this way because everything is very accessible for him.
You did a great job at acknowledging the fact that your English wasn't grammatically a hundred percent correct. English is a tricky language and a lot of its grammar rules are relatively unknown, making a person who speaks the language correctly sound a bit odd.
The process would take a little time but ensure you religiously follow it.
When you're grammatically incorrect, a lot of correct sentences would sound wrong to your ears. Firstly, make a note of all of them. Whenever you think a sentence published by a reliable source appears strange, jot it down. You'd be confused as to why it is framed in that manner but revel in that confusion for a bit.
Once you have a sentence that to your knowledge seems incorrect but is in fact correct, go to the root of the problem. It is never merely enough to know the right grammar. It's more important to know why. When I first got to know that the correct sentence is "She is taller than I" and not "She is taller than me", I was naturally confused. But when I got to know the logic behind the sentence formation, I have never made that mistake again.
The important thing hence is to understand the logic behind a grammar rule. Trust me, there's always a logic. Make a separate copy where you jot down all those rules you erred in previously and try from as many sources as possible, figure out why a particular word or a sentence is the way it is.
To master a language, you need to first fall in love with it. Read " word power made easy " by Norman Lewis. This is for multiple reasons. When you gain a plethora of words to put into your vocabulary bag, you'd feel more attached to the language and would love to master it further. You'd like to use it more often in front of those who would be able to correct you when you're wrong. Secondly, the book has in it a detailed analysis on the common grammatical errors people make in their daily conversations. Grow very fond of English then see yourself get immersed in going out of the way to avoid yourself from spoiling it.
Watch every movie and English series with subtitles. Note the usage of language, tenses, subjects and verbs. These are the three areas people usually mess up in. Observe carefully the nuances of the language, the typical usage and never be satisfied with a doubt. Keep asking why.
To avoid very obvious or typical errors, get your hands on the best competitive examination verbal book there is. I refer to career launcher's material all the time. You should do the same. Since all the competitive exams focus a lot on correct grammar, they invariably provide the best content on it.
The important thing is not to just know the rules. It's more important to know why the rule and supremely important to be cautious enough to never make that mistake ever again.
I hope this helps.