Why is grammar important?

1. Why is grammar important?

2. “Grammar is important because it is the language that makes it possible for us to talk about language. Grammar names the types of words and word groups that make up sentences not only in English but in any language. As human beings, we can put sentences together even as children--we can all do grammar. But to be able to talk about how sentences are built, about the types of words and word groups that make up sentences--that is knowing about grammar. And knowing about grammar offers a window into the human mind and into our amazingly complex mental capacity.People associate grammar with errors and correctness. But knowing about grammar also helps us understand what makes sentences and paragraphs clear and interesting and precise […] And knowing about grammar means finding out that all languages and all dialects follow grammatical patterns.” National Council for Teachers of English

3. Our system of categories is very ancient, stemming back to the Romans, who in turn got it from the Greeks. • Something very similar to the present-day system of categories was in use by the time of Greek-speaking grammarian Dionysius Thrax (c. 100 BCE). Thrax assumed the following categories: • noun, participle, pronoun, preposition, adverb, conjunction Categories of Words

4. Lexical Categories: supply the bulk of lexical, or word-based meaning to a sentence • nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs • schoolteacher play banjo tomorrow grandmother • Grammatical Categories: give structure to sentences rather than supplying meaning • pronouns, prepositions, determiners, conjunctions • that will the for his and Categories of Words

5. Nouns and pronouns are referring forms. They mention the entities in our environment, including our own discourse, that are talked about and to which qualities and actions are attributed. • Examples of nouns: Hammer, word, salmon, hay, injustice, delay, face, knot, day, pronouncement, beauty • Examples of pronouns: I, you, she, us, them, that, someone, what, himself • The best way to think of nouns and pronouns is not as objects, but as potential topics: things that can be mentioned, talked about, or referred to. • “A Noun is Person, Place, or Thing,” “Rufus Xavier Sasparilla” Nouns and Pronouns

6. Verbs serve to report actions and states and to introduce predicates. (A predicate is something that is said about something.) • Examples of verbs: walk, cook, agitate, think, resemble, provoke, postpone, pronounce, seem, sway, possess. • “Verb: That’s What’s Happening” Verbs and Auxiliaries

7. The verb is a pivotal category that functions as the center of a group of words that predicate or attribute quality or an action to the topic noun or pronoun. • Some verbs report events – that is, things that happen: • The second car swerved to avoid the bicycle • Others describe states: • The lovely island of Capri lies in the Bay of Naples • Still others link a topic noun with a quality of some kind • Your cat seemed a little depressed this evening Verbs and Auxiliaries

8. Verbs are capable of showing tense; that is, they may indicate present or past time. • Leslie cooked the most delicate crepes. • They kept the dinosaurs on a remote island. • Often the tense appears not on the verb itself but on an auxiliary verb, such as can or have. • We are growing geraniums in our window box. • The can grow rice and millet in their fields. Verbs and Auxiliaries

9. Adjectives serve to attribute some quality to a noun or pronoun. • Examples of adjectives: green, angry, far-fetched, irreconcilable, cute, fast, quick, slow, tempestuous. • Attributive adjectives – immediately before a noun • Scottie served us one of her succulent quiches. • Predicate adjectives – after a linking verb • The milk had turned sour • “Unpack Your Adjectives” Adjectives

10. Adverbs are a mixed class, which makes them challenging to define and identify. Two of their most important uses are to add meaning to a verb and to qualify an adjective. • Bill looked at me strangely (qualifies verb) • Unusually low temperatures had ruined the artichoke crop (modifies adjective) • While many adverbs are derived from adjectives by adding the suffix –ly (warmly, hurriedly) there are exceptions! • Time goes by fast during the summer • “Lolly, Lolly, Lolly, Get Your Adverbs Here” Adverbs

11. Prepositions are words that begin a prepositional phrase (preposition followed by a noun or pronoun). The noun or pronoun in a prepositional phrase is known as the prepositional complement. • Examples of prepositions: in, of, up, down, for, by, with, from, to, above, below, against, behind, opposite. • A strange creature emerged from the vehicle • I am dedicating the free love pamphlet to my father • “Busy Prepositions” Prepositions

12. Determiner is a blanket term for a variety of kinds of words that come before a noun and “determine” them.The determiners include: • Articles (the, a) • Demonstratives (this, that) • Quantifiers (all, some) • Numerals (seven, twenty-nine, fourth) • Possessives (my, your) Determiners

13. Conjunctions are grammatical words that link sentences or clauses together. A clause is a sentence that forms part of a larger sentence. • The Dow Jones is down again and they are predicting rain • Subordinating conjunctions: while, because, after, before, since • Coordinating conjunctions: and, or, but, for • “Conjunction Junction” Conjunctions

14. For each item, place the words in one of three columns according to whether they belong unambiguously in one of the categories, or could plausibly belong to either of the categories named. For each of the ambiguous words, make up two sentences exemplifying its use in each category. • Noun/Verb/Either Noun or Verb: Cat, squirrel, misjudge, violin, photo, arm, wrist, unlock, thumb, entertainment, carry, alarm • Adjective/Verb/Either Adjective or Verb: Large, smooth, amaze, dry, calm, drunk, silence, renew, thin, mellow, red, force • Adjective/Adverb/Either Adjective or Adverb: Deadly, heavy, poor, poorly, good, well, faster, early, late, soon • Preposition/Conjunction/Either Preposition or Conjunction: And, although, during, since, while, except, because, of, but, after, near, until

15. In each of the following sentences, one item is italicized. Identify its category. • There was not enough oxygen in the fish tank. • The children had been flying kites in the park. • He had gone to the movies with some of his friends. • He was wearing a pink blazer and a green tie. • The eighteenth century was a time of intense reflection on the human condition. • An ingeniously contrived arrangement of string and tin cans guarded the entrance. • They were coming for us at eight o’clock. • Someone asked me to hand over my passport. • The books were fascinating. • All the guests were leaving.