Why study GRAMMAR?

What Is GRAMMAR?• Grammar is the system of a

language.• Grammar is simply a reflection of

a language at a particular time.• Think of grammar as something

that can help you, like a friend.• You can use grammar like a

signpost or a map in finding the way.

Why study GRAMMAR?• GREAT GRAMMAR leads to:• your being a better listener,

speaker, reader, writer and communicator.

• better relationships and job prospects.

• logic and reasoning in communication skills.

• your own writing style.

Why study GRAMMAR?• GREAT GRAMMAR leads to:• your being a better listener,

speaker, reader, writer and communicator.

• better relationships and job prospects.

• logic and reasoning in communication skills.

• your own writing style.

English grammar is the science which treats of the nature of words, their forms, and their uses

and relations in the sentence.

• It makes rules to tell us how to use words.

• It is a record of usage which we ought to follow.

• It is concerned with the forms of the language.

• Grammar teaches the laws of language, and the right method of using it in speaking and writing. – Patterson

Nine Parts of Speech

NounsPronouns

Adjectives Adverbs

Adverbs

ConjunctionsConjunctions

Prepositions

Verbs

InterjectionsInterjections

ArticlesArticles

A word that expresses action or otherwise helps to make a statement

LinkingLinking

Subject

predicate

Every sentence must have

Every sentence must have

aa

Kinds of Verbs• Action verbs express

mental or physical action.

• Linking verbs make a statement by

connecting the subject with a word that

describes or explains it.

He rode the horse to victory.

He has been sick.

The importance for correct VERB TENSE

• Clear and easy to understand• Consistency• To express the event with proper verb

tenses

The VERB has characteristics of:

• TENSE• MOOD• VOICE• ASPECT

• Tense is a method that we use in English to refer to time - past, present and future.• tense (noun): a form of a verb used to indicate the time, and sometimes the continuation or completeness, of an

action in relation to the time of speaking. (From Latin tempus = time).

There are three times that can be indicated by verb tenses in English:

• present• past • future

There are three “aspects” that can be expressed: simple (indefinite) perfect (completion – before the time of focus) progressive (or continuous) (duration – in progress at the time of focus)

NOW

FUTUREPAST

The Twelve Traditional Tenses

The Twelve Traditional Tenses

Present SIMPLE (Indefinite)It is used to signal the following meanings:• Habitual actions in the present. He walks to class every day.• General timeless truths. Water freezes at 0 degrees centigrade. The Earth is round.• Sensory or mental perception in the present. I see a sign in the corner. I know that Charlotte is a teacher.• Narrative present Marc hits the ball and falls over.• Schedule, timetable Classes begin at 9.

• Sense verbs (hear, see, sound, taste, feel) The skunk smells bad

Present SIMPLE (Indefinite)It is used to signal the following meanings:• always every day/week/year

• most of the time

• usually

• sometimes

• often

• half of the time

• frequently

• occasionally

• rarely

• seldom

• hardly ever

• never (forever)

Past SIMPLE (Indefinite)It is used to signal the following meanings:• A definite completed action in the past. He flew to the UK on Saturday.• Habitual action in the past. Chris jogged to work every day last year.• A situation that applied in the past with the

implication that it no longer applies in the present.

Professor Walker lectured at Keele for 30 years.

EXPRESSION OF TIME!!!

Past SIMPLE (Indefinite)It is used to signal the following meanings:• Yesterday

• Last …

• … ago

• Last year/month/week

• In 1990

Present Progressive (Continuous)It is used to signal the following meanings:• Action in progress at the moment of speaking They are eating their lunch now.• A temporary present occupation or activity She is studying at Keele University now.• Repetition in a series of similar ongoing actions Skippy is pushing the football around the garden.• Complaints about bad habits She is always grumbling.• Planned action in the nearest future We are meeting our friends tomorrow.• Situations which are changing or developing around the

present Computers are becoming more and more important.

Present Progressive• at present moment

• at 5 o’clock a.m.

• presently

• for now

• currently

• right now

• this month

• this semester

• this year

• just now

• as we speak

• for a little while

Past Progressive (Continuous)It is used to signal the following meanings:• Action in progress at exact time I was sleeping when he came.While I was eating the telephone rang.• The actions in progress simultaneously While I was studying, she was watching TV.• Description in narrative I looked out of the window. The sun was shining brightly..• (Always) repeated actions-criticism When a child she was always loosing things.

Present Perfect

The present perfect is used when:

• the time period has not finished

I have seen three movies this week.(This week has not finished yet.)

• the time is not mentioned

• (new information, life experience, the action in the past):

Gerry has failed his exam again.

I’ve cut my finger

• the time is recent:

Ikuko has just arrived in Victoria.

• with for and since.

Greg has lived here for 20 years.Greg has lived here since 1978.

Present Perfect• a number of times

• repeatedly

• several times

• often

• for (quantity of time)

• over (quantity of time)

• since, ever since (specific date or time)

• so far

• up to now

• until now

• to date

• for (quantity of time)

• over (quantity of time)

• since, ever since (specific date or time)• just

• recently

• not long ago

• already

• yet

• to date

until this moment

since noon (exact time)

since this morning

since July 2003

since yesterday

since the 1900s

ever since I met you

this morning  (hours ongoing)

this week (days ongoing)

this year  (days ongoing)

this decade  (years ongoing)

this century (years ongoing)

for two minutes (quantity)

for an hour

for three days

over the past 3 years

in my life (current)

in these times (current)

THANK YOUfor Attention