English Grammar with Explanation.

What is English Grammar?

English grammar is a plan or a blueprint of the English language. People who read and write English use this blueprint to construct words, groups of words (phrases) and sentences.

This plan helps at two levels:

1. for forming words; and
2. for building sentences.

Building a Sentence is Like
Building a House.

When you construct a house, you buy all kinds of building material: bricks, cement, sand, iron rods, wood, etc.

If you just pile up one type of material over the other, you do not get a house. You need someone called an architect to build the house according to some plan in his or her head. Architects draw such plans on a special kind of paper. Such plans are called blueprints.

When you come across difficult words such as sophisticated, its meaning is usually given, as in the text at the left (unsophisticated = simple). So you may ignore the word if you wish. However, I think, by retaining (keeping) the word there, you get an opportunity to improve your word power.

Poor people who cannot afford an architect become their own architects and some common sense plan to build their simple, ordinary-looking houses. They may not have a professional architect, but they too need a plan, however simple or unsophisticated.

Grammarians Are Like Architects

English grammar is a kind of plan for English language. We have a name for the professional person who writes down the plan of a language. We call that person a grammarian. A grammarian studies the rules and structures of a language more deeply than other people.

Some people may consider grammarians too high for their taste and look upon them with displeasure. This is similar to many poor people looking upon architects.

Yet we know that architects are good people and many of them help improve the world for the poor through planning low-cost housing. Similarly, grammarians too are good people who try to make language easier to understand for ordinary people.

Everyone Uses Grammar
Whether They Like It or Not

People use English for their day-to-day ordinary needs of speaking and writing. They may want to know how to take part in a conversation in English, or how to write a letter, or fill an application form. Such people too need the plan (grammar) of English, though not perhaps as deeply as someone like the grammarian.

They are not planless, i.e. grammarless in their use of the language. They use grammar whether they like it or not. So it helps to know the plan of the language. You will have greater control of the language.

How Does Grammar Work
in Sentence Building?

Just as you don't pile one type of building material over the other, you don't place words together in any order you like.

If you just throw in words together you do not get a sentence.

Like this...
east the the sun in rises
You do not get a sentence.

If you arrange those same words like this...
the sun rises in the east
then, we get some meaning out of it.

We then give this arrangement some more polish like this...
The sun rises in the east.
We have capitalized the first letter and added a full-stop (period) at the end of this arranged group of words. We call this a sentence.

A plan, hiding behind this arrangement, helped us to put the words in the correct order, i.e. the order which brings meaning.

The Two Levels of English Grammar.

English grammar works at two levels.

The formation of words (Morphology)

Words are like building material. Take cement. Many chemicals join together according to some chemical formula to become cement. Words are born out of word-parts (these parts have names such as stems, affixes, prefixes, suffixes, etc.).

This whole science of word-formation has the high-sounding name of morphology. Morphology is one of the two important parts of English grammar.

The construction of sentences (Syntax)

Usually people tend to think of this part as grammar. Different words such as nouns, verbs, pronouns, and others, called parts of speech, come together to become sentences.

The plan that people follow to build sentences from words has also a high-sounding name - syntax. Syntax is the other important part of English grammar.

I Think, I Hear You Ask a Question

You ask me, "what about sentences making a paragraph?"

Good question.

Smaller sentences come together to form more complicated sentences (they are called by names such as Complex, Compound, Complex-Compound sentences). The study of this is also a part of syntax.

When we use sentences of all types to create paragraphs, we are busy with composition. Composition is a general name for anything a person creates out of parts. We do not consider it specifically to be a part of grammar.

And finally...

...a little bit of fun at the expense of those who spell "English grammar" in their own original way! If they get lost, you will be doing a meritorious act to show them the way to this site!

100 Most Frequent Idioms

 

100 Most Frequent Idioms

about to (do something)

- to be on the point of doing something

I was about to leave when the phone rang.

according to (someone or something)

- as said or told by someone, in agreement with something, in the order of something, in proportion to something

According to our teacher, there will be no class next week.
We did everything according to the terms of our agreement.

account for (something)

- to provide an explanation or answer for something

The bad weather accounts for the fact that few people came to the meeting.

after all

- considering the fact that something happened, something that is usually assumed

"You don't need to phone him. After all, he never phones you."

all of a sudden

- suddenly, without advance warning

All of a sudden it became cloudy and began to rain.

as a matter of fact

- actually

"As a matter of fact, we have been to the history museum many times."

as far as

- to the extent or degree of something

As far as I know the movie will start in a few minutes.

as for

- with regard to, concerning

"As for me, I think that I will return home now."

as if

- in the same way that something would be, that

The drink tastes as if it were made with orange juice.
It seemed as if the whole town came to the concert.

as long as

- provided that, on condition that

"As long as you promise to be careful you can borrow my car."

as soon as

- just after something, when

I phoned my friend as soon as I finished dinner.

as to

- with regard to, according to

"As to your question, I will answer it tomorrow."
The players were put into groups as to their ability.

as well

- in addition, also, too

I plan to take a computer course this summer as well.

as well as

- in addition to

"Please bring your swimming suit as well as your towel."

back and forth

- backwards and forwards, first one way and then the other way

The argument went back and forth before the judge made a decision.

better off

- to be in a better situation than before

My friend would be better off if he sold his old car and bought a new one.

break down (something)

- to divide something into parts, to separate something into simpler substances

We tried to break down the problem for further study.
The sugar began to break down soon after it was swallowed.

break up

- to separate, to divide into groups or pieces, to put an end to something

Nobody wanted to break up their groups.
We usually break up into small groups during our class.

by the way

- incidentally

"By the way, could you please bring your laptop computer tomorrow."

carry out (something)

- to put something into action, to accomplish something, to do something

The scientist wanted to carry out several experiments before discussing the new medicine.

come on!

- please, hurry, go faster

"Come on, I only have a few minutes before I must go."
"Come on, stop doing that."

come up

- to happen unexpectedly

I will not be able to go to the party if something else comes up.

come up with (something)

- to produce or find a thought/idea/answer

I tried to come up with a name for the new magazine.

deal with (something)

- to be concerned with something, to take action about something

We will deal with the boxes tomorrow.

end up (doing something or going somewhere)

- to do something that one had not planned to do, to go somewhere one had not planned to go

We ended up going to a restaurant after the movie last night.

figure out (someone or something)

- to try to understand someone or something, to solve something

I finally figured out how to use the new DVD player.

fill in (something)

- to write words in blank spaces

"Please fill in this form and give it to the receptionist."

find out (something)

- to learn or discover something

My mother is angry at me because she found out that I had quit my French class.

first of all

- the very first thing

First of all we prepared the garden and then we planted the seeds.

for good

- permanently

The city will close the public swimming pool for good next week.

for sure

- without doubt, certainly, surely

"I will go to the movie with you for sure next week."

get back to (something)

- to return to something

I was happy to get back to my work after my holiday.

get into (something)

- to become interested or involved in something

I do not want to get into an argument with my friend.
We will get into the details of the plan tomorrow.

get into (somewhere)

- to enter somewhere

My friend wants to get into a good university.
I bumped my head as I was getting into the car.

get out of (somewhere)

- to leave somewhere, to escape from somewhere

I want to hurry and get out of my house.

get rid of (something)

- to give or throw something away, to sell or destroy something, to make a cold or fever disappear

I bought a new television set so I want to get rid of the old one.

get through (something)

- to complete something, to finish something

My friend is having trouble getting through her final exams.
I have much reading that I must get through before tomorrow.

go ahead

- to begin to do something

"Let`s go ahead and start now. We can`t wait any longer."

go on

- to continue

The game will probably go on for an hour after we leave.

go over (something)

- to examine or review something

The accountant will go over the books tomorrow.
We plan to go over that question tomorrow.

go through (something)

- to discuss something, to look at something, to do something

The teacher decided to go through the exercise before the test.

go with (something)

- to choose one thing rather than another

We decided to go with the small rental car rather than the large one.

hang out (somewhere/with someone)

- to spend one`s time with no great purpose, to spend leisure time with friends

Recently my friend has been hanging out with a group of people who are not a good influence on him.

have (something) to do with (something)

- to be about something, to be on the subject of something, to be related to something

"The book has something to do with cooking but I am not sure if you will like it."
That problem has nothing to do with me.

hold on

- to wait a minute, to stop, to wait and not hang up the phone

"Please hold on for a minute while I lock the window."

in a way

- to a certain extent, a little, somewhat

In a way I want to go to the new restaurant but in a way I don`t really care.

in case

- if, if something should happen

I will take my umbrella in case it rains.

in common

- shared together or equally, in use or ownership by all

I had nothing in common with the other members of the class.

in detail

- giving all the details, item by item

The saleswoman explained about the new product in detail.

in effect

- for practical purposes, basically

The man's silence was in effect a way of disagreeing with the other people in the meeting.

in fact

- actually, the truth is

The man has been to China before. In fact he has been there three times.

in favor of (someone or something)

- to approve or support someone or something

Everybody is in favor of the new police chief.
My company is not in favor of changing our holiday schedule.

in general

- in most situations or circumstances

In general, most of the people in our apartment are happy with the new manager.

in order to

- for the purpose of

They have decided to close down the school for the summer in order to do some major repairs.

in other words

- in a different (usually more direct) way

"In other words, if you do not finish the assignment by Wednesday you will not pass the course."

in place

- in the proper place or location

Everything in the room was in place when we arrived for the meeting.

in some ways

- in some unspecified way or manner, by some unspecified means

In some ways I know what my friend means but in some ways I do not.

in terms of (something)

- with regard to something

In terms of our agreement with the other company we were not allowed to sell the products online.

in time

- early enough

I did not come home in time to meet my cousin.

keep (someone or something) in mind

- to remember and think about someone or something

I told my co-workers to keep the new starting time for work in mind.

kind of

- somewhat, more or less, moderately

I was kind of tired when I arrived home last night.

look for (something)

- to try to find something, to hunt/search for something

My friend has been looking