English grammar: Difference between revisions
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== Parts of Speech Overview == | == Parts of Speech Overview == | ||
This section provides definitions for the different parts of speech. Each part is explained in detail in a later section. | This section provides definitions for the different parts of speech. Each part is explained in detail in a later section. | ||
* Verbs | * [[Verbs|Verb]] | ||
* [[Nouns|Nouns]] | * [[Nouns|Nouns]] | ||
* [[Pronoun|Pronouns]] | * [[Pronoun|Pronouns]] | ||
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* [[Preposition|Prepositions]] | * [[Preposition|Prepositions]] | ||
* [[Conjunction|Conjunctions]] | * [[Conjunction|Conjunctions]] | ||
== Continuous/Progressive Tenses == | == Continuous/Progressive Tenses == | ||
Revision as of 12:14, 17 April 2007
Introduction
English grammar is a set of rules that explains how you use the English language. It is a set of instructions that explains how to form sentences, questions, express events that occurred in the past, present, and future, and provides the expressions for other forms of communication.
English grammar also defines parts of speech. Parts of speech define words. They tell us whether a word is a verb, noun, adjective, adverb, and so on.
There are different types of grammar. The two common ones are prescriptive grammar and descriptive grammar.
Prescriptive grammar explains the rules of a language. It is like a prescription, it tells you how to use the language.
"In linguistics, prescription is the laying down or prescribing of normative rules of the language. This is in contrast to description of language, which has no normative component. For example, a descriptive linguist working in English will try to describe the usage, distribution, and history of "ain't" and "h-dropping" neutrally, without judging them as good or bad, superior or inferior. A prescriptivist (one who is prescriptive), on the other hand, will judge whether or not these forms meet some criterion of intelligence, rationality, aesthetics, or conformity to a standard dialect, and, if not, will condemn them, prescribing that they not be used." prescriptive grammar[1]
Descriptive grammar describes how people use the language. This type of grammar documents how people use the language in daily life.
"A descriptive grammar looks at the way a language is actually used by its speakers and then attempts to analyse it and formulate rules about the structure. Descriptive grammar does not deal with what is good or bad language use; forms and structures that might not be used by speakers of Standard English would be regarded as valid and included. It is a grammar based on the way a language actually is and not how some think it should be."descriptive grammar [2]
Parts of Speech Overview
This section provides definitions for the different parts of speech. Each part is explained in detail in a later section.
Continuous/Progressive Tenses
- Present Continuous/Progressive Tense
- Past Continuous/Progressive Tense
- Future Continuous/Progressive Tense
Perfect Tenses
- Present Perfect
- Past Perfect
- Future Perfect