CHAPTER 7

Grammar
LTG 202 SU 2025
 01 Introduction to Grammar

Sentence Structure &

02
Diagramming

CONTENT 03 Grammatical Categories

Language Typology &

04
Learning

05 Interactive Activities
01
Introduction to
Grammar
 Definition & Importance of Grammar

Historical Development of Different Approaches to

Grammar as a Set of Rules
Grammar Grammar
Traditional grammar originated from the study of
Grammar is the system of rules governing how Latin and Greek, with terms like “noun,” “verb,” and
“article” being adopted for analyzing other The prescriptive approach dictates how
words and phrases are combined to form
sentences. It ensures language is structured and languages such as English. In the 19th century, language should be used, often based on
understandable. For example, in English, the linguists realized traditional categories didn’t fit arbitrary rules. For example, it says you
order of words matters: “The dog chased the non- European languages, leading to the shouldn’t split an infinitive (e.g., “to boldly
cat” is grammatical, while “The cat chased the development of descriptive approaches. go”) or end a sentence with a preposition.
dog” changes the meaning. However, these rules are not always
The prescriptive approach, which set strict rules for followed in everyday English.
Studying grammar helps us understand the
“proper” language use based on Latin, was The descriptive approach, on the other
underlying structure of language, making it
prominent in 18th- century England. However, hand, observes and describes how
easier to communicate effectively and avoid
modern linguistics favors a descriptive approach language is actually used. It involves
misunderstandings. It also aids in learning new
that focuses on how language is actually used analyzing real language samples to
languages by providing a framework for
rather than prescribing how it should be used. identify patterns and structures. This
comparison.
approach is more flexible and reflects the
natural variation in language use.
 Basic Components of Grammar

Parts of Speech
01 Agreement
02 Word Order
03
Nouns refer to people, objects, Agreement is the relationship between English typically follows a Subject-
places, qualities, phenomena, and words in a sentence that requires them Verb- Object (SVO) word order, as in
abstract ideas (e.g., boy, backpack, to match in certain features. For “The woman kept a large snake.”
school, love). Proper nouns, which example, in the sentence “Cathy loves However, other languages have
start with a capital letter, are her dog,” the verb “loves” agrees with different word orders, such as
specific names (e.g., Cathy, Rome). the singular noun “Cathy” in number Subject- Object- Verb (SOV) in
and person. Japanese or Verb- Subject- Object
Verbs express actions (e.g., go, (VSO) in Scottish Gaelic.
In English, verbs must agree with their
talk) or states (e.g., be, have). They Word order is crucial for conveying
subjects in number (singular or plural)
indicate what the subject is doing meaning. In English, changing the
and person (first, second, third).
or being. For example, in the word order can result in an
Pronouns also agree with their
sentence “Jessica is ill and has a ungrammatical or ambiguous
antecedents in number, person, and
sore throat,” “is” and “has” are sentence. For example, “The woman
gender. For instance, “she” agrees
verbs describing Jessica’s state. kept a large snake” is clear, but “A
with “Cathy” because they are both
large snake kept the woman”
third person singular and refer to a
changes the meaning entirely.
female.
02
Sentence Structure &
Diagramming
 Constituent Analysis

01 Identifying Constituents
Constituents are the parts of a sentence that function together as a unit. In the sentence “The old woman brought a large snake from Brazil,”
the noun phrases are “The old woman,” “a large snake,” and “Brazil,” and the verb phrase is “brought.”
By analyzing the constituents, we can understand the hierarchical structure of a sentence. This helps in identifying the relationships between
different parts of the sentence and how they contribute to the overall meaning.

02 Diagramming Sentences
Sentence diagramming is a visual way to represent the structure of a sentence. It involves breaking down the sentence into its constituents
and showing their relationships through a tree- like diagram.
Diagramming helps students visualize the grammatical structure and see how different parts of speech fit together. For example, in the
sentence “The old woman brought a large snake from Brazil,” the diagram would show the noun phrases, verb phrase, and prepositional
phrase and their connections.
03 Practical Applications of Diagramming
Diagramming can be used as a teaching tool to help students understand complex sentence structures. It is particularly useful for visual
learners who benefit from seeing the relationships between words and phrases.
In addition to teaching, diagramming can also be used in language analysis and research. It provides a systematic way to study the syntax of
different languages and identify patterns and variations.
 Subjects & Objects
Functions of Noun Phrases
In a sentence, noun phrases can function as subjects or objects. The subject is the noun
phrase that performs the action of the verb, while the object is the noun phrase that receives
the action.
For example, in the sentence “The cat chased the mouse,” “The cat” is the subject because it
is doing the chasing, and “the mouse” is the object because it is being chased.

Identifying Subjects & Objects in

Differences Between Subjects & Objects
Sentences
01 02
To identify the subject and object in a sentence, look for Subjects and objects have different positions in a
the noun phrases and their positions relative to the verb. sentence. In English, the subject usually comes before the
Practice with various sentences to become proficient in verb, and the object comes after the verb. Additionally,
distinguishing between subjects and objects. pronouns used as subjects (e.g., I, he) differ from those
used as objects (e.g., me, him).
For example, in the sentence “She gave him a gift,” “She”
The subject noun phrase determines the form of the verb
is the subject, “him” is the indirect object, and “a gift” is
the direct object. Understanding these functions helps in
03 as singular or plural. For example, “The dog barks”
(singular subject and verb) versus “The dogs bark” (plural
analyzing and constructing grammatically correct
subject and verb).
sentences.
03
Grammatical
Categories
 Number & Person

1 2
3
Agreement of Number &
Number in Grammar Person in Grammar Person
Number refers to whether a noun or pronoun Person indicates the relationship between the
is singular (one) or plural (more than one). In speaker, the listener, and others. There are Agreement between subjects and verbs is crucial
English, nouns change form to indicate three persons: first person (involving the in English. The verb form must match the subject
number, such as “cat” (singular) and “cats” speaker), second person (involving the in both number and person. For example, “He
(plural). listener), and third person (involving others). runs” (third person singular) is correct, while “He
Pronouns and verb forms change according to run” is incorrect.
Pronouns also have different forms for
person. For example, “I” is first person Pronouns must also agree with their antecedents
singular and plural. For example, “I” is
singular, “you” is second person singular, and in number and person. In the sentence “They
singular, while “we” is plural. Verbs must
“he/she/it” is third person singular. In the gave me their books,” “they” is plural and
agree with their subjects in number, so “I run”
sentence “I love you,” “I” is first person, and agrees with “their books,” while “me” is singular
(singular subject and verb) versus “We run”
“you” is second person. and agrees with the implied singular subject.
(plural subject and verb).
 Tense & Voice

01 02 03

Tense in Verbs Voice in Verbs Using Tense & Voice Correctly

Tense indicates the time when an Voice indicates whether the subject To use tense correctly, choose the
action or state occurs. English is performing the action (active appropriate verb form based on the time
verbs have different forms to show voice) or receiving the action of the action. For example, use the past
past, present, and future actions. (passive voice). In the sentence tense for actions that happened in the
For example, “go” (present), “The dog chased the cat,” the past, such as “She walked to the store.”
“went” (past), and “will go” subject “The dog” is performing the
For voice, consider the emphasis and
(future). action, so it is in active voice.
clarity you want in your sentence. Use
Tense helps convey the timing of In contrast, the sentence “The cat
active voice when the subject is
events in a sentence. It is was chased by the dog” is in
important and performing the action, and
important for creating a coherent passive voice because the subject
use passive voice when the action or the
narrative or describing actions that “The cat” is receiving the action.
receiver is more important.
happened at different times. The choice of voice can affect the
focus and clarity of a sentence.
 Gender

01 02 03

Natural Gender vs. Modern Usage of Gender

Agreement with Gender
Grammatical Gender Pronouns
Natural gender refers to the biological sex of In languages with grammatical gender, In modern English, there is a growing
a person or animal (male or female). In articles and adjectives must agree with the awareness of non- binary gender identities.
English, pronouns like “he” and “she” are gender of the noun. For example, in German, The pronoun “they” is increasingly used as a
used to indicate natural gender. “der Mond” (the moon) is masculine, so the singular pronoun to refer to someone who
article “der” agrees with it. does not identify as strictly male or female.
Grammatical gender, found in languages like
English does not have grammatical gender, This shift in usage reflects a more inclusive
Spanish and German, is a classification of
but it does have natural gender agreement approach to language and acknowledges the
nouns into categories (masculine, feminine,
with pronouns. For example, “she” agrees diversity of gender identities beyond the
neuter) that is not based on biological sex.
with a female person or animal, and “it” is traditional binary categories.
For example, in Spanish, “el sol” (the sun) is
used for objects or animals of unknown sex.
masculine, and “la luna” (the moon) is
feminine.
04
Language Typology &
Learning
Language Typology

Types of Word Order Other Typological Importance of

Patterns Features Language Typology
Language typology classifies languages In addition to word order, languages can Understanding language typology is
based on their grammatical structures, be classified based on other features beneficial for language learners and
including word order patterns. The four such as the presence of articles, the use teachers. It helps identify potential
main types are Subject- Verb- Object of inflections, and the structure of noun difficulties when learning a new
(SVO), Subject- Object- Verb (SOV), Verb- phrases. For example, some languages language, such as differences in word
Subject- Object (VSO), and Verb- Object- have definite and indefinite articles like order or grammatical structures.
Subject (VOS). English, while others do not.
For example, a speaker of an SOV
English follows the SVO pattern, as in The study of language typology helps
language might find it challenging to
“The cat chased the mouse.” Japanese is linguists understand the similarities and
adjust to the SVO word order in English.
an SOV language, with sentences like “ 猫は differences among languages and
Knowing these differences in advance can
ネズミを追った” (Neko wa nezumi o ottta), provides insights into how languages
lead to more effective language teaching
where the verb comes at the end. evolve and change over time.
and learning strategies.
Grammar in Language Learning

Second language learners often face One effective strategy is to focus on the While grammar is important for
challenges due to differences in underlying structures and patterns of accurate and clear communication,
grammatical structures between the target language rather than relying it is not the only aspect of language
their first language and the target on direct translation from the first learning. Fluency and
language. For example, a speaker of language. This involves practicing comprehension also depend on
sentence construction and
a language with a different word vocabulary, pronunciation, and
understanding the functions of different
order pattern may struggle to cultural understanding.
parts of speech.
master the SVO structure in English.
Another strategy is to use authentic However, a solid grasp of grammar
Other challenges include
language materials, such as books, can enhance overall language
understanding and applying rules of
articles, and conversations, to see proficiency and enable learners to
agreement, tense, and voice, which
grammar in context. This helps learners express themselves more effectively
may not exist or function differently internalize the rules and structures and accurately in both spoken and
in their native language. through exposure and practice. written forms.

Challenges for Second Language Strategies for Effective Role of Grammar in

Learners Learning Communication
05
Interactive
Activities
Parts of Speech Identification

Activity: Sentence
Activity: Sentence Analysis Activity: Fill in the Blanks
Construction
Provide students with a set of sentences Create sentences with missing words Provide students with a list of words from
and ask them to identify the parts of and ask students to fill in the blanks different parts of speech and ask them to
speech for each word. For example, in the construct grammatically correct sentences
with the correct part of speech. For using those words. For example, give them
sentence “The woman kept a large snake example, “The _____ (adjective) _____ “dog,” “happy,” “barked,” “quickly” and ask
in a cage,” students should label “The” as
(noun) _____ (verb) _____ (adverb).” them to create a sentence like “The happy
an article, “woman” as a noun, “kept” as a
dog barked quickly.”
verb, etc. This activity encourages students to
This activity helps students practice
This activity helps reinforce the think about the appropriate word combining words into meaningful sentences
understanding of different parts of speech
forms and their grammatical roles. It while ensuring proper grammatical structure.
and their functions in a sentence. It can It promotes creativity and reinforces the
can be adapted to different levels of
be done individually or in small groups, understanding of word order and agreement.
difficulty by varying the complexity of
followed by a class discussion to review
the sentences.
the answers.
Sentence Diagramming

01 02 03
Activity: Diagramming Activity: Group Activity: Diagramming
Practice Diagramming Challenge
Provide students with simple sentences Divide students into small groups and Create a sentence with multiple clauses
and ask them to create diagrams to give each group a more complex and ask students to diagram it. For
represent the sentence structure. Start sentence to diagram. After they example, “Although the weather was
with basic sentences like “The cat complete their diagrams, have each bad, we decided to go hiking because we
chased the mouse” and gradually group present their work to the class and wanted to enjoy the mountains.”
introduce more complex sentences. explain their reasoning.
This activity challenges students to apply
This activity helps students visualize the This collaborative activity encourages
their diagramming skills to more
hierarchical structure of sentences and discussion and peer learning. It also
complex sentence structures. It helps
understand the relationships between helps students develop critical thinking
them understand how different clauses
different constituents. It can be done on skills as they analyze and justify the
and phrases fit together in a coherent
paper or using digital tools. structure of the sentences.
sentence.
Grammar Games

Activity: Grammar Jeopardy

Create a Jeopardy- style game with categories such as “Parts of Speech,”
“Agreement,” “Tense & Voice,” and “Sentence Structure.” Provide clues and

01 answers related to grammar concepts.

This game format makes learning grammar fun and engaging. It encourages
students to think quickly and recall grammar rules and terminology.

Activity: Grammar Bingo

Create Bingo cards with grammar terms or examples. Call out clues related to the terms, and
students mark their cards if they have the matching term. For example, call out “A word that
describes an action” (verb) or “A noun phrase that starts with a capital letter” (proper noun).
Grammar Bingo is a fun way to reinforce grammar concepts and vocabulary. It keeps students 02
actively engaged and provides a sense of accomplishment when they complete a Bingo.

Activity: Sentence Scramble

Provide students with a set of words that form a sentence, but in random order. Ask them to

03
unscramble the words to create a grammatically correct sentence. For example, give them “cat,”
“the,” “chased,” “mouse,” “the” and have them form “The cat chased the mouse.”
This activity helps students practice word order and sentence construction. It can be done
individually or in pairs, and it can be adapted to different levels of difficulty by varying the
complexity of the sentences.
Language Typology Exploration

Activity: Creating Sentences in Different

Activity: Word Order Comparison
Languages
Provide students with sentences in different languages (e.g., English, Give students a simple sentence in English and ask them to translate it into
Japanese, Spanish) and ask them to identify the word order pattern another language with a different word order pattern. For example, translate “The
cat chased the mouse” into Japanese (SOV) or Spanish (SVO).
(SVO, SOV, etc.). Discuss the differences and similarities with the class.
This activity challenges students to apply their knowledge of word order patterns
This activity helps students understand the diversity of word order
to create sentences in different languages. It can be done in pairs or small groups,
patterns in languages and how it affects sentence structure. It can lead
with students sharing their translations and discussing the process.
to a deeper appreciation of language typology.

Activity: Language Typology Research

Assign students different languages to research and ask them to identify key typological features such as word order,
presence of articles, and use of inflections. Have them present their findings to the class.
This research- based activity encourages students to explore the grammatical structures of various languages in
depth. It promotes critical thinking and analytical skills as students compare and contrast different language systems.
Grammar in Context

Activity: Creative Writing

Activity: Sentence Editing with Grammar Focus Activity: Peer Review
Provide students with a paragraph or short Ask students to write a short story or Have students exchange their written work
text with grammatical errors. Ask them to paragraph using specific grammar concepts, with a partner and review each other’s
identify and correct the errors, focusing on such as a particular tense or sentence grammar usage. They should provide
aspects such as agreement, tense, and word structure. For example, have them write a feedback on any errors or areas for
order. story in the past tense or using compound improvement.
sentences.
This activity helps students apply their Peer review encourages students to take
This activity integrates grammar learning
grammar knowledge to real- life writing. It responsibility for their own learning and helps
with creative writing. It allows students to
encourages them to carefully read and them develop critical thinking and editing
practice grammar in a meaningful context
analyze text for errors and make appropriate skills. It also provides an opportunity for
while also developing their writing skills.
corrections. collaborative learning and discussion of
grammar concepts.
BEN 19C

THANK YOU!

LTG202 SU 2025