HOW TO LEARN ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Studying Grammar on the "Paragraph" and “Narrative” Levels

by WikiHow

1. Learn about paragraph structure. A basic paragraph consists of three to seven sentences. Each paragraph must have a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence.

• The topic sentence is usually the first sentence in the paragraph. It is the most general sentence and introduces the idea you plan to discuss throughout the rest of the paragraph.
• Example: English grammar is a complex topic that covers a range of information.
• The supporting sentences explain the idea presented in the topic sentence with greater detail.
• Example: English grammar is a complex topic that covers a range of information. At the "word" level, one must learn about parts of speech. At the "sentence" level, topics like sentence structure, subject/verb agreement, and clauses must be explored. The rules governing punctuation use are also a part of "sentence" level grammar. Once a person starts writing larger piece, he or she must also learn about paragraph structure and organization.
• The concluding sentence summarizes the information presented in the paragraph. It is not always necessary, but you should still know how to write one.
• Example: English grammar is a complex topic that covers a range of information. At the "word" level, one must learn about parts of speech. At the "sentence" level, topics like sentence structure, subject/verb agreement, and clauses must be explored. The rules governing punctuation use are also a part of "sentence" level grammar. Once a person starts writing larger piece, he or she must also learn about paragraph structure and organization. All of these rules define and describe how to write English correctly.
• Also note that the first sentence of a paragraph should be indented a few spaces to the right of the paragraph's left edge.

2. Vary sentences within a paragraph. While you could technically have a paragraph that uses nothing but basic sentences, a better and more grammatically pleasing paragraph will have a variety of simple and complex sentences.

• Correct example: I love my cat. He has soft, orange fur. On cold days, he likes to cuddle next to me for warmth. I think that my cat is the greatest cat ever, and I am really happy to have him.
• Incorrect example: *I love my cat. He is orange. His fur is soft. He cuddles next to me on cold days. My cat is the greatest cat. I am really happy to have him.*

3. Organize longer pieces. After you feel comfortable with your paragraph writing skills, try writing longer works, like academic essays. Essay writing is a separate subject, so you should study about it in greater detail. There are a few things you should keep in mind as you begin, though.

• Organize your essay by writing an introductory paragraph, three or more body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph.
• The introductory paragraph must be a general paragraph that presents the main idea without providing detail. The supporting paragraphs must expand on this main idea with greater detail, and each paragraph should cover its own separate point. The concluding paragraph restates and summarizes the information presented in the essay and does not introduce any new information.

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Learn-English-Grammar. Accessed on October 15, 2020.