WHAT IS GRAMMAR?

Guided questions

1.- Based on the text by Scott Thornbury, what is grammar?

Thornsbury describes Grammar as how language is structured and its forms. In other words,
Grammar explains the natural order and structure of a language. Ex: S+V +O

2.- What is the importance of morphology, syntax and lexis in grammar?

If language itself has a natural order or structure we must follow, words, sentences and lexis
too. Lexis is related to vocabulary; morphology has to do with the structure and order of
words and well as Syntax, which has to do with rules of how words are ordered in sentence.
If language itself have rules we must follow (grammar) we can’t ignore how words, sentences
and vocabulary work inside a language.

3.- What do grammarians say grammar communicates meaning in written and

speaking contexts?
Grammar is a process for making a speaker's or writers' meaning clear when contextual
information is lacking. If we have more context, the less grammar is needed in oral or written
language.

4.- What do language learners have to pay attention to when learning

grammar?
Depending on the context they can be, they need to be aware of what particular forms they
will express if they find themselves in another context. Thornbury adds that grammar is also a
tool for creating meaning.

5. When teaching grammar, how will you explain that grammar has meaning,
a function, and that there is a difference with spoken and written form?
In spoken grammar, I can explain Grammar has a function when I am referring to something
in particular (Pragmatics, of how context contributes to meaning.) . If I say, do you like the
colour black, I may be expecting for someone to hand me a black object because I like it;
however maybe that is no the intention of the other person, probably the other person doesn't
have anything black. In written language could be similar, but in requests or questions. EX: If
you do this, I’ll do this to you (I know based on the context that I am being threatened)

6.- When we teach and evaluate grammar, we have to think about complexity,
learnability and teachability in our class plan, What do these mean?
Complexity is when the more content we include, the tougher or complex it gets in our lesson
plan.

Learnability measures complexity, the simplest, the more learnable our lesson plan can be.

Teachability means content we can’t teach to a student of he/she is ready to learn that
particular topic.