Grammar

We hear a lot about grammar in studying language. In short, grammar is the fancy name for the rules that need to be followed in a language. Just like in English, one may be understood while speaking even though he/she doesn't use perfect grammar. For example, if someone were to say "Yo no hablar español," that person would get his/her point across about not speaking Spanish. [In case you didn't catch the grammar mistake, the sentence should read "Yo no hablo español."] In basic conversation someone can get away with that mistake but not over and over again. When we look at writing, that's when the rules of grammar seem to become even more important. While there has been a shift in language learning so that communication is more at the forefront, there is still the underlying rules governing the language; we can't get away from the rules. We have to play by the rules! That's why understanding the terms of the rules is important. In Spanish, we need to learn about subjects, subject pronouns, gender, adjective agreement, etc. Just like 2 plus 2 must equal 4, an adjective must always agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies in Spanish. So don't be afraid of the rules as they are a necessary part of the language!