Active Study
Hello to Lidia and all of our World Service readers,
I hope that you enjoyed your day off, Lidia! You sound like you need to take it easy for a while to recover after all of your efforts last week! I hope you’ve had a good rest today and that tomorrow you will be ready to start again, relaxed and refreshed!
Thanks for all of the comments about today’s topic: learning grammar. Reading through the comments, it is clear that everyone recognises the importance of studying grammar. Some of you have already studied too much (at school), while others have not learned enough! Let’s think about grammar in a different way! As I have already used many metaphors to describe language learning, I’m going to use a new one today: sport!
The comparison between sport, language learning and grammar may seem a little strange at first, so let me explain! Think about a professional sportsperson such as an athlete or a footballer. To stay in a condition of peak physical fitness, an athlete or football player trains every single day. Their physical training programme involves all round fitness: strength, stamina, agility, speed. So, although a football player is famous for earning his money on the football pitch, there is a tremendous amount of training (and self-discipline!) behind the scenes that we never see. And think about this: what would happen if the players didn’t warm up their muscles properly before a match? Things that seem small and simple can actually be crucial to success!
Perhaps it is useful to think of grammar as an exercise that increases your agility and strength with language. Studying grammar on its own will not make you fluent in a second language, but your understanding of language use should be based in grammatical competence. Think of grammar as the physical exercises that athletes or football players do: regular practice to prepare you for the big game!
How to study grammar
Study selectively
Make the best use of your time by studying efficiently. Don’t waste time by working through a grammar book from the first page. Concentrate on your weakest areas. Some grammar books include diagnostic tests you can take to identify your weak areas. You could also try an online diagnostic test (many free ones available, use Google).
Study actively
Self-study books usually divide grammar up into different sections. To maximise learning, (i) answer questions in one section (ii) check your answers (iii) try to work out the grammar rule yourself (iv) read the grammar explanation provided in the book to check your understanding. Think of grammar as a problem solving task rather than facts that you have to absorb.
Study in context
Make your study sessions as practical as possible. Do not worry about memorising every single “exception” to the rule; afterall, you may never need to use them! The best way to learn through context is by “noticing” grammatical patterns. For example, as you read today’s blog, what do you notice about the use of prepositions / adjectives / adverbs? You are more likely to learn if you are motivated to understand something (more about motivation below!).
Motivate yourself
Let’s face it, for most people, the study of grammar is quite dull, and it’s not a particularly attractive option. So, find a way to motivate yourself! This could be studying for a certificate, such as the CAE or CPE; taking part in an online community like this one; planning a trip abroad or trying to find an international pen-pal.
Choosing a self-study book
If you buy a grammar book with exercises, make sure it provides answers at the back! Also check the level of the book, as many are graded. Try to answer a few questions and see if the book is too easy or too difficult for you. Also, consider a textbook which integrates grammatical points into general language improvement. Many textbooks for the IELTS or CAE/CPE examinations adopt this approach.
Short and sweet
Finally, keep your study of grammar as short and sweet as possible. It’s far better to do ten or fifteen minutes of study two or three times a week, than to spend hours and hours trying to learn everything in the book. This will keep you motivated and may also help your long-term memory and understanding. It’s not easy to make sense of new information all at once. So, relax and take it easy! Sometimes our brain takes time to process information and form connections with what we already know. Small, regular study sessions may facilitate this process.
I hope this advice helpful!
That’s all for now,
Best wishes,
Samantha.
USEFUL WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS
day off (noun)
a day spent away from work
take it easy (phrase)
relax, rest
recognise (verb)
understand
metaphor (noun)
qualities of one thing are given to another (here, sport and language learning)
peak (adjective)
best, greatest
physical fitness (noun)
health and ability to take part in physical activity
stamina (noun)
ability to keep going
agility (noun)
quick moving, graceful
crucial (adjective)
important
competence (noun)
ability
efficiently (adverb)
making good use of time or a resource
diagnostic (adjective)
able to find problems
maximize (verb)
increase, make the most of
absorb (verb)
take in
practical (adjective)
based in reality, down-to-earth
pen-pal (noun)
person to correspond with
integrate (verb)
combine
process (verb)
make sense of
facilitate (verb)
help/aid
Comments
Hi Samantha! Thanks for the tips. I indeed liked them. When I´ll be studying grammar, I´ll remember your metaphor, and it´ll be a motivation to put my grammar on fit, and in the future being able to take a CAE course(by now I´m studying for FCE certification). I hope I can get there. Good night, Ana Paula.
Thank you for your great 'Active Study',incidentally,i am so inspired that i will conquer it however hard it is.As you put it:Things than seem small and simple can be crucial to success.thank you again.
Hello Samantha. Thanks for giving us so many useful grammar-learning methods. I think I should try it one by one. I’m sad to know that this is the last week you are here with us. I know I will miss you ‘cause you have given me such beautiful learning memories. You are a gorgeous teacher. It’s a great privilege to have you with us for two months. Tomorrow is Friday, I’m looking forward to reading your new entry.
Samantha: Thank you for sharing your time with us. It has been, as many of us already said, a privilege to have you as our tutor. I can say, that during these two weeks that I have been following this site, I have learned a great deal. It is evident, that you have a lot of knowledge about the language as well as teaching. When those abilities occur in a person, who is also warm in heart and tolerant towards others, it is a victorious recipe. One I think of Samantha I will remember the following: “Have more than thou showest, speak less than thou knowest.” William Shakespeare – King Lear
Hi Samanhtha, The advice you gave us on how to study grammar was really inspiring. After reading it I felt like grabbing my grammar book and starting right at once. But, as you put it, we should not rush into things. I'll make my plan and try to study a little, regularly rather than a lot only once. Thank you so much. Best wishes from Brazil.
Hi Samantha!Learning English was an activity in my spare time only to have a little fun. However, after particular time it had usually happened that I was lost in books or grammar. Then it was sometimes difficult to find the way how to continue. This often mean breaking an effort for a learner. Now, you have done this hard two-months work to give us methods, rules, ways and the most of all inspiration to use and practise them in our foreign language stuggle. I liked my learning for amusement but now I do know why I wasn`t more successful. I am slowly changing old habits. I can always look at your hints to continue alone. We will appreciate you as a generous fairy and a teacher who was impoving our knowledges from that miracle land you live in. Very best regards!
Dear Samantha, How are you and your family? Due to the internet problem, I couldn't be able to comment your blogs. Oh! Samantha, we are going to miss you, why don't you get one more month extension? Big thanks for your study guides for learning grammar. I studied Enlish as a subject from grade three to grade ten only.After that I didn't take any english course as a subject. When I was in grade ten ,I took GCE(O/L) exam. At that time my father taught me grammar,reading and writing,that english still help me. To be honest with I didn't learn anything at school, none of the english teachers were good in teaching at that I was in school.At the university I studied in english medium.First year I followed lectures both english and my mother language,after that I studied in english only. I didn't have any proplem because, I took all mathematics coursses, we hardly write sentences in english. In order to find the meaning of the words form text books,I always use english- english dictionary. I stil regret, why I didn't study from my father who knows very good english. My country srilanka was under British before 1948. During the time there were two school system one was from grade one through grade five in mother languge, the other one was grade six throgh twelve in english medium and also they taught several coursses in english such as reading , writing, grammarand literature. After Srilanka got independent from British, after some time the government changed the education system that every one has to study in their mother language. Unfortunately our generation didn't get a chance to study in english medium. Now I realise the importance of grammar in english,I have two grammar books. I try to study every day for half an hour,but getting time is difficult thing. I have to motivate my self during my school holidays to study every day. Thank you. Kind regards.
Thanks Samantha for the useful tips you gave us. Although I'm not really fond of grammar, from now on I'll try to focus more on it.Today, it was great to hear Mauricio's voice at the BBC webcast.Did anyone hear? He sent his love to all his friends and teacher from blog message. Mauricio you were great! When I read that Mauricio from Brazil would be interviewed,it dawned on me that it would be YOU. By the way where do you live? Is it near Rio? I have to rush now! My Yoga class starts in 10 minutes. Bye,
hi i want to thank you for your ehard work and i think if you could put one or two names of grammar's books it will be agood idea thanks a gain samimohamed
thanks a lot for this exellent input.
DEAR MISS MY NAME IS GAVAA. I LIVE IN MONGOLIA. I AM TRADITIONAL MEDICAL DOCTOR. I WANT TO LEARN ENGLISH BECAUSE IT IS MAIL WRITING. PLEASA I NEED TO ENGLISH GRAMMAR.PLEASE
you right, if students enjoy studyng grammar it will be easier to communicate with others. I am learning English and your advice helped me to understand that grammar can be easy, funny.
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