How to study grammar in a foreign language
I have studied grammar in French, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese and Russian, so I’m basing this off of my experiences with that. I’m going to preface this by saying that in order to study grammar fairly quickly and effectively, you’re going to need to put the work in. Yes, you can learn grammar through conversation and making mistakes, but frankly, it will take a lot longer, and will be a lot more confusing. Grammar is hard and often boring, but it’s necessary.
Do practice questions! This is honestly your best option. Get a workbook (you can probably find loads of PDFs online, like on Z-library), and work through the questions without checking your notes.
Make your notes as minimal as you can! Just write down the essentials, which is usually the structure, when you use the structure and some example sentences. It’s tempting to write down what the textbook says word for word, but it’s a waste of time.
Make your own example sentences! Use your own vocabulary, even if it’s limited, to make your own sentences in the language. If you can do this accurately, then that’s a sign that you do know the structure.
Get corrections! You can use HiNative, or ask a native speaker. It’s important to know where you’re going wrong, so you can target your weaknesses later.
Write! This is the best, honestly. Writing is a fairly complex and necessary way of demonstrating your understanding of grammar, and it’s easy to see where you are going wrong when you write. You can use a site like Journaly to get corrections.
Do translations! Get an article or short story, and try translating a paragraph into your target language (make sure to get corrections). Look up vocabulary you don’t know, as that isn’t the most important thing in this exercise.
Drill your irregular verbs! Use flashcards, write them over and over again, however you do it, just get them stuck in your head.
Make a cheat sheet! I did this with French and it worked wonders. I recommend just doing it to review rules that you at least have a vague idea about.
Ask questions! If you have a teacher, or a native friend, ask them for help understanding grammar. You can also use online forums.
Use formulae! If you have a fairly logical brain, then it might make sense for you to write your notes using this format.
Read more! Input is EVERYTHING. Reading more books and articles in your target language will expose you more to grammar in it’s natural state, and that will really improve your grammar.
Be aware of when you use certain grammar rules! Ask questions, make your notes and practice loads. It’s really important to be solid in your knowledge of the usage of a grammar rule.
Regularly review! You can look at your notes, or do some online quizzes. Just make sure you’re regularly refreshing your memory.
Thanks for reading this post! I hope it was somewhat useful to you!
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