Grammar Basics Guide: A Beginner’s Introduction to English Grammar

Improve your writing, speaking, and understanding of English with practical examples and exercises.

Grammar Basics Explained

Grammar is very, very important! This guide will walk you through the key concepts of English grammar. From sentence structure to essential parts of speech, we make grammar easy and practical.

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What Are the Basics of English Grammar?

English grammar basics include:

  1. Parts of Speech: Learn about nouns, verbs, adjectives, and more.
  2. Sentence Structure: Understand the subject, verb, and object.
  3. Tenses: Master present, past, and future forms.

πŸ‘‰ Check out our Tenses Overview for a deep dive into English verb forms.

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The Essential Parts of Speech

  1. Nouns: Represent people, places, or things.
  2. Pronouns: Replace nouns (e.g., he, she, it).
  3. Adjectives: Describe nouns (e.g., big, colorful).
  4. Verbs: Express actions or states (e.g., run, is).
  5. Adverbs: Modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs (e.g., quickly, very).

Learn more about adjectives and adverbs in our Mastering Adjectives Guide.

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Sentence Structure Basics

A complete English sentence generally includes:

  • Subject: The "doer" of the action.
  • Verb: The action or state.
  • Object: The receiver of the action.

Example: The cat (subject) chased (verb) the mouse (object).

Here are 5 more examples:

happy dog

The dog barked at the stranger.

  • Subject: The dog
  • Verb: barked
  • Object: the stranger
    • teacher

    The teacher explained the lesson.

  • Subject: The teacher
  • Verb: explained
  • Object: the lesson
    • sandcastle

    The children built a sandcastle.

  • Subject: The children
  • Verb: built
  • Object: a sandcastle
    • bird singing

    The bird sang a beautiful song.

  • Subject: The bird
  • Verb: sang
  • Object: a beautiful song
    • chef with meal

    The chef prepared a delicious meal.

  • Subject: The chef
  • Verb: prepared
  • Object: a delicious meal

    • Common Grammar Rules Every Beginner Should Know

    1. Subject-Verb Agreement: The subject and verb must match in number (e.g., singular/plural).
    2. Use of Articles: A, an, and the are important determiners. Learn more about Articles.
    3. Word Order: English typically follows Subject-Verb-Object order.
    happy dog

    The dog barked at the stranger.

  • Subject: "The dog" (singular)
  • Verb: "barks" (singular form to match the subject)
  • Articles: "The" is used before "dog" and "stranger" to specify both nouns.
  • Word Order: Follows Subject (The dog) – Verb (barks) – Object/Prepositional Phrase (at the stranger).
    • teacher

    The teacher explained the lesson.

  • Subject: "A teacher" (singular)
  • Verb: "explains" (matches the singular subject)
  • Articles: "A" is used with "teacher" (an indefinite article), and "the" with "lesson" (a definite article).
  • Word Order: Subject – Verb – Object.
    • sandcastle

    The children built a sandcastle.

  • Subject: "The children" (plural)
  • Verb: "play" (plural form to match the subject)
  • Articles: "The" correctly appears with both "children" and "park."
  • Word Order: Subject – Verb – Prepositional Phrase indicating location.
    • bird singing

    The bird sang a beautiful song.

  • Subject: "My brother" (singular)
  • Verb: "eats" (singular form to match "brother")
  • Articles: "An" is used before "apple" because apple starts with a vowel sound.
  • Word Order: Subject – Verb – Object.
    • chef with meal

    The chef prepared a delicious meal.

  • Subject: "The students" (plural)
  • Verb: "complete" (plural form matching the subject)
  • Articles & Possessives: "The" is used with "students" and "their" correctly shows ownership for "homework."
  • Word Order: Subject – Verb – Object.

    • Grammar Tips for Beginners

    1. Practice Daily: Write simple sentences and check for errors.
    2. Use Free Resources: Our Grammar Worksheets can help.
    3. Learn Common Mistakes: Avoid errors like misplaced modifiers or incorrect verb forms.
    Read Advanced English Articles
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