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What Are Different Types of Grammar Resources?

G. Wiesen
G. Wiesen

There are many different grammar resources available to language students or writers, which can help those grappling with reading or writing to better understand the rules of language. The Internet is, perhaps, one of the best and most comprehensive resources for grammatical knowledge, though care should be used by anyone performing any kind of research online. There are also numerous books available with a great deal of information regarding grammar and practical knowledge for writers and students. Classrooms can also be used as grammar resources, especially classes on language or grammar, and students attending such classes often learn about grammar in general or specific aspects of language.

Grammar resources typically refer to books or other forms of media that can be used to clarify grammatical issues or learn about various grammatical rules. The Internet can be used as an extremely expansive and informative resource for grammatical knowledge. There are hundreds of websites, for many different languages, which provide the various rules and nuances of grammar for those different languages, including websites meant to help people find other sites with more information. Anyone using the Internet as one of his or her grammar resources should be careful, however, as not all its information is necessarily authentic and legitimate.

Students may take tests or use worksheets when learning grammar.
Students may take tests or use worksheets when learning grammar.

A number of different books, magazines, and similar periodicals can be used as grammar resources by a student or writer. These books are typically written by writers or a team of grammarians with extensive knowledge regarding applicable and practical rules of grammar. Some of the rules and guidelines presented in such books may, in fact, go against popular knowledge of grammar and reflect modern trends in a particular language. These grammar resources, for example, often suggest that rules regarding ending sentences with a preposition or splitting infinitives are relics of Latin grammar that should not be applied to English.

Anyone interested in greater knowledge, or a career in grammar or linguistics, might also consider more scholarly grammar resources such as classes in grammar. These types of classes are offered by many colleges and universities and can help someone develop a greater, long-lasting understanding of grammar for his or her language. Such classes can also be used to build a foundation for a career in language arts or linguistics, though this depends on the interests of a student. The teachers of such classes, and the information they provide, are often some of the best grammar resources available to anyone.

Discussion Comments

MissDaphne

@jennythelib - Thanks for the suggestions! Both of those are great resources.

To me, any edited, published material can be considered a grammar resource of one kind of another. Even if it has "wrong" grammar, it provides useful information about what level of formality is considered appropriate for that medium. I always encourage my students to read widely and often give extra credit for finding real-world examples of certain concepts.

Another English grammar "resource" people may not think of is, well, people! English teachers, professional writers, librarians, these are all people who can often help with grammar in very different ways.

jennythelib

The best grammar resource is going to depend on what your purpose is. For instance, if you are a college student or higher-level scholar, you'll want to make sure that you are using the right style guide for your coursework or intended publication. APA, MLA, AMA, and so forth disagree on points like whether you should use a serial comma (also called the Oxford comma).

But they tend to assume that you know the basic rules of English grammar. If you are learning on your own, grammar websites can be a great tool. One that I have recommended, especially for homeschoolers, is Free World U; it teaches grammar parts in a test-yourself flashcard format.

For older students, high school and college, Purdue's Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a fantastic, comprehensive online resource.

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    • Students may take tests or use worksheets when learning grammar.
      By: petar Ishmeriev
      Students may take tests or use worksheets when learning grammar.