This month, we’re taking a look at some tips for learning a new language. We’ve already covered some general tips and some vocabulary tips, and now it’s time to tackle grammar. Grammar can seem like the scariest part of learning a new language, but once you have a few of these tips under your belt, you’ll be smooth sailing.
1. Put it in Your Own Words
One of the best things you can do when studying your grammar notes is to take notes on each grammar section, putting the explanations into your own words, and then copying the example sentences or tables slowly and carefully. This will do two things: It will give you a nice clear notebook that you can take with you so you can review and practice, and it will also force you to take enough time with each section so that it’s really driven home.
Of course, a lot of grammar is memorization – verb endings, irregular forms, pronouns, and so on. So a lot of the vocabulary learning tips we shared last week will come in handy for learning grammar, too:
2. Audio Repetition
Listen the audio several times while you’re looking at the words or sentences. For example, for a verb conjugation, listen to all of the forms several times, reading along to activate your visual memory as well.
3. Spoken Repetition
Listen to the audio and repeat several times for practice. For example, to learn the conjugation of an irregular verb, repeat all of the forms of the verb until you’re able to produce them without looking at the screen. It’s a little bit like memorizing lines for a play – practice until you can make it sound natural. Practice the example sentences that way as well, focusing of course on the grammar section at hand.
4. Written Repetition
Write the new forms again and again, saying them slowly and carefully as well. Do this until you’re able to produce all of the forms without any help.
5. Flash Cards
Copy the grammar point — whether it’s a list of pronouns, a conjugation, or a list of irregular forms — on a flashcard. Stick the cards in your pocket so you can practice them when you have time to kill. Glance over the cards, saying the forms to yourself several times, and when you’re ready to test yourself, flip the card over and see if you can produce all of the information.
6. Grammar in the Wild
Do you want to see an amazing number of example sentences that use some particular grammatical form? Well, just type that form into a search engine. Pick a few of the examples you find at random, and copy them down into your notebook or language journal. Pick them apart, look up words you don’t know, and try to figure out the other grammatical constructions. You may not get everything 100% correct, but you’ll definitely learn and practice in the process.
7. Come Back to It
Just like vocabulary, grammar is best learned through repetition and review. Go back over your notes, go back to previous lessons and read over the grammar sections, listen to the audio, or check out the relevant section in the grammar summary. Even after you’ve completed lessons, it’s never a bad idea to go back and keep the “old” grammar fresh.
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