Trying to improve your English grammar skills? As a second-language learner, it’s usually very tough to approach grammar the way it’s usually handled in a classroom setting. For many ESL students, the best way to see improvements is through natural means – letting the rules governing the language’s grammar to sink in, rather than force it.
Reading is one of the best ways to get this done. Both passive and active performance of the activity, coupled with the use of a good language software, can lead to gains that may surprise you. For active reading with the intent of improving grammar, we highly recommend keeping these tips in mind:
Avoid converting to your language. Make an effort to avoid translating any English text you read into your native tongue. It’s self-defeating and rarely helps your overall development when you do.
Focus on tenses and forms. If you’re studying English grammar, make it a goal to highlight the use of one particular tense or form in any English writing that you are perusing. The mere act of recognizing and marking them can help integrate it into your skillset over time.
Work on identifying particular elements of speech. One day, you can work on marking off main verbs in each sentence you read through; the next day, you can do the same for adjectives. Which elements you choose to focus on will probably depend on where you are in your grammar studies, but using the reading as an opportunity to reinforce the lessons will contribute immensely into your overall learning.
Find linking words. Some words like one sentence (sometimes, even one paragraph) to the next. Mark them in your readings over several sittings – they’re a particular stumbling block for ESL students and it will serve you well to get them down pat.
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