Feature

Grammar for better writing skill

Mohammad Shafiqul Islam

Many fluent, persuasive and renowned speakers wobble when asked to write in English. Some of them may even be well known for their eloquence. This is not uncommon even in countries where English is the first language. We should not be astounded about such cases because the opposite also exists. Some people can write much better English but feel chocked when they have to speak. This occurs when grammar becomes a dominant factor among the users of the language.

Persons having the craft of grammar can write smoothly, avoiding the panic of making structural mistakes. They feel easy, confident, even psychologically privileged while writing anything in English. Now when they come forward to speak, they might turn out to be good speakers as well. Those acquiring only grammar must be aware of the fact that they lack some important skills of the language. They will continue working on hindrances of excellence in the language, provided that they feel their shortcomings.

Modern men believe that learning grammar may affect learning any language. They view that grammar once existed. Some people complain that English has very little grammar. They mean that the structure of individual words in modern English is less interesting than in certain other languages such as modern German and French because English is less than other languages.

Languages that inflect their words are called Synthetic languages, as opposed to Analytical ones, like English. Let's take for example the Latin sentence, Nero interfecit Agrippinam, which means Nero murdered Agrippina. The fact that the word Nero has no inflection shows that he is the subject of the sentence the agent or doer of the action. The inflection on Agrippina on the other hand shows her to be the object of the sentence the receiver of the action. It would make no difference if we altered the word order and wrote Agrippinam interfecit Nero, for the inflection on Agrippina gives it only one possible meaning: she was the victim of Nero's action the murderee, as an American might say.In modern English, on the other hand, we use word order to show meaning: subjects are always placed first and object second. Change Nero killed Agrippina to Agrippina killed Nero and you completely change the meaning of the sentence. These things are applicable only when appropriate comprehension of grammar is handy to a learner.

As far as written communication is concerned, the scope of grammar touches the zenith of magnitude. People try to find guidance and information about written English far more often than they do about spoken English. We all employ speech, in fact, fairly naturally and usually without any obvious problems. Also most of the time, spoken words disappear as soon as they have been uttered; so it is difficult for them to come back to trouble us. Writing, on the other hand, is more permanent. Other people can pick up what we write, scrutinize it, and pull it to pieces. So we often feel more susceptible about what we write than about what we say.

To be a better user of English there is no alternative to forming the strong foundation of grammar and practicing whatever is learnt.

Mohammad Shafiqul Islam
Lecturer, Department of English
Metropolitan University, Sylhet
E-mail: msijewel@gmail.com