How to Master Foreign Language Grammar

Few things are more challenging than learning - really learning - a foreign language. These steps will help you.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Foreign Language Phrase Books
• Foreign Language Tape
• Foreign Language Textbooks
• Two-way Foreign Language Dictionaries
• Foreign Language Software
• Foreign Language Tutors

1. Think of a language as a way of expressing meaning. Each language chooses different sounds and arrangements of sounds, to express meaning.

2. Try to "forget" your native language's grammar as much as you can while you're learning the new language. This will prevent "interference" from your native language.

3. Identify how your native language and the new language do things differently and keep these in mind when speaking the foreign language.

4. Review early and often.

5. Find a tutor to give you feedback on what you're doing correctly and incorrectly.

6. Keep lists of new vocabulary and sentence constructions. Review as much as you can each day.

7. Visit a place where the language you're studying is a native tongue, if possible. Speak your own native tongue as little as possible while you're there.

Tips & Warnings

• Get a good bilingual dictionary. It'll go a long way to helping you build new vocabulary.
• If you can't visit a place full of native speakers, then watch movies and TV programs in the native language. Read newspapers, too, and learn songs.
• Don't be discouraged when the words don't flow. The only way to really master the grammar is to speak the language a lot.
• Develop a thick skin. If you're afraid you'll sound like a fool, you won't ever learn how to speak correctly.

[sualfaris]

on 6/22/2009 I really want to add something very important for grammar as well as for the language overall.
The mistake that many of us fall in is that we are trying to memorize as many vocabularies as we can! that extremely. Through my experiance in english as an Arabic speaker, I have learned one extra important thing that will help you master english easily. When learning the language try to remember this thing: learn the preposition that suit the word then try to put each preposition with the word you are learning in sentance. So, focus on preposition is the first approach to sail on the language.

on 7/23/2006 It helps to have a friend who is also learning the language or who has already learned the language. You can speak to each other while talking as you would usually do. Try to translate things you say into the other language. You and your friend can help to correct each other.

on 11/22/2005 Keep a notebook handy. Write down sentences that contain grammatical structures you would like to master. The sentences can be taken from newspapers, television, magazines, and books. Reread the sentences frequently to drill the form into your head. You'll soon be able to manipulate the sentences on-the-spot when speaking or writing.

on 11/22/2005 When buying a good dictionary, make sure it has the phonetic spellings of the words, because this will help you pronounce them properly. The dictionary should also be in your price range and compact enough to put in your purse or bag. It should have a clear font and some conjugated verbs in it.