This document provides an overview of grammar concepts to strengthen mature writing skills. It covers topics like parts of speech (nouns, pronouns, verbs), phrases, clauses, sentence structure, and language maturity. The document stresses that understanding grammar allows for clearer communication and avoids ambiguity. It also notes some challenges in learning grammar, such as relying only on usage rather than understanding structure, and over-focusing on memorization and rules. Overall, the document aims to improve readers' grammar knowledge to enhance their writing.

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Grammar for
Mature Writing
by Lucy Chau

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Our goals are constantly measured by our
effort. When we show little effort, society quickly
underestimates our capacity, so we need to
work on our skills and our interest to improve.

3. In a language, our
maturity is measured
in terms of the
complexity of the
structures we use.

4. The road to good language skills
The smooth road is part of the way, but there are also difficult and unpleasant parts
to overcome. Learning a language implies discovering its structure, improving what
we manage well and working in a plan for what becomes difficult.
Any problem you don’t solve on time becomes an emergency later.

5. Problems in learning Grammar
1
Our knowledge of native language is based
on its use. We have been pretty good at
communicating with our relatives and
friends, but we don’t understand the
structure of a language.
2
We learn English as a subject instead of
learning in English. This limits our chances
to get in touch (inmersion) with the foreign
language and we associate activities with
assignments to finish.
3
The translation-based method has been
used for too long in our education system,
conditioning our brain to a double effort.
We think in Spanish, translate and vice-
versa to try to understand.
4
Grammar has a bad press in Education, and
teachers who love memorizingusually
torture their students with denominations
and formulas. Students can’t enjoy the
pleasure of a successful communication.

6. Why do we need Grammar for?
Grammar and logic
free language from being
at the mercy
of the tone of voice.
Rosenstock Huessy
We will eat grandpa.
or
We will eat, grandpa.

7. LANGUAGE MATURITY
2 years old boy
Lang (2013) says that maturity in
language depends on the exposure to
grammar and vocabulary.
The pizza boy has basic grammar structures that
impacts the audience, as his pronunciation abilities
are not well developed yet. The muscles he uses to
speak are not ready to perform, but he repeats and
uses language with more mature utterances.

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TOPICS TO STRENGTHEN GRAMMAR SKILLS
Nouns
Verbs:
Adjectives
Pronoun
s
Prepositions
Conjunctions
Types of
sentences
Modifiers
Sentences
StructurePhrases
Indirect
speech
Grammar
knowledge
inputs
Communication
skills
Clauses
Parts of Speech
Punctuation
Verb Tenses & Voice
Adverbs
Click on words to see contents.

9. Grammar has been a subject of
study to understand language.
It comes from the people.
Usually, linguists take notes of
how language is produced by
natives and they produce
generative grammar. That’s
why languages always register
changes.
In Spanish we have Real
Academia de la Lengua, but in
English we don’t have such an
institution. Scholars who study
changes in language, write
about them so we can
understand these dynamics.

10. Nouns
01
The first notion of language we get is
naming things. We need concepts to
communicate. This makes NOUNS a
very important part of speech.
Without being able to name persons,
things, places and ideas we would
have been still pointing out them.
Nouns provide name to life.
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Kinds:
PERSONS
PLACES
THINGS
IDEAS
Single nouns are words, an
compound nouns could be:
● One word nouns like
greenhouse or birthday.
● Separate words like
birthday party.
● Hyphenated words like
can-opener.

11. Pronouns
02
Pronouns provide some
help so we don’t keep
repeating nouns.
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Singular
First person I, me, my, mine
Second person you, your, yours
Third person he, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its
Plural
First person we, us, our, ours
Second person you, your, yours
Third person they, them, their, theirs
Marissa deserves a prize. She has been a good
student. We want her to get a trip to London.
This is our opinion, but we still need to know hers.

12. Reflexive pronouns introduce a more mature language structure, as they allow us to emphasize in the
object of the preposition what was generated in the subject.

14. Prepositions
03
They link the noun or
pronoun with the rest of
the information
available.
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15. Prepositions
and phrases
usually go into
the MODIFIERS
chapter of the
grammar book.
They allow us to
deepen into
details.
Otherwise we
would have
short sentences
with missing
information.

16. Conjunctions
04
Words that join
elements with equal
grammatical weight.
Coordinating
conjunctions
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17. Correlative conjunctions work in pairs
Neither….nor / Not only….but / whether … or
Neither my husband nor me have received calls.
Not only his mother but mine are feeling sad.
Whether you eat onions or not, I think you should
buy some.
Both… and / either….or / just as… so
Both you and I have a point in this argument.
Either you or I must leave this space.
Just as you feel tired, so do I.

18. Subordinating
Conjunctions
Join two clauses or ideas, making
one grammatically dependent
upon the other.
After
although
as
as far as
as if
as long as
as soon as
because
before
if
in order that
provided that
since
so that
than
unless
until
when
whenever
where
wherever
while
Use them with Dependent clauses to gain extra information in your complex and compound-complex sentences.
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19. Sentences
structures
constitute a
specialized
knowledge.
Mastering
the most
complex
structures
will let us
produce a
mature
writing, with
a very clear
expression.
Remember: this
could be like 3
sentences.

20. Verbs
05
As well as the concept (noun) makes a
meaningful part in language, verbs
constitute the movement or state of being.
01 | Action verbs
02 | Linking verbs
03 | Auxiliaries
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21. 01 | Action verbs
They usually show an action. I read a book each month.
The president announced a new record.
You opened the wrong can.
Run!
Enjoy!

22. 02 | Linking verbs
They usually show a state of being.
They subject can stay still and show a mental action.
Jamie looks tired.
Susan is my sister.
It seems right to me.

23. 03 | Auxiliary verbs
They usually help the main verb to form more complex structures, such as interrogative
sentences, gerunds, negatives and some past tense forms.
- Are you calling me?
- No, I am not.
- Have you lend your phone to anyone?
- Of course, not. I do not lend my phone.
- Do you have it with you?
- Wow, I just realized! I forgot it at home.

24. from Google images

25. The fact is that if you have not developed
language, you simply don't have access to most
of human experience, and if you don't have
access to experience, then you're not going to be
able to think properly.
Noam Chomsky
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26. Lucy Chau
Universidad de Panamá
Books* used in this presentation:
Glencoe Writer’s Choice. Grammar & Composition.
McGraw Hill (Glencoe, 2002)
English is not easy (Luci Gutiérrez, 2019)
Developmental Language and Sentence Skills Guided
Practice Grade 10 Fourth Course (Holt, Rinehart &
Winston, 2008)
(*) Some images were used to illustrate lessons and
promote the use of reference grammar books.classroomtwo.weebly.com