One of the most time-consuming and frustrating aspects of learning a new language is mastering its grammatical rules. English grammar may appear straightforward in comparison to other languages, yet even a little slip may have a significant impact on the intended meaning of a sentence. So here are some important basic grammar (grammar พื้นฐาน, which is the term in Thai) rules you should follow:
Adjectives And Adverbs
Make sure that you use the right adjectives and adverbs. Adjectives are words that describe, name or measure people or things. They usually come before a noun. If the noun is plural, they don’t change. The meaning of verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs gets changed by adverbs. They usually come after the verb. For example:
- He drives slowly. (adverb)
- He’s a slow driver. (adjective)
Use The Correct Conjugation Of The Verb
Change the verb so that it fits the subject. He, she, and it are the most important words to watch out for because they often have different forms than other words. For example:
- She has two cats. WRONG
- She has two cats. RIGHT
Even though this seems like a small mistake, it stands out very much. So avoiding it will make a big difference in how true your sound is.
Pay Attention To Homophones
Homophonic words sound the same but they mean different things, even if they are spelled differently. This can make things confusing, and unfortunately, English has a lot of these words. For example, you’re – your, it’s – its, I – eye, here – hear, break – break, flower – flour
So, be careful to use the right spelling when you write. And when you listen, keep in mind that a word you think you know may mean something else. Try to figure out what that means by looking at the whole thing.
Sentence Construction
Learners of English might rejoice at the prospect of not having to worry about constructing too intricate phrases. Including commas in your writing might help your sentences to read more smoothly. The use of commas denotes the conclusion of one sentence and the beginning of another, making for easier reading. The most common places where it’s recommended to put a comma are:
- After some conjunctions: For example, Our holiday was great and the hotel was wonderful. However, the weather was awful.
- For extra information in the middle of a sentence (a non-defining clause). For example, My neighbor, who’s from Brazil, is good at cooking.