This article’s main objective is to make arguments for the necessity of learning grammar when it comes to mastering a foreign language. While accomplishing that, the article also presents a variety of reasons as to why many language learners often consider grammar an insignificant factor of learning a foreign language.

Despite many people’s firm belief, grammar, along with vocabulary, provides a foundation to a language. Due to all the negative emotions that grammar can awaken, language learners often attempt to avoid dealing with it, hoping to get away with it, meanwhile still longing for a high language proficiency.

Grammar is a universal set of signals that humans involuntarily agree on. There are elements in each language’s grammar that are supposed to symbolise certain circumstances and situations in life. For example, in English, we know the other person talks about their habits when they use the present simple verb tense’s sentence structure. 

To illustrate this theory, let us have a look at an example sentence. 

“How often does your brother come home from university?”

The duo of the auxiliary verb “does” and the so-called base form of the action “come”  body the idea of someone taking a habitual action. It means that the actor does this action again and again every now and then. The example sentence asks a question about someone’s brother’s habit. More specifically, the focus of the question is the frequency of a habit. The focus is on the home visits of someone's brother, who is a university student presumably studying somewhere far away.

Unfortunately, there are some grammar rules in a language that hold no purpose whatsoever. If they were not a part of the language, the speaker’s sentence would still be fully comprehensible without any misunderstandings.

For example, when using the present simple verb tense, “does” may seem unnecessary as an auxiliary verb when we talk about a third person. Everyone would perfectly understand if one said, 

“How often do your brother come home from university?” 

“Do” could be the only auxiliary verb that could be paired up with the base form of the verb and it would still be distinguished from any other sentence structures. However, the use of “does” as an auxiliary verb remained a custom in the present simple verb tense, and it must be followed whether individual language users agree with the usefulness of it or not.

It is important to highlight that while grammar is a universal set of rules, some people apply certain grammar rules differently from others. For instance, some people would say, 

“None of my problems is your concern.”

However, for others, the following sentence would sound more familiar and correct.

“None of my problems are your concern.”

When using the former sentence, “none” is considered a singular subject, meaning that only one person or thing does the action. In the meantime, the latter sentence considers “none” as a plural subject. The first option is more common in British English and the second one is more common in American English. For instance, British English bases the rule on the fact that the word “none” originates from the phrase “not one,” which is considered a singular subject since the sentence’s actor is only one person or thing. 

On the other hand, American English treats “none” as a plural subject because sentences where “none” is the subject usually refers to more people or things instead of one. In the example sentence, the speaker talks about more problems and out of all those problems there is not one that would be the listener’s concern.

Subsequently, making grammatical errors in a sentence does not ultimately result in sentences that make no perfect sense. Therefore, being grammatically correct is not the only determining factor that contributes to achieving our goals in communication. 

Although being aware of grammar rules and even different variations of them can ease the way to understanding, being able to make our listener perceive the message we intend to convey depends on other circumstances as well. Especially when one focuses on the key words in a sentence, and the message intended to be conveyed is not an overly complex thought.

It is highly essential to acknowledge the fact that, among the factors mentioned above, it also depends on the listener’s personal preference and the relationship between the speaker and the listener whether the listener accepts poor linguistic solutions. Meanwhile some people’s primary goal is to get all the necessary information even if it’s not wrapped in grammatically correct sentences with a wide range of vocabulary, others have the opposite idea of the purpose of communication. It also comes down to the nature of the situation the speaker and listener find themselves in. There are certain cases when grammatical correctness seems crucial, other times it is not any of the participants’ main concern.

Furthermore, as humans are far from being perfect creatures, making mistakes, including grammar errors is a part of human communication, even while using a first language. Messing sentences up without the slightest intention to do so occurs occasionally even if one has profound expertise.

As the author, whose first language is not English, I might be and certainly am making mistakes while writing this piece. However, writing an article consisting of thousands of words would not come without either grammar errors or misspellings even if English were my first language. 

I do not intend to make mistakes. I am trying to avoid them with every single inch of my mental strength, however, as a human being that is the best I can do. I am long done with feeling anxious and miserable about making mistakes that I am neither aware of nor can I control any deeper. However, I am confident that I have done every precaution that I recommend in this piece to lower the possibility of making mistakes.

Similarly to languages’ elements and functions, humans created a set of rules of the road so that traffic can be safe while drivers being on their way, using their cars on roads. These rules also consist of conventional symbols and the use of those symbols provides safety for each member of the traffic. However, for the existence of these set of "grammar" rules to be worthwhile, each member of the traffic must be extremely aware of them and apply them to the best of their knowledge.

Otherwise, accidents can occur, and people can get injured. Although a driver accidently misusing a rule or two in traffic does not always lead to an accident, it is still advisable to be cautious and follow all existing rules while driving a vehicle. Fortunately, misusing a grammar rule does not necessarily result in the speaker or other people being harmed in any way. Still, it is sensible to aim for being as accurate as possible when it comes to communicating with fellow members of the community.

Numerous reasons can be listed as to why language learners desire to escape grammar, and why they argue that the necessity of grammar is rightfully questionable. However, there are loads of reasons why grammar is an inevitable element for communicating in a fluent and effective manner. A manner that can help the speaker make other people grasp the same exact information the speaker wishes to convey.

One of the primary reasons for grammar certainly not winning a popularity award is that it is not exactly the most exciting, enjoyable, and refreshing subject for most people. Meanwhile, humans’ primary goal in life is to make the most fun out of life. Moreover, grammar is not even only about practice since there are several theoretical components to it. 

To clarify and make the idea more practical, learning grammar demands a lot of sitting on a chair sedentarily, learning and analysing grammar rules and example sentences. Doing all that with or without the company of another human being. The presence of another human being can be useful when they explain grammar rules, however, individual study sessions are required as well when a language learner evaluate grammar rules on their own.

Furthermore, even if there are practical grammar exercises that language learners complete to apply theories, there is limited moving, talking, and interacting during an excessively active language learning session. Some people might find this process gruelling and even demotivating.

One more reason for most people not experiencing a great deal of enthusiasm for grammar is that understanding a foreign language’s grammar requires prior insight to the grammar of the language learner’s first language, which some language learners lack. If that occurs, it is no surprise that not too many grammar rules make sense to language learners, and they struggle with getting the hang of them.

Due to a lack of awareness of first language grammar rules, language learners might never understand most of the material about their second language’s grammar rules. To achieve comprehension, the learner in question should first evaluate why their fellow native speakers and even themself construct sentences the way they do when using their first language. How sentences can be interpreted in other words, but still meaning the same is an essential step to being able to compare the grammar of one’s first and second languages. However, killing two birds with one stone is viable in this case. Learning one’s first and second languages’ grammar at the same time is a reasonable action to take even if it still takes extra time compared to a case when the language learner already has preliminary exposure to the grammar rules of their first language.

Nonetheless, assuming that a language learner is in possession of their first language’s grammar rules, it’s no secret that acquiring sufficient knowledge about a foreign language’s grammar takes time and delving into more details sometimes makes it even more confusing, not less complicated. Eventually, the learner reaches a breaking point when they can finally fathom how every grammar rule is connected in a language and how grammar has a systematic pattern, and it is all about cause and effect. Whenever that occurs, confidence takes over doubts, and the language learner in question can finally say that they are able to transmit their thoughts and comprehend other people’s ideas without the feeling of anguish.

Since learning grammar means that one focuses on sentence structures that their first language may use as well, or, in some cases, it may not use at all, but the point is that a language learner must pinpoint the similarities and differences between the grammar of their first and second languages so that they can observe and analyse them meticulously.

For example, it is possible to form comparative and superlative adjectives in both English and Hungarian. There are certain rules that are needed to be followed to achieve that using either of the languages. Let us say, a native Hungarian speaker wishes to learn how to speak English. They learn the rules of forming comparative adjectives from the base adjective forms. They also learn about the grammar elements of talking about comparisons. By doing that, they become able to make comparisons using adjectives. (Assuming that the language learner already has the background to be familiar with the function of adjectives.)

However, if a native Hungarian speaker is not conscious about the existence of the “as + base adjective form + as” or the “comparative adjective + than” structures and the fact that they correspond to the “olyan / annyira + base adjective form + mint” and the “comparative adjective form + mint” Hungarian sentence structures, it might seem almost impossible for this particular language learner to ever make a comparison that is grammatically correct.

Nonetheless, it is worth pointing out that not having a mediating language while learning a second language is also viable, however, learning grammar through the second language only might be the source of more misunderstandings compared to the method of using a mediating language. A mediating language is the language that we use to understand grammar rules and to translate vocabulary in order to understand words and phrases, primarily at the beginning of our language journey. The mediating language is evidently one’s first language when they start learning their second language. When a language learner starts mastering their third language, their second language can also be a mediating language if they have reached a high proficiency in it that makes it appropriate for serving this purpose.

It is also worth mentioning that not all English sentence structures have Hungarian equivalents. For instance, when using English grammar, in an informal way, one might say, 

“I was gonna tell you that, but I was afraid you were gonna

freak out.” 

However, Hungarian grammar is unable to grasp the nuance of “I was gonna tell,” instead, based on the options the Hungarian grammar offer, one can say, for instance, “I wanted to”  or “I had the intention to” or “I planned to.”

Even if every single grammar rule has been analysed through and through, even if its logic and equivalence in the language learner’s first language has been entirely understood, it does not mean that a language learner can immediately use every single sentence structure. That is why active language use is also a key to learning a foreign language since that is what makes it possible for a language learner to automatise the process of finding the perfect grammar rule and sentence structure for the current situation.

In the 21st century, active language use begins with observing grammar rules in movies and TV shows that the language learner favours. It is vital to watch movies and TV shows that align with one’s personality because humans tend to be able to memorise data more efficiently if they become a part of an environment where they feel entertained. (Some of the most popular streaming services that one can use to watch movies and TV shows are Netflix, Max, Amazon Prime and Disney+.)

It is also worth noting that the presence of audio-visual content creates a situation that reflects on real life where people gain information not only from what they hear, but also from what they see, and vice versa.

It is recommended to watch movies and TV shows with the use of subtitles. Even by doing so, it does not mean that language learners instantly understand every single sentence. Sometimes people do not understand each sentence when they watch a movie in their first language. There are instances while watching a movie when one spectator asks the other one: “What did he say?”

Therefore, it would be a silly thing for someone to expect from themself understanding every single sentence. However, using the subtitles of one’s second language can aid to consciously observe grammar rules and sentence structures. Also, it is advisable to pause the current movie or TV show, rewind it a tiny bit, listen and read not fully understood sentences over and over again. 

Not letting some not fully grasped sentences bothering oneself is a part of the learning process. Letting go of or moving on from sentences that are outside of one’s capabilities to comprehend is essential, especially when it is because of a barrier that originates from a grammar rule. It does not mean that one will never understand that certain sentence they once found difficult to follow. Moreover, it might occur that the same sentence later will fully make sense, which can be quite motivating in one’s language learning journey as the language learner experience a sense of improvement. That is why it is advisable to watch the same movies and TV shows once more months later.

When it comes to vocabulary, it is a whole other aspect. Several useful online dictionaries or translators can be found online. For example, DeepL is definitely one that maintains even grammar rules when the software does its thing. (As the author of this piece, I have to contradict myself here. DeepL is, for example, a tool that can help translate sentences that one does not understand when watching a movie or TV show. It might not necessarily help find the grammar rule that the sentence uses, however, the software tells its user the meaning of the sentence in their first language. So, a translator can narrow down the number of sentences that one should let go because of not being able to understand them.)

Nevertheless, there are tens of thousands of words in a language, and knowing each of them is nearly impossible. The ones that are commonly used and are vital to be aware of are going to stick at some point, well, because of their common presence.

Therefore, the activity of watching movies and TV shows also contributes to develop a wide range of vocabulary including thousands of new words, phrases and expressions. Even idiomatic expressions that might be common in everyday use but cannot be translated into one’s first language in their literal form. Still, the meaning of an idiomatic expression can be sensed from the context and the great amount of background information we already have about the storyline, the situation, the characters and their nature and intentions.

Watching movies and TV shows, using subtitles, contribute to improving on reading and listening skills; however, this is only the first step to being an active language user. It is also a part of the job to utilise the wisdom we gain from watching movies and TV shows when communicating with other people by constructing thoughts in speaking or writing. 

Moreover, other people are not necessarily required to do the latter one as long as one is not comfortable enough to do so. In the 21st century, artificial intelligence, more specifically, large language models are capable of determining whether a constructed text by a language learner is grammatically correct, even though it is important to keep in mind that they have their limitations as well. (Large language models are, for example, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Bard and Microsoft’s Bing.) 

Also, even if it might sound awkward to a lot of people, talking to oneself is a beneficial method to improve speaking skills. Speaking one’s mind aloud at home while no one hears them can help remove inhibitions that hold the language learner back from talking to others. It also works when it comes to improving one’s first language.

Out of all the reasons, grammar is a necessity in using a foreign language primarily because learning grammar rules is still the most efficient way to learn a foreign language to the highest proficiency possible. It is still overly time-consuming; however, targeted grammar sessions lead to an eventual triumph the most time-efficiently. 

Learning a foreign language consciously means that language learners have a well-organised plan that they follow in order to achieve their goals. 

Learning grammar, reading entertaining literature specialised in books published for language learners especially, watching movies and TV shows on streaming services with subtitles, using large language models to construct texts, talking to oneself while being alone, chatting with others, writing letters, articles, critiques, etc., seem to be a viable study plan. However, it is worth stressing once more that it all starts with studying and understanding grammar rules, in both one’s first and second languages.

Having said all that, the first opposing argument against the need for grammar is that the lack of expertise in grammar does not prevent children from fully learning to speak their first language.

Although this argument is not something that could be contradicted without challenges, it is also true that it takes years for children to start speaking. More specifically, saying full sentences, and doing that with only a few mistakes here and there in their grammar or pronunciation, is a task that native speakers spend several years on to refine.

Besides, let us not forget the fact that these children spend their entire life amongst people who talk to them using their first language. Meanwhile, most language learners start studying their second language during childhood at school or later in life as adults with or without the assistance of a language tutor, devoting about one to five hours a week to their journey to fluency.

Needless to say, that is not even remotely adequate time to get anywhere near a high proficiency level in a second language even if one attends classes for a decade. For adults, there is an even more complex issue that they must face. Their first language with all the common sayings, all the methods of forming sentences and even the cultural habits behind the language are all deeply stuck in their subconsciousness.

Therefore, replacing or making space for a whole other worldview may present a significant challenge. It requires a great amount of openness from the language learner. They sometimes are asked to throw their beliefs out when a common saying might be equivalent in their second language in an entirely different way that might not even make that much sense to them. However, it might be useful to add that the divergence of expressions that one can find in two languages has not much to do with grammar, it is rather an issue of dissimilar vocabularies.

Nonetheless, supposing that one moves abroad in their adulthood without any prior knowledge about the language they are about to learn, spending a major amount of their time among native speakers, listening to them talking, other people trying to explain words, phrases and expressions to them, there is a possibility that after a long time, they will be able to make conversations as if they were native speakers even if they have never learnt any grammar rules, and,  therefore, they have never attempted to find equivalent grammar rules in their first language either. Whether the struggle with this method is either more or less significant depends on the language learner’s mindset.

Another point to consider is that several people have no patience to be in an environment where they are not quickly understood, and that applies to both language learners and native speakers in this case, meaning that native speakers in their home country might not prefer socialising with those who they cannot communicate with efficiently right away, even if they are more than willing to help non-native speakers living in their home country. On the other hand, most language learners might lose interest in the native speaker they are talking to if they are unable to fathom what they say.

It is not evidently rude to avoid people whose thoughts cannot be comprehended; it is simply how human nature operates. No one prefers friends they have nothing in common with and that is completely understandable. How could one have anything common with another without being able to make a meaningful conversation with them? How could an individual work with another or do any sort of activities together without the ability to understand each other’s deep thoughts? Therefore, it can be concluded that learning from scratch by interacting with native speakers is not necessarily the way to go.

Most arguments that say that grammar is negligible in the process of language learning are based on the common phenomenon according to which when families move abroad and their children start going to school, they often quite quickly pick up the foreign language that they use at school. 

These children are educated for hours every workday, they do homework and are assessed in their second language. Not much later, they already have the basics to express themselves, which makes it much less challenging to find friends to chat and hang out with. This implies that children begin practicing the language in at least 50% of their waking hours shortly after arriving in a foreign country.

Furthermore, children aged between 6 and 14 do not have certain drawbacks that adults do. Compared to adults, school is mandatory for children in most countries parents might move their children to, so even if it might sound a powerful argument, it is essential not to forget that children are coerced to participate in education by the force of laws. However, adults do not enjoy the pleasure of the same compulsion. They have options, and when adults have the freedom to select the workplace, they tend to pick one where second language needs are either limited or nonexistent.

Also, they have no words, phrases and expressions that they would insist on due to their deep stuck in their subconsciousness. Therefore, their mindset to a foreign language is naturally far more welcoming compared to adults.

Failing to master the chosen second language’s grammar might make it almost impossible for a language learner to construct sentences that could be seen as advanced proficiency level communication tools. 

Even if major improvements in one’s proficiency occur, it does not happen within a timeframe that any language learner would find appealing, therefore, it is advisable to study grammar when it comes to starting a language learning journey. 

It is beneficial because it is the least time-consuming method, and most language learners lack the recommended amount of spare time they should allocate for studying as they intend to maintain their much-needed work-life balance, which is completely understandable.

Recognising the differences between one’s first and second languages is still the most efficient method even if Rome cannot be built in a day, meaning that it still takes time to gain the profound foundation that a language learner needs to start not only reading and listening, but also writing and speaking a foreign language using grammatically correct sentences.

Learning a second language by native speakers while living abroad is an option, but it is not a viable one unless one spends the majority of their time amongst native speakers. Even if they choose to do that, it might be a difficult task to find people who are willing to spend most of their time to teach them, doing that in a way that does not even seem education, rather a set of joyful activities.  

Lastly, it is also worth noting that making mistakes while communicating, using either written or spoken language is completely natural and acceptable as long as one strives for doing their very best and has the best intentions to follow universal grammar rules.