Q&A for How to Improve Your Grammar

To improve your grammar, read the article for tips. In order to improve your vocabulary, try to read every day, consistently look up words you don't know, and use those new words in your conversations and writing.

Pick a writer you admire and take apart some of his/her sentences by labeling each word as its correct part of speech. You will begin to notice patterns that you can emulate as you structure your own sentences.

In addition to reading grammar guides, watching video tutorials, and practicing, try taking a class or private lessons. Reading every day can also really help.

Seek out English-speaking people and engage in conversation. If that's not possible, read English books aloud, particularly novels with lots of dialogue.

Paragraphs can be used to separate major ideas. When you change topics or introduce a new idea when writing, start a new paragraph.

Who is used as the subject of a sentence or clause. Whom is the object of a verb or a preposition.

Try any of these: Grammarly.com, EnglishGrammar.org, GrammarBook.com, and GrammarMonster.com.

That's a good way to say it. You could also say the sentence is "repetitive" or "unnecessary."

(1) A sentence is a group of words used to express a complete thought. It contains both a subject and a verb. With rare exception it begins with a capital letter and ends with punctuation such as a period, question mark, or exclamation mark. (2) A clause is a group of words containing a subject and verb and residing within a larger sentence. All sentences contain one or more clauses. (3) A phrase is a short group of words including a subject or a verb (but not both). A phrase resides within a sentence or a clause.

Read English books, watch movies and listen to the radio in the language, work with a grammar textbook and interact with native speakers as much as you can.

Imitate native speakers and writers.

"Lie" in this context means to recline (or to rest oneself on a horizontal surface). "Lay" when used in the present tense means to set or place someone else or some object onto a surface. It is an action one performs on or for someone or something other than oneself. (Unfortunately, "lay" is also the past tense of "lie.") "Lay" and "laying" are commonly misapplied when "lie" or "lying" are meant.

Keep practicing. If you can, speak with people fluent in English.

The voice of a verb is either active or passive. In a sentence with active voice, the subject performs the action of the verb. In a sentence with passive voice, the subject has the action of the verb performed upon it. For example, "the cat ate the mouse" is in active voice, because the subject (the cat) performs the action (ate). "The mouse was eaten by the cat" is in passive voice, because the subject (the mouse) has the action (was eaten) performed upon it.

"When" is correct. Also, you should put a space between 2 and pm.

"I have never ever known" or "I have never known."

There is such a noun as "mails," but in this sentence it should be "mail."

My parents took Ron and me to the circus. Refer to yourself last.

It's a word taking the place of a noun (such as a person's name) and indicating possession. Examples include: my, his, her, our, your, their, its.

This is the subject of much debate and tradition. Suit yourself or your teacher.

"Neither" is short for "neither one." "Neither one of us is ... ."

Try to use words often after learning them to incorporate them into your vocabulary.

In this sentence, either one would be correct.

English does have rules, and you should learn those rules - they will be applicable in most cases. There are just some exceptions to the rules. You have to memorize the exceptions. English textbooks and classes will normally introduce those to you; you can also find many resources online.

Through reading more, reading widely and reading differently. The grammar rules on prepositions aren't useless, but they must be married to practice in order to be useful.

Start by making sure your grammar and syntax are textbook perfect. Don't use any slang, texting language, or contractions (like "don't" or "can't"). Avoid any cursing as well.

Do you have your ID? "Have" means "possess." "Got" is the past tense of "get."

The word "onto" is used when something is moved or placed on the surface of another thing. For example, "He placed the ball onto the table" or "The girls went up onto the platform."

Recognize the time period represented in your question: does the question refer to the past, the present or the future?

Recognize whether you're writing about the past, the present or the future. Read out loud what you've written. If it sounds right to your ear, it's probably right. If you're not sure, read it to someone else and see if it sounds right to that person.