Language Center
The Hong Kong University
of Science and Technology
English Advice Sheets
GRAMMAR FOR WRITING
G4

The aim of this leaflet

The aim of this leaflet is to help you learn Grammar more effectively. The leaflet is similar to Grammar for Speaking (G6), but focuses on Grammar for Writing.

Deciding what to Focus on

You may already know which area of Grammar you want to improve. If not, see Planning your Grammar Learning (G2), or come to see an SAC Adviser. Common problems for learners of English are tenses, prepositions and articles (the last two can cause problems even for Advanced learners). According to research carried out at the HKUST Language Center, the following are the areas where HK students make most mistakes:

  1. Prepositions with verbs and nouns
  2. Singular and plural forms of nouns
  3. Agreement
  4. Word class (correct word form)
  5. Tense
  6. Articles
  7. Infinitives and ?ng forms (verb form)
  8. Modal/Auxiliary verbs
  9. Pronouns (incorrect or missing relative/reference/reflexive pronouns)
  10. Logical connectors (e.g. despite, although, even if, by contrast, in addition, also, etc.)
SAC Materials

For details of SAC Grammar resources, see Choosing Materials for Grammar Learning (G3). A very useful reference tool is the book Practical English Usage, on the 'Grammar Reference' Shelf in the SAC Area A. This provides more detailed explanation and examples (including examples of incorrect usage) than most Grammar books, and is presented in a very clear and easy-to-read format. It also contains a helpful glossary of 'Language Terminology' (pp. xxi-xxix). You can either look for a topic using alphabetical order (like a dictionary) or use the index at the back.

Web Materials

For details of recommended Grammar resources on the web, see Choosing Materials for Grammar Learning (G3).

Learning tips

Here are some tips that you may find useful:

  • Decide what aspect(s) of your Grammar you most want to improve. See the Advice Sheet Planning your Grammar Learning (G2), or come to see an SAC Adviser if you are not sure where to start. Choosing a focus will make your learning more manageable than if you try to learn 'English Grammar' (a lifetime project!). It will also be easier to see if you are making progress.

  • Set yourself a goal. See the Advice Sheet Planning your Grammar Learning (G2). Again, a narrow, specific goal will be easier to achieve than a very broad one.

  • Choose materials that you like and find useful. This sounds obvious, but there are hundreds of materials available and many will not suit your needs. Take some time to look until you find something that is really suitable. See Choosing Materials for Grammar Learning (G3) or come to see an SAC Adviser.

  • Discover grammar rules and patterns by yourself or with other learners. You can do this by making a note of grammar patterns that you come across in your reading. If you come across several examples of the same pattern (e.g. rely on someone) then you can see that it is likely to be a common pattern and you can try using it yourself. Similarly, if you find the definite article used in a particular way several times, you can start to create your own rules. One very useful program for detecting grammatical patterns is WordPilot, available on the SAC computers, and downloadable on campus and (for 30 days free!) off-campus: http://home.ust.hk/~autolang/. Here you can see many examples of the same words or phrases, and can easily check whether, for example, familiarise with or familiarise myself with is correct, or whether or not computer can be used in the singular without an article. To see how WordPilot can be used to search for grammatical patterns, check out:
    http://lc.ust.hk/~courses/3049/gram_patterns.html. For further advice on how to use the program, contact one of the SAC Advisers.

  • If you have difficulties with word order, it can be useful to translate English sentences into Chinese. This often shows differences between the two languages, and can help you see whether you are using a Chinese word-order at times.

  • Ask for advice about rules and problematic cases that the Grammar Reference books don't explain. Come and see an SAC Adviser, or send your query (and see queries already answered) to websites such as:
    • Learn it: any questions?
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/learnit/rev1.htm
    Roger Woodham, an experienced teacher of English, answers questions about grammar, vocabulary and learning strategies. Part of the useful BBC World Service 'Learning English' site.
    The Online English Grammar http://www.edunet.com/english/grammar/index.cfm
    'Grammar guru answers your questions': Anthony Hughes, an experienced teacher of English, answers questions about grammar, vocabulary, spelling etc. Many of the questions tend to be native speakers asking about usage (e.g. its vs. it's, are ain't and real good correct? etc.) but still useful. Part of the useful Digital Education Network site.
    Online Writing Lab http://owl.english.purdue.edu/lab/owl/tutoring/index.html
     This site does not list previously answered questions, but tutoring staff will (if they have time) reply to specific questions - e.g. about whether a particular sentence is correct or appropriate. They will not proofread, however. Read their policies on 'Evaluating drafts' carefully. Part of Purdue University's extensive OWL site.

  • Post up Grammar 'notes' around your room. These can be grammar rules that you're having difficulty remembering, examples of grammar patterns, or sayings/quotations that are well-written and models of good grammar (or just fun and inspiring to read!).

  • Read widely. Consciously focusing on grammar is an important way of improving, but it is also helpful to read as much as possible. If you read English often, over time, you will learn grammatical patterns without realising that you are doing so. See the Advice Sheet How do you Become a Better Reader? (R1).

  • Write frequently. Understanding how English Grammar works is important, but practice is vital if you want grammatical accuracy to be a natural feature of your writing. Write as much as possible, make mistakes, learn from your mistakes, and use grammatical patterns frequently so that they become automatic for you. See the Advice Sheets Improving your Writing Skills (W1) and Tips for Learning to Write Independently (W7).

  • Form a Grammar Discussion Group. Having a partnership or group adds extra knowledge, makes it easy to get feedback on your writing, and can motivate you to continue learning.

  • Evaluate your progress (see below).

Evaluating your progress

Most people find it very useful to evaluate their learning progress. Assessing your progress can not only give you a feeling of success, but can also identify areas that you need to work on in the future. Here are some ways of evaluating your progress in grammar for writing:

  • If using Grammar Practice books, test yourself on the exercises before and after you study the Grammar explanation.
  • Compare your scores or writing ability at the beginning of a period of learning and at the end, e.g. several months later - have you improved? You could do the same test or exercises again or rewrite the same paragraph/essay introduction etc.
  • If you find it difficult to evaluate your own progress, ask others to evaluate you. These could be friends, group members, your lecturer or supervisor, your English instructor, a Communication Tutor, or an SAC Adviser.

And Now...

If you would like any help or advice, or just a chat about your progress, please get in touch - we are here to support your independent learning! To contact us:

  • see an Adviser, on duty at the SAC Advice Desk (for details of advisers and their availability, please go to http://lc.ust.hk/~sac/sacadviser.html)
  • e-mail lcsac (lccommons@ust.hk) with your query;
  • ask at the reception counter of the SAC — if the receptionist cannot help you directly, s/he will pass your query on to one of the SAC advisers.

Note
The introductory leaflet in this series is the leaflet Improving your Grammar (G1).

This advice sheet is part of the Grammar series of leaflets supporting independent learning, produced by the HKUST Language Center SAC team. This leaflet was first written by Kyungnan Park, 1999 and edited by Jacqueline Lam Kam-mei, 2000. Revised by Richard Pemberton, 2001. Version 3. Last updated: 14 February 2001. If you copy from this leaflet, please acknowledge the source. Thanks.