Teaching Grammar to ESL and EFL Students

Updated 17 February 2012

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There are many ways to teach your students grammar. All these tips came from a workshop by Julio Valladares at the University of Piura, Peru.

• Make sure that when explaining grammar students are aware of the form (such as "to be", past participle, etc), function (reason for using it) and have examples to look at.
• Try using songs with the grammar point you want to cover.
• Check out books by Raymond Murphy or Michael Swan.
• There are lots of lesson plans and worksheets in the lesson planning link
• Use timelines. They visually shows students when things are happening.
• Have students read a text and find the grammar point that you want to work on.
• Drawings can be fun. If you can't draw try bringing pictures to class.
• Use relia. These are real items, such as a backpack, can of soup, stuffed, animal, etc. If you can connect it to grammar, try it.
• Play games. There are ways to make learning fun.
• Cut a sentence up and have the students order it. This is good for practising word order.
• Personalise everything and make it real to the students. It has to relate to their lives.
• Come right out and explain the form and function of the grammar point.
• Give students examples, then tell them to practice, and finally gives them a grammar explanation.
• Have student look at a reading and say whether the sentences are grammatically correct or incorrect.
• Charts can be used for just about anything, such as form, function, singular, or plural.
• Say or write sentences and have students create rules based on the example sentences.
• Compare students' L1 and English.
• Compile a list of common mistakes and go over them in class.
• Use a variety of exercises. Fill in the blank/gap, open cloze, fix the mistake, multiple choice, word bank, matching, etc.

General Test Taking Tips

• Read the instructions first. It only takes a minute or two and can save you a lot of time if you look at the instructions.
• Forget cramming. You should study a little every day rather than trying to learn everything the night before.
• Eat breakfast. It's the most important meal of the day and is necessary to help you think.
• Bring your materials. Have your pencils, erasers, watch, and ID ready the night before.
• Go early. Make sure you leave your house ahead of time so that you get to the class a few minutes before the test begins.
• Pace yourself. If you've finished early, go back and check your answers.
• Check your answers. Make sure you haven't made any simple mistakes. And if you have, change them.
• Don't panic. It's just a test. The worst you can do is fail.
• Don't leave any blanks.

Specific Test Taking Tips for Grammar

• Make sure the verb agrees with the subject of the sentence.
• Watch the tense. If the sentence is in past, the verb should be in past too.
• Don't make simple mistakes. Remember the 3rd person singular "s"!
• Know parts of speech.
• Take notes. When you get the test, write the forms and function at the top so you have something to refer back to.

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