Grammar
Practising Grammar
Many of us remember it from school: to learn grammar, you read through the rules and complete exercises – usually by filling in gaps with the correct forms. But that’s not always enjoyable, and it doesn’t necessarily help you understand or apply the grammar effectively. Here are a few alternative suggestions:
There are podcasts that explain various grammar topics. You can download them and listen whenever, wherever – and as often as you like.
Example:
BBC Learning English - Easy grammar - 6 Minute Grammar
Many teachers publish videos online that explain grammar topics. Compared to podcasts, videos have a clear advantage: you can see structured examples, colour-coded visuals, and usually simplified language. Some videos include exercises, others link to pages with written explanations.
Examples:
- Engllish: Conditionals Zero and First (youtube.com) (an explanatory video by the Language Centre)
- French: Savoir se presenter: https://youtu.be/Ma8glt1WMDw
- Italian: Pronomi italiani: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2fRnW0iaSA
- Spanish: Presente de los verbos regulares: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xstNWU03tmg
Infographics
Infographics are visual tools that combine graphics, images, and text to present information clearly and concisely.
Example Ser/estar
Benefits of using infographics in language learning:
- Simplification: Grammar rules (or vocabulary) are broken down into smaller, easier-to-digest parts.
- Engagement: Visual content is more appealing – it uses colours, shapes and design elements that make information easier to remember.
Create your own flashcards or infographics
Designing your own learning materials – such as flashcards or infographics – can further reinforce what you’re trying to learn. The process of creating them helps you actively engage with the content and structure the information in a meaningful way.
- We engage in much more active thinking when we decide for ourselves how to present something and which example sentences to choose.
- More of our senses are involved when we don't just look at something but actually write or draw it ourselves – this helps anchor information in different ways, imprinting it in our memory.
It’s always helpful to read and revise individually. But it can also be beneficial to talk things through with a study partner. Doing so can:
- make it clearer where there are still gaps in your understanding – and allow you to close them together,
- lead to deeper understanding, as each person brings their own perspective and contributes new ideas,
- increase motivation, as learning together is often more enjoyable,
- build confidence in using the language.
You can find more tips on how to find learning partners in the section “Improving Your Speaking Skills”.