The Importance of Grammar

There's timely piece in this week's Guardian about the best way to teach modern languages in UK schools. To quote from one of the article's interviewees, "In a lot of European countries they spend more time studying the grammar and structure of their own language - and they do that from a very young age. So by the time they come to learn foreign languages they are aware of the terms and how they're used." Coincidentally, as part of a much welcomed government initiative, this week also sees the arrival of a new test of English grammar for use in primary schools. Picking up on this news, as a fun exercise, both The Guardian and the BBC have created online grammar tests. They offer a good opportunity for both budding and seasoned language learners to reappraise their competence in this area; and for those who feel that their understanding of the rules has been holding them back when learning a second language, the BBC also offer a very useful course in English Grammar for adults on their Skillswise site.