Basic Grammar Concepts in English to Teach Japanese Students

Grammar is the set of rules that govern how words are combined to form sentences. It is considered an important part of learning a language.

The basic grammar concepts in English are:

Parts of speech: The different types of words in the English language. There are eight parts of speech: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections.

Sentence structure: Sentences are made up of a subject (the person or thing that is doing the action) and a predicate (the action that is being done).

Verb tenses: These are used to indicate when an action takes place (past, present, or future).

Pronouns: These are words that are used in place of nouns. The four types of pronouns are personal, possessive, relative, and interrogative.

Adjectives: These are words that describe nouns.

Adverbs: These are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.

Conjunctions: These are words that connect words or phrases.

Prepositions: These are words that show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in the sentence.

Here are examples of how the different parts of speech are used in sentences:

Nouns: They are used to name people, places, things, and ideas. For example, "The dog looked around."

Verbs: They are used to describe actions or states of being. For example, "The cat ran."

Adjectives: They are used to describe nouns. For example, "The big cat ran."

Adverbs: They are used to modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. For example, "The cat ran very fast."

Pronouns: They are used in place of nouns. For example, "She ran."

Conjunctions: They are used to connect words or phrases. For example, "The dog and the cat ran."

Prepositions: They are used to show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in the sentence. For example, "The cat ran under the chair."

When teaching grammar to a Japanese student, keep in mind that their native language has a different grammar system, which will make it difficult for them to learn English grammar. To make things easier for both you and the student, start with the basics, and use visuals if possible, presenting pictures that show the difference between a noun and a verb. Give them many opportunities to practice using grammar, and most importantly, be patient.

Common grammar mistakes that students make include getting confused between nouns and verbs, using incorrect verb tenses, using incorrect pronouns, and using adjectives/adverbs incorrectly.