Grammar

Grammar is defined as the scientific and systematic study of a language.  The study of a language would largely remain incomplete without the perfect understanding of grammar.  The relevance of grammar becomes evident when incorrect syntactic arrangements lead to semantic lacunae.  So, what exactly is grammar?

 Various grammarians have associated the term with a set of rules and guiding principles that enable a word structure that engenders better understanding of the language.  Grammar could either be studied prescriptively or descriptively.  Descriptive grammar is the structure of the language that is actually used by language users. It describes the set of governing rules or principles that dictate the use of words, phrases, clauses or sentences.  Prescriptive grammar on the other hand, refers to the structure of a language as is thought correct usage by a small group of people.  Prescriptive grammarians, the scholars of the language, propose rules that they believe to be the proper use.

 There are 10 types of grammar:

1. Comparative Grammar:  This branch of grammar compares and analyses grammatical structures of languages that are related. 
2. Generative Grammar:  This grammar is based on rules that help to determine the structure of the sentences and help the reader to interpret the nature of the sentences in accordance with the native speaker’s acceptability.
3. Mental Grammar:  It analyses how the speaker is able to produce infinite sentences with the help of generative grammar, so that other speakers can understand. 
4. Pedagogical Grammar:  It is associated with the teaching methodology of the language.  Second-language students benefit from pedagogical grammar as it provides an exhaustive content material that the student could use to gain knowledge and information about the language.
5. Performance Grammar:  Even though the study of grammar is devoid of superficial concerns as race, class, sex and the like, a description of the syntax of English as it is actually used by the speakers in dialogues is given importance.
6.  Reference Grammar:  Since language is a dynamic concept, there are changes in the constructions of words, phrases and sentences.  Reference grammar provides explanations to the rules laid out for the construction of effective and appropriate sentences. 
7. Theoretical Grammar:  It provides information on the essential parts of any human language. 
8. Traditional Grammar:  It is an aggregate of prescriptive rules about the structure of the language.
9. Transformational Grammar:  It is related to the ability of an individual to construct a considerable number of sentences from within a sentence or a part of a sentence with the help of transformational rules.  
10. Universal Grammar:  This takes into account all the principles, classifications and operations that are shared by all human languages and are considered to be a part of the universal system

These types are related to some others that have been emerging with the evolution of language.  We have word grammar, relational grammar, transformational-generative grammar, cognitive grammar, phrase structure grammar, lexical functional grammar and more. 

 As language is ever expanding, the need is to probe deeper into the intricacies of the language and understand the changes of the language. The grammar of a language will help you understand the changes. Englishprep.com, an online company for English language learners helps you master English grammar. It helps you harmonize descriptive grammar with prescriptive grammar.