Dirección de Capacitación ENTO Editorial
Module 1 – TKT - Grammar
Defining Grammar
The grammar of a language is the description of the ways in which words can change their
forms and can be combined into sentences in that language to make meaning. In other
words, grammar is the whole system and structure of a language. Grammar is also used to
describe language. When we describe the grammar of a language, we talk about the
different forms and uses it has.
Exploring Grammar
Grammatical forms
These forms refer to how words are made up, how we use morphemes to change the
meaning or grammar of a word (morphology) and to the order that words can be arranged
in (syntax). One example of how morphemes are used is the adding of the s morpheme to
the third person of the present simple. We always add it with the pronoun, he, she, and it,
e.g. he dances. Another example is the addition of ing to infinitive verbs to form the gerund,
reading.
Parts of Speech
Words can be categorized in English according to their grammatical function and meaning.
There are nine parts of speech in English: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, determiners,
prepositions, pronouns, conjunctions, and exclamations.
Part of speech Function Examples
Nouns To name people, places, things, chair, country,
Verbs To show an action, state or process run, live, think
Adjectives describes or gives more information about a noun or big, red, beautiful
pronoun,
Adverbs describes or gives more information about how, quickly, yesterday,
when, where, how much or how well something is really
done
Determiners used to make clear which noun you are talking your, a/an, that
about, or to give information about quantity
Prepositions to show the relationship between a noun, noun in, at, after
phrase or pronoun and another word or phrase
Pronouns to replace or refer to a noun she, they, yourself
Conjunctions To connect words, phrases, clauses, or sentences. and, but, as, for
Exclamations To express emotions. feelings (especially in informal Oh! Ow!
spoken language)
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TKT – Module 1
Dirección de Capacitación ENTO Editorial
Module 1 – TKT - Grammar
Adapted from TKT Glossary
These main categories can also be classified into other subcategories.
Nouns:
Countable,
uncountable,
proper, Verbs:
Exclamation: common, etc. Transitive,
feelings of
doubt,, pain, intransitive,
surprise, etc. regular,
modals, etc.
Pronouns:
personal, Parts of Adjectives:
possessive, Speech comparative,
relative, Subcategories superlative
reflexive
Adverbs:
Prepositions:
time, place, degree,
direction, manner, time,
etc. Determiners: frequency,
Possessive etc.
adjectives,
articles,
quantifiers,
etc.
Grammatical structures
A grammatical structure is a grammatical language pattern; e.g. present perfect simple is a
grammatical structure. Grammatical structures convey meaning. One grammatical structure
can convey different meanings, that is, the structures have more than one use, for example,
the present continuous tense can be used to talk about actions performed at the moment of
speaking: I am reading the grammar notes. The same structure can be used to talk about
an action that will take place in the future, e.g. Where are you going this weekend? I’m going
to my grandparents’ house.
Look at the following example:
TKT – Module 1
Dirección de Capacitación ENTO Editorial
Module 1 – TKT - Grammar
Structure: Present simple
Uses:
a. To describe a present state:
• She lives in Mexico.
b. To describe facts:
• The earth revolves around the sun.
c. To refer to the future in schedules, timetables, etc.
• The train arrives at 5:00 tomorrow.
• The course starts next month.
TKT – Module 1