㈠ 怎麼有效學習英語語法啊
不得不說,學英語貴在堅持,是長期努力的結果,沒有速效。
㈡ 英語的語法在實際英語運用中重要嗎
首先祝你新抄年快樂
如果把單襲詞比作英語里的磚瓦
那語法就一定是鋼筋咯
在正式的英語裡面
掌握了單詞還不夠
往往要掌握一些語法知識了解一些語法現象
這樣才能正確的連詞成句
把你所學的單詞正確的組成句子
所以說語法非常重要
你只有組成正確的句子才能更加順利的與人交流
在平時的口語中
可以不需要太講究語法
但是你如果語法太差
疏忽了一些細節
那麼也許一個詞只差
就會意思大不相同噢
這就是語法的妙處
在4;6級考試里
也需要掌握語法的
有筆試
考雅思和托福也需要學語法
這樣
面對考官的問題
你的回答就更加犀利了
更加有文采
再次祝你新年快樂
希望你滿意我的回答
㈢ 英語的語法應該怎樣記住,還有怎麼運用
不用使勁記語法.我覺得你實在記不住就多看一些英語文章,聽一些聽力.你又不當英語老專師,不用把語法屬說得頭頭是道.但基本的道理自己應該懂,可以講不出來,但自己要知道怎麼才是對,怎麼是錯
最主要是多接觸英語,自然而然規則就瞭然於胸了.
㈣ 英語語法到底是什麼意思怎麼用啊
英語語法是針對英語語言的語法進行的研究,指英語中語言的結構規律。包括詞法和版句法。英語的語法權既可以是規范性的,也可以是描述性的。
理論上,做選擇題的時候應該先考慮一下該題的語法點,運用語法知識做出正確的選項,有根有據。但是考試的時候誰又能都按部就班的來呢?只能說,語法是一道工具,便於在你必要的時候拿出來。
不要可以去學語法,語法重在積累。可以先讀讀初中的課本,找老師幫忙,把知識點縷一縷,比硬學語法要好。
㈤ 英語語法怎麼用
組成句子的各個部分叫句子成分。英語句子成分有主語,謂語,表語,賓語,賓語補足語,定語,狀語等。
順序一般是主語,謂語,賓語,賓語補足語,而表語,定語,狀語的位置要根據情況而定。
1、主語
主語表示句子主要說明的人或事物,一般由名詞,代詞,數詞,不定式等充當。
Helikeswatch'ingTV.他喜歡看電視。
2、謂語
謂語說明主語的動作,狀態或特徵。
一般可分為兩類:
1),簡單謂語
由動詞(或短語動詞)構成。
可以有不同的時態,語態和語氣。
Westud'yforthepeo'ple.我們為人民學習。
2),復合謂語:情態動詞+不定式
Icanspeakalit'tleEng'lish.我可以說一點英語。
3、表語
表語是謂語的一部分,它位於系動詞如be之後,說明主語身份,特徵,屬性或狀態。一般由名詞,代詞,形容詞,副詞,不定式,介詞短語等充當。
Mysis'terisanurse.我姐姐是護士。
4、賓語
賓語表示動作行為的對象,跟在及物動詞之後,能作賓語的有名詞,代詞,數詞,動詞不定式等。
WelikeEng'lish.我們喜歡英語。
有些及物動詞可以帶兩個賓語,往往一個指人,一個指物,指人的叫間接賓語,指物的叫直接賓語。
Hegavemesom'eink.他給了我一點墨水。
有些及物動詞的賓語後面還需要有一個補足語,意思才完整,賓語和它的補足語構成復合賓語。如:
Wemakehimourmon'itor.我們選他當班長。
5、定語
在句中修飾名詞或代詞的成分叫定語。
用作定語的主要是形容詞,代詞,數詞,名詞,副詞,動詞不定式,介詞短語等。形容詞,代詞,數詞,名詞等作定語時,通常放在被修飾的詞前面。
Heisanewstu'dent.他是個新生。
但副詞,動詞不定式,介詞短語等作定語時,則放在被修飾的詞之後。
Thebikeintheroomismine.房間里的自行車是我的。
6、狀語
修飾動詞,形容詞,副詞以及全句的句子成分,叫做狀語。用作狀語的通常是副詞,介詞短語,不定式和從句等。狀語一般放在被修飾的詞之後或放在句尾。副詞作狀語時可放在被修飾的詞前或句首。
HelivesinLon'don.他住在倫敦。
從句是指用於復合句中擔當某個句子成分的主謂結構。雖說從句自身的句子結構是完整的, 但是它不能視為獨立的句子,因為它離開了主語就無法獨立、完整地表達意思。按其所能表達的意義而言,它相當於一個詞或是一個片語.例如: 1) Because they talk at home while the television is on , many people think they can talk at movies as well . (狀語從句)許多人在家裡是邊看電視邊談話,所以他們認為在電影院也可以如此。 2) Whether he comes or not doesn't make any difference to me . (主語從句) 他來與不來對我都一樣。 3)There is disagreement among economists about what money is and how money is measured(賓語從句)什麼是貨幣以及怎樣計量貨幣經濟學家之間存有分歧。 4) China is not what it used to be . (表語從句)中國不是它過去的樣子了。 5) Is there any proof that the food of plant differs from that of animals ? (同位語從句)有沒有什麼證據說明植物性食品不同於動物性食品? 6) Taxes consist of money that people pay to support their government . (定語從句) 稅款是人們支持政府而交的錢。 如果將上面的復合句中所有的從句都獨立出來,那將是這樣的: 1) Because they talk at home while the television is on 2) Whether he comes or not 3) what money is and how money is measured 4) what it used to be 5) that the food of plant differs from that of animals 6) that people pay to support their government 我們很容易看出,上面的所有這些句子既不是陳述句、疑問句,也不是祁使句,更不是感嘆句。也就是說,它們不是獨立的句子;也只有在附屬於主句後才能獲得意義如下:1)因為許多人在家裡是邊看電視邊談話 2)他來與不來 3)什麼是貨幣以及怎樣計量貨幣 4)它過去的樣子5)植物性食品不同於動物性食品6)人們支持政府而交的上面的這些句子在我們中文裡如同是人們常說的"半截話";在英文中也就是個"詞或片語"了。 B. 我們雖然說過,從句自身的句子結構基本是完整的,但是它不同於"獨立句子"的是--每個從句的最前面都好象"戴了頂帽子"即:從屬關系詞。由此可以看出,從句的另一個特點是:從屬關系詞總是立於從句之首. C. 從句的再一個特點是:一般說來(除少數倒裝的情況外),從句中的語序應該是正常語序。 D. 關於從句種類的劃分有兩種方法:按從句的詞性劃分和按從句的句子功能劃分。如果按從句的詞性劃分,從句可分為三種:名詞從句、形容詞從句和副詞從句。如果按從句的句子功能劃分(也就是按從句在句子中所擔任的成分來劃分),從句可分為:主語從句、賓語從句、 表語從句、同位語從句、定語從句和狀語從句。其實,這兩種劃分從句的方法在邏輯上是一致的.我們知道,能在句子里充當主語、賓語、表語和同位語的往往是名詞、代詞等,所以名詞從句涵蓋了主語從句、賓語從句、表語從句和同位語從句。形容詞和副詞常分別在句中擔當定語和狀語,所以,形容詞從句和副詞從句其實分別是定語從句和狀語從句。 名詞從句名詞從句在句中是一個相當於名詞的主謂結構。我們在前面說過,名詞從句含蓋了主語從句、賓語從句、表語從句和同位語從句。連接這些從句與主句的關系詞主要有三類: 1.從屬連詞:that(無有詞義) , whether(是否) ,if (是否) 2.關系代詞:who(誰,主格) , whom(誰,賓格),whose誰的,所有格) , what(什麼),which(哪個,哪些) 3.關系副詞:when(什麼時候) where(什麼地方)why(為什麼) , how(怎樣) 名詞從句中的從屬連詞在從句里不擔任任何成分,只起連接的作用;而關系代詞和關系副詞不僅僅是起連接的作用,而且還在從句里擔任一定的成分;關系代詞常在從句中擔任主語、賓語或表語等成分;關系副詞常在從句中擔任狀語。另外,在使用上面的這些關系詞時,有幾個問題值得我們注意:首先,只能用whether而不能用if的情況. 1)引導主語從句,例如: Whether we'll make a loan for the project has not been decided .(正確)我們是否要為這個項目還沒有定下來。 OR: It has not been decided whether we'll make a loan for the project . (正確) If we'll make a loan for the project has not been decided .(錯誤) OR: It has not been decided if we'll make a loan for the project . (錯誤) 2)作介詞的賓語,例如: I have no idea about whether I can raise the money for buying a car . (正確)我不知道我是否能為買車籌措到資金。 I have no idea about if I can raise the money for buying a car . (錯誤) 3)後接不定式 ,例如: He didn't know whether to go all himself first or wait for her here.(正確)他不知道是他自己先去還是在這兒等她。 He didn't know if to go all himself or wait for her here . (錯誤) 4)後接or not ,例如: We wonder whether they'll come in time or not.(正確) 我們擔心他們會不會准時到。 We wonder if they'll come in time or not . (錯誤)其次,what引導的名詞從句表達的意思是"……所……的"。這個"所怎麼的"定義根據"從句謂語的動作意義"而定。例如: I don't understand what you said.我不理解你所說的話。 What he needs is to practice more.他所需要的是勤於練習。 Money is what she is really after.金錢是她所真正追求的東西。 People have different ideas about what happiness means . 人們對於幸福的含義有不同見解。最後,要了解 -ever = no matter ,用於表示強調,意為"無論……"。也就是說: whatever = no matter what(無論什麼) whoever = no matter who(無論誰) whichever = no matter which(無論那個) whenever =no matter when (無論何時) wherever = no matter where(無論何地) however = no matter how (無論怎樣) A 主語從句用作主語的主謂結構稱之為主語從句。例如: Whether he'll come or not remains a question . 他是否會來依然是一個問題。 Whoever says that is not allowed .無論誰這樣說都是不允許的。 That she reads English aloud every morning helps her a lot in the improvement of her English study . 她每天早晨朗讀英文對提高她的英語學習起了很大的作用。 要點提示在使用主語從句中,有幾個問題值得我們注意: 1)盡管主從連詞that在主語從句中沒有任何意義,但一般不能省略。 That there is no elevator in the building is the critical inconvenience .這幢樓里沒有電梯是極大的不便之處。 It is necessary (that) he have his further study incollege.(當主語從句在後面時,連詞that可以省去)他在大學進一步深造是完全必要的。 2)為了保持句子平衡或在正式文體中,常用先行It代替主語從句而將主語從句置於句末。 It remains a question Whether he'll come or not . 他是否會來,依然是一個問題。 It is not allowed Whoever says that. 無論誰這樣說都是不允許的。 3)在It + be +形容詞/ 名詞 + that從句的結構中,由於某些形容詞/ 名詞的原因,that從句中的謂語動詞要用虛擬式。這類形容詞/ 名詞常見的有: essential(絕對必要的), important(重要的), advisable(明智的), desirable(希望能夠的), imperative(必須的), natural(自然的), necessary必要的), regretful(遺憾的), strange(奇怪的), proper(適當的), urgent(緊急的), ty(義務、責任), a pity (遺憾), no wonder(難怪), a regret(遺憾)。例如: It is strange that he ( should ) say so . 他居然會這樣說,真是奇怪。 It is a great pity that you ( should ) think so . 他居然會這樣想,真是一件憾事。 It is natural that a bird ( should ) rest in trees . 鳥在樹上安歇是很自然的。 It is a wonder that he should have passed the exam. 他這次考試居然會及格,真是個奇跡。 4)以what引導的主語從句常用於句首表示強調。 What they need now is financial aid . 他們現在所需要的是經濟援助。 What she thinks of me doesn't mean much to me . 她怎麼樣看我,對我來說無所謂。 What you have said hurt her a lot .你所說的話對她傷害很大。 B 賓語從句用作謂語動詞、介詞以及非謂語動詞形式的賓語的主謂結構稱之為賓語從句。也就是說,只要是用一個主謂結構去充當賓語,那麼這個主謂結構就稱為賓語從句。 例如: I believe that he will find a job in that publisher .(作謂語動詞的賓語)我相信,他一定會在那家出版社找到工作。 He laughed at what they said . (作介詞的賓語)她對他們說的話,一笑置之。 要點提示在使用賓語從句中,有幾個問題值得我們注意: 1)賓語從句與主句的時態一致性問題這種一致性的要求,只有當主句的謂語動詞用於"過去時區"的時候才存在。凡是在"過去時區"內的各種不同時態都在其中。另外,這種一致性只要求賓語從句的謂語動詞也用於"過去時區"即可,至於用什麼樣具體的時態就要依從句的需要而定了。 He had told me that he would join the club sometime . 他曾經告訴我說,他會在某個時候參加俱樂部的。 I remembered that I had met him somewhere . 我記得我曾在哪兒見過他。 She thought that she would have finished what she was doing by the end of the month . 她認為在那個月底她將完成她手頭上做的事。 2)if引導的賓語從句不能作介詞的賓語,而只有用whether引導才行。這一點在上面剛剛講過.(略) 3)某些動詞後面,賓語從句的謂語要求用虛擬式。這一點已在"虛擬語氣"一章中討論過了,本章只作簡單的復習。這類要求賓語從句的謂語用虛擬式的動詞,常見的有:command(命令), demand(要求), desire(希望), insist(堅持), order(命令), propose(提議), recommend(推薦), request(要求), require(要求), suggest(建議),等。例如: He proposed that we ( should ) set a dead line for the complement of the plan . 他提議擬定一個執行計劃的期限。 C 表語從句在句子中擔當表語的主謂結構稱之為表語從句。它常位於句中聯系動詞或是起聯系動詞作用的動詞之後.例如: The problem is where we can hold our meeting . 問題是我們可以在哪兒舉行會議。 It seems that everything goes smoothly .似乎一切都進行得很順利。 The cause is that the temperature of water is lower that needed . 其原因是水的溫度低於所需要的溫度。 That is what he really wants .那就是他真想要的東西。 D 同位語從句同位語從句就是在句子中擔當同位語的主謂結構.在使用同位語從句時要特別注意:盡管主從連詞that在同位語從句中沒有任何意義,但卻不能省略。另外,同位語從句常用於下面這些名詞的後面(其中,斜體字的名詞後面所接的同位語從句中要用虛擬語氣): fact(事實), fear(擔心、害怕), belief(信念,意見), evidence(證據), hope(希望), idea(想法) news(新聞), doubt(懷疑), suggestion(建議), motion(動議), proposal(提議), order(命令), recommendation(推薦),等等。例如: There is the news that an American delegation will arrive in Beijing tomorrow afternoon . 有消息說一個美國代表團將於明天下午抵達北京。 Is there any proof that the food of the plant differs from that of animals ? 是否有任何證據可以說明植物性的食物不同於動物性的食物呢? We all know the fact that organization helps memorization. 我們都知道這樣一個事實:把要記憶的材料組織起來有助於記憶。 What do you think of his proposal that we ( should ) put on a play at the English evening ? 他建議我們在英語晚會上演一個劇,你覺得怎麼樣?
滿意請採納。
㈥ 英語中什麼是語法(具體點)!!!
語法是語言學的一個分支,研究按確定用法來運用的詞類、詞的屈折變化或表示相互關系的其他手段以及詞在句中的功能和關系
語言的結構規律。包括詞法和句法。詞法指詞的構成及變化規律;句法指短語和句子的組織規律。
語法是語言表達的規則。各種語言都有不同的語法,包括人類語言和計算機語言等。語法學是語言學的一部分。
現代語法學包括語音學、音系學(見音韻學)、形態學(詞法)、句法學、語義學。
數據通信中的意思
語法:數據及控制信息的格式、編碼及信號電平等。
rules of a language governing the sounds, words, sentences, and other elements, as well as their combination and interpretation. The word grammar also denotes the study of these abstract features or a book presenting these rules. In a restricted sense, the term refers only to the study of sentence and word structure (syntax and morphology), excluding vocabulary and pronunciation.
A common contemporary definition of grammar is the underlying structure of a language that any native speaker of that language knows intuitively. The systematic description of the features of a language is also a grammar. These features are the phonology (sound), morphology (system of word formation), syntax (patterns of word arrangement), and semantics (meaning). Depending on the grammarian's approach, a grammar can be prescriptive (i.e., provide rules for correct usage), descriptive (i.e., describe how a language is actually used), or generative (i.e., provide instructions for the proction of an infinite number of sentences in a language). The traditional focus of inquiry has been on morphology and syntax, and for some contemporary linguists (and many traditional grammarians) this is the only proper domain of the subject.
In Europe the Greeks were the first to write grammars. To them, grammar was a tool that could be used in the study of Greek literature; hence their focus on the literary language. The Alexandrians of the 1st century BC further developed Greek grammar in order to preserve the purity of the language. Dionysus Thrax of Alexandria later wrote an influential treatise called The Art of Grammar, in which he analyzed literary texts in terms of letters, syllables, and eight parts of speech.
The Romans adopted the grammatical system of the Greeks and applied it to Latin. Except for Varro, of the 1st century BC, who believed that grammarians should discover structures, not dictate them, most Latin grammarians did not attempt to alter the Greek system and also sought to protect their language from decay. Whereas the model for the Greeks and Alexandrians was the language of Homer, the works of Cicero and Virgil set the Latin standard. The works of Donatus (4th century AD) and Priscian (6th century AD), the most important Latin grammarians, were widely used to teach Latin grammar ring the European Middle Ages. In medieval Europe, ecation was concted in Latin, and Latin grammar became the foundation of the liberal arts curriculum. Many grammars were composed for students ring this time. Aelfric, the abbot of Eynsham (11th century), who wrote the first Latin grammar in Anglo-Saxon, proposed that this work serve as an introction to English grammar as well. Thus began the tradition of analyzing English grammar according to a Latin model.
The modistae, grammarians of the mid-13th to mid-14th century who viewed language as a reflection of reality, looked to philosophy for explanations of grammatical rules. The modistae sought one 「universal」 grammar that would serve as a means of understanding the nature of being. In 17th-century France a group of grammarians from Port-Royal were also interested in the idea of universal grammar. They claimed that common elements of thought could be discerned in grammatical categories of all languages. Unlike their Greek and Latin counterparts, the Port-Royal grammarians did not study literary language but claimed instead that usage should be dictated by the actual speech of living languages. Noting their emphasis on linguistic universals, the contemporary linguist Noam Chomsky called the Port-Royal group the first transformational grammarians.
Structural description of the sentence 「The man will hit the ball,」 assigned by the …
By 1700 grammars of 61 vernacular languages had been printed. These were written primarily for purposes of reforming, purifying, or standardizing language and were put to pedagogical use. Rules of grammar usually accounted for formal, written, literary language only and did not apply to all the varieties of actual, spoken language. This prescriptive approach long dominated the schools, where the study of grammar came to be associated with 「parsing」 and sentence diagramming. Opposition to teaching solely in terms of prescriptive and proscriptive (i.e., what must not be done) rules grew ring the middle decades of the 20th century.
The simplification of grammar for classroom use contrasted sharply with the complex studies that scholars of linguistics were concting about languages. During the 19th and early 20th centuries the historical point of view flourished. Scholars who realized that every living language was in a constant state of flux studied all types of written records of modern European languages to determine the courses of their evolution. They did not limit their inquiry to literary languages but included dialects and contemporary spoken languages as well. Historical grammarians did not follow earlier prescriptive approaches but were interested, instead, in discovering where the language under study came from.
As a result of the work of historical grammarians, scholars came to see that the study of language can be either diachronic (its development through time) or synchronic (its state at a particular time). The Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure and other descriptive linguists began studying the spoken language. They collected a large sample of sentences proced by native speakers of a language and classified their material starting with phonology and working their way to syntax.
Generative, or transformational, grammarians of the second half of the 20th century, such as Noam Chomsky, studied the knowledge that native speakers possess which enables them to proce and understand an infinite number of sentences. Whereas descriptivists like Saussure examined samples of indivial speech to arrive at a description of a language, transformationalists first studied the underlying structure of a language. They attempted to describe the 「rules」 that define a native speaker's 「competence」 (unconscious knowledge of the language) and account for all instances of the speaker's 「performance」 (strategies the indivial uses in actual sentence proction). See generative grammar; transformational grammar.
The study of grammatical theory has been of interest to philosophers, anthropologists, psychologists, and literary critics over the centuries. Today, grammar exists as a field within linguistics but still retains a relationship with these other disciplines. For many people, grammar still refers to the body of rules one must know in order to speak or write 「correctly.」 However, from the last quarter of the 20th century a more sophisticated awareness of grammatical issues has taken root, especially in schools. In some countries, such as Australia and the United Kingdom, new English curricula have been devised in which grammar is a focus of investigation, avoiding the prescriptivism of former times and using techniques that promote a lively and thoughtful spirit of inquiry.
語法在大英網路全書的定義:統攝聲音,文字,句子和其他要素,以及它們的組合和解釋的語言規范。「語法」這個詞也指對這些抽象特徵的研究,或這些規則的指南手冊。嚴格意義上說,「語法」這個術語是指對於句子和詞語結構(句法和形態學)的研究,但不包括詞彙和發音。
一個普遍接受的當代語法定義是:以一種語言為母語的任何人靠直覺就知道的語言結構。對語言特徵的系統描述也是一種語法,而這些特徵包括音位學(聲音) ,形態學(系統構詞) ,句法(詞語安排模式)和語義(意思) 。根據語法學家的研究,語法可以規范(即提供一些正確用法的規則) ,描述(即,描述了語言實際上是如何使用的) ,或生成(即提供一種指導,使無限的句子在一種語言中產生) 。傳統的調查重點,在於形態學和句法,對於一些當代語言學家(和許多傳統的語法學家),這是唯一正確的研究領域。
在歐洲,希臘人最早寫關於語法的著作。對他們來說,語法是一個工具,可以用來研究希臘文學,因此他們的重點是文學語言。公元前一世紀的Alexandrians進一步發展希臘語法,以保持純凈的語言。亞歷山大的狄俄尼索斯後來寫出一篇影響深遠的論文,稱為《語法的藝術》,他在其中分析文學文本中的字母,音節,和八段話語。
古羅馬人接受了希臘人的語法體系,並運用於拉丁語。除了公元前一世紀的瓦羅Varro認為語法學家應該發現結構,而不是強行指定結構,大多數拉丁語法學家沒有試圖改變希臘系統,還設法保護他們的語言避免衰敗。希臘人和亞歷山大人的語言模型是荷馬的語言,西塞羅和維吉爾的作品設定了拉丁語的語法標准。最重要的拉丁語語法學家多納圖斯(公元4世紀)和普里西安(公元6世紀)的作品在歐洲中世紀被廣泛用於拉丁文語法教學。中世紀的歐洲的教育使用的是拉丁文,拉丁語語法成為人文教育的基礎課程。 恩斯罕的修道院長,阿爾弗里克Aelfric( 11世紀) ,第一個寫拉丁語語法的盎格魯撒克遜人,建議以此引入英語語法。從此,開始了依據拉丁語法的英語語法分析的傳統。
第13世紀中葉至14世紀中葉的語法學家認為語言是現實的反映,從哲學中尋求解釋語法的規則。他們尋求一個「普遍」的語法universal grammar,以此作為了解存在being的手段。在十七世紀的法國,來自羅亞爾港的一些語法學家也對這種普遍語法感興趣。他們聲稱,思想的共同要素可以在所有語言的語法類別中辨識出來。與希臘語和拉丁語的語法學家不同,羅亞爾港語法學家沒有研究文學語言,他們認為語言的用法應當取決於實際的生活語言。當代語言學家喬姆斯基也注意到對語言的共性的強調,他稱羅亞爾港派為第一批轉型語法學家。
到1700年,61種方言語法書已經印製。這些書的目的主要是改革,凈化,或規范語言,並用於教學。當時語法規則通常僅僅用於正式,書面,文學的語言,並不適用於紛繁復雜的實際口語。這一規范性的手段長期在學校佔主導地位,學生們對語法的學習往往和「解析」以及句子圖解聯系在一起。在20世紀的中後期,對於這種僅僅關注規范性和禁止性(即,什麼不能做)規則的語法教育,出現了越來越多的反對聲音。
課堂語法的簡化和語言學家的復雜研究形成了鮮明對比。19世紀到20世紀初,歷史主義觀點蓬勃發展。認識到每一種現存的語言都是在不斷變化中的學者們研究了歐洲語言所有類型的書面記錄,以確定其演變路徑。他們沒有局限於文學語言,還研究了方言和當代口頭語。歷史主義的語法學家沒有採用先前的規范性辦法,但更加關注他們研究的語言的來源。
由於歷史主義語法學家的工作,學者們看到,語言的研究可以是歷時性的(其貫穿歷史的發展)或同步性的(在特定的時間段的狀態)。瑞士語言學家索緒爾和其他描述性語言學家開始研究口頭語。他們收集了大量操母語者的語句樣本,對這些材料進行分類,從音位學入手,一直研究到句法。
20世紀後半葉的轉換生成語法學家,如喬姆斯基,研究了操母語者能生成和理解無限句子所需要的知識。而像索緒爾那樣的描述語言學家則去審查單個話語樣本,以求達到描述一種語言的目的。轉換生成語法學家首先研究了語言的潛在結構。他們試圖描述一種能夠定義操母語者語言「能力」(底層的語言知識)的「規則」,解釋說話人的種種「表現」(語言生成時的實際策略)。
在過去的千百年裡,語法理論引起了哲學家,人類學家,心理學家和文學批評家的興趣。今天,語法存在於語言學領域之內,但仍保留了與其他許多學科的聯系。對於很多人來說,語法仍然指的是一整套必須知道,以保證「正確」語言輸出的規則,然而,從20世紀後25年以來,對語法研究的更為復雜的意識,已經在學校生根發芽。在一些國家,如澳大利亞,英國,新的英語課程中語法是重點,而且避免之前僵硬的規范,提倡生動而深刻的調查精神。