1. 中文语法与英语语法的区别
1、概念不同
英语语法是针对英语语言进行研究后,英语语法系统地版总结归纳出来的一系列权语言规则。
现代中文语法是对于现代中文内在的表达规则进行分析、整理和解释的理论。
2、词语不同
英语语法:名词(noun)是指人或事物的名称。代词(pronoun)用于代替名词等。数词表示数量或顺序等。分为基数词(cardinal number)和序数词(ordinal number)。动词的第三人称单数形式。感叹词是用来表示说话时表达的喜、怒、哀、乐等情感的词。
中文语法:名词,表示人或事物名称的词。动词,表示动作行为,发展变化,可能意愿及心理活动的词。形容词,表示事物性质、状貌特征的词。数词,表示事物数目的词。量词,表示事物或动作的单位。代词,能代替事物名称的词。拟声词,模拟事物的声音的词。
3、句子构成不同
英语中要求主谓一致,汉语中没有。在英语句子里,谓语受主语支配,其动词必须和主语在人称和数上保持一致。
2. 英语语法词类有哪几个类型
n 名词
v 动词
vi 不及物动词
vt 及物动词
adj 形容词
adv 副词
prep 介词
conj 连词
pron ,代词
art.冠词
3. 常见英语语法介绍
时态讲解
一、一般现在时主要用于:
1 、表示经常性或习惯性动作。 e.g. It seldom snows here.
2 、表示现在的特征或状态。 e.g. He is always ready to help others.
3 、普遍真理。 e.g. Action speaks louder than words.
4 、剧情图片介绍,背景说明,动作解说。 e.g. (Tom enters the room and sits at the table)
Doctor : What's your trouble, young man?
Tom : I've caught a cold, doctor.
5 、时间、条件、让步、方式状语从句表将要发生的动作时。
e.g. Tomorrow we shall go for an outing unless it rains.
与这种时态连用的时间状语常有: always, often, never, seldom, usually, once, a week, now 等。
二、一般过去时主要用于:
1 、表示过去某个时间发生的动作或情况(包括习惯性的动作或状态)
e.g. When did you read the novel? She often came to help us in those days.
2 、谈到过去的情况时 e.g. I didn't know you were so busy.
3 、谈到已死人的情况时 e.g. Lei Feng was a great communist fighter.
与这个时态连用的时间状语常有:
yesterday, last night, the other day, two months ago, in 1985, then, just now, when, after, as soon as 引导的时间状语从句,表示主句动作开始的时间。
三、现在完成时主要用于:
1 、表示到现在为止这一时期中发生的动作或情况,即多次动作的总和。
e.g. We have learnt four English songs this month. How many times have you read the novel?
For many days we haven't seen each other.
2 、表示对现在有影响的某一已发生的动作。
e.g. The delegation has left 代表团已经走了(说明现在不在这里) Look, what you have done. 看你干的事。
与这一时态连用的时间状语有: already, yet, just, ever, never, by now, so far, recently, by the end of this month, since, for 短语,连词 since 引导的时间状语从句。
一般过去时与现在完成时的区别:
一般过去时:重在说明动作在过去发生时的具体情况(时间、地点、方式、对象、细节等)。
现在完成时:只提起已发生的动作(事实)及其影响,不说明动作发生时的具体情况。
cf. Have you had your lunch? What did you have for lunch?
I have ever been to the Great Wall, and I went there last summer with my father.
注:现在完成时表达的动作常具有反复性,故下面一句是错的:
Have you seen the six thirty's news program? 应改为: Did you see the six thirty's news program?
四、现在完成进行时主要用于:表示过去开始的某一动作一直持续到现在,以至延伸到将来,它强调动作延续时间之长久。e.g. I've been writing an article. 我一直在写一篇文章。(还在写)
cf. I've written an article. 我写了一篇文章。(已写完)
It has been raining these days. 这些天一直在下雨。
五、过去完成时
1 、过去完成时是一个相对时态,表示过去的过去,只有在两个过去发生的动作相比较时才可显示出来。
e.g. As soon as we got to the station, the train had left.
注:主从句表达的动作紧接时,即两动作发生的时间没有明显时间上的悬殊或空档时,主从句都可用一般过去时。 e.g. Where did your brother study before he joined the army?
2 、过去完成时可表示截止过去某一时间动作的总或动作的结束。
e.g. By the end of last month. We had reviewed four books By eight o'clock, he had finished his homework.
与这个时态连用的时间状语常有: by 1985, by eight o'clock, by then, by the end of last month, by the time when, when, as soon as, before 等连词引导的时间状语从句,表示主句动作结束的时间。
(六)现在进行时主要用于:
1 、表示现在或现阶段正在进行的动作。 e.g. Listen, someone is crying. What are you doing these days?
2 、代替一般现在时,表示经常性动作或状态,而含有某种感情色彩。
e.g. How are you feeling today? 你今天感觉怎样?(显得亲切)
He is doing well in his lessons. 他的功课很好。(赞扬)
You are always boasting. 你老爱吹牛。(厌烦)
3 、动词 go, come, leave, arrive 等表将要发生的动作时。 e.g. They are leaving for Shanghai.
与这种时态连用的时间状语常有: now, these days, recently, this week 等。
七、过去进行时主要用于: 表示过去某个时刻或阶段正在进行的动作。
e.g. At that time she was working in a PLA unit. 那时她在解放军某部工作。
What were you doing this time yesterday?
与这个时态连用的时间状语常用: at nine o'clock, this time last night, these days, at that time 等。
用 when 引导的时间状语从句表示主句的动作正在进行的时间。
e.g. When he came in, I was reading a newspaper.
注:
1 、 while 引导时间状语从句叙述过去的动作时,从句常用过去进行时。
e.g. I read a magazine while I was waiting for the bus.
2 、 when 用作并列连词,意为“这时”,连接两分句时,第一句多用过去进行时。
e.g. I was reading a newspaper when he came in.
一般过去时与过去进行时的区别:
一般过去时:强调过去某一时间开始或完成的动作。
过去进行时:强调过去某一时间正在进行的动作。
试区别下面两句:
We were building a reservoir last winter. 去年冬天我们在修建一座水库。(可能尚未建成)
We built a reservoir last winter. 去年冬天我们修建了一座水库。(已经建成)
八、一般将来时主要用于: 表示将要发生的动作或情况
e.g. Tom will have a bike of his own.
与这个时态连用的时间状语常用: tonight, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, next week, in three hours, two days later 等。
一般将来时态与其它结构表将来情况的区别:
一般将来时态 :主要从时间的角度表将要发生的动作或情况。
be going to 结构 :①表(主观上)打算或准备做某事时。 ②表有发生某事的预兆时。
e.g. They are going to have a competition with us in studies. It is going to rain.
据以上区别,故下面一句是错的:
I am going to be eighteen years old next year. 应改为: I shall be eighteen years old next year.
be about to do sth 结构 :意为“刚要做某事”、“马上要做某事”强调时间之紧迫性。
e.g. We are about to discuss this problem. 我们将马上讨论这个问题。
be to do sth 结构: 表示按计划、安排、规定将实施某事或表示注定会发生某事。
e.g. When is the train to leave. All these things are to be answered for.
及物动词与不及物动词
英语中按动词后可否直接跟宾语,可把动词分成及物动词与和及物动词。
1.及物动词: 字典里词后标有vt. 的就是及物动词。及物动词后必须跟有动作的对象(即宾语),可直接跟宾语。see 看见 (vt.) +宾语 I can see a boy.
2.不及物动词:字典里词后标有vi. 的就是不及物动词。不及物动词后不能直接跟有动作的对象(即宾语)。若要跟宾语,必须先在其后添加上某个介词,如to,of ,at后方可跟上宾语。
具体每个动词后究竟加什么介词就得背动词短语了,如listen to,look at…..
3. 宾语(动作的对象):是名词或代词,或相当于名词的词或短语(如动名词)。其它词不看作动作的对象呢。
4.举例:“看”
(1)see 看见 (vt.) +宾语 I can see a boy.
(2)look 看 (vi.) x宾语(即不能直接加宾语). Look! She is singing.
Look carefully! (注意:carefully 是副词,不是名词,故不作宾语哟)
(3)look at 看…….+宾语 Look at me carefully! (me是代词,作宾语了)
连系动词
连系动词本身有一定的词义,但不能独立作谓语,必须与表语一起构成谓语。
表语通常由名词、形容词,或相当于名词或形容词的词或短语等充当,说明主语是什么或怎么样。
一、 连系动词的类型有:
1. "存在"类:表示存在或具有某种特征或状态.这类连系动词强调"存在"。常见的有:be(是),look(看起来),feel(摸上去),seem(似乎是),appear(似乎、显得),prove(证明是),smell(闻起来),taste(尝起来),sound(听起来)等。例如:
The story sounds true.
Those oranges taste good.
2. "持续"类:表示某种情况或状态的持续。这类连系动词强调"持续"。常见的有:remain(依然),keep(保持),stay(保持),continue(继续、仍旧),stand(处于某状况或情形)等。例如:
Why don't you put the meat in the fridge? It will stay fresh for several days.
It's already ten in the morning. The store remains closed. What's the matter?
3. "变化"类:表示由一种情况或状态变化成另一种情况或状态。这类连系动词强调"变化"后的情况或状态.常见的有:become(变成), turn(变成), grow(变得), go(变得)等。例如:
Put the fish in the fridge, or it will go bad in hot weather.
二、注意事项
1. 有些连系动词通常不用于被动语态和进行时态中。如:feel, taste等词。例如:
-Do you like the material?
-Yes, it feels very soft.
2. 一般情况下,连系动词主要跟形容词或分词作表语。例如:
Be careful when you cross this very busy street. If not, you may get run over by a car.
3. 能跟名词作表语的连系动词常见的有:be, become, appear, seem, prove, remain和turn等.注意:turn后跟(表示主语身份的)名词作表语时,不加冠词。例如:
Twenty years later, he turned teacher.
The population growth in China remains a problem.
4. 连系动词也可跟不定式(to do / to be),常见的有:appear, seem, remain, prove, look等。例如:
Having a trip abroad is certainly good for the old couple, but it remains to be seen whether they will enjoy it.
On the long journey, Peter proved to be a most interesting guide. We all had a wonderful time.
终止性动词与延续性动词
终止性动词指不会持续一段时间的动作,即动作在瞬间或短时间内完成。 例如:get arrive 这类动词不与一段时间连用
终止性动词:表示不能延续的动作,即动作发生后立即结束。如:begin,arrive, borrow, ...终止性动词的肯定式是不能持续的,所以不能和表示一段时间的状语连用,而终止性的否定式就可以和表一段时间的状语.
一、延续性动词和终止性动词的概念
英语中,动词按其动作发生的方式、动作发生过程的长短,可分为延续性动词和终止性动词。
延续性动词表示能够延续的动作,这种动作可以延续下去或产生持久影响。如:learn, work, stand, lie, know, walk, keep, have, wait, watch, sing, read, sleep, live, stay等。
终止性动词也称非延续性动词、瞬间动词或短暂性动词,表示不能延续的动作,这种动作发生后立即结束。如open, close, finish, begin, come, go, arrive, reach, get to, leave, move, borrow,buy等。
二、延续性动词的用法特征
1.延续性动词可以用于现在完成时,其完成时态可与表示"段时间"的状语连用。表示"段时间"的短语有:for two years, ring the past three years, since last year, how long等。如:I have learned English since I came here.自从我来到这儿就学英语了。
2.延续性动词不能与表示短暂时间的"点时间"状语连用。如:It raind at eight yesterday morning.(误) rain为延续性动词,而at eight表示"点时间",前后显然矛盾。如果用延续性动词表示一瞬间的动作,可以借助come, begin, get等终止性动词来表示。上句可改为:It began to rain at eight yesterday morning.(正)又如:
-When did you get to know Jack?
-Two years ago.
-Then you've known each other for more than two years.
-That's right.
三、终止性动词的用法特征
1.终止性动词可用来表示某一动作完成,因此可用于现在完成时。如:
The train has arrived.火车到了。
Have you joined the computer group?你加入电脑小组了吗?
2.终止性动词表示的动作极其短暂,不能持续。因此,不可与表示一段时间的状语连用(只限肯定式)。如:
(1)他死了三年了。
误:He has died for three years.
正:He has been dead for three years.
正:He died three years ago.
正:It is three years since he died.
正:Three years has passed since he died.
(2)他来这儿五天了。
误:He has come here for five days.
正:He has been here for five days.
正:He came here five days ago.
正:It is five days since he came here.
正:Five days has passed since he came here.
(1)、(2)句中的die、come为终止性动词,不能与表示"段时间"的状语连用。那么,应如何正确表达呢?可以采用下面的四种方法:
(1)将句中终止性动词转换为相应的延续性动词,如上面两例中的第一种正确表达方式。下面列举几例:leave→be away, borrow→keep, buy→have, begin/start→be on, die→be dead, move to→live in, finish→be over, join→be in/be a member of, open sth.→keep sth. open, fall ill→be ill, get up→be up, catch a cold→have a cold。
(2)将句中表示"段时间"的状语改为表示过去确定时间的状语,如下面两例中的第二种正确表达方式。
(3)用句型"It is+段时间+since..."表达原意,如上面两例中的第三种正确表达方式。
(4)用句型"时间+has passed+since..."表达原意,如上面两例中的第四种正确表达方式。
3.终止性动词可用于现在完成时否定式中,成为可以延续的状态,因而可与表示一段时间的状语连用。如:
He hasn't left here since 1986.
I haven't heard from my father for two weeks.
4.终止性动词的否定式与until/till连用,构成"not+终止性动词+until/till ..."的句型,意为"直到……才……"。如:
You can't leave here until I arrive.直到我到了,你才能离开这里。
I will not go to bed until I finish drawing the picture tonight.今天晚上直到我画完画,我才上床睡觉。
5.终止性动词可以用于when引导的时间状语从句中,但不可以用于while引导的时间状语从句中。when表示的时间是"点时间"(从句谓语动词用终止性动词),也可以是"段时间"(从句谓语动词用延续性动词)。而while表示的是一个较长的时间或过程,从句谓语动词用延续性动词。如:
When we reached London, it was twelve o'clock. (reach为终止性动词)
Please look after my daughter while/when we are away. (be away为延续性动词短语)
6.终止性动词完成时不可与how long连用(只限于肯定式)。如:
误:How long have you come here?
正:How long have you been here?
正:When did you come here?
4. 什么是英语语法
指语言的结构方式,包括词的构成和变化、词组和句子的组织。具有一回定的民族特点和相对答的稳定性,语法是语言表达的规则。
语态是动词的一种形式,用以说明主语与谓语动词之间的关系,语态共有两种,主动语态和被动语态。主动语态表示主语是动作的执行者,被动语态表示主语是动作的承受者。被动语态是动词的一种特殊形式,只有需要动作对象的及物动词才有被动语态。
(4)英语的语法类型扩展阅读:
语法中的时态组成
1、一般现在时:表示现在的状态、经常的或习惯性的动作、主语具备的性格和能力等。
2、过去进行时:表示过去某段时间或某一时刻正在发生或进行的行为或动作。
3、现在完成时:过去发生或已经完成的动作对现在造成的影响或结果,或从过去已经开始,持续到现在的动作或状态。
4、过去完成进行时:表示某个正在进行的动作或状态,持续到过去某个时刻,还未完成,一直持续到之后的当前才结 束。
主被动语态
1、主语是动作的发出者为主动语态,主语是动作的接受者为被动语态。
2、宾语补足语是不带to 的不定式,变为被动语态时,该不定式前要加"to"。
3、情态动词+ be +过去分词,构成被动语态。
5. 英语语法都有那些 怎么用 讲通俗一点
语法包括词法和句法。词法讲单词构成和变化规则,句法讲句子结构。
6. 英语中语法那些全列举出来
简单说说吧:非限定动词非限定动词又称非谓语动词,即在句中不能单独作谓语,不受主语的人称和数的限制。非谓语动词有三种,即不定式、分词和动名词。本单元要求学员掌握三种非谓语动词的基本形式和用法;掌握不定时的被动式;不带to 的不定式;三种非谓语动词的复合结构(即带逻辑主语的不定式、分词和动名词)的形式及用法;现在分词与过去分词的区别;动名词与不定式的比较;现在分词与不定式的比较等。虚拟语气语气是一种动词形式,用以表示说话者的意图或态度。虚拟语气表示所说的话只是一种主观的愿望、假设或建议等。虚拟语气可以用在非真实条件句、主语从句、宾语从句、表语从句、同位语从句和定语从句中。本单元要求学员掌握虚拟语气的基本形式和用法;掌握情态动词用于虚拟语气;了解含蓄条件句;掌握虚拟时态与谓语动词时态的关系等。介词我们经常在名词或名词短语、代词或动名词前用介词表示人物、事件等与其它句子成分的关系。介词后面的名词或相当于名词的词语叫介词宾语。介词可表示地点、时间、比较、反对、原因、手段、所属、条件、让步、关于、对于、根据等。介词及其宾语构成介词短语,在句中担任后置定语、状语、表语等语法成分。本单元要求熟记常用介词及介词与其它此类的搭配。基本句型结构句子按其结构可分为简单句、并列句和复合句。只存在一个主谓关系的句子叫简单句,即一个主语部分和一个谓语部分组成。当我们需要把几个意思连在一起时,可用标点符号或等立连词或连接副词把几个简单句连接成一个并列句。它们之间的关系是同等的。当一个句子由一个逐句和一个或从句构成时,这就是复合句。复合句的主语往往可以独立存在,从句则只作一个句子成分。本单元重点掌握疑问句,弄清楚各种疑问句的结构及用法,能正确完成附加疑问句部分,能回答各种疑问句。掌握简单句、并列句及复合句的句型结构;学会简单句与并列句、简单句与复合句、并列句与复合句的转换;学会将直接引语变为间接引语;掌握名词从句的用法。 摘自 http://ke..com/view/328219.htm
7. 英语语法的种类
这些可是我亲自打出来的,你好好看看吧。有什么不会再找我,我必将鼎力相助。内
最简单的容
语音,词汇,句型句式,语态以及一大板块时态。
把下面几个大块抓好,就无敌了。希望为你提供个不错的提纲。以下,我做简单的分述:
(一)语音是最简单的了,就是套题里打前锋的判断语音题。
(二)词汇的分类很多,大的分有两类:实词与虚词。
1),实词有
名词,动词,形容词,副词等
2),虚词有
代词,介词,冠词,连词,数词等
当然,高中阶段主要是在实词上讲解,连词介词也会一些。
(三)句型句式
分为简单句和复合句。复合句主要是名词性从句,状语从句,定语从句,宾语从句等。
(四)语态
这个其实很简单,分为
陈述与虚拟两类。
陈述的自然分为
被动与主动。
(五)时态
这个从小学,初中到高中一直都是千篇一律。
分为
过去时,现在时和将来时
8. 英语的语法有哪些状语的种类有哪几类
9. 英语中什么是语法(具体点)!!!
语法是语言学的一个分支,研究按确定用法来运用的词类、词的屈折变化或表示相互关系的其他手段以及词在句中的功能和关系
语言的结构规律。包括词法和句法。词法指词的构成及变化规律;句法指短语和句子的组织规律。
语法是语言表达的规则。各种语言都有不同的语法,包括人类语言和计算机语言等。语法学是语言学的一部分。
现代语法学包括语音学、音系学(见音韵学)、形态学(词法)、句法学、语义学。
数据通信中的意思
语法:数据及控制信息的格式、编码及信号电平等。
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.
语法在大英网络全书的定义:统摄声音,文字,句子和其他要素,以及它们的组合和解释的语言规范。“语法”这个词也指对这些抽象特征的研究,或这些规则的指南手册。严格意义上说,“语法”这个术语是指对于句子和词语结构(句法和形态学)的研究,但不包括词汇和发音。
一个普遍接受的当代语法定义是:以一种语言为母语的任何人靠直觉就知道的语言结构。对语言特征的系统描述也是一种语法,而这些特征包括音位学(声音) ,形态学(系统构词) ,句法(词语安排模式)和语义(意思) 。根据语法学家的研究,语法可以规范(即提供一些正确用法的规则) ,描述(即,描述了语言实际上是如何使用的) ,或生成(即提供一种指导,使无限的句子在一种语言中产生) 。传统的调查重点,在于形态学和句法,对于一些当代语言学家(和许多传统的语法学家),这是唯一正确的研究领域。
在欧洲,希腊人最早写关于语法的著作。对他们来说,语法是一个工具,可以用来研究希腊文学,因此他们的重点是文学语言。公元前一世纪的Alexandrians进一步发展希腊语法,以保持纯净的语言。亚历山大的狄俄尼索斯后来写出一篇影响深远的论文,称为《语法的艺术》,他在其中分析文学文本中的字母,音节,和八段话语。
古罗马人接受了希腊人的语法体系,并运用于拉丁语。除了公元前一世纪的瓦罗Varro认为语法学家应该发现结构,而不是强行指定结构,大多数拉丁语法学家没有试图改变希腊系统,还设法保护他们的语言避免衰败。希腊人和亚历山大人的语言模型是荷马的语言,西塞罗和维吉尔的作品设定了拉丁语的语法标准。最重要的拉丁语语法学家多纳图斯(公元4世纪)和普里西安(公元6世纪)的作品在欧洲中世纪被广泛用于拉丁文语法教学。中世纪的欧洲的教育使用的是拉丁文,拉丁语语法成为人文教育的基础课程。 恩斯罕的修道院长,阿尔弗里克Aelfric( 11世纪) ,第一个写拉丁语语法的盎格鲁撒克逊人,建议以此引入英语语法。从此,开始了依据拉丁语法的英语语法分析的传统。
第13世纪中叶至14世纪中叶的语法学家认为语言是现实的反映,从哲学中寻求解释语法的规则。他们寻求一个“普遍”的语法universal grammar,以此作为了解存在being的手段。在十七世纪的法国,来自罗亚尔港的一些语法学家也对这种普遍语法感兴趣。他们声称,思想的共同要素可以在所有语言的语法类别中辨识出来。与希腊语和拉丁语的语法学家不同,罗亚尔港语法学家没有研究文学语言,他们认为语言的用法应当取决于实际的生活语言。当代语言学家乔姆斯基也注意到对语言的共性的强调,他称罗亚尔港派为第一批转型语法学家。
到1700年,61种方言语法书已经印制。这些书的目的主要是改革,净化,或规范语言,并用于教学。当时语法规则通常仅仅用于正式,书面,文学的语言,并不适用于纷繁复杂的实际口语。这一规范性的手段长期在学校占主导地位,学生们对语法的学习往往和“解析”以及句子图解联系在一起。在20世纪的中后期,对于这种仅仅关注规范性和禁止性(即,什么不能做)规则的语法教育,出现了越来越多的反对声音。
课堂语法的简化和语言学家的复杂研究形成了鲜明对比。19世纪到20世纪初,历史主义观点蓬勃发展。认识到每一种现存的语言都是在不断变化中的学者们研究了欧洲语言所有类型的书面记录,以确定其演变路径。他们没有局限于文学语言,还研究了方言和当代口头语。历史主义的语法学家没有采用先前的规范性办法,但更加关注他们研究的语言的来源。
由于历史主义语法学家的工作,学者们看到,语言的研究可以是历时性的(其贯穿历史的发展)或同步性的(在特定的时间段的状态)。瑞士语言学家索绪尔和其他描述性语言学家开始研究口头语。他们收集了大量操母语者的语句样本,对这些材料进行分类,从音位学入手,一直研究到句法。
20世纪后半叶的转换生成语法学家,如乔姆斯基,研究了操母语者能生成和理解无限句子所需要的知识。而像索绪尔那样的描述语言学家则去审查单个话语样本,以求达到描述一种语言的目的。转换生成语法学家首先研究了语言的潜在结构。他们试图描述一种能够定义操母语者语言“能力”(底层的语言知识)的“规则”,解释说话人的种种“表现”(语言生成时的实际策略)。
在过去的千百年里,语法理论引起了哲学家,人类学家,心理学家和文学批评家的兴趣。今天,语法存在于语言学领域之内,但仍保留了与其他许多学科的联系。对于很多人来说,语法仍然指的是一整套必须知道,以保证“正确”语言输出的规则,然而,从20世纪后25年以来,对语法研究的更为复杂的意识,已经在学校生根发芽。在一些国家,如澳大利亚,英国,新的英语课程中语法是重点,而且避免之前僵硬的规范,提倡生动而深刻的调查精神。