Grammar is essential for clear and effective communication. When your grammatical skills are on point, you will be able to convey your thoughts and opinion successfully to others. Grammar is not just important for your English exams. Being able to form grammatically correct sentences will help you in all subjects and whatever careers you intend to pursue.
If you believe that your grammatical skills lack perfection, then here are a few things you can do to improve them.
1.Know your language skills:
Before you can begin improving your grammar, you must know where your language skills stand currently. This allows you to assess your strengths and weaknesses and make a plan suited to your requirements. Several online websites offer you free tests to assess your language level.
2.Get the basics right:
Any tall and strong building requires a firm foundation. Grammar is built upon its basic rules. You should have a good enough knowledge about the parts of speech, verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, use of apostrophes, subjunctive mood, etc. To strengthen these basics of grammar, refer to a foundational level grammar book like Wren and Martin that provides simple explanations and lots of examples to build up your grammar.
3.Read the NCERT Textbooks
NCERT Books for Class 9 English Beehive and Moments have some great chapters that can help you enhance your grammar skills. Read these chapters once like you would read any other book for leisure. Following that, read it a few more times critically. Reading chapters over and over again will not only take your language skills up a notch but also help you in your Literature exam.
4.Read:
In addition to the coursebooks, develop a habit to read regularly. You can read whatever tickles your fancy. This can be fiction, nonfiction, newspapers, magazines, journals, blogs, etc. This habit does not develop overnight. Explore different genres to develop your interests. Avid readers possess great grammatical skills due to their intensive reading practice.
5.Listen:
Another thing that is not talked about often is the importance of listening habits for improving one’s grammar as well as eloquence. Listen to talks and speeches by native English speakers. Try to tune into good English educational videos by native English speakers. This will not only improve your grammar but also your understanding of English as a whole.
6.Speak
You cannot be proficient in a language unless you choose to converse in it. Try to speak in English often. This practice will also help you in exams. When you are thinking about writing a particular answer in literature or while writing an essay for the exam, saying the sentences before writing helps to form better sentences. If you speak English well, you will be able to quickly form exceptional answers in exams.
7.Write:
Sometimes even if your speaking skills are up to the mark, you end up making several spelling and punctuation errors. Thus it is also essential that you practice writing English regularly. You can practice writing literature answers in a separate notebook. Also, practice the topics that are asked in the writing section of the English exam of Class 9 in a separate notebook. In addition to these, you can try writing something from your imagination. These can be poems, prose, short stories, journals, diary entries, etc. Proofread whatever you write. You can use a dictionary or look up synonyms of certain words to find new words that are more suitable to a given situation. Also, look carefully for grammatical or punctuation errors.
8.Get an expert opinion:
You can ask your teachers or someone who has a good grasp of the English language to critically judge whatever you write. Looking at your writings through someone else’s perspective makes you understand your writing through a different lens. It will help you improve as a writer and also give you clarity of thought.
9.Build up your vocabulary:
To be able to write good answers in exams and master a certain language, it is essential that your vocabulary bank is revamped time and again. Try to look for new words whenever you read something. When you come across an interesting word, mark it and look up its meaning. Try to use this word in your sentences for a couple of days. You will successfully add this word to the vocabulary that you already know.
10.Use technology to your advantage:
Thankfully we live in a tech-savvy world and can use technology to several of our advantages. Here is how you can use technology to help improve your English:
a. Suitable applications: There are several apps available for free or at a reasonable subscription that can help improve your grammar. You will find apps that teach grammar using interesting games. Some apps introduce you to a new word every day. Similarly, you can find apps that have quizzes to test your English grammar knowledge. You can choose any type of application that interests you.
b. Grammar videos: Grammar in these times can be easily learned through loads of videos available for free online. You can find videos by credible educational websites, experienced English teachers, and even toppers. You will learn different tips and tricks in these videos that will enhance your grammar skills by miles.
c. Reading material: Another great advantage of the internet is having a ton of reading material available for free. You can choose to look up any topic that you can think of and you will find reading material on it. The internet is your treasure house containing a large repository of reading material by renowned authors, academicians, bloggers, etc.
11.Practice
You cannot master any skill without giving it due time and effort. Even mastering the English language requires consistent practice. You should practice reading, writing, and speaking English daily to see the required results. These habits should be developed in such a manner that they become second nature to you. Once you instinctively develop these habits you will see a potential improvement in your language skills. Consequently, you will perform well in English exams as well as exams in other subjects.
You can certainly improve your Class 9 English grammar if you put your mind to it. It might seem like a difficult feat at first but with determination, anything is possible, and mastering English grammar is no different. Follow these tips and see how your grammar improves in a short span.
