Grammar is how we put words together to make sentences. It’s like a game we play with words. We should teach it to students like it’s a game. Games have players, strategies, outcomes, information, and rules—and so does grammar.
In grammar, the players are the writer (or speaker) and the audience. A good game always has willing players. Otherwise, the game isn’t fun, and players quit. If a student writes something that doesn’t make sense, the audience won’t want to keep reading. If an audience is too harsh, the writer won’t want to share their work.
There are many strategies to apply grammar into writing. There isn’t just one way to say something—there are endless ways within some rules. A writer can make a sentence long or short, using different words to say the same idea.
Grammar has outcomes, just like games. When a student uses grammar in writing or speaking, the outcomes depend on how well the audience understands it. An audience may love or ignore a piece of writing. They may be inspired by it or forget it. They may celebrate the author or seek another’s writing.
When playing a game, you may have a lot of information about the game and the other players, or just a little. The same is true with grammar. A student may know a lot or a little about grammar. They may know a lot or a little about their audience. Writers and speakers use what they know to apply their grammar skills to their audience.
Finally, grammar has rules. Some people don’t like using the word ‘rules’ for grammar. You can use words like norms, guidelines, standards, etc. But grammar has a structure that guides how we use it. Why? Because participants willingly agree to it. Think of grammar rules like a game of chess. There are endless ways to play chess, but those moves follow certain rules.
If we treat grammar like a game—one that can be fun, clear, and doable—then we will see more students participating in it. Their writing will improve, and everyone will benefit from that.
