By Ashley Austrew
Great grammar is a reason to celebrate. That’s why March 4 is designated as National Grammar Day!
You might think every day is grammar day when you’re Thesaurus.com (and you’d be correct), but National Grammar Day is an honest-to-goodness observance, established in 2008 by Martha Brockenbrough, the founder of the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar.
We’ll gladly take any opportunity to spread the word about correct spelling and the proper usage of semicolons and apostrophes. In honor of National Grammar Day, let’s talk about why good grammar still matters and our easiest tips for improving your own grammar expertise.
What is grammar, anyways?
To some folks, grammar might be a scary word. It likely conjures images of complex diagrams from middle school English class, or the scrawl of red pen across your high school essays because you accidentally misplaced a comma or ended a sentence with a preposition.
In reality, the topic of grammar doesn’t need to make you break out in a cold sweat. Grammar is about the deeper structure of language, and it’s less rigid than you might think. In fact, grammar literally means “the study of the way the sentences of a language are constructed; morphology and syntax.” In other words, if you can speak a language, you’ve already got a solid understanding of grammar!
Of course, there are certain rules that make speaking and writing easier to understand. Grammar is also defined as “knowledge or usage of the preferred or prescribed forms in speaking or writing,” and that’s where the slightly more complicated concept of “good” grammar comes into play. So don’t stress if you find yourself consulting “Dr. Thesaurus.com” to answer your grammar questions more often than you’d like. Having good grammar is simply a matter of understanding the rules, and we’re here to make it easy.
Why grammar matters
So, what’s the big deal about grammar? At its core, language is about conveying our ideas clearly to others, and grammar helps us do that. Over time, English speakers have developed a number of rules and conventions that are generally expected in professional, official, and educational settings. Following these rules might seem like a pain, but it helps ensure you’re communicating concisely and your meaning is understood.
This is especially true when it comes to writing. While all writers have their own unique voice and style, proper grammar helps communicate tone, context, and meaning. Using correct punctuation, proper spelling, and clear phrasing all contributes to making writing that is easy to understand and a joy to read.
Tips for better grammar
What if you aren’t a grammar expert? That’s why we’re here. See how you can brush up on grammar knowledge and perfect your writing.
Find the right words with Thesaurus.com
Thesaurus.com isn’t just a resource for finding great synonyms. We also specialize in breaking down complex grammar rules and answering your burning spelling, punctuation, and language questions to make your writing (and speaking) life easier.
Have you ever wondered the difference between parenthesis and brackets, or whether or not you should capitalize the names of the seasons? There’s an answer for those questions and so many more. Our library of quick and easy grammar guides is expanding all the time, and they’re always free to use and share.
This National Grammar Day, remember that tricky grammar questions don’t need to slow you down. English is hard, but we happen to be experts on the subject. We’re here to help.
Ashley Austrew is a freelance journalist and writer from Omaha, Nebraska. Her work has been published at Cosmopolitan, Scary Mommy, Scholastic, and other outlets. For more by Ashley, read: “Teacher” vs. “Tutor”: Why Most Kids Need Both | Leave The Best Impression With Our Tips For National Proofreading Day | 5 Crafty Ways To Get Your Kid (And You) Into Poetry | “Does ‘Spark Joy’ Mean The Same Thing In English And Japanese?” | Is There A Difference Between “Calling In” And “Calling Out”? | Why Do Journalists Avoid The Word “Liar”?
