KEYS IN UNDERSTANDING GRAMMAR

Mira Yarianti

Yesterday, 27 August 2010 

Keys in understanding grammar

Grammar has important position in English Skills. English skills like writing, reading, speaking and listening need grammar ability. If we have good competence in grammar, we will not get problem in these skills. The problem is many students feel confuse in several of form and rules of usage of English grammar.

Based on these problems, it needs some keys in understanding grammar easier. The keys are hoped can solve students’ problems in understanding grammar. Students are also hoped will know the function and the use of grammar which is learned. The keys can be described like following examples:

I.       To be

“To be” is one of pronoun that is often used if there is no verb in a sentence. It usually followed by adjective, adverb or noun. “To be” in Indonesia means “adalah” or “ada”, but sometimes “to be” do not have meaning. It based on the sentences itself. Kinds of “to be” are:

1.      is, am, are:  for Present Tense

“am” is used for subject “I”

“is” is used for subject “he, she, it”

“are” is used for subject “we, they, you”

Example:

©  I am beautiful

©  It is a book

©  They are in the classroom

2.      was, were: for Past Tense

“was” is used for subject “I, he, she, it”

“were” is used for subject “they, we, you”

Example:

©  My father was in the office yesterday

©  You were very happy in your last birthday

3.      been: for Present and Past Perfect Tense (have, has, had)

Example:

©  I have been in Jakarta

©  She had been rich after get a price

4.      be:

v     after modal auxiliary

©  I will be there

©  They may be happy in her birthday

v     as a command

©              Be quiet, please!

©              Be a good boy, please!

Note: “to be” can be used in Continuous Tense and as a Past Participle.

           Example:

©     I am crying (Continuous Tense)

©     He was given car by his father (Past Participle)

II.    Auxiliary

Auxiliary is one of pronoun which is used for sentence that used verb. There are two kinds of auxiliaries:

1.      Auxiliary Verb

v     do, does: for Present Tense in negative and interrogative sentence

“do”  is used for subject “I, we, they, you”

“does”  is used for subject “he, she, it”

Example:

©  I do not have much money

©  Does your mother cook a delicious cake

v     did: for Past Tense in negative and interrogative sentence

“did” is used for all subject

Example:

©  I didn’t come to your party yesterday

©  Did he go to Bandung last month?

v     have, has: for Present Perfect Tense

“have” is used for subject “I, they, we, you”

“has” is used for subject “he, she, it”

Example:

©  She has send letter

©  They haven’t cleaned the room

v     had: for Past Perfect Tense

“had” is used for all subject

Example:

©  They had eaten some foods.

2.      Modal Auxiliary

v     Present: will, can, may, shall, have to/must, etc.

Example:

©     I will call your brother

©     We have to learn seriously

v     Past: would, can, might, should, had to, etc.

Example:

©     Could you tell me something?

©     They should work hardly

It can be concluded that keys in understanding Grammar is students have to member and know the function and its used of this keys:

I.        To be : is, am, are, was, were, been and be.

II.     Auxiliary:

Verb: do, does, did, have, has, had

Modal : will, may, can, shall, must, have to, would, might, could, should, had to, ought to, etc.

So, if the students have remembered this grammar keys that consist of to be and auxiliary, they can easy to learn grammar which has several formula and form. It can be guaranteed that when we study about grammar we will always use these keys.