grammar syntax and morphology reveals a structure and regularity, which lies at the basic of language and enables us to talk of the language syst
em.”
12
1. The Definitions of Grammar
Penny Ur noted that “Grammar is defined as words are put together to make correct sentences it does not only affect how the units of words are combined in
order to make correct sentences but also affects their meaning.”
13
Besides, Paul Robert noted that “Grammar is a body of generalization about how people says
thing in order to make generalization, we must agree on the meaning of terms for the things we wish to talk about. Grammar accuracy is only part of
communication to convey a message, where grammar is merely a tool. According to Scott Thornburry 1999 wrote “Grammar is partly the study of what forms or
structures are possible in language. Traditionally, grammar has been concerned almost exclusively with analysis at the level of the sentence formed rules that
govern how a language’s sentences are formed.”
14
In conclusion, grammar is a field of linguistic that involves all the various things that make up the rules of
language.
2. The Types of Grammar
Grammar may be separated into two common broad categories: descriptive and prescriptive. Both views of grammar are in wide use, although in general,
linguists tend towards a descriptive approach to grammar, while people are teaching a specific language; English, might tend towards a more prescriptive
approach.
15
David Crystal lists six types of grammar: descriptive grammar, pedagogical grammar, prescriptive grammar, reference grammar, theoretical
grammar, and traditional grammar.
16
Kathryn Riley and Frank Parker state that there are four types of grammar; prescriptive grammar is primarily interested in constructing rules of usage for the
prestige variety of a language, descriptive grammar is primarily interested in
12
Paul Batstone, Grammar, New York: Oxford University Press, 1950, p. 4
13
Penny Ur, A Course in Language Teaching Practice and Theory, London: Cambridge University Press, 1996, p. 75.
14
Scott Thornburry, How to teach grammar, London: Longman, 1999, p. 1.
15
http:www.answers.comtopicgrammar, 8 Juli 2009
16
http:www.llp.armstrong.edu5800types.html. 8 Juli 2009
describing the basic sentence patterns of all varieties of a language. Then, generative grammar is primarily interested in discovering those principles of
sentence formation that are part of the human biological endowment, performance grammar is primarily interested in the effects of context and real-time limitations
on language use.
17
In the writer’s opinion, grammar can be divided into two main points; descriptive and prescriptive grammar that can be broken down again into many
different points with different point of views.
C. Sentences
Sentence is a set of words expressing a statement, a question or an order, usually containing a subject and a verb.
18
Before the conditional sentences are discussed, it may be necessary to know about the definition of sentence. A
sentence is a complete meaning. When we speak, our sentences may be extremely involved or even unfinished, yet we can still convey our meaning through
intonation, gesture, facial expression, etc. When we write, these devices are not available, so sentences have to be carefully structured and punctuated. In addition,
a written sentence must be begun with a capital letter and with a full stop ., a question mark ?, or an exclamatory mark .
19
1. The Definitions of Sentences
As Hornby states in his dictionary “Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary
of Current English” is not only the largest grammatical unit consisting of phrases, but also clause which is used to express a statement, question, command, etc.
Meanwhile, traditional grammar translates a sentence in one of two ways. First, it is defined by meaning. Sentence is a complete thought. Second, it is
defined by function, stating that sentence consists of a subject and a predicate. The definition that offers here includes both functional and formal characteristics
17
Kathryn Riley and Frank Parker, English Grammar: Prescriptive, Descriptive, Generative, Performance, Boston: A Pearson Education Company, 1998, p. 3.
18
A S Hornby, Oxford Advanced Learne r’s Dictionary 7
th
Edition., Oxford University Press, 2005, p. 1383.
19
L.G. Alexander, Longman English Grammar, New York: Longman Publishing, 1988, p. 2.
