THE GRAMMAR TYPES
"Grammar" is actually a word that carries a lot of meaning. Researchers and teachers have developed many different viewpoints and opinions regarding grammar. The following is a Zibda view of the basic types of grammar. There are many types, but for us the following list represents some of the major categories appropriate for teachers to know.
Prescriptive Grammar/Traditional:
This type of grammar states that the rules of grammar are prescribed by the authorities, which are usually book writers and linguists. When a teacher is very prescriptive in nature she corrects grammar often because accuracy is important. An example of a prescriptive rule is that we should not end sentences in preposition: Where is the market at? According to the prescribed rules this is wrong. Some would say it MUST be like this: Where is the market located? Why? Really, no reason. It is a prescribed rule. In this type of grammar accuracy is very important.
Descriptive
This type of grammar is more democratic, which means the we the people decide what is acceptable (correct) by the way we use the grammar in everyday life. For example, in the US we often end sentences with prepositions. For example, What should we talk about? Some would ask the question this way: What should we discuss? What matters with a descriptive view is how people are using the language.
Functional Grammar
This type of grammar is a lot like a teacher's grammar because it is a way of looking at grammar in a more communicative way. We look at grammar in terms of how it functions in communication. Common functions are ideas like: Requesting information, giving advice, reporting issues...This list goes on. The point is that grammar is viewed from what purpose the grammar has in communication.
Pedagogic Grammar
This type of grammar considers how people learn a language; it is a grammar that considers the needs of a learner. When we teachers make a syllabus for our class, we choose and make judgments about what our students need to learn first, second, third....
Spoken Grammar
This type of grammar is a more flexible, forgiving grammar because speaking is a "live" process that has no formal record. Mistakes only matter when communication is impacted negatively. We use this informal spoken grammar everyday in class.