Word
grammar
Phoneticsgram·mar, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɡɹæmɝ/
UK/ɡɹˈæmɐ/
Definitions
01language rules
A2 · Elementary Uncountable noun
n. the rules of a language that show how to combine words into correct sentences.
n. the structural rules governing the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in a natural language.
“If you want to speak clearly, you need to learn the basic grammar of the language.”
“Linguistic researchers often debate whether certain patterns of speech represent a shift in standard grammar or merely a regional dialect.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the abstract system of rules or a person's proficiency.
Pitfall
He has a very good grammar.
He has very good grammar.
When referring to a person's ability or the abstract system of rules, 'grammar' is uncountable and does not take an indefinite article.
Synonyms
02a textbook
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a book that explains the rules of a language.
n. a written manual or textbook describing the grammatical system of a specific language.
“I bought a Spanish grammar to help me with my evening classes.”
“The library holds an extensive collection of Latin grammars dating back to the sixteenth century.”
Usage
Countable in this sense; it can be used with 'a' or in the plural.
03basic principles
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Literary
n. the basic principles or rules of a specific subject or skill.
n. the fundamental principles or elements of an art, science, or field of study.
“The student spent the first month learning the grammar of architectural design.”
“Before one can innovate in cinematography, one must first master the visual grammar of light and shadow.”
Synonyms
04grammar school
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun British English · Informal
n. a type of school in the UK for students who pass a special exam.
n. a state-funded secondary school in the United Kingdom that selects pupils on the basis of academic ability.
“She was very proud when her son got a place at the local grammar.”
“The debate over whether grammar schools promote social mobility or entrench class privilege remains a central issue in British educational policy.”
Usage
Often used as an uncountable noun or as a modifier in this context.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “grammar” in context.
Real-World Examples
“When it comes to changes in language, there’s no point crying over spilt milk: researchers charting fluctuations in English grammar say the rise of certain words, such as spilled, is probably down to chance, and that resistance is futile.” “Literally everything else written about English grammar in the past two centuries, you see, is “hopeless” and a “muddle”.” Etymology
From Middle English gramere, from Old French gramaire (“classical learning”), from unattested Vulgar Latin grammāria, an alteration of Latin grammatica, from Ancient Greek γραμματική (grammatikḗ, “skilled in writing”), from γράμμα (grámma, “line of writing”), from γράφω (gráphō, “write”), from Proto-Indo-European gerbʰ- (“to carve, scratch”). Displaced native Old English stæfcræft; a doublet of glamour, glamoury, gramarye, and grimoire. Piecewise doublet of grammatic.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
Idioms
01. grammar Nazi
02. grammar police
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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