So, what is grammar? Most of us remember studying it in elementary and middle school, but what exactly is grammar anyway? The first step we should take to learn English grammar is to define what grammar is.
Grammar, according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is the study of how words and their component parts combine to form sentences. To put it simply, grammar is how words work to make sentences. Grammar often highlights the parts of speech and their syntax. There are eight generally accepted parts of speech: nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.
In grammar, there are general rules that govern how the parts of speech are put together into sentences. These rules cover almost all word constructions of the language. Those few constructions that fall outside of these rules are mostly categorized under the label of idiom and usage.
Grammar is something that is largely learned by practice and repetition. This is why native-born speakers of a language usually have a much easier time learning grammar than those of their non-native counterparts. Native speakers are often immersed in grammar at a young age, both consciously and subconsciously. They end up learning grammatical structures without even thinking about it. They are just listening to others speak.
This is not to say grammar cannot be learned. Of course it can! It may take more study for non-native speakers but will generally leave them with a better understanding of the language.