Is English Grammar Difficult?

When you start learning a new language, it's exciting. You begin with basic phrases, numbers, days of the week, and nouns. If you are serious about becoming proficient, it's time to open the grammar books. This part of the journey is the hardest.

Grammar is a system created over time by people trying to standardize how to speak and write a language. English is part of the Indo-European language family with Germanic and Latin roots. English has experienced many changes and influences from other languages. It is one of the most spoken languages in the world along with Spanish and Mandarin (Chinese). School systems all over the world have English language classes in their curriculum.

Is English Grammar Difficult?

There is no right or wrong answer to this question because it depends on the person. If you speak Norwegian, German, or Dutch, you might find English grammar easier. You will see a lot of the same patterns as you do in your native language. If you speak Japanese, Chinese, or Korean, English might be more difficult because those languages have a character-based writing system and a different word order. Let's explore what struggles non-native speakers might face when learning English.

Related article: The 10 Hardest Languages to Learn (or Perhaps Not?)

Grammar

English grammar is tricky and has many rules to go along with it. The problem is that there are also exceptions to those rules. From how to use punctuation marks, pronoun agreements, and plural words. Luckily, in English, there aren't as many irregular verbs or conjugations as romance languages. Learning grammar is like learning math. You can learn the rules and formulas, but practice makes perfect.

Pronunciation

If you're a native speaker of a phonetic based language such as Spanish. Pronouncing English words might be a challenge for you. In English, a lot of words are not said how they are spelled. There are silent letters, or in some words putting more emphasis on the constant or vowel can change the meaning of it. Mispronouncing words can lead to a lot of confusion in conversations.

Spoken English

There are 7 English-speaking countries in the world, but they speak the same language differently. If you are learning English in the United States, that's a whole other thing. The country is divided into the East Coast, middle, and the West Coast. You have regional dialects with different vocabulary and accents. Not only are dialects part of spoken English, but you also have to account for slang. Similar to other languages, native speakers use informal speech and idioms with friends and family. If you're at school or work, you will use formal language to communicate. This adds on a new layer for non-native speakers who are still trying to master the basics.

Learning any language is not easy, even if it's similar to your native language. What makes English grammar difficult at a glance is word usage, slang, punctuation, and the list goes on. Saying that English grammar is hard or easy depends on the person learning it. It also matters how much effort you put into studying it.