How to “practice” grammar

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Grammar and syntax are the foundations of language formation and expression but many times language learners get bogged down in the structural requirements of language.  Although necessary for basic comprehension, unfortunately there is very rarely anything “fun” about practicing grammar. I can make up a song, or a catchy acronym, but in the end, mastering basic to advanced grammar concepts is really an exercise of purposeful repetition, either written, oral, or aural.

Here are the top resources that I incorporate in the classroom and recommend to my students looking for additional practice with their Spanish grammar skills:

AMSCO

Over the years, I’ve pulled resources for in-class and private work from many different sources to provide extra practice for my students. One of my favorite sources for students are the AMSCO first year and second year Spanish books. While they present as old-school grammars, there are results to be yielded from their straightforward method of tasking students to master grammar concepts through a series of manual manipulations of the language. Take a closer look:

Workbook in Spanish First Year 2nd (second) by Nassi, Robert J. (1973) Paperback

Segundo Libro: Workbook in Spanish Two Years, 2nd Edition

Websites:

Google ‘bknelson colby’ and you will encounter the treasure trove of grammatical explanations and activities from Colby professor, Barbara Kuczun Nelson. Her site is a marvel of meticulously curated grammar explanations, exercises, and cultural study modules. Check it out HERE.

Studyspanish.com is a gem. The creators of this site worked hard to provide users with not only grammar explanations and activities, but also mini-quizzes and more comprehensive assessments to accompany each unit. It’s a great tool for students wanting to go beyond the classroom with their grammar skills.

Cheers to your success!!

~Dr. Cort