Types of Grammar Practice.

Grammar practice is done in order to achieve accuracy and go on to fluency.
These steps are considered:
1. Awareness: After the learners have been introduced to the structure, they are given opportunities to encounter it within some kind of discourse, and do a task that focuses their attention on its form and meaning.

2. Controlled drills: Learners produce examples on the structure: these examples are, however, predetermined by the teacher or textbook, and have to conform to very clear, closed-ended cues. For example:
John drinks tea but he doesn’t drink coffee.
a) like: ice cream / cake
b) speak: English/Italian
c) enjoy: playing football / chess

3. Meaningful drills: Again the responses are very controlled, but learners can make a limited choice. For example:
In order to practice forms of the present simple tense:
Choose someone you know very well, and write down their name. Now compose true statements about them according to the following model:
He/ She likes ice cream; or He / She doesn’t like ice cream
a) enjoy: playing tennis
b) drink: wine
c) speak: polish

4. Guided, meaningful practice: Learners form sentences of their own according to a set pattern, but exactly what vocabulary they use is up to them. For example:
Practicing conditional clauses, learners are given the cue If I had a million dollars, and suggest, in speech or writing, what they would do.

5. Free sentence composition: Learners are provided with a visual or situational cue, and invited to compose their own responses; they are directed to use the structure. For example:
A picture showing a number of people doing different things is shown to the class; they describe it using the appropriate tense.

6. Discourse composition: Learners hold a discussion or write a passage according to a given task; they are directed to use at least some examples of the structure within the discourse. For example:
The class is given a dilemma situation in which they have to ask to recommend or give a solution. They are directed to include modals (might, should, must, can, could)

7. Free discourse: As in type 6, but the learners are given no specific direction to use the structure; however, the task situation is such that instances of it are likely to appear. For example:
As in type 6, but without the final direction.
This step is intended to be more proficient and demonstrate a higher lever of fluency.
Ur, P. (1999) Grammar Practice Activities, CUP

Grammar

Grammar is defined as the form in which the language is manipulated and combined to form units of meaning. For example, in English in the present simple the verb 'to be' has two forms: is for the singular and are for the plural.
Ur, P. (1999) Grammar Practice Activities, CUP