how do you recite English grammar

[Debi Stamey]

AS I was rereading the articles on this site I came across this statement:


Once you have recited all the Latin forms, you may begin with English grammar.

Recite the eight parts of speech. Do meanings for all 6 tenses in English. Recite pronouns, adjectives, and more verb forms if you know them. List the 5 cases. What is the possessive case? The to/for case? The direct object case? The subject case? What are the two ways to show possession in English? What are the 4 attributes of nouns? What are the three genders? What are the 6 attributes of verbs? And so on.

Does anyone do this? If so what exactly do you say? I'm not sure I know all of this. Would you simply take a grammar book and start reciting the rules as they present them?
Debi Stamey

[crblomquist]

I don't know how to do all of grammar in a systematic way like you're suggesting. I don't really think it's necessary for all the grammar, either. However, I do find that the two "charts" I learned way back in elementary school still help me today: the preposition chart and the helping verb chart. Put the verbs and prepositions in a logical order, and it will facilitate learning. Here's the helping verb example: am is are was were be being been have has had do does did may might must...etc. You could drill an adverb chart, too. Not what all the adverbs are, which would be impossible to memorize, but the questions that adverbs answer and the -ly ending. This will help facilitate long-term adverb recognition.

Cheri