Where to Start English Grammar: A Roadmap for Beginners

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Are you a beginner in English, wondering where to start English grammar? With so many rules and concepts, it’s understandable if you get discouraged.

Many learners make the mistake of going straight into verb tenses. Most English coursebooks start here, making you think the verb tenses are the key to mastering English. But this approach often leads to problems because it lacks a proper foundation in the basics.

Verb tenses are higher-level concepts that require a strong understanding of basic English grammar for them to make any sense.

So, if starting with verb tenses isn’t the answer, what is?

The best place to start is with the parts of speech—as these are the foundational building blocks of English grammar. Once you know how nouns, verbs, adjectives, and other parts of speech work, you can begin constructing sentences with confidence.

Add to this a growing vocabulary, and you’ll have all the tools you need to succeed. In this guide, I’ll show you a step-by-step roadmap to help you build your grammar skills the right way.

Why you shouldn't start English grammar with the verb tenses

Figuring out where to start English grammar is like a builder figuring out how to start his house.

Of course, you should start building your grammar with a strong foundation before trying for the more complex concepts like verb tenses. In fact, other grammar experts agree that diving into verb tenses too early may cause problems.

Each English verb tense expresses a conceptual meaning along with the the verbs meaning. Think of it as a mathematical formula:

Verb meaning + tense aspect meaning = full meaning and context.

Here’s a practical example from everyday small talk and conversation. When we meet and talk with someone we know, we often ask “How are you?” Let’s break this down to its base parts:

How [be] you?

What’s [be] in the present simple [are].
What’s [be] in the present perfect [have been].

So, you can ask the same question as “How are you?” Or “How have you been?

What’s the difference?

The answer is in the aspect meaning of both verb tenses. The present simple of [be] expresses a present state. So, it means “how are you” right now. On the other hand, the present perfect adds the duration aspect, meaning how long (for or since). So “How have you been” means since the last time I saw you.

We would ask the present perfect question if we haven’t seen the other person in a longer than normal time period.

So, as I stated before, the verb tenses are concepts that add meaning. You need to understand these concepts intuitively to use them.

Answer me this, “How are you supposed to understand these concepts before you have mastered basic sentence building?

This is why we start English grammar with the basics then add complexity later.

What makes the parts of speech so important?

Understanding parts of speech is a must for English language learners at every level. These grammatical categories are not obstacles but a ladder to overcome the obstacles to potential English fluency. The parts of speech are the building blocks of English grammar and the foundation for constructing clear and accurate sentences.

In my full post on the “Importance of Parts of Speech for ESL learners,” I highlight the following points:

Parts of speech clarify sentence structure, helping learners understand how words fit together and what goes where in a sentence.
Knowing the relationships between the parts of speech helps learners fix or prevent common mistakes.
The parts of speech help learners classify new words, understand their roles in a sentence, and how they relate to other words.
An understanding of parts of speech is a pre-requisite for learning English and grammar.
Mastering the parts of speech is also important to combat mother-tongue pull, where learners may translate directly from their native language and make errors in word order or phrasing.
Learning the parts of speech actively engages the brain in creating new neural pathways, which enhances cognitive functions related to language acquisition.

In addition to these points about the parts of speech, you will also find some recommended workbooks that ESL learners could really benefit from.

To read further on why the parts of speech are so important for English language learners, visit the comprehensive post on “The Importance of Parts of Speech for ESL Learners”.

How to start English Grammar the right way - systematically

The best way to start English grammar is gradually, starting small and adding more complexity over time. You want to learn the grammar systematically.

As a private EFL teacher, I have an extensive collection of topical books. Their main focus is to teach the verb tenses. However, they also teach the parts of speech too (to some small extent).

The problem is they do it too far spread apart and randomly.

For example, one book I use with pre-teens who need parts of speech the most, has a grammar extra at the end of each module. These grammar extras teach things like articles, possessives, and other determiners. If it takes me one month to do one module, they will get a lesson on one of the determiners every month.

That is unacceptable.

For native speakers, we systematically study each part of speech, doing recognition exercises along the way. We build layer upon layer of understanding. Because of this, we understand the roles and relationships in how each part fits into the sentence and with each other.

Speaking of the parts of speech, why don’t you test your knowledge of the parts of speech with my online quiz here.

Where to Start English Grammar: The Beginner's Roadmap

The roadmap for beginners starts with the parts of speech. However, learning the parts of speech is a two-way approach.

First, you need to learn the concept of the parts of speech. Learn each part of speech, their role in a sentence, and their relationships with the other parts of speech. You can read more about the part-or-speech roles and relationships with my post – How to Identify Parts of Speech.
Then, you need to learn vocabulary by parts of speech. Learn verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs.

Together, this two-way approach gives you the building instructions (the parts of speech) and the bricks (the words/vocabulary) to develop your English sentence building skills.

Step 1a: Master the Basics — The Parts of Speech

The parts of speech are the “instructions” for building sentences. Without them, it’s impossible to understand how English grammar works.

There are eight main parts of speech: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, and determiners. These categories explain how words function in a sentence and how they relate to one another.

This post isn’t meant to be a master class in the parts of speech and their relationships. For full reading on the parts of speech, their roles, relationships, and more, you can refer to the following post: How to Identify Parts of Speech.

Start by learning these basics:

Nouns: Words that name people, places, things, or ideas.
Verbs: Words that express actions or states of being.
Determiners, Adjectives and Adverbs: Words that describe or modify nouns and verbs, respectively.

By mastering the parts of speech, you’ll develop a strong foundation for understanding sentence structure. My book, English Grammar Explained, provides clear explanations and examples to help you learn and use these concepts.

My book is a great place to learn English grammar. It is meant for non-native speakers and it teaches English sentence building, types of sentences, and grammatical flexibility. You can learn more about English Grammar Explained on my book’s post here.

Step 1b: Build Your Vocabulary

Grammar and vocabulary go hand-in-hand. If the parts of speech are the instructions, think of vocabulary as the “bricks” that you use to build sentences. The more words you know, the easier it becomes to apply grammar rules and communicate effectively. My book, English Grammar Explained, provides the instructions. However, it’s only an explainer and grammar handbook. It gives great “instructions” and lots of examples. Yet, it doesn’t contain any exercises. That is why I advise you start with a set of workbooks that I use myself in my teaching practice. I recommend starting with a second-grade level vocabulary workbook to practice common words by parts of speech. Pair this with a third-grade level English Language Arts (ELA) grammar book for exercises that reinforce your understanding of the basics. Thirdly, you will want a writing workbook to guide you with some output exercises. These resources are simple, approachable, and perfect for beginners.

They’re so easy, a 7-year old can do them.

If you’re an adult, you shouldn’t be put off by doing exercises meant for 8 and 9-year-olds. These are exactly the kind of exercises that will teach you how to build clear and accurate sentences. Here’s the full set I recommend:

Spectrum Language Arts Grade 2
Spectrum Vocabulary Grade 2
Spectrum Writing Grade 2

Use my affiliate link to visit the Carson Dellosa website and search for each of those titles. The language arts book (ELA) will give you exercises to recognize and study sentences, the parts of speech, and other basic grammar rules. The vocabulary book will help grow your words. Finally, the writing workbook will help you activate your sentence building by writing lots of practice sentences.

Step 2: Strengthen your Sentence Building Skills

Once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to level up. Progress to a fifth- or sixth-grade ELA grammar workbook. These will introduce more advanced concepts, such as compound sentences, verb phrases, auxiliary verbs, and modifiers. More importantly, it will unlock the full range of the parts of speech.

I’m talking about all the pronoun types, all the determiner types, differentiation between adjectives and adverbs, and so much more.

At this stage, you should also continue growing your vocabulary. Move up to a fourth- or fifth-grade vocabulary workbook to expand your word bank. As you learn new words, practice using them in sentences to reinforce your grammar knowledge.

Here’s the full set I recommend:

100+ Language Arts Grade 5-6
Spectrum Vocabulary Grade 4
Spectrum Writing Grade 4

If you’re already at the intermediate (B1) level but have never formally trained in the parts of speech, this is a great place to restart your English grammar.

As I mentioned in the previous step, you can use my affiliate link, then search for the titles I recommend.

Step 3: Progress to Learning Grammatical Concepts like the Verb Tenses

The verb tenses are higher level concepts and often give English learners problems. In my experience, it often stems from a combination of too much too soon, but also not enough practice.

I say too much too soon when English learners aren’t strong at English sentence structure and don’t know enough vocabulary to build sentences. When you’re building a sentence, any gap in your knowledge will stop you mid sentence. The more questions you have about how to start the sentence or which verb to use, the harder it is to focus on the verb tense.

Yet, if you have strong sentence building skills, now you’re ready to go to the next level.

A good English coursebook will be appropriate at this stage, and you may also consider the workbook for extra exercises. These books cover essential topics like verb tenses, question formation, and real-life scenarios. They help you see how grammar works in everyday communication.

If you’re looking for a native speaker to guide you through this stage of your learning, you may consider checking out my offering of online courses.

Just visit my online group courses page here to see the offering. Then, contact me directly to see if there is a group forming at your desired level.

Step 4 and Beyond: Progress with Advanced Learning

The journey doesn’t stop at A2/B1. To become fluent, you’ll need to keep advancing. Move up to higher-level grammar and vocabulary resources, and practice using English in conversations, writing, and other real-world situations.

My advanced online courses are designed to help you progress through intermediate and advanced levels. By following these courses, you’ll refine your skills and achieve your English learning goals.

If you’d like to continue your exploration of the parts of speech, visit my main guide where I explore all the aspects of the parts of speech.

Conclusion: Now You Know Where to Start English Grammar

Starting your English grammar journey doesn’t have to be confusing. By following this roadmap, you’ll build a strong foundation, gain confidence, and make steady progress. Start with the parts of speech and vocabulary, and then gradually move on to more advanced grammar and real-world application.

Jon

Jon Williams is a graduate of UCLA with a degree in Economics. While doing his undergraduate studies at UCLA, he also tutored microeconomics for other students in the AAP program. After graduation, he went on to become a financial advisor where he learned financial sales and management training. In 2003, he decided to take a gap year, going to teach English in Poland which eventually stretched into 3 years. Upon returning to Los Angeles in 2006, he worked in West Los Angeles for an investment management firm where he spent another 4 years in a financial and investment environment. Ultimately, though, his love for teaching led him to move back to Poland where he founded his business Native 1 English Learning. Now he operates a private teaching practice, posts articles and lessons on his blog, creates online courses, and publishes YouTube video English lessons.