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Is grammar essential? Does it affect our existence? These are the questions that my students asked when I discussed the importance of grammar. In school, we are taught that the proper use of grammar is essential in writing and speaking. Without it, we won't understand the formation of the words, the meaning, the structure, and the sounds of the words.

Grammar does not only focus on the vocabulary as what most of the people believes. This misnomer tends to make people forget that included in Grammar are morphology, semantics, syntax, and phonology.

Its importance does not end when we graduate from school. In fact, graduation is only the beginning of our journey where the grammar rules that we learned in school will be applied. Although, proper grammar is subjective, which means that it depends on the purpose such as to engage the readers and capture their interest, poor grammar remains unacceptable regardless of the purpose of its usage. Hence, if we don't want to lose our job, employment opportunities, or business, and if we want to avoid embarrassment, then we should avoid grammatical errors.

Despite the fact that there are different variants of the English language such American English and British English, each variant follows the same grammatical structure. Both the two variants have are as the plural of is, for example. Hence, whatever variant you are using stick to the rules always. However, please be mindful of the distinction between the word usages of each variant. For instance, lift is for British English and elevator is for American English. One more thing, please be consistent of the language that you are using. When you use American English, ensure that throughout the paragraph or your speech, you will be using the same variant.

In terms of the standard and nonstandard English, only use the nonstandard when you are talking with a friend or someone close to you, but when you are dealing with a business associate, use the standard formal English. Let's take It is I and It is me for instance. When are you going to use the former? For formal English, use It is I; however, use It is me for informal speech.

Grammar is a complex matter to tackle. However, amid its complexity are the wonders that they could do for every written or spoken utterance that we make. Yes, studying it is boring, but once you use it correctly in your sentence boredom is only a word as it could give meaning and emphasis to every utterance you make.

When my students asked me about the importance of grammar and the role it played in our existence, I simply answered, grammar is vital as it helps in giving a clear and precise meaning of both written and spoken utterances. For the second question, I told them, although we can live without it, but it would be a life devoid of meaning and purpose.