5 min - Learning English grammar is easiest when you follow a clear order—beginning with simple sentence structure, the verb “to be,” and personal pronouns before moving on to tenses and more complex topics.
- Focusing on grammar that helps in daily conversations, like simple and continuous tenses, plurals, and prepositions, as this makes learning more useful.
- Advanced topics like passive voice, reported speech, and conditionals are important but best learned after mastering the basics. This approach ensures a strong foundation and long-term success in English.
Learning English grammar can feel confusing without a plan. With so many rules, tenses, and sentence structures, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, especially if you’re just starting out. That’s why knowing the best order to learn grammar is so helpful. It gives you a clear path to follow, making the process easier, faster, and less stressful.
Many people ask, “In what order should I learn English grammar?” or “What is the correct order to teach English grammar?” and that’s exactly what Novakid will talk about in this article. Whether you’re a student or a teacher, having a step-by-step guide to English for grammar can make all the difference.
We’ll break things down into easy grammar topics, starting with the basics and moving toward more advanced topics such as “how many verb tenses does English have?” This way, you can build a strong foundation and grow your skills with confidence.
What is the best sequence for learning English?
Before jumping into English rules of grammar, it’s important to understand that learning English works best when you build from the ground up. Just like learning to walk before you run, you should start with simple grammar concepts and move toward more complex ones. A good sequence helps you avoid confusion and makes learning feel more natural. Now, we’ll walk you through the best order to follow for learning English!
Start with Simple Sentence Structure
The first step in learning English grammar is understanding how basic sentences are formed. This step is perfect for beginners who ask, “How do we learn the English language?”
Most English sentences follow a simple pattern: subject (subject meaning what the sentence is about) + verb + object.
She (subject) eats (verb) apples (object).
This structure is the foundation of the English language. Once you understand how to build a basic sentence, it becomes much easier to add new grammar rules later—like tenses, adjectives, or questions.
Learn the Verb “To Be”
The next step in your English grammar journey is learning the verb “to be.” This is one of the most important verbs in English and is used in many basic sentences. The main forms are am, is, and are. Let’s look at some examples:
- I am a student.
- She is happy.
- They are friends.
It’s helpful to learn all three forms—positive, negative, and questions:
Positive: He is tired.
Negative: He is not tired.
Question: Is he tired?
This verb is essential in early conversations and writing. It’s a key part of basic grammar in use and a great place to start when it comes to grammatical forms.
Personal Pronouns and Articles
Along with learning the verb “to be,” it’s also important to master personal pronouns and articles early on. These small words appear in almost every sentence and help your speech and writing sound natural.
Personal pronouns include:
I, you, he, she, it, we, they
For example:
- She is my teacher.
- They are at the park.
Articles include:
a, an, the
These help introduce nouns clearly, like this:
- A dog is in the yard.
- An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
- The sun is shining.
Practice the Simple Tenses (Present, Past, Future)
Our next step in the order of learning English grammar is to get comfortable with the simple tenses. These tenses help you talk about what you do every day, what happened before, and what will happen later. They’re a big part of everyday conversation and a key step in how to learn English fast.
Here are the three main simple tenses:
Present Simple: “I go to school.”
(Used for habits, routines, and facts.)
Past Simple: “I went to school yesterday.”
(Used to talk about things that already happened.)
Future Simple: “I will go to school tomorrow.”
(Used for future plans or decisions.)
Practicing these tenses helps you express time clearly and makes your English sound much more natural!
Study Plurals and Countable/Uncountable Nouns
At this stage in your grammar journey, it’s time to learn how to talk about more than one thing and how to describe how much or how many of something there is. This is where plurals and countable vs. uncountable nouns come in!
Start by learning how to make nouns plural:
Regular plurals: dog → dogs, pencil → pencils
Irregular plurals: man → men, tooth → teeth
Next, learn when to use words like “some,” “many,” or “a few.”
Use them with countable nouns (like apples, chairs).
“We have a few apples.”
Use them with uncountable nouns (like milk, sugar).
“There is some sugar in the jar.”
At Novakid, we make this fun by practicing with countable and uncountable foods to help students understand the difference. To see for yourself, book a trial lesson.
Add Prepositions and Word Order Rules
Now that you’ve built a strong foundation, it’s time to focus on prepositions and word order—two key parts of making your English clear and correct.
Prepositions are small words that show place or time, like:
in, on, at, under, next to
- The book is on the table.
- She is at school.
- The cat is under the bed.
You’ll also want to learn the basic word order used in English sentences and questions:
- Statement: Subject + Verb + Object
She eats breakfast.
- Question: Question word + Auxiliary + Subject + Verb
Where does she eat breakfast?
Study Continuous Tenses (Present, Past, Future)
Once you understand the simple tenses in English grammar, it’s time to learn how to talk about actions in progress using the continuous (or progressive) tenses. These are great for describing what someone is doing right now, what they were doing before, or what they’ll be doing in the future, such as sentences like these:
- Present Continuous: I am eating breakfast.
- Past Continuous: She was walking to school.
- Future Continuous: We will be traveling next week.
These tenses are useful when you want to describe the timing of an action, especially when it’s happening at a specific moment.
Learn Modals and Auxiliary Verbs
Next, it’s important to learn modals and auxiliary verbs—words that help express possibility, advice, permission, or rules. These verbs make your English more flexible and allow you to say what you mean more clearly.
Some common modals include:
can, should, must, will, might, could
Examples:
- You should eat healthy food.
- We might go to the park later.
- He can swim very well.
These small but powerful words are great for expanding your vocabulary! Once you get used to them, you’ll be able to give suggestions, ask politely, talk about rules, and express ideas with more confidence.
Explore Advanced Grammar Topics (Optional for Beginners)
Once you feel comfortable with the basics, you can start exploring advanced grammar topics—though these are optional for beginners. This includes things like the passive voice, reported speech, and conditionals (if-then sentences).
These topics are especially useful if you want to use English in more formal or professional situations, like writing reports, giving presentations, or having serious conversations.
If you’re an advanced learner wondering how to learn about English deeply, studying these grammar areas will help you take your skills to the next level.
Feel more prepared about learning or teaching English grammar? If you still have questions or want extra help with any grammar topic, reach out to us at Novakid! We’re here to support you with clear explanations and fun lessons. Just contact us anytime!
