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grammatical rule

grammatical rule

1 3.3
A rule about how to make sentences and phrases correctly
  • noun
  • /ˈɡræmətɪkəl ruːl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : regla gramatical
  • In this stage, known as the phonetic stage, children are beginning to follow some of the grammatical rules of language.
  • learn the grammatical rules
  • examples of grammatical rules

Examples

  • They start making sentences by stringing signs together and only later gain control of all the grammatical rules.

    Blog text (3)
  • Because of their lack of familiarity with Arabic, they had to learn the grammatical rules of a language which they could not even begin to speak.

    Academic text (1995)
  • These grammatical rules should be engraved on one's brain before leaving primary school!

    Blog text (9)
  • My own experience is that while some students equate grammar with the "black plague," most want to learn grammatical rules and practice applying them.

    Academic text (1995)
  • At the end of my course, many students tell me they have become aware of grammatical rules when they speak and correct themselves, thus engaging Krashen's monitor.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Basic oral language skills include word knowledge, vocabulary, and understanding grammatical rules (Storch & Whitehurst, 2002).

    Academic text (2014)
  • It is interesting to note that the two grade 11 groups included 60 percent of the sighted students who made no mistakes related to grammatical rules; also, two of the three sighted students who achieved perfect scores (no errors) were in this group.

    Academic text (1997)
  • By the age of three, most children seem to master a considerable number of grammatical rules.

  • In this stage, known as the phonetic stage, children are beginning to follow some of the grammatical rules of language.

  • I am forever being corrected about this grammatical rule.

Synonyms

grammar
vsgrammatical rule
106 1.1

Rules of a language that show how words form sentences

refers to one principle within that complete system rather than the whole
syntax
vsgrammatical rule
  • Specialized
32 5.4

Rules that tell how to put words into sentences or how to write computer code

emphasizes order and arrangement rather than being one specific principle
rule of grammar
vsgrammatical rule
1 2.5

A guide about how to form sentences and use words correctly

is one such principle rather than the whole system
linguistic rule
vsgrammatical rule
  • Specialized
4.2

A guideline that tells how people use words and sentences

focuses on a single governing principle, not general guidance

How Specific

prescriptive grammar
  • Specialized
7.3
grammatical rule
  • Specialized
1 3.3
rule
1.0
guideline
344 3.1
generality
12 6.5

Surface Forms

Morphology

grammatical + rule

The meaning 'a rule that governs the structure of language' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'grammatical' (pertaining to grammar) with 'rule' (a guiding principle). This adjective+noun composition is literal and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

The phrase grammatical rule comes from the idea that grammar is how words fit together and a rule is a short instruction, like a game's rule. So a grammatical rule is an instruction that tells you 'how to form sentences' correctly.