I find that the most helpful thing is to study grammar (most likely just from a book), and then do exercises geared to practice that grammar point. Repeatedly, over a long time. Like even as you learn new grammar points, go back and review ones you've supposedly already learned and practiced several times. If you don't practice something, it is probably not going to stick.
For German in particular, I found Duolingo helpful for just rote practicing making sentences and getting feedback. It really helped me to cement all the declensions and things in my head. But, I studied the charts and such beforehand--I think you need to stick something into your brain before just going out and trying to practice, but it's practice that will help you learn it, not the studying.
Of course, this is just what works best for me, ymmv.
With grammar I've found there's no shortcut, you just have to practise over and over and over. You're doing the right thing in exposing yourself to different media, just stick with it and get as much practise as you can.
I'm using Duolingo too, and I just keep going back over the things I'm unsure of until eventually it comes without me having to think about it. Sometimes that takes a long time, but I've not discovered any other way.
As a teacher I find that there are basically two types of learners: those who really need to understand what they're doing, for whom I have to break down the grammar and explain each bit, and then those who seem more intuitive and need to see / hear / write a lot to be able to use new forms. With those I also found that they, and everyone else I guess, really much better keep in mind what they're emotionally attached to. Like when I read a book in class many students liked a lot, their grammar in the next classtest was much better, too, because they echoed what they had read and could also use it for their own phrases. So in teaching I use both methods. Like any teacher, I guess. And I did the same on learning a language myself.
Interesting observation about the emotional attachment. I haven't thought about that, but it seems logical that you learn better when you learn from something you care about. /Moa
I'm not sure exactly what kind of "grammar mistakes" you're talking about. With German in particular, the two things I hear the most complaints about are (1) adjective endings and (2) word order. There's a simple but powerful model for German word order pioneered by Lohnes and Strothmann. If you haven't come across it (and if you don't recognise the phrase "two-pronged predicate", then you haven't), it's worth seeking out. For the adjective endings, though, it's just practice, practice, practice. But if you can memorise a few model phrases, that will help. As I just explained to a friend, if you can remember "mein kleiner grüner Kaktus" and "eine kleine Nachtmusik" then you'll know what endings to use for a pretty ginger cat or a friendly old dog.
Haha, I guess I'm like most other people in this respect, those two things are the things I have the most problems with. Number three would be verb inflection. Thank you for the tip about the model for German word order, that sounds like something I would need to read about. I'll go looking for it! /Moa
Verb inflection? I guess you mean strong verbs, since the inflectional endings are the same almost always. Some people find it helps to memorise the class of each verb, but in general I find the German and English paradigms are close enough that if you set your lights according to cognates, you tend not to go too far wrong.
Hmmm, I might get a grammar exercise book or two. It's very annoying when I keep making the same mistakes over and over again in my writing, so maybe I should try doing grammar exercises. /Moa
Comments 14
For German in particular, I found Duolingo helpful for just rote practicing making sentences and getting feedback. It really helped me to cement all the declensions and things in my head. But, I studied the charts and such beforehand--I think you need to stick something into your brain before just going out and trying to practice, but it's practice that will help you learn it, not the studying.
Of course, this is just what works best for me, ymmv.
Reply
/Moa
Reply
I'm using Duolingo too, and I just keep going back over the things I'm unsure of until eventually it comes without me having to think about it. Sometimes that takes a long time, but I've not discovered any other way.
Reply
/Moa
Reply
Reply
/Moa
Reply
Reply
Thank you for the tip about the model for German word order, that sounds like something I would need to read about. I'll go looking for it!
/Moa
Reply
Reply
/Moa
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
/Moa
Reply
Leave a comment