Descriptive versus Prescriptive

Grammar
Presented by :
Shamala
Tan Eik Ter
Zulkarnain
Saranya

DESCRIPTIVE VS.
PRESCRIPTIVE GRAMMAR

DEFINITION
Descriptive
Grammar

Prescriptive
Grammar

structure of a language
as it is actually used by
speakers and writers.
what speakers say, and
when, why and how
they say it in written
and spoken form.

set of rules and examples

dealing with the syntax and
word structures of a language,
usually intended as an aid to
the learning of that language.
(whether to say it or not)
structure of a language as
certain people think it should
be used.
prescribe the rules of a
language.

EXPERTS
Descriptive
Grammar
Linguists
-study the rules or
patterns that
underlie our use of
words, phrases,
clauses, and
sentences.

Prescriptive
Grammar
prescriptive
grammarians (such
as most editors and
teachers)
-layout rules about
what they believe to
be the correct or
incorrect use of
language.

EXAMPLES
Descriptive
Grammar
SomeEnglish speakersend a
sentence with a preposition
-Who do you want to speakto?
Some English speakers use
double negatives for negation
-Idon'thavenothing.
Adjectives precede the nouns
they modify
-redbook,niceguy
To form the plural of a noun,
add-s
-1 room, 2 rooms; 1 book, 2
books

Prescriptive Grammar
The subject of a sentence
must agree with the verb
-The instructionsareclear.
Usemuchfor count nouns.
Usemanyfor non-count nouns
-We don't
havemuchcoffeeand we
don't havemany cupsof
coffee.
Capitalize the first letter of a
sentence.
-The television is broken.It
needs to be fixed.

Sources
http://emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/hurley
/Ling102web/mod1_popideas/mod1.8_descvs
prescrip.htm
http://
grammar.about.com/od/basicsentencegra
mmar/f/descpresgrammar.htm

THANK YOU.