Prescriptive Grammar

vs
Descriptive Grammar
Here starts the
lesson!
 GROUP 1

M. Ridho

Cikal Valian Talenta

Tari Sri T
o gala

a ma d
Feby Anasyah Rusdi Satya Astuti S
 Prescriptive Grammar
Set of rules and example
dealing with the syntax and
word structure of a
language.

Refers to the structure of

language as certain people
think it should be used.
 Descriptive Grammar
Set of rules and example
dealing with the syntax and
word structure of a
language.
In a descriptive grammar
there is no right or wrong
language.
Prescriptive Approach

 Attitudes toward language

based on what is held to be
“correct” by socially
prestigious elements and by
teacher.
 This attitude evinces
complete disregard for the
way a community actually
speak.
Descriptive Approach

 The goal of the descriptive

approach is a description
and knowledge of rules
(principles) of how the
language is actually spoken.
 Rules of Prescriptive Grammar
 The subject of a sentence must agree with the
verb.
 Use much for count nouns. Use many for non-
count nouns (Wee don’t have much coffee and
we don’t have many cups of tea.)
 Capitalize the first of a sentence.
 Use subject pronouns after the verb be (it was I
who called you not it was me who called you)
 Use the definite article the before names of
rivers and geographical areas but not before the
names of lakes or continents (the Nile, the
middle east and lake Tahoe, Asia)
Rules of Descriptive
Grammar
 Some English speakers end a sentence
with a preposition (Who do you to
speak to?)
 Some English speakers use double
negatives for negation. (I don’t have
nothing).
 Adjective precede the nouns they
modify (red book, nice guy).
 To form the plural of a noun, add –s (1
room, 2 rooms).
 The vowel sound in the word suit is
produced with rounded lips.
 Example of Prescriptive Grammar and
Descriptive Grammar
I vs me
Jake and me are coming to the party too.
This is what prescriptive grammar has to
say about this sentence.
• Here me is used as subject, instead should
use I.
• me should be used as object.
So, according to prescriptive grammar the
sentence should read:
Jake and I coming to the party too.
And this is what to prescriptive grammar
says:
• me is becoming increasingly wide spread
in subject position.
Who vs whom
The woman who I met looked sick.
According to prescriptive grammar.
• Here who is used as object, instead
we should use whom.
• who should be used as subject.
The woman whom I met looked
sick.
According to descriptive grammar.
• who is usually as both subject and
object.
 Different between Prescriptive vs. Descriptive
Grammar Prescriptive Grammar
Descriptive Grammar
Descriptive Grammar Is Prescriptive grammar is the
that approach to study approach to study grammar
grammar that describes the that is related to the correct
native or non-native or incorrect established
speaker’s usage of norms of language usage.
language. There are no Prescriptive grammar has a
standard rules in specific standard set of
descriptive grammar. grammar rules.
 Reference
https://prosperoenglish.com/post/grammar/prescriptive-and-descri
ptive-grammar/
https://www.academia.edu/7851082/Prescriptive_vs_descriptive
https://pediaa.com/difference-between-descriptive-and-prescriptiv
e-grammar/
https://youtu.be/D-eAusedGj4
THANKS