Descriptive and prescriptive grammar

A descriptive grammar is a study of a language, its structure, and its rules as they are used in daily life by its speakers from all walks of life, including standard and nonstandard varieties. A prescriptive grammar, on the other hand, specifies how a language and its grammar rules should be used.

1. What is descriptive and prescriptive grammar examples?
2. What is an example of prescriptive grammar?
3. What is the difference between prescriptive and descriptive teaching?
4. What is the difference between descriptive and prescriptive issues?

What is descriptive and prescriptive grammar examples?

A descriptive grammarian would see a sentence like “To boldly go where no man has gone before” and would try to describe how the mental grammar can cause that ordering of words, rather than saying that the surface form is faulty due to prescriptive rules (which would require the sentence “To go boldly where no man has ...

What is an example of prescriptive grammar?

For example, a grammarian might have explained that you should 'never end a sentence with a preposition' or that starting a sentence with a conjunction like 'And' or 'But' is a big no-no. This type of reference, which tells you how to speak so-called 'correct' English, can be referred to as a prescriptive grammar.

What is the difference between prescriptive and descriptive teaching?

Teachers with traditional ideas about TESOL have a habit of telling learners what they should say (prescriptive teaching) instead of showing learners there are multiple ways to say something (descriptive teaching).

What is the difference between descriptive and prescriptive issues?

Descriptive issues address or describe how the world is. For example, "What makes grass grow?" Prescriptive issues deal with the way the world ought to be and often involve moral or ethical concerns such as "We should reduce our carbon footprint." The conclusion is usually the author's answer or solution to the issue.