- [Voiceover] Hi, everyone.
My name is David, and I'm here to introduce
you to Grammar on Khan Academy.
Welcome.
I'm so glad you could join me.
So, let's start by asking the question,
"What is grammar?"
What is this thing, why is it worthwhile to study it,
why would you wanna put up with listening to me?
Well, first of all, grammar is a set of conventions
and rules that govern language.
So what's the difference between a convention and a rule?
Well, a rule is kind of the bare minimum of what
it takes to make your language understandable
by other people, right?
So in order to make a car work, for example,
in order to make it move forward as intended,
the wheels have to go on the bottom instead of the roof.
That's a rule.
The idea that all cars should be painted teal, for example,
is a convention.
Now is that true that all cars should be teal?
No, not necessarily, but that leads me to my second point,
that grammar is context dependent.
The kind of grammar that you use
throughout your day changes.
It depends on who you're talking to,
what you're trying to say, and how you're trying to say it.
And so we use multiple kinds of grammar throughout
our days and throughout our lives.
Another thing you need to know is that you already
know so much grammar.
Just from living and existing in the world and
talking to other people.
You know how to put a sentence together.
If you can understand me, then you know
so much about grammar.
You know more than I can teach you.
What these videos are for is to give names
to the things you already know.
To give you a greater command of them.
And I want to say, too, that these videos are only
about a very specific kind of grammar.
It's called Standard American English.
But I want you to know that there are many Englishes.
And you know what?
They're all great.
They are all wonderful and vibrant
and important and special.
And what I do not want for you to take away from these
videos is that I'm trying to teach you what is right
and what is wrong.
If the kind of English you speak doesn't sound like the
kind of English I speak, that is okay, you know?
You are great.
What I want to do is give you the tools to harness language.
To harness English and use it
any way you want.
I mean, I'm saying I don't care what color your car is.
It could be pink, it could be green, it could be purple,
it could be paisley, you know.
I'm just trying to make sure your wheels are on straight.
You are a grammarian.
You have made a study of grammar throughout your
entire speaking and reading life.
And I firmly believe that you can learn anything.
Welcome to Grammar on Khan Academy.
David out.