Welcome to the Grammar Minute, where we’re saving the English language sixty seconds at a time! I’m Lauren Smyth, and here’s a frequently debated question from the writing world: Do you need to formally study grammar? And if so, how should you do it?

My personal opinion is that you don’t. There are a lot of other things you could do instead that would teach you grammar without you having to sit down and bury your nose in a textbook and diagram sentences and so on. Truly the best way to learn grammar is to read and listen a lot. See what others have done. Learn the patterns of both informal spoken and formal, written English. Another way to learn grammar is to learn a second language. Even if the grammar system is completely different than your first language, you’ll still start to learn names for the language patterns, and you’ll have to pick sentences apart as you learn how to make them yourself.

Finally, my top recommendation for learning grammar is to read Strunk and White’s “Elements of Style.” Most people use this book as a reference, but if you never read it straight through, you’ll never know what you’re missing. Bookmark, tab, and scribble all over these pages. It’s a short read, and your writing will thank you.

That’s your Grammar Minute! Visit thegrammarminute.com for more tips and tricks.