Two memory systems
Being able to apply the grammar rules of a language in real time relies on different abilities. To explain this, let's take a look at the distinction made by cognitive science between two types of memory: procedural and declarative.
Procedural memory allows developing habits. After a certain amount of practice, we're able to perform certain actions without having to think, such as tying our shoes, driving or performing choreography.
Declarative memory, for it's part, records and organizes the information we accumulate about the world. It's thanks to this memory that we know that an apple is a fruit, that it can be yellow, green, or red, or that the capital of Italy is Rome.
Of course, how these memories work is much more complicated than that in real life! But this distinction comes in handy for understanding the different types of grammatical competence and better manage your learning.
Very different skills
Each type of memory enables the development of a specific type of skill.
Procedural memory is involved in the formation of new neural networks through repeated language practice.
The emergence of these "highways" in our brain means that we are now able to converse automatically, without needing to make special efforts to understand what is being said to us or to form our own sentences.
Being able to combine words correctly is a bit like playing with Lego. Words are like pieces, and through practice, we're gradually learning which ones go together.
Declarative memory declarative memory stores all the knowledge you learn about a language, such as its vocabulary and grammar rules.
When we speak, this knowledge can help us to identify and correct our mistakes.
When we're writing, they'll help us to know how, for example, to correctly agree a verb.
We develop this ability by observing and analyzing how the language works. We usually do this with teachers, books or apps, learning rules and doing exercises.
Getting really good at grammar
Knowing all the rules of how a language works doesn't mean you can speak it, just as it's possible to speak a language perfectly without being able to explain its rules.
In other words, knowing the rules and being able to apply them in a conversation are two very different things.
This goes against our usual thinking. We often think that knowing the rules will help us speak better, when what we really need are automatisms. On the contrary, rules are quite useful when you're writing, because you have time to think about how to apply them.
That's why to make good progress in grammar, you need to respect the following timing: first develop good reflexes by listening to and pronouncing correct sentences repeatedly, and then focus on the rules.
With the guidance of our teachers and plenty of classroom discussion practice, our learners acquire a solid mastery of oral grammar. There's no need for boring exercises that serve almost no purpose. In a second phase, once they have developed real conversational skills, additional knowledge about how the language works can be useful to complement the learning process.
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