Countless books have been written on English grammar. Schools, in particular, demand you be excellent at its rules. Now, is grammar really important? To answer this question, try speaking English with a broken grammar. Do you think people will like it?

Let me get to the point. Contrary to what others think, following the rules of grammar is definitely not to blame why students can't speak English. Grammar is good. Too much of it isn't bad either.

I don't understand why some people condemn grammar. Without it, I wouldn't have had the confidence to write this book. I've met many Filipinos who breathe grammar, and yet they can speak very well with excellent accent. More as a result, they can also write pretty well.

As a non-native speaker, grammar helps me speak with correct sentence structure. I feel confident knowing I write and speak not just based on intuition and gut feel but also on logic and research.

If you're attempting to build a reputation as an expert in your profession, correct use of grammar is extremely important.

Learning too much of it has nothing to do with your inability to speak. Grammar doesn't talk. You do. Look, the school's job is to teach you the rules. And when you master them, you then decide whether you use them. The question is, "Have you?"

We complain a lot about schools using the same obsolete teaching style. I myself have seen poorly-designed exams. Yes, I have seen books containing grammatical errors.

And yes, I have seen English textbooks with exercises that do not make sense. I used to even wonder whether the education system is producing the sorts of people the economy and society needs. None of my business, anyways.

Do you think engaging your classmate in a fake conversation at school works?

Teacher: "Okay, begin."

You: "How, are you?"

Classmate: "I'm fine. Thank you. And you?"

And the scripted dialogue echoes across classrooms in non-English speaking countries. When an English class is done, all students go back to speaking little to no word of English.

It doesn't mean just because you can't speak in English schools have failed. Give me a break. Don't you get it? Schools simply don't have the luxury of time. There's just too much work. And teaching English is just one of them.

Teachers have strict schedules to follow, textbook chapters to finish, and grades to calculate. They don't even have a minute to talk to you sometimes. If they do, chances are it's in your native language. "Hahaha!"

The point is: Learning English is not divided into semesters. Your teacher can't do everything for you all the time. Learning isn't limited to just the classroom. It's something that can take place anytime, anywhere.

Therefore, take the personal initiative to make an effort to go beyond the four walls of the classroom. You have your mind and mouth with you all the time. Speak. Now! With whom?