A Bird's Eye View of English Grammar: Connecting the Dots in Two Dimensions

Abstract Over the past few decades, discussions on grammar instruction have primarily focused on teaching methodologies, such as whether grammar should be taught explicitly or implicitly, and whether the focus should be on form or forms. This paper, however, shifts the focus to grammar itself, aiming to provide a “shape” for pedagogical grammar. A review of the major grammar coursebooks used worldwide reveals a lack of interconnectedness among grammatical items, often leaving it up to learners to make associations between them. To address a common question posed by EFL/ESL learners—“Where should we start when learning English grammar?”—a structured roadmap for grammar instruction is essential. Drawing on de Saussure's concept of the syntagmatic and paradigmatic axes, this paper attempts to connect grammatical items in two dimensions, thereby shaping grammar. Furthermore, to enhance learner accessibility, we advocate a meaning‐based approach as a promising way forward, representing the syntagmatic axis as the sequential order of meanings expressed through the 5Ws and 1H. This paper contributes to ongoing discussions on grammar instruction by proposing a roadmap that supports a more systematic and intuitive way of teaching English grammar.