Now that you have worked through a lot of material that includes these basic patterns, and you have compared grammatically correct and incorrect sentences, write down what you think is a rule that could explain what makes a sentence grammatically correct or not. For example, you might write something like: “Verbs always match nouns in number, and they usually come before the noun.” In other words, make your best guess for the grammar rule that makes sense out of the patterns you see in the phrases you have been working with. Review if you need to, and you might briefly check your hunches against the sentences you have been working with in this or previous modules. Keep in mind that what you’re after is your hunch, not a grammar rule from a textbook. Now check your hunch with the explanation of this principle in the following pattern. ANSWER: Grammar rules in Spanish usually do not apply as much in informal conversation. The only time errors are brought up is when the sentence just doesn’t make sense. If the subject agrees with the predicate and other supporting details, then you have a working sentence.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer (Hunch-Based Grammar Rule):
A grammatically correct sentence is one where the subject and verb agree in number and tense, word order follows a logical pattern (like subject-verb-object in English), and the sentence expresses a complete thought. In Spanish, nouns and adjectives must also agree in gender and number, and verbs must be conjugated correctly to match the subject. While informal conversation can be more flexible, basic agreement and clarity are still important for a sentence to make sense.
Explanation
When developing a personal grammar rule based on observing many examples, the key is to look for patterns that consistently appear in correct sentences and are violated in incorrect ones. One of the most foundational rules in both English and Spanish is subject-verb agreement. That means the verb must change form depending on whether the subject is singular or plural, and in Spanish, also depending on the person (yo, tú, él, nosotros, etc.).
Another important pattern is word order. In English, the basic structure is usually Subject-Verb-Object (e.g., She eats apples). In Spanish, this can vary more, especially in questions or informal speech, but usually, the subject still appears early, and the verb is appropriately conjugated.
In Spanish, noun-adjective agreement is also crucial. For example, you say niño alto (tall boy) and niña alta (tall girl), changing the adjective to match the gender and number of the noun. Failing to make these kinds of matches results in sentences that sound awkward or incorrect to native speakers.
While informal conversation often allows for flexibility and shortcuts, the core grammatical agreements must still be present for the sentence to be understood clearly. Even in casual speech, a sentence must follow enough rules to make sense. That’s why a sentence with poor grammar might still be “correct enough” if the basic structure and meaning are intact. In summary, clear agreement between parts of speech and logical structure are what really make a sentence “grammatically correct.”
