How to Use Microsoft Word to Teach Grammar

Microsoft Word might not seem like an exciting teaching tool, but it has one feature that I really like for teaching grammar: the Draw tool. Word isn't free, of course, but many schools and companies provide Microsoft Office, and you might already have access to it. If you do, the Draw tool makes Word a surprisingly useful way to present grammar.

The basic idea is to put your grammar explanation on a Word document and then use the annotation tools as you teach. You can circle words, underline examples, highlight important information, and add other visual cues as you go. This works especially well with a screencast. I often use Loom to record my screen while I explain the grammar and annotate the document. You can also use exactly the same technique during a live class.

It's very easy to set up:

1. Choose a grammar point. Find the grammar explanation you want to teach. You can use your own material or copy one of the grammar explanations from ELLLO's Sound Grammar lessons.
2. Paste it into Word. I like having everything on one simple page rather than creating a series of presentation slides.
3. Open the Draw tool. Choose a pen, highlighter, or other annotation tool.
4. Explain and annotate. Highlight important words, circle examples, cross things out, or draw attention to patterns as you explain them.
5. Record your screen. If you want to turn the explanation into a video, use Loom or another screencasting tool to record yourself going through the grammar.

For example, if I'm explaining past participle clauses, I can highlight the participles, point out irregular forms such as made and shown, and visually show students which words are omitted from the full relative clause. Instead of students just looking at a static grammar explanation, they can follow my annotations as I talk through it.

I actually prefer Word to PowerPoint for this type of grammar presentation. PowerPoint has similar annotation tools, but for straightforward grammar explanations, I like having everything on one page. It's easy to zoom in on the part I'm discussing, easy to annotate, and easy to print the same document and give it to students. There are other tools that can do something similar, including Pages, Kami, and Edge, but if you already have Microsoft Word, the Draw tool is a simple and very useful option for teaching grammar.