This is one of the oldest questions in language learning. The answer is simple: you need both, but not at the same time, and not in the same size.
Grammar is a map
Grammar shows you how the language works. A map is useful. But you cannot learn to walk by reading a map all day.
The map shows the road. Your feet still have to walk it.
Speech comes from use
You learn to speak by speaking. Small sentences, said often, teach your mouth and your ear. Grammar explains what you already say.
I am tired. She is tired. We were tired. You feel the pattern before you name it.
Learn one pattern, then use it
Do not study the whole book. Learn one pattern, then say five sentences with it today.
I want to eat. I want to sleep. I want to go home.
That is grammar you can use.
Ten minutes of grammar is enough
Grammar is easier in small pieces. Ten minutes a day, with examples, is better than two hours on Sunday.
One rule. Three examples. One sentence of your own.
The simple order
- Listen and repeat.
- Speak small sentences.
- Read the rule.
- Use the rule again.
Words to remember
- grammar — the rules for putting words together
- pattern — a shape you can use again and again
- rule — a guide for how to do something
- example — one case that shows the rule
Questions & answers
Q: Do I need to know all the tenses?
No. Start with now, past and future. That covers most of your day.
Q: Is it wrong to speak without grammar?
No. Speaking with a small mistake is better than silence. Learn the rule, then correct it.
Q: Which grammar should I learn first?
The verb "to be", then simple present, then past. These three open many doors.
Q: Can I learn grammar in ten minutes a day?
Yes. One rule, three examples, one sentence of your own. That is ten minutes.
Q: What if I like grammar more than speaking?
Many quiet learners do. Use grammar to build sentences, then say those sentences out loud.