Grammar is the entire system of rules governing how words are used in a language. This includes:
* Morphology: How words are formed (e.g., prefixes, suffixes, verb conjugations).
* Syntax: The rules governing how words are combined into phrases and sentences.
* Semantics: The meaning of words and sentences.
* Phonology: The sound system of a language.
* Pragmatics: How language is used in context.
Syntax is a subset of grammar that focuses specifically on the arrangement of words in sentences. It dictates how phrases and clauses are structured, and how they relate to one another.
Here's a simple analogy:
* Think of grammar as a recipe book for a whole dish. It includes instructions for every ingredient and how to combine them.
* Syntax is like the section in the recipe book that tells you how to arrange the ingredients on a plate.
Example:
Sentence: "The cat sat on the mat."
* Grammar encompasses all the rules that make this sentence correct, including the use of articles ("the"), noun-verb agreement ("cat sat"), and word order ("sat on the mat").
* Syntax specifically focuses on the arrangement of these words. It dictates that the subject ("the cat") comes before the verb ("sat"), and that the prepositional phrase ("on the mat") follows the verb.
In essence, syntax is a part of grammar that deals with the arrangement of words within sentences. It's like the skeleton that holds the sentence together, while grammar is the full body, encompassing all the details that give the sentence meaning and structure.