Which term, introduced by Larsen-Freeman, views grammar as a developing skill rather than a fixed knowledge base, describing processes that tune sequences of words for more complex messages?

• A. grammaring
• B. comprehensible input
• C. fossilization
• D. dictogloss

Answer: (A)

Grammaring captures the idea that grammar is a developing skill, not a fixed knowledge base, and that learners tune sequences of words to convey more complex messages. Larsen-Freeman uses this term to describe how grammar emerges and grows through ongoing use, practice, and experimentation with language. It emphasizes patterning and chunking—building from familiar word sequences toward more nuanced, accurate, and varied utterances as communication needs become more complex. In this view, grammar isn’t about memorizing a set of rules; it’s about continuously refining how we sequence words to express ideas, intentions, and subtleties in real communication.

Comprehensible input refers to meaningful language that learners can understand and that supports acquisition, fossilization describes the entrenchment of incorrect forms, and dictogloss is a classroom activity for reconstructing a text to focus on grammar. None of these capture the idea of grammar as an evolving, practice-based process like grammaring.