grammatically

Grammatically is an adverb used to describe something that conforms to the rules of grammar. It can modify a verb, an adjective, or a clause to indicate that the action or statement follows standard grammatical norms. Common usages include phrases such as “grammatically correct” or “grammatically inconsistent.”

Etymology and scope: The word derives from grammar, the system of rules governing a language, with the suffix -ly to form an adverb. It appears across both prescriptive and descriptive contexts, though everyday usage often carries a prescriptive tone, signaling judgments about correct language use.

Usage notes: Grammatically focuses on structure rather than meaning. It is closely related to but not identical with syntactically; syntactic evaluation concerns the arrangement of words and phrases, while grammatical evaluation encompasses morphology and punctuation as well. In linguistic discussions, grammaticality can be defined differently depending on the grammar or variety being described, ranging from strict prescriptive norms to usage-based descriptive rules.

Examples and nuance: The sentence is grammatically correct. The pronoun agreement is grammatically sound. In some cases, writers use grammatically to defend a construction that may seem unconventional but is allowed within a given dialect or register, illustrating the distinction between formal rules and actual language use.

See also: grammar, grammaticality, prescriptive grammar, descriptive linguistics, syntax.