I have noticed that Korean words which are the same have different endings depending on the type of the sentence, the tense and the level of formality used. I then realized that I hardly knew anything about the grammar in Korean language. Therefore, I asked Sun for assistance in understanding Korean grammar. She provided us with a grammar sheet which explained the purpose of the various endings of words.
Korean verbs and adjectives are made of stems and endings. The stem is the actual verb and adjective but it can never stand alone. It always needs to have an ending and the ending changes. There are also two types of endings: pre-final ending and sentence ending. Pre-final endings come between the stem and the sentence ending. Pre-final endings usually contain the honorific suffix and the tense marker. For instance, the verb "go" has the stem "ka". In a declarative sentence, the endings vary depending on the level of formality used. In case of deferential speech level "seubnida" is used, for polite speech "ayo" is used and for plain speech "nda" is used as ending.
I also learned that there are two types of verbs and adjectives: vowel-ending and consonant ending. In order to practice the endings, I then did a few written grammar exercises. Doing the written exercises made me realize the importance of practicing written Korean alongside spoken Korean. It helped me understand the formation of syllables better and thus helped me pronounce words better. It also helped me practice writing Korean and improve my Korean handwriting and become more comfortable with the Korean script.
As a result, I have decided to increase practicing written Korean. Moreover, I was very happy that I was learning some grammar because I could see its direct effect on my understanding of Korean. While watching Korean shows, I could pick out the endings and actually make sense out of them.
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