You Can (Usually!) Know How a Word Is Used

Knowing what part of speech a word is (whether you know the English term or only the Japanese one) will usually help you understand more quickly how to use it in a sentence. If you know, for example, that the word schizophrenic is a regular adjective, you can probably use it grammatically (even if you don't know what it means).

My teacher is schizophrenic.

I don't have many schizophrenic friends.

Note that these are the same sentence patterns that you would use for adjectives such as rich, happy, and clever. (It's a good idea, of course, to look words up before using them about people you know!)

In addition, knowing these terms will help you understand your dictionary and grammar books better, as many explanations about usage in these books involve the use of grammar terms.

You Can Spend More Time Speaking English in Class

Knowing these terms in English will make it possible for you to ask your teacher in class (or an English speaker outside of class) questions about English in English, so you'll spend more time in each lesson communicating in English.

Our time in lessons is short, so we have to spend as much of it as possible getting as much practice as possible -- even with such small things as classroom instructions and grammar terms. The more you speak in English, the faster you'll learn and the more you'll improve.

Good Luck!

Try to learn these words -- and the sentences that go with them -- and use them in class whenever you have a grammar or usage question. If I hear you use them, I promise I'll be very impressed!