Yes, it does.
True, lots of folks shy away from it.
Not all.
But most.
Too bad.
Because it is fascinating.
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly."
"Exactly what?"
"That, too."
"Come on...."
"Okay. Grammar allows you to understand the relationship between words. It allows you to say what you say, and mean what you say, and say what you mean, and mean what you mean."
"It does?"
"We've been through this before, you know."
"Have we?"
"before this through been know you we've."
"What? I don't understand."
"Why not? Everything I just said was an English word."
"It was?"
"Straight damn."
"Straight what? don't you mean, 'Damn straight'?"
"Why would I mean that?"
"Because 'straight damn' doesn't mean anything."
"Why not?"
"Because it's backwards."
"How do you know it's backwards?"
"Because 'Damn Straight' Means something."
"So, can I say 'a nice day is it I think'?"
"You can, but it makes more sense if you say 'I think it's a nice day.'"
"Oh, so word order means something in English?"
"It means everything!"
"Guess what, buddy."
"What?"
"Word order in English is grammar."
"It is?"
"Yeah. Still think grammar is boring?"
"But it makes you think about every little thing!"
"Oh. So thinking about every little thing is a problem?"
"I didn't say that. It just should be easier."
"Easier? Oh, you don't want to think too hard? Or is being thoughtful problematic?"
"I didn't say that."
"Yeah, you did. You just want to speak without thinking, is that it?"
"Why do I have to know how sentences make sense?"
"Who said anything about sentences?"
"You did."
"No, I didn't. But let's get one thing clear: Every time you have a conversation with anybody, you are having a grammatical exchange."
"I am?"
"How do you know what someone is saying?"
"I speak the language."
"And a language is a bunch of patterns."
"Yes."
"A bunch of recognizable patterns."
"yes."
"And the patterns are predictable."
"Yes."
"That's grammar, baby."
"But why do I have to be analytical about something I already know?"
"Ever see a really gifted athlete?"
"Sure."
"Did every gifted athlete you ever met always excel and make it to the very top?"
"No. Not unless they worked at it."
"Right. And why would they do that?"
"Because they knew that having the talent was only part of the process."
"Exactly. Now think about that in terms of language."
"Ohhhhh. I see. I think."
"For you good."