ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Minimalist grammar

Minimalist grammar is a way of explaining how we learn to make sentences. Just like how you learn to talk when you are a baby, and then you learn to write when you get older. Minimalist grammar is like a tool that helps us explain how we do this.

Making a sentence involves using different kinds of words like nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. But sometimes we make mistakes and use the wrong words or put them in the wrong order. Minimalist grammar helps us figure out how to use words correctly and put them in the right order, like a puzzle.

In a way, it's like figuring out a code for how sentences work. We can use this code to make sure our sentences make sense and are easy to understand. It's kind of like how you might put together a puzzle to make a picture, and then you can explain what the picture is. With minimalist grammar, we can put together words to make sentences, and then we can explain what the sentence means.