Language is made up of systems and skills.

Student studying at a desk in a classroom in Vietnam

The four systems of language are grammar, vocabulary, phonology and discourse.

Example
The UCLES English proficiency exams explicitly test the four skills and also two systems, grammar and vocabulary.

In the classroom
Although most modern methodologies and approaches focus on communication and make little reference to systems, many course books still have a structure based on the systems and skills mentioned above. Discourse itself is normally not identified separately, but included in skills areas.

See also:
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/discourse
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/phonology
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/sub-skills

Further links:
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/what-grammar-michael-swan
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/presenting-vocabulary
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/phonemic-chart
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/british-council-eaquals-core-inventory-general-english-0

Research and insight

Browse fascinating case studies, research papers, publications and books by researchers and ELT experts from around the world.

See our publications, research and insight