Semantics vs Syntax: What’s the Difference?

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Writers and readers of the English language tend to get confused in using the term “semantics” and “syntax,” and rightly so: they are grammar terms that have a lot of similarities, but in reality they are quite distinct. Knowing the difference will help you to write better as you follow the different rules of each area.

Both semantics and syntax refer to a group of words that enable you to write sentences that make sense and are understandable. So what’s the difference? 

Differences Between Semantics and Syntax

First, let’s look at the basic way of showing an idea: the sentence. A sentence is when you write a group of words that form a complete thought. 

When you have a sentence, you need to pay attention to structure. Syntax is the set of rules that dictate sentence structure. This is also called grammar rules. Paying attention to syntax means that your sentences will be grammatically correct all the way—an integral part of writing well. 

On the other hand, just because the words you use in a sentence are grammatically correct, doesn’t guarantee that they make sense! Here comes the role of semantics: it refers to studying the meaning of sentences. When you add a consciousness of semantics to your strict adherence to rules of syntax, you become a more powerful and influential writer. 

Function of Syntax and Examples

In language, syntax includes all the grammatical rules that tell you how a sentence should be formed. These include, but are not limited to: 

Subject-verb agreement

INCORRECT: The dog jump onto the train.
CORRECT: The dog jumps onto the train. 

The predicate following the subject 

INCORRECT: jump onto the train the dog
CORRECT: The dog jumps onto the train. 

The proper use of verb tenses

INCORRECT: The dog will jumped onto the train. 
CORRECT: The dog has jumped onto the train OR The dog will jump onto the train.

The proper use of articles

INCORRECT: The dog has the habit of jumping onto a trains.
CORRECT: The dog has the habit of jumping onto trains. 

The correct order of adjectives and adverbs with the object they are describing 

INCORRECT: The dog black jumps onto the train speeding.
CORRECT: The black dog jumps onto the speeding train. 

Syntax in Computer Programming 

Syntax isn’t limited to the spoken or written language; it’s also a term commonly used in computer programming. In this case, it refers to the rules that a programmer adheres to in order to create code that a computer can use to take action. 

For computer pogramming, syntax tells a computer what to do with a given phrase, so that it can understand what is required and do the command included in the phrase. The rules let a reader look at a piece of code and understand as well what actions are required in them. 

Function of Semantics and Examples 

As for semantics, we take a look at the meaning of the sentence. Linguists play a big role in semantics, knowing that we enjoy the meaning of human language because we interpret words as we read them. 

Take a look at the following examples: 

Example #1. The train jumped onto the dog. 

Taking a similar example to the ones we used under the syntax heading: the above sentence is grammatically correct, but does it make sense? Dogs jump on trains, but trains don’t usually jump on dogs.

Possibly, if the writer meant that the train actually hit the dog, it might make sense. But, it’s obvious that the word “jumped” is probably not the best word to use in this sentence. 

Example #2. The black dog flew through the speeding train. 

Again, grammatically, this sentence doesn’t seem to pose any problem: we have the correct use of the verb tense, the correct order of the subject and predicate, and even the correct order of the qualifiers in the sentence. 

But is it possible for a dog to do this? Perhaps in a fantasy novel, yes. However, if we’re talking about factual sentences, we can immediately tell we need to fix some of the word choices. 

Example #3. The aged professor reprimanded the boy, who had known his parents when they were students. 

In this example, we have no problems in the grammatical structure. But when you read it, you get the sense that the qualifying phrase “who had known his parents when they were students” do not actually refer to the boy, but to the aged professor. 

Because we’re looking at the meaning, we need to rearrange the sentence as follows: The aged professor, who had known the boy’s parents when they were students, reprimanded him. 

Example #4. He gave his word that he would not see another lady, and she was perfectly happy. 

The above sentence makes sense, but it has the potential of being problematic because of its ambiguity, if the pronoun “she” doesn’t have a clear antecedent. If it were a part of a longer context, where the “she” is clearly specified, this might pass the semantics test. 

Assuming that no noun is specified as the antecedent, it might be misconstrued as referring to “another lady,” so it might be a better idea to write it more clearly, like this: He gave his word that he would not see another lady, and his girlfriend was perfectly happy. 

Using Syntax and Semantics to Improve Your Writing

Understanding the role of both syntax and semantics can go a long way in improving your writing. First, you can proofread your work with syntax in mind to check for grammatical errors; then, you can think in terms of semantics and check if your sentences make sense. 

If you spot anything glaring, don’t hesitate to revise, revise, revise! Remember, the goal of writing is to communicate our ideas with another person, and the clearer you are, the closer you can get to achieving that goal. 

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