PARTICIPLES and INFINITIVES

11. Verbs such as ask, advice, allow, command, force, forbid, invite, encourage, compel, beg, order, imagine, instruct, permit,
persuade, tell, require, remind, teach, etc are followed by Object + to + second verb.
For example Incorrect My teacher reminded to wash hands by me. Correct My teacher reminded me to wash hands.

12. Know is always followed by either of how, where, when or why and infinitive.
For Example Incorrect I know to swim. Correct I know how to swim.

13. After verbs such as let, bid, behold, watch, see, feel, make etc. we use bare Infinitive instead of to infinitive.
For example Incorrect We all heard him to give the lecture. Correct We all heard him give the lecture.

14. Bare-infinitive is used after Modal Auxiliaries (can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must, dare not, need not)
For example Incorrect I must to win the race. Correct I must win the race.

15. If there are phrases had better, had rather, had as soon as, had sooner, then use bare infinitive.
For example Incorrect He had better to go not or else he would be late for school. Correct He had better go or else he would be late for
school.

16. Than conjunction is followed by bare infinitive.

For example Incorrect He had better be late than to never. Correct He had better be late than never.

17. When the word but is used as preposition and is preceded by any form of verb do, then but is followed by bare infinitive
For example Incorrect Whole afternoon she did nothing but to gardening. Correct Whole afternoon she did nothing but gardening.

18. Participle must have a subject as reference.

For example Incorrect Being a holiday, he decided to arrange his closet. Correct It being a holiday, he decided to arrange his closet.

19. After word should NOT be used for actions that have been completed and has having + verb in active voice while having +
been + verb or being + verb in passive voice.
`For example Incorrect After the president being killed, the mob ran away. Correct The president having been killed, the mob ran away.

20. Some participles such as considering, judging, referring, concerning, regarding, viewing, broadly speaking etc. Do not have any
reference of subject.
For example Incorrect He considering the weather, he took umbrella. Correct Considering the weather, he took umbrella. (This type of
participles does not need subject, yet the sentence construction is correct)

How to use VERBS

21. If there are two subjects in a sentence with different numbers, then both subjects should have their separate auxiliaries (auxiliary
eg: is, are, am, was, were, have, has, etc).
For example Incorrect In the ATM robbery, three robbed and one were killed. Correct In the ATM robbery, three were robbed and one was
killed.

22. For two subjects one verb should be used, only if the form of the verb is same for both the subjects. Otherwise separate verbs
should be used for each subject.
For example Incorrect I am eating apple and my sister banana Correct I am eating apple and my sister is eating banana.

23. Two auxiliaries can be used with one principal Verb, only when the form of the principal Verb is appropriate to both the auxiliaries.
For example Incorrect The CEO never has, and never will take such partial decision. Correct The CEO never has taken, and never will
take such partial decision.

24. When there are two principal verbs, auxiliary should be associated correctly with both.
For example Incorrect Fifty nine students have passed, only one failed. Correct Fifty nine students have passed, only one has failed.
 25. If there the verb is a past tense in main clause, then subordinate clause should have a part tense verb.
For example Incorrect He died because he drinks too much alcohol. Correct He died because he drank too much alcohol.

26. Even though main clause is past tense, subordinate clause can have a present tense verb if the subordinate clause depicts
universal truth.
For example Incorrect Mother said that gravity was pulling everything to earths surface. Correct Mother said that gravity is pulling
everything to earths surface.

27. The auxiliary verb should be used, when the subordinate clause comes after lest, irrespective of the verb tense in the main
clause.
For example Incorrect We walk fast lest we shall miss the bus. Correct We walk fast lest we should miss the bus.

28. An adverb or adverbial phrase should not come between to and the infinitive part of the verb. (This is split infinitive)
For example Incorrect He hoped to immediately catch the bus. Correct He hoped to catch the bus immediately.

29. Unless an infinitive represents an action prior to the governing verb, it should be in the present tense.
For example Incorrect I should have liked to have gone there.
Correct- I should have liked to go there. Pronoun should be in Possessive case if gerund is preceded by pronoun.

For example Incorrect I emphasized me going there. Correct I emphasized my going there.

31. For the action that began in past and is still continuing, present perfect continuous tense should be used.
For example Incorrect How long are you eating this apple? Correct How long have you been eating this apple?

32. A Verb when preceded by a Preposition must be the Gerund.

For example Incorrect The students were punished for come late Correct The students were punished for coming late.

33. If the clause of the sentence has mention of time, place or condition, then present indefinite tense is used instead of past
indefinite tense.
For example Incorrect Headmaster shall wait till Principal will finish his speech. Correct Headmaster shall wait till Principal finish his
speech.

34. With the adverbs of Past Time, past indefinite tense is used and not the present indefinite tense is used.
For example Incorrect When he reached the station, train already left. Correct When he reached the station, train had already left.

35. Two Modal auxiliaries cannot be used together. But two auxiliaries can be connected with conjunction.
For example Incorrect She should must eat dinner to avoid weakness. Correct She should and must eat dinner to avoid weakness.

36. If need or dare is followed by not, it turns into modal auxiliary. In that situation it takes bare infinitive and plural form cannot be
used.
For example Incorrect This needs not be done. Correct This need not be done.

How to use ADJECTIVES

37. Adjectives such as some, little, much, more, enough, all, any, great, half, whole, sufficient, etc show quantity of things or people.
They are used for uncountable nouns.
For example Incorrect The child drank few milk. Correct The child drank some milk.

38. Numerical adjectives are used for countable nouns. They tell the number of nouns in the sentence. They might also refer to the
position of person or thing.
For example Incorrect I have little chocolates in my pocket. Correct I have few chocolates in my pocket.

39. Ordinal preceded cardinal, when both are used in a sentence together.
For example Incorrect The hundred first customers will be given discount. Correct The first hundred customers will be given discount.

40. Words later and latest refer to time while latter and last refers to position.
For example Incorrect Though I had reached at 8am, I was latest in the class. Correct Though I had reached at 8am, I was last in the
class.

41. Further means more/additional while farther means away in terms of distance/advancement
For example Incorrect Chemotherapy helped her in farther improvement. Correct Chemotherapy helped her in further improvement.

42. Each is used to denote two or more nouns, while every is used to denote more than two nouns.
For example Incorrect Every of the two glasses are half filled. Correct Each of the two glasses are half filled.

43. Some is used to express degree or quantity in an affirmative sentence. Any is used in negative or interrogative sentence.
For example Incorrect Have you eaten some mangoes? Correct Have you eaten any mangoes?

44. Comparative adjective should be used for comparison between nouns. For this superlative should not be used.
For example Incorrect Which according to you is best OS between Android and Windows? Correct Which according to you is better OS
between Android and Windows?

45. When two qualities of same noun are compared, then comparative adjective with -er should not be used. Instead more +
positive degree should be used.
For example Incorrect The knight is wiser than brave. Correct The knight is more wise than brave.

46. When comparative degree is used for comparison, the noun which is compared should be excluded from the group by using the
word other.
For example Incorrect He is faster than any boy in the school. Correct He is faster than any other boy in the school.

47. When superlative degree is used for comparison, the noun which is compared should be included in the group.
For example Incorrect He is fastest of all the other boys in the school. Correct He is fastest of all the boys in the school.

48. When two nouns are compared, it is very important that same parameter of both the nouns should be compared.
For example Incorrect Indias population is lesser than China. Correct Indias population is lesser than that of China.

49. Double usage of comparative or superlative degrees should not be done.

For example Incorrect He is the most fastest boy in the class. Correct He is the fastest boy in the class.

50. The comparative Adjectives such as superior inferior, senior, junior, prior, anterior, posterior prefer, etc. should be followed by to
instead of than.
For example Incorrect Kapil is senior than me. Correct Kapil is senior to me.

51. Some adjectives do not have different degrees of comparison. Such words are unique, ideal,
perfect, complete, universal, entire, extreme, chief, etc.
For example Incorrect Kohinoor is the most unique diamond. Correct Kohinoor is a unique diamond.

52. All the Adjectives which refer to the same Noun should be in the same degree of comparison.
For example Incorrect He is the wisest and brave soldier in the army. Correct He is the wisest and bravest soldier in the army.

53. Elder and eldest should be used for people only. Older and oldest can be used for both living and non-living things.
For example Incorrect My grandfather is older to my mother. Correct My grandfather is elder to my mother.

How to use ADVERBS

54. Adverb is used to modify verb, adjective or another adverb.
For example Incorrect She sings vey sweet. Correct she sings very sweetly.
 55. Word too shows excessive emphasis. Also too is used with unpleasant adjective and should not be used with positive adjectives
such as too happy, too pleasant, too healthy, etc.
For example Incorrect The new born baby is too healthy. Correct The new born baby is very healthy.

56. Words too and so cannot be in same sentence. Sentence can have too to or so that without changing the meaning of the
sentence.
For example Incorrect He is too sick so that he cannot go to school. Correct He is too sick to go to school. OR He is so sick that he
cannot go to school.

57. Words much too is followed by unpleasant adjective. Whereas too much is followed by noun.
For example Incorrect His sickness is too much painful for his wife. Correct His sickness is much too painful for his wife

Incorrect His rude behavior is much too pain for his wife. Correct His rude behavior is too much pain for his wife.

58. Words quite and all are not used together.

For example Incorrect She is quite all right. Correct She is quite right. OR She is all right.

59. Pleasant adjective cannot be used with rather. Unpleasant adjective cannot be used with fairly.
For example Incorrect It was rather good trip. Correct It was fairly good trip.

60. Enough, when used as an Adverb, is preceded by a positive degree Adjective or Adverb.
For example Incorrect He is greater enough to pardon you. Correct He is great enough to pardon you.

61. Two negatives cancel each other. Hence two negatives should not be used in the same sentence unless we make an affirmative
sentence. For example Incorrect I have not received nothing. Correct I have not received anything.

62. At present means at the present time, presently means shortly. These should not be confused.
For example Incorrect This issue should be closed presently. Correct This issue should be closed at present.

Incorrect He will be back at present. Correct He will be back presently.

63. Hard means strong, difficult, diligently, strenuously. Hardly means scarcely, rarely.
For example Incorrect He tried hardly to win the gold medal. Correct He tried hard to win the gold medal.

64. Much is used before past participles and Adjectives or Adverbs of comparative degree. Very is used before the present
participles and Adjectives and Adverbs of positive degree.
For example Incorrect Mornings robbery news is much shocking. Correct Mornings robbery news is very shocking.

65. Hardly is an Adverb which means rarely. Whereas hard is an Adjective which means tough, rigid.
For example Incorrect His loss hard means anything to him. Correct His loss hardly means anything to him.

66. Ago is always used with Past Indefinite Tense.

For example Incorrect He has arrived at Manali a year ago. Correct He arrived at Manali a year ago.

67. At present means at this moment and it is used with present tense, whereas presently and shortly are used for future action
and generally used with Future Indefinite Tense.
For example Incorrect Presently he is in library. Correct At present he is in library.

68. Early means just after the beginning of anything and soon means just after a point of time.
For example Incorrect Flowers bloomed soon this spring. Correct Flowers bloomed early this spring.

69. The sentence which starts with either of seldom, never, hardly, rarely or scarcely takes an inverse structure, ie., Verb + Subject
Structure.
For example Incorrect Seldom he had seen such a beautiful sculptor. Correct Seldom had he seen such a beautiful sculptor.

70. Inversion is also used in a sentence which starts with here/there/ away/out/up/indoor or outdoor
For example Incorrect Away Sita went. Correct Away went Sita.
How to use PRONOUNS
85. Pronoun should be in the nominative case if it is used as a compliment of the verb to be.
For example Incorrect If I were him, I would not do it. Correct If I were he, I would not do it.

86. Pronoun should be in the objective case, when it is used as the object of a verb or of a preposition.
For example Incorrect The Christmas gifts are for you and Incorrect The Christmas gifts are for you and me.

87. Emphatic Pronouns cannot stand alone as Subjects.

For example Incorrect Myself do my homework. Correct I myself so my homework.

88. If indefinite pronoun one is used, then it should be used throughout.

For example Incorrect One must be happy with his own belongings. Correct One must be happy with ones own belongings.

89. Neither or either should be used for two nouns while any, no one, none should be used for more than two nouns.
For example Incorrect Neither of the students completed his homework. Correct None of the students completed his homework.

90. Each other is used for two nouns, while one another is used for more than two nouns.
For example Incorrect Brother and sister loved one other. Correct Brother and sister loved each other.

91. A Noun or Pronoun governing a Gerund should be put in the possessive case.
For example Incorrect- Please excuse me being late. Correct- Please excuse my being late.

92. A Pronoun must agree with its antecedent in person, number and gender.
For example Incorrect- Each of these boys has done their homework. Correct- Each of these boys has done his homework.

93. When and is used to join two or more singular nouns, then the pronouns used for them should be plural.
For example Incorrect Ramesh and Mahesh have done his part of task. Correct Ramesh and Mahesh have done their part of task.

94. When and is used to join two or more singular nouns but of them refer to same person, then the pronouns used for them should
be singular.
For example Incorrect The trustee and the Principal, who is same person, does their work efficiently. Correct The trustee and the
Principal, who is the same person, does his work efficiently.

95. When two or more singular nouns joined by or or nor, either or, neither nor, the pronoun used for them should be in the
singular.
For example Incorrect Neither Ramesh nor Mahesh have done their part of task. Correct Neither Ramesh nor Mahesh has done his part
of task.

96. When two or more singular Pronouns of different persons come together, the Pronoun of second person singular (you) comes
first, the pronoun of the first person singular (I) comes last and the pronoun of the third person singular (he) comes in between.
For example Incorrect I, you and he are great team. Correct You, he and I are great team.

97. When two or more plural Pro-nouns of different persons come together first person plural (we) comes first, then second person
plural (you) and last of all third person plural (they).
For example Incorrect You, they and we are great team. Correct We, you and they are great team.

98. Relative pronoun who is subjective case, whereas whom is objective case.
For example Incorrect The trustee whom is principal is very strict. Correct The trustee who is principal is very strict.

99. Word that should be used with adjective of superlative degree. Words such as who or which should not be used.
For example Incorrect All which shines is not Sun. Correct All that shines is not Sun.

100. Pronoun must be in objective case if used after the word let.
For example Incorrect Please let I go home. Correct Please let me go home.

Easy

Prime numbers Squares of numbers squares of odd number Addition/subtraction by a common number Multiplication/ division

Moderate

Difference between consecutive numbers will follow a pattern (consecutive addition/subtraction or multiplication/division).

Example 3: 1250, 500, 200, 80, 32, 12.8, ?

Whenever you see a decimal number in series, your guess for the number should be a decimal digit or division process Here too a
decimal number is multiplied or divided to form this series.

12502.5 = 500

5002.5=200

2002.5= 80

802.5=32

322.5=12.8

12.82.5=5.12

Example 4: 23, 26, 24, 27, 25, 28, ?

In this problem, numbers are increasing and decreasing and the variations are also small, therefore both addition and subtraction
operations can take place.

23+3=26

26-2=24

24+3=27

27-2=25

25+3=28

28-2=26
TIPS:To find the pattern try this technique.

Multiply the number before last number with 2 and compare the resultant number with the last number

1. a) If the resultant number is greater than the last number then it will be the addition or subtraction of square/cube of
number i.e. pattern(I).

2. b) If the resultant number is less than the last number and difference is large, then the pattern will be any of these (II) or
(III) or (IV) or (V)

3. c) If the resultant number is less than the last number but difference is small it belongs to (VI).

Solving these problems will make you understand better.

Example 1: 3, 732, 1244, 1587, 1803, 1928, ?

Step 1: 1803*2 = 3606 >1928 therefore it will be pattern (I)

Step 2: now find the difference between the two numbers consecutively

difference between 3&732 = 729 i.e. 93

difference between 732&1244 = 512 i.e.83

difference between 1244&1587 = 343 i.e. 73

difference between 1587&1803 = 216 i.e. 63

difference between 1803&1928 = 125 i.e. 53

obviously next will be addition of 43+ 1928 = 1992

Example 2: 13, 25, 61, 121, 205, ?

Step 1: 121*2>205 and variation is small , so it will follow pattern (I)

Step 2: difference between 13 & 25 = 12

difference between 25 & 61 = 36 (12*3)

difference between 61 & 121 = 60 (12*5)

difference between 121 & 205 = 84 (12*7)

obviously next number in series will be addition of 108(12*9) with 205 = 313

Example 3: 1, 6, 36, 240, 1960, ?

Step 1: 240*2<1960 and the variation is large too, so the pattern will be either (II) or (III) or (IV) or (V)

Step 2: Now use the trial and error method but dont apply it to whole series use it in any of the two numbers.

1*2 + 2*2 = 6

6*4+3*4=36

36*6+4*6=240

240*8 +5*8 =1960 so 1960*10+6*10=19660

Example 4: 13, 14, 30, 93, 376, 1885, ?

Step 1. 376*2<1885 and the variation is also large, so the pattern will be (II) or (III) or (IV) or (V)

Step 2. Use the trial and error method and find the pattern, it is wise to check in last two numbers.

376*5=1880 adding 5 we get correct number 1885

So pattern is 376*5+5=1885

13*1+1=14

14*2+2=30

answer will be 1885*6+6=11316

Example 5: 12, 35, 81, 173, 357, ?

Step 1. 173*2<357 and the variation is small so it will follow pattern (VI).

Step 2. 173*2=346 to get 357 add 11 .

Pattern is 173*2+11=357
12*2+11=35

answer will be 357*2+11=725

Miscellaneous

Number series is a vast topic , there always an exception cases .)

Example : 7, 4, 5, 9, ? , 52.5, 160.5

If the numbers in the series are increasing and decreasing and a decimal numbers are in the series then you can guess decimal
numbers playing in this series

7*0.5 + 0.5 = 4

4*1+1=5

5*1.5+1.5 = 9

9*2+2 = 20

20*2.5+2.5 =52.5

Example: 120 15 105 17.5 87.5 ?

1208 =15

15*7=105

1056=17.5

17.5*5=87.5

87.54=21.875

Example: 3 6 21 28 55 66 ? 120

Difference between 3&6 is 3

Difference between 21&28 is 7

Difference between 55& 66 is 11

Difference between ? & 120 is 15 therefore the number is 105