Rules for correct

English Grammar

Prabhugouda Desai, E.Co.

O/o BEO Jewargi Dist:
Kalaburagi Karnataka State
9902838356

18.07.2020
 Rules
For correct
English Grammar
Subject – Verb agreement
Rule 01 to 14
Prabhugouda Desai, E.Co.

(Doer) (action)

Rule 01
Two or more singular subjects joined by ‘and’ take a plural verb.

e.g., 01) Radha and Meera is comine.

CORRECT SENTENCE: Radha and Meera are coming.
e.g., 02) Shimla, Kasauli and my home town is a hill-station.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Shimla, Kasauli and my home town are hill-stations.

Rule 02
Two or more singular subjects joined by ‘and’ used for the same person, then take a singular verb.
e.g., 01) The designer and the producer of the project have come.
CORRECT SENTENCE: The designer and the producer of the project has come.
e.g., 02) My mother and my critic are here.
CORRECT SENTENCE: My mother and my critic is here.

Rule 03
If the singular subjects are preceded by ‘each’ or ‘every’, then the verb is singular.

e.g., 01) Each of us were afraid of being drowned.

CORRECT SENTENCE: Each of us was afraid of being drowned.
e.g., 02) Everyone are playing.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Everyone is playing.

Rule 04
If two or more singular subjects are joined by ‘or’ or ‘nor’ or ‘either or’ or ‘neither
nor’, then the verb is singular.

e.g., 01) Either Rita or Geeta are lying.

CORRECT SENTENCE: Either Rita or Geeta is lying.
e.g., 02) Neither the boy nor the girl have come.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Neither the boy nor the girl has come.
e.g., 03) Which are your favourite sport criket or football?
CORRECT SENTENCE: Which is your favourite sport cricket or football?
Rule 05
When the subjects joined by ‘or’, ‘nor’ are of different numbers, the verb must be
plural, and the plural subject must be placed next to the verb.

e.g., 01) Neither the boys nor the girl has come.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Neither the girl nor the boys have come.
e.g., 02) Either the parents or the child has to come.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Either the child or the parents have to come.

Rule 06
When the subjects joined by ‘or’, ‘nor’ are of different persons, the verb agrees with
the subject nearest to it.

e.g., 01) Either they or I are mistaken.

CORRECT SENTENCE: Either they or I am mistaken.
e.g., 02) Neither she nor they is speaking the truth.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Neither she nor they are speaking the truth.

Rule 07
A collective noun takes a singular verb when talked of as a whole and a plural verb
when we talk of the individual parts of it.
e.g., 01) The committee have chosen its president.
CORRECT SENTENCE: The committee has chosen its president.
e.g., 02) The cattle is grazing.
CORRECT SENTENCE: The cattle are grazing.

Rule 08
Some nouns which are plural in form but singular in meaning take a singular verb.

e.g., 01) Mathematics are my favourite subject.

CORRECT SENTENCE: Mathematics is my favourite subject.
e.g., 02) Statistics(Various data) shows that India is still a poor country.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Statistics show that India is still a poor country.

Rule 09
Words joined to a singular subject by ‘with’, ‘in addition to’, ‘as well as’ are
supplementary and do not affect the number of the verb.

e.g., 01) The principal, along with all the teachers have come.
CORRECT SENTENCE: The principal, along with all the teachers has come.
e.g., 02) The pizza as well as the cake taste good.
CORRECT SENTENCE: The pizza as well as the cake tastes good.
Rule 10
When the subject is a relative pronoun, verb should agree in number and person with
the antecedent.

e.g., 01) I, who is your friend, is honest to you.

CORRECT SENTENCE: I, who am you friend, am honest to you.
e.g., 02) The books which you gave me is lying on the table.
CORRECT SENTENCE: The books which you gave me are lying on the table.

Rule 11
When there are two subjects in a sentence and they are not in the same number then
separate auxiliary verbs should be used.

e.g., 01) Two men dead and one were alive.

CORRECT SENTENCE: Two men were dead and one was alive.
e.g., 02) Eight shirts torn and one were burnt.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Eight shirts were torn and one was burnt.

Rule 12
A single verb should be made to serve two subjects, only when the form of verb is
same for both the subjects.
e.g., 01) He is ten years old and you twelve.
CORRECT SENTENCE: He is ten years and you are twelve.
e.g., 02) I am drinking tea and he coffee.
CORRECT SENTENCE: I am drinking tea and he is drinking coffee.

Rule 13
If two auxiliary verbs are used with one main verb the form of the main verb must be
appropriate to both of them.

e.g., 01) I have and will eat pizza every day.

CORRECT SENTENCE: I have eaten and will eat pizza every day.
e.g., 02) Hot chocolate fudge was(liked by me), is (liked by me) and will be liked by me.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Hot chocolate fudge was, is and will be liked by me.

Rule 14
If there is only one auxiliary verb to two main verbs then it should be correctly
related with both.
e.g., 01) One duck has drowned and two poisoned.
CORRECT SENTENCE: One duck has drowned and two have been poisoned.
e.g., 02) One tap is working and one is not working.
CORRECT SENTENCE: One tap is working and one not working.
 Tense
Rule 15 to 17
Prabhugouda Desai, E.Co.

Rule 15
A past tense in the main clause should be followed by a past tense in the subordinate
clause.

e.g., 01) He saw that the clock has stopped.

CORRECT SENTENCE: He saw that the clock had stopped.
e.g., 02) We succeeded because we work hard.
CORRECT SENTENCE: We succeeded because we worked hard.

Rule 16
A past tense in the main clause may be followed by a present tense in the subordinate
clause for universal truths.

e.g., 01) Our teacher said that the Earth moved around the Sun.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Our teacher said that the Earth moves around the Sun.
e.g., 02) My mother told me that the Sun rose in the east.
CORRECT SENTENCE: My mother told me that the Sun rises in the east.
Rule 17
In Present perfect continuous tense, an action from past which still continues in
present is talked of. Use adverbials of time – ‘since’, ‘for’.

e.g., 01) I lived here since 1980, so I know everything about the city.
CORRECT SENTENCE: I have been living since 1980, so I know everything about the city.
e.g., 02) I am working here for the last ten years.
CORRECT SENTENCE: I have been working here for the last ten years.

Adverbs
Rule 18
Prabhugouda Desai, E.Co.

Rule 18
In Adverbs of past, like ‘yesterday’, ‘in 1990’,
Past indefinite tense is used. Present perfect tense is not used.

e.g., 01) I have bought a cycle yesterday.

CORRECT SENTENCE: I bought a cycle yesterday.
e.g., 02) I have met him in 2000.
CORRECT SENTENCE: I met in 2000.
 Modals
Rule 19
Prabhugouda Desai, E.Co.

Rule 19
Two Modal auxiliaries in a sentence must be joined by ‘and’.

e.g., 01) We should must go to his office.

CORRECT SENTENCE: We should and must go to his office.
e.g., 02) You can may go out.
CORRECT SENTENCE: You can and may go out.

Adjectives
Rule 20 to Rule 36
Prabhugouda Desai, E.Co.

Rule 20
Adjectives of quantity
(Whole, sufficient, any, half, some, much, little, enough, all, no)
are used for Uncountable Nouns only.
e.g., 01) I ate a few rice.
CORRECT SENTENCE: I ate some rice.
e.g., 02) Give me a food to eat.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Give me enough/sufficient/some food to eat.

Rule 21
Numeral Adjectives are used for Countable Nouns only.

e.g., 01) I read much books on this subject.

CORRECT SENTENCE: I read many books on this subject.
e.g., 02) I faced much problems in my life.
CORRECT SENTENCE: I faced many problems in my life.
e.g., 03) I want a little utensils and few food.
CORRECT SENTENCE: I want a few utensils and some food.

Rule 22
When Cardinal(1,2,3,…….) and Ordinal(I, II, III, IV,…….or 1st, 2nd, 3rd,…….)
Numbers are used together, Ordinal Number Precedes Cardinal Followed By
Multiplicative(Single, double, triple,………) number.

e.g., 01) The four first boys will be given a chance.

CORRECT SENTENCE: The first four boys will be given a chance.
e.g., 02) The five first single rooms are reserved for us.
CORRECT SENTENCE: The first five single rooms are reserved for us.

Rule 23
Later, Latest denote TIME
Latter, Last denote POSITION

e.g., 01) I reached at 10. He was latter than I expected.

CORRECT SENTENCE: I reached at 10. He was later than I expected.
e.g., 02) Give me the latest book kept on the shelf.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Give me the last book kept on the shelf.

Rule 24
Farther denotes DISTANT; Further denotes ADDITIONAL

e.g., 01) He insisted on farther improvement.

CORRECT SENTENCE: He insisted on further improvement.
e.g., 02) His home is at the further end of the woods.
CORRECT SENTENCE: His home is at the farther end of the woods.

Rule 25
Each denotes 2 or more than 2; Every denotes more than 2
e.g., 01) Every of the two boys will get a prize.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Each of the two boys get a prize
e.g., 02) Every a man has a weakness.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Every man has a weakness

Rule 26
To express Quantity / Degree, ‘some’ used for Positive ‘any’ used for Negative and
Interrogative sentences.

e.g., 01) Have you brought some mangoes ?

CORRECT SENTENCE: Have you brought any mangoes ?
e.g., 02) I don’t have some money but I have any food.
CORRECT SENTENCE: I don’t have any money but I have some food.

Rule 27
In comparison of two things, Comparative degree is used and not Superlative.

e.g., 01) Which is the most beautiful of the two ?

CORRECT SENTENCE: Which is more beautiful of the two ?
e.g., 02) Anu’s performance in the play was best than Deep’s but not as good as Nandini’s.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Anu’s performance in the play was better than Deep’s but not as good as
Nandini’s.

Rule 28
In comparison of two qualities of the same person or thing, ‘-er’ form is not used. ‘-
more’ form is used.

e.g., 01) He is wiser than brave.

CORRECT SENTENCE: He is more wise than brave.
e.g., 02) Rita is cleverer than pretty.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Rita is more clever than pretty.

Rule 29
In Comparative Degree a thing is Excluded from the class.

e.g., 01) Ram is sharper than any other boy in the class.
e.g., 02) Shaan is taller than anyone in his family.

Rule 30
In Superlative degree, a thing is Included in the class.
e.g., 01) Ram is the sharpest boy in the class.
e.g., 02) Shaan is the tallest in his family.
Rule 31
When 2 persons or things are compared, the same parts must be compared.

e.g., 01) The population of Mumbai is greater than Delhi.

CORRECT SENTENCE: The population of Mumbai is greater than that of Delhi.
e.g., 02) Radha’s dress is prettier than you.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Radha’s dress is prettier than your dress.

Rule 32
We must not use Double comparatives or Superlatives in a sentence.

e.g., 01) He is the most cleverest boy in the class.

CORRECT SENTENCE: He is the most clever boy in the class.

OR
He is the cleverest boy in the class.
e.g., 02) Pizza is more tastier than burger.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Pizza is tastier than burger.

OR
Pizza is more taste than burger.
Rule 33
Some Comparative Adjectives (like superior, junior, prior, anterior, posterior, prefer)
should be followed by ‘to’ instead of ‘than’.

e.g., 01) Raj is senior than me.

CORRECT SENTENCE: Raj is senior to me.
e.g., 02) I prefer coffee than tea.
CORRECT SENTENCE: I prefer coffee to tea.

Rule 34
Some Adjectives(like unique, ideal, perfect, complete, universal, chief, square, round,
entire, extreme, full) DO NOT admit degrees if comparison.

e.g., 01) It is the most unique idea.

CORRECT SENTENCE: It is a unique idea.
e.g., 02) He took the most extreme step of attempting suicide.
CORRECT SENTENCE: He took the extreme step of attempting suicide.

Rule 35
If 2 or more Adjectives are used for the Same Person or thing their Degree Of
Comparison must be the same.
e.g., 01) This is the most tasty and healthy food.
CORRECT SENTENCE: This is the most tasty and healthiest food.
e.g., 02) You are more intelligent and wise than him.
CORRECT SENTENCE: You are more intelligent and wiser than him.

Rule 36
The Adjectives ‘elder’, ‘eldest’ are used for persons of the same family.
For other person or thing, ‘older’, ‘oldest’ are used.

e.g., 01) Radha is my older sister.

CORRECT SENTENCE: Radha is my elder sister.
e.g., 02) Yudhister was the oldest among his siblings.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Yudhishthir was the eldest among his siblings.

Conjunctions
Rule 37 to Rule 39
Prabhugouda Desai, E.Co.

Rule 37
Do not use 2 Conjunctions in a sentence.
e.g., 01) Although she was tired, she still went to school.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Although she was tired, she went to school.
e.g., 02) He does not come to office as because he has been ill.
CORRECT SENTENCE: He does not come to office as / because he has been ill.

Rule 38
‘neither nor’, ‘either or’, ‘both and’, ‘not only but also’
Must be followed by Same Parts Of Speech.

e.g., 01) He not only lost his family but also his friends.
CORRECT SENTENCE: He lost mot only his family but also his friends.
e.g., 02) He neither read the story book nor the text book.
CORRECT SENTENCE: He read neither the story book nor the text book.

Rule 39
‘That’ is not used in Direct Speech and in Interrogative sentences.

e.g., 01) He said that, “I shall go.”

CORRECT SENTENCE: He said, “I shall go.”
e.g., 02) He asked me that who I was.
CORRECT SENTENCE: He asked me who I was.
 Prepositions
Rule 40 to Rule 45
Prabhugouda Desai, E.Co.

Rule 40
The objective case of Noun/pronoun is used after a preposition.

e.g., 01) We must not depend on he.

CORRECT SENTENCE: We must not depend on him.
e.g., 02) We went and spoke to they.
CORRECT SENTENCE: We went and spoke to them.

Rule 41
The prepositions used after 2 words must be distinct if the words are joined by ‘and’
or ‘or’

e.g., 01) He is careful and particular about his work.

CORRECT SENTENCE: He is careful in and particular about his work.

Rule 42
If a principal verb is used after about/after/at/before/for/from/in/to, that verb must be
in ‘ing’ form.
e.g., 01) You prevented me from eat it.
CORRECT SENTENCE: You prevented me from eating it.
e.g., 02) We went back home after play in the garden.
CORRECT SENTENCE: We went back home after playing in the garden.

Rule 43
‘on’, ‘in’, ‘at’ are not used before ‘today’, ‘tomorrow’, ‘yesterday’, ‘following day’,
‘next day’.

e.g., 01) We will do homework in tomorrow.

CORRECT SENTENCE: We will do homework tomorrow.
e.g., 02) We went to school on yesterday.
CORRECT SENTENCE: We went to school yesterday.

Rule 44
Transitive verbs like discuss, describe, reach, order, tell, demand, attack, resemble,
ridicule, etc. are not followed by a Preposition.

e.g., 01) Please discuss about the matter.

CORRECT SENTENCE: Please discuss the matter/
e.g., 02) Describe about your friend.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Describe your friend.
Rule 45
Verbs like say, suggest, propose, speak, reply, explain, talk, listen write is followed by
Prepostion ‘to’ if there is a person in form of object.

e.g., 01) They did not reply me.

CORRECT SENTENCE: They did not reply to me.
e.g., 02) On Independence day, we listened the Prime Minister’s speech.
CORRECT SENTENCE: On Independence day, we listened to the Prime Minister’s speech.

Pronouns
Rule 46 to Rule 56
Prabhugouda Desai, E.Co.

Rule 46
When Pronoun is a Complement of verb ‘to be’, it should be in the Nominative Case.

e.g., 01) If you were her, would you go there?

CORRECT SENTENCE: If you were she, would you go there?
e.g., 02) If we were them, we would never apologize.
CORRECT SENTENCE: If we were they, we would never apologize.
Rule 47
When Pronoun is used as object of verb or preposition, it should be in objective case.

e.g., 01) Let you and I do it.

CORRECT SENTENCE: Let you and me do it.
e.g., 02) They came for her and I.
CORRECT SENTENCE: They came for her and me.

Rule 48
Emphatic pronouns cannot stand alone in a sentence. They need another pronoun.

e.g., 01) Himself cut his hand.

CORRECT SENTENCE: He himself cut his hand.
e.g., 02) Ourselves dug our grave.
CORRECT SENTENCE: We ourselves dug our grave.

Rule 49
The Indefinite pronoun ‘one’ if used in a sentence, it must be used throughout the sentence.

e.g., 01) One must not think high of himself.

CORRECT SENTENCE: One must not think high of oneself.
Rule 50
‘either’, ‘neither’ are used for 2 persons or things. ‘any’, ‘none’,
‘No one’ are used for more than 2.

e.g., 01) Any one of the two of them is lying. OR Anyone of the two is lying.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Either of the two is lying.
e.g., 02) Neither of the three boys did the work.
CORRECT SENTENCE: None of the three boys did the work.

Rule 51
‘Each other’ is used for 2 persons. “One another” is used for more than 2.

e.g., 01) All the children live each other.

CORRECT SENTENCE: All the children love one another.

Rule 52
A noun or pronoun governing a Gerund must be in possessive case.

e.g., 01) Please pardon he being abusive.

CORRECT SENTENCE: Please pardon his being abusive.
Rule 53
A pronoun must agree with the Antecedent in person, number and gender.

e.g., 01) Each of these boys has done their work.

CORRECT SENTENCE: Each of these boys has done his work.

Rule 54
In a sentence if pronouns of different persons are there, II person, III person and then
I person.

e.g., 01) I, you and he must work together.

CORRECT SENTENCE: You, he and I must work together.

Rule 55
If plural pronouns of different persons are there, I person, II person and the III
person.

e.g., 01) You, they and we are playing.

CORRECT SENTENCE: We, you and they are playing.

Rule 56 Pronoun used after ‘let’ must be in the Objective case.

e.g., 01) Le he go out.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Let him go out.
Articles
Rule 57 to Rule 61
Prabhugouda Desai, E.Co.

Rule 57
‘a’ is used before a singular countable noun.

e.g., 01) Summons was served on Ram.

CORRECT SENTENCE: A summons was served on Ram.
e.g., 02) I got Mathematics book for you.
CORRECT SENTENCE: I got a Mathematics book for you.

Rule 58
‘a’ is used in Idioms and Expressions. (a great deal, a lot, a large quantity of, a great
many, a large number)

e.g., 01) Your habit of delaying the work puts me in lot of trouble.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Your habit of delaying the work puts me in a lot of trouble.
Rule 59
Article are not used in some phrases
(by post, by mail, by chance, by air, by mistake, in fact, in detail, in danger, in haste,
on duty, on strike, on foot)

e.g., 01) When the house was set on the fire, the girl started screaming.
CORRECT SENTENCE: When the house was set on fire, the girl started screaming.

Rule 60
Indefinite articles – ‘a’, ‘an’ are not used with Uncountable Nouns like information,
baggage, luggage, scenery, drapery

e.g., 01) I felt nervous because a friend of mine had given me a very bad news.
CORRECT SENTENCE: I felt nervous because a friend of mine had given me very bad news.
e.g., 02) It was by a mistake that he held her hand.
CORRECT SENTENCE: It was by mistake that he held her hand.

Rule 61
Definite article ‘the’ is used in expressions to show purpose other than implied by
them
e.g., 01) My brother told me that we must go to the school.
CORRECT SENTENCE: My brother told me that we must go to school.
e.g., 02) My brother is going to school for his son’s admission.
CORRECT SENTENCE: My brother is going to the school for his son’s admission.
e.g., 03) We go to the church every Sunday.
CORRECT SENTENCE: We go to church every Sunday.
e.g., 04) We went to church for Carol’s wedding.
CORRECT SENTENCE: We went to the church for Carol’s wedding.

Nouns and Cases

Rule 62 and Rule 63
Prabhugouda Desai, E.Co.

Rule 62
Two consecutive nouns do not take Apostrophe marks.

e.g., 01) Ram’s wife’s career is at stake.

CORRECT SENTENCE: The career of Ram’s wife is at stake.

Rule 63
In Compound Nouns, Apostrophe mark is put on the last word.
e.g., 01) Her daughter’s – in – law’s mother came.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Her daughter – in – law’s mother came.

Adverbs (Use inversion)

Rule 64 and Rule 69
Prabhugouda Desai, E.Co.

Rule 64
In Sentences beginning with seldom, never, rarely, Inversion is used.

e.g., 01) Never she comes here.

CORRECT SENTENCE: Never does she come here.
e.g., 02) Seldom I seen such a beautiful work.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Seldom have I seen such a beautiful work.

Rule 65
Sentences beginning with expressions scarcely only yesterday, only then, only later,
only in a few countries, at no time, under no circumstances, in no way, on no account,
Inversion is used.

e.g., 01) Only later she really think about the situation.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Only later did she really think about the situation.
Rule 66
Sentences beginning with Adverbial expressions denoting place on a hill, round the
corner, under the table, if followed by come, walk, lie, stand Inversion is used.

e.g., 01) Round the corner did he go.

CORRECT SENTENCE: Round the corner went he.
e.g., 02) On the table the cat sat.
CORRECT SENTENCE: On the table sat the cat.

Rule 67
Sentences for unfulfilled wish, condition if not beginning with ‘if’ Inversion is used.

e.g., 01) If I had done well, I would be rewarded.

CORRECT SENTENCE: Had I done well, I would be rewarded.
e.g., 02) If we had arrived sooner, we could have prevented this tragedy.
CORRECT SENTENCE: Had we arrived sooner, we could have prevented this tragedy.

Rule 68
Sentences With ‘so’ + Adverb of manner Inversion is used.

e.g., 01) So rudely she behave that I was offended.

CORRECT SENTENCE: So rudely did she behave that I was offended.
Rule 69
Sentences with ‘to such’ + an extent / a point / a degree, Inversion is used.
e.g., 01) To such an extent they argue that people left the place.
CORRECT SENTENCE: To such an extent did they argue that people left the place.
Voice
Rule 70
Prabhugouda Desai, E.Co.

Rule 70
In Passive voice, Verb + Preposition is used. Known to surprise at, amazed at,
astonished at, startled at, vexed at, annoyed with(you), annoyed at(this), contained in,
decorated with, filled with, thronged with

e.g., 01) The matter was enquired by the police.

CORRECT SENTENCE: The matter was enquired into by the police.
e.g., 02) He laughed at me.
CORRECT SENTENCE: I was laughed at by him.

Thank you for going through the above 70 rules.