100 golden rules of English Grammar

 100 golden rules of English Grammar for error detection

and sentence improvement

A. SUBJECT - VERB AGREEMENT

1 . Two or more Singular Subjects connected by and usually take a Verb in

the Plural.

For example,

Incorrect- Hari and Ram is here.

Correct- Hari and Ram are here.

2. If two Singular Nouns refer to the

same person or thing, the Verb must be

Singular.

Incorrect- The Secretary and Principal are coming.

Correct- The Secretary and Principal is coming.

(Here the same person is .Secretary as well as Principal)

3. If the Singular Subjects are preceded by each or every, the Verb is usually

Singular.

For example,

Incorrect- Every boy and girl were ready.

Correct- Every boy and girl was ready.

4. Two or more Singular Subjects connected by or, nor, either ..... or, neither

.... nor take a Verb in the Singular.

For example,

Incorrect- Neither he nor I were there.

Correct- Neither he nor I was there.

5. 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.

For example,

lncorrect- Neither the Assistant Masters nor the Headmaster was present.

Correct- Neither the Headmaster nor the Assistant Masters were

present. '

6. When the Subjects joined by or, nor are of different persons, the Verb

agrees in person with the one nearest to it.

For example,

Incorrect- Either he or I is mistaken.

Correct- Either he or I, am mistaken.

7. A Collective Noun takes a Singular Verb when the collection is thought of

as a whole, a Plural Verb when the individuals of which it is composed are

thought of.

For example,

Correct- The Council has chosen the President.

Correct- The military were called out.

8. Some Nouns which are singular in form but plural in meaning, take a Plural

Verb.

For example,

Incorrect- Mathematics are a branch of study in every school.

Correct- Mathematics is a branch of study in every school.

9. Words joined to a Singular Subject by with, together with, in addition to, or,

as well as, etc. are parenthetical, and therefore do not affect the number of

the Verb.

For example,

Incorrect- The Chief, with all his men, were massacred .• Correct-The chief,

with all his men, was massacred.

10. When the Subject of the Verb is a Relative Pronoun care should be taken

to see that the Verb agrees in Number and Person with the Antecedent of the

relative.

For example,

Incorrect- I, who is your friend, . will guard you,r interests.

Correct- I, who am your friend will guard your interests.

B. USES OF PARTICIPLES AND INFINITIVES

11. Ask, advise, allow, command, force, forbid, invite, encourage, compel,

beg, order•, imagine, instruct, permit, persuade, tell, require, remind, teach,

etc. are followed by Object + To +V2

For example,

Incorrect- He advised to do it by me.

Correct- He advised me to do it. But if these are used in Passive Voice, then

they are followed by To +V,.

For example,

Correct- She was permitted to go with him.

12. Know is followed by how/ where/when/why and Infinitive.

For example,

Incorrect- I know to write a letter.

Correct- I know how to write a letter.

13. After let, bid, behold, watch, see, feel, make etc. we use Bare-Infinitive

and not To-infinitive.

For example,

Incorrect- I heard him to speak on several subjects.

Correct- I heard him speak on several subjects.

14. Bare Infinitive is used after Modal Auxiliaries (can, could, may, might,

shall, should, will, would, must, dare not, need not).

For example,

Incorrect- You need not to work hard.

Correct- You need not work hard.

15. Had better, had rather,had as soon ... as ... , had sooner etc. are fol-

lowed by Bare Infinitive.

For example,

Incorrect- He had better to go now.

Correct- He had better go now. 16. Conjunction than is also fol¬lowed by Bare

Infinitive.

For example,

Incorrect- He had better read than to write.

Correct- He had better read than write.

17. When but is used as a Preposition and preceded by any form of the Verb

do, then but is followed with Bare Infinitive.

Incorrect- He did nothing but to wander.

Correct- He did nothing but wander.

18. Every Participile must have a Subject of Reference.

For example,

Incorrect- Being a rainy day Vijay decided to stay at home.

Correct- It being a rainy day Vijay decided to stay at home.

19. For completed action Having + Va is used in Active Voice, whereas

Having + been + Va or Being + Va is used in Passive Voice. After should not

be used in such a sentence.

For example,

Incorrect- After the leader having been killed, the followers ran away.

Correct- The leader having been killed, the followers ran away.

20. Participles like considering, judging, referring, concerning, regarding,

viewing, broadly speaking etc. do not take any Subject of Reference.

For example,

Correct - Considering the case, I took the decision.

Here I is not a Subject of Reference of considering. So, there is no Subject of

Reference for 'considering, still the sentence is correct.

C. USES OF VERBS

21. When there are two Subjects in a sentence and they are not in the same

Number, then we must have to use separate Auxiliaries (is, are, am, was,

were, have, has) for both of them.

For example,

Incorrect- Three- killed and one were injured.

Correct- Three were killed and one was injured.

22. A single Verb should be made to serve two Subjects, only when the form

of Verb is same for both the subjects.

Incorrect- I am seventeen years old and my sister fourteen.

Correct- I am seventeen years old and my sister is fourteen.

23. Two auxiliaries can be used with one principal Verb, only when the form of

the principal Verb is appropriate to both the auxiliaries. '

Incorrect- He never has, and never will take such strong measures.

Correct- He never has taken, and never will take such strong measures.

24. When there is only one auxiliary to two principal Verbs it should be

correctly associated with the both.

Incorrect- Ten candidates have passed one failed.

Correct- Ten candidates have passed, one has failed.

25. A Past Tense in the main clause should be followed by a Past Tense in

the subordinate clause.

Incorrect- He succeeded because he works hard.

Correct- He succeeded because he worked hard.

26. A Past Tense in main clause may be followed by a Present Tense

in the subordinate clause when the subordinate clause expresses a universal

truth.

Incorrect- Our teacher said that the earth moved round the sun.

Correct- Our teacher said that the earth moves round the sun.

27. When the subordinate clause comes after 'lest', the auxiliary Verb 'should'

must be used, whatever be the Tense of the Verb in the main clause.

Incorrect- We start early lest we shall miss the train.

Correct- We start early lest we should miss the train.

28. An Adverb or Adverbial phrase should not be placed between 'to' and

verbal part of,the infinitive. (This is called the split infinitive).

Incorrect- I hoped to immediately reply to your letter:

Correct- I hoped to reply immediately to your letter.

29. An infinitive should be in the present tense unless it represents' an action

prior to that of the governing Verb.

Incorrect- I should have liked to have gone-there.

Correct- I should have liked to go there.

30. Gerund if preceded by a Pr-o-noun, that Pronoun must be

in Possessive case.

Incorrect - He emphasised me going there.

Correct- He emphasised my go-ing there.

31. The Present Perfect Continuous Tense is used for an action that began in

the past time and still. going at the time of speaking~ It is used with,

Adverbials of time introduced by 'since', 'for' and 'how long~.

Incorrect- How long are you working i~ this office?

. Correct- How long have you been working in this office?

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

Incorrect- They were punished for come late.

Correct- They were punished for, coming late.

33. The Future Indefinite Tense is not used in the clauses of time, place and

condition. Here the Present In¬definite Tense is used.

Incorrect- I shall wait for you till you will finish your work.

Correct- I shall wait for you, till you finish your work.

34. The Present Perfect Tense is not used with the Adverbs of past time like

yesterday, in 1990 etc. Here Past Indefinite Tense is used.

Incorrect~ I have bought a cycle yesterday.

Correct-I bought a cycle yesterday.

The Past Perfect Tense is used to represent the earlier of the two past

actions.

Incorrect- When I reached the station, the train already left.

Correct- When I reached the station, the train had already left.

35. Modal Auxiliaries are not used together. But two Auxiliaries can be

connected by a Conjunction.

For example,

Incorrect-He should must do it. Correct- He should and must do

it.

36. When need or dare is fol-lowed by not, it turns into modal auxiliary. In

that situation it takes Bare Infinitive 'and we cannot use needs not or dares

not.

For example,

Incorrect- He needs not do it. Correct- He need not do it.

Rules of English Grammar For SSC CGL and Bank PO

D. USES OF ADJECTIVES

37. Adjectives of quantity show how much of a thing is meant. Adjectives of

quantity (some; much, little, enough, all, no, any, great, half, sufficient, whole)

are used for Uncountable Nuns only.

For example,

Incorrect-I ate a few rice. Correct- I ate some rice.

38. Numeral Adjectives are used for Countable Noun only and they show how

many persons or things are meant or in what order a person or thing stands,

For example,

Incorrect- I have taught you little things.

Correct- I have taught you a few things.

39. When cardinal and ordinal are used together ordinal preceds the cardinal.

For example,

Incorrect- The four first boys will be given the chance.

Correct- The first four boys will be given the chance.

40. Later, latest refer to time, latter and last refer to position.

For example,

Incorrect- I reached at 10 am.

But he was latter than I expected.

Correct- I reached at 10 am. But he was later than I expected,

41. Farther means more distant or advanced; further means additional.

For example,

Incorrect- He insisted on farther improvement.

Correct- He insisted on further improvement.

42. Each is used in speaking of two or more things, every is used only in

speaking of more than two.

For example,

Incorrect- Every of the two boys will get a prize.

Correct- Each of the two boys will get a prize.

43. To express quantity or degree some is used in affirmative sentences, any

in negative or interrogative sentences.

For example,.

Incorrect- Have you bought some mangoes?

Correct- Have you bought any mangoes?

44. In comparing two things, the Comparative should be used,

The Superlativ should not be used.

Incorrect- Which is the best of the two?

Correct- Which is the better of the two?

45. When two qualities of the same person or thing

are compared,the Comparative in-er is not used. 'More' is used for this

purpose.

Incorrect- He is wiser than brave.

Correct- He is more wise than brave.

46. When comparison is made by means of a comparative, the thing

compared should be excluded from the class of things with which it is

compared by using 'other' or some such word.

Incorrect- He is cleverer than any boy in the class.

Correct- He is cleverer than any other boy in the class.

47. When comparison is made by means of a superlative, the thing com-

pared should include the class of things with which it is compared.

Incorrect- He is the strongest of all other men.

Correct- He is the strongest of all men ..

48. When two persons or things are compared, it is important that the same

parts of things should be compared.

Incorrect- The population of Bombay is greater than Delhi.

Correct- The population of Bombay is greater than that of Delhi.

49. Double comparatives and superlatives should not be used.

1. Incorrect- He is the most cleverest boy in the class.

Correct- He is the cleverest boy in the class.

2. Incorrect- He is more wiser than his brother.

Correct- He 'is wiser than his brother.

50. The comparative Adjectives superior inferior, senior, junior, prior, anterior,

posterior prefer, etc., should be followed by 'to' instead of 'than'.

Incorrect- He is senior than me.

Correct- He is senior to me.