70+Rules for correct English grammar
70 English grammar rules spot the error for bank exams, SSC entrance exams, and rules for correct English grammar. English error correction error detection and correction in English grammar for competitive exams
Subject - verb agreement
Rule 1
Two or more singular subjects joined by 'and' take a plural verb
Example
Radha and Mira are coming.
Shimla, koshali, and my hometown are hill stations.
Rule 2
Two or more singular subjects joined by 'and' used for the same person then take a singular verb
Example
The designer and the producer of the project have come.
My mother and my critic are here.
Rule 3
If the singular subjects are preceded by 'each' or 'every',
then the verb is singular.
Example
Each of us was afraid of being drowned.
Everyone is playing.
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Rule 4
If two or more singular subjects are joined by 'or' or 'nor' or 'either or' or 'neither nor' then the verb is singular.
Examples
Either Geeta or meeta lying.
Neither the boy nor the girl has come.
Which is your favorite sport cricket or football?
Rule 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.
Example
Neither the boy nor the girls have come.
Either the child or the parents have to come.
Rule 6
When the subjects joined by 'or', 'nor' are of different persons, the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it.
Examples
Either they or i am mistaken.
Neither she nor they are speaking the truth.
Rule 7
A collective noun takes a singular verb when talked of as a whole and plural verb when we talk of the individual parts of it.
Example
The committee has chosen its president.
The cattle are grazing.
Rule 8
Some nouns which are plural in form but singular in meaning take a singular verb.
Example
Mathematics is my favourite subject.
Statistics show that India is still a poor country.
Rule 9
Words joined to a singular subject by 'with', 'in addiction to', 'as well as' a supplementary and do not affect the number of the verb.
Example
The principal along with all the teachers has come.
The pizza as well as the cake tastes good.
Rule 10
When the subject is a relative pronoun, the verb should agree in number and person with the antecedent.
Example
I, Who am your friend, am honest to you.
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.
Example
Two men were dead and one was alive.
8 shirts were Torn and one was burnt.
Rule 12
A single word should be made to serve two Subjects, only when the form of the verb is the same for both the subjects.
Example
He is 10 years old and you are 12.
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.
Example
I have eaten and will eat pizza every day.
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 to both.
Example
One duck has drowned and two have been poisoned.
One tap is working and one not working.
Rule 15
A past tense in the main clause should be followed by a past tense in the subordinate clause.
Example
He saw that the clock had stopped.
We succeeded because we worked hard.
Rule 16
Are past tense in the main clause may be followed by a present tense in the subordinate clause for universal truths.
Example
Our teacher said that the Earth moves around the sun.
My mother told me that the sun rises in the East.
Rule 17
In a present perfect continuous tense, action from the past which still continues in present is talked of first of use the adverb of time - 'since', 'for.'
Example
I have been living here since 1980, so I know everything about the city.
I have been working here for the last 10 years.
Rule 18
In adverbs of the past like 'yesterday', and 'in 1990', past indefinite tense is used. The present perfect tense is not used.
Example
I brought a cycle yesterday.
I met him in 2000.
Rule 19
To modal auxiliaries in a sentence must be joined by 'and.'
Example
We should and must go to his office.
You can and may go out.
Rule 20
Adjectives of quantity
(whole, sufficient, any, half, some, much, little, enough, all, no)
are used for uncountable nouns only.
Example
I ate some rice.
Give me enough food to eat.
Rule 21
Numeral adjectives
are used for
countable nouns only.
Example
I faced many problems in my life.
I want a few utensils and some food.
Rule 22
When cardinal and ordinal numbers are used together, the ordinal number precedes cardinal followed by multiplicative number.
Example
The first four boys will be given a chance.
The first five single rooms are reserved for us.
Rule 23
Later, latest denotes time latter, last denotes the position
Example
Give me the last book kept on the shelf.
Rule 24
Father denotes distant for the denotes additional
Example
He insisted on further improvement.
His home is at the father's end of the Woods.
Rule 25
Each denotes 2 on more than 2 every denotes more than 2
Example
Every man has a weakness
Rule 26
To express quantity /Degree, 'some' is used for positive 'any' used for negative and interrogative sentences
Example
I don't have any money but I have some food.
Rule 27
In a comparison of two things comparative degree is used and not superlative.
Example
Which is more beautiful of the two?
A menu s performance in the play was better than deep but not as good as Nandini's.
Rule 28
In a comparison of two quantities of the same person or thing '-er' form is not used . '-more' form is used.
Example
He is wiser than Brave.
Meeta is more clever than Priti.
Rule 29
In comparative Degree, a thing is excluded from the class.
Example
Comparative degree
RAM is sharper than any other boy in the class.
Sian is taller than anyone in his family.
Rule 30
In superlative Degree, of thing is included in the class.
Example
Superlative degree
RAM is the sharpest boy in the class.
Shaan is the tallest in his family.
Rule 31
When two persons or things are compared, the same parts must be compared.
Example
The population of Mumbai is greater than that of Delhi.
Radha's dress is prettier than your dress.
Rule 32
We must not use double comparatives or superlatives in a sentence.
Example
He is the most clever boy in the class.
Or
He is the cleverest boy in the class.
Pizza is tastier than burgers.
Or
Pizza is tastier than burgers.
Rule 33
Some comparative adjectives
(like superior, junior, prior, anterior, posterior, prefer)
should be followed by 'to' instead of 'than.'
Example
I prefer coffee to tea.
Rule 34
Some adjectives
(Like unique, ideal nm,perfect, complete, universal, chief, square, round, entire, extreme, full)
Do not admit degrees of comparison.
Example
It is a unique idea.
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.
Example
This is the tastiest and healthy food.
You are more intelligent and wiser than him.
Rule 36
The adjectives
' elder' 'eldest' are used for persons of the same family
for other people or things 'older' 'oldest' are used.
Example
Yudhishthir was the eldest among his siblings.
Rule 37
Do not use two conjunctions in a sentence.
Example
Although she was tried she went to school.
He does not come to the office as/because he has been ill.
Rule 38
' neither nor', 'either or, 'both and, 'not only but also
Must be followed by the same parts of speech.
Example
He lost not only his family but also his friends.
He read neither the storybook nor the textbook.
Rule 39
'That' is not used in direct speech and in interrogative sentences.
Example
He asked me who I was.
Rule 40
The objective case of noun/pronoun is used after a preposition.
Example
We went and spoke to them.
Rule 41
The prepositions used after two words must be disconnected if the words are joined by 'and' or 'or'
Example
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 were must be in 'ing' form.
Example
You prevented me from eating it.
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.'
Example
We will do homework tomorrow.
Rule 44
Transitive verbs
Like discuss, describe, reach, order, Tell demand, attack, resemble, ridicule, etc.
are not followed by a preposition.
Example
Please discuss the matter.
Describe your friend.
Rule 45
Verbs like say, suggest, propose, speak, reply, explain, talk, listen, write
is followed by the preposition 'to'
if there is a person in form of an object.
Example
One independence day, we listened to the prime minister's speech.
Rule 46
When the pronoun is a complement of the verb 'to be', it should be in the nominative case.
Example
If you were she would you go there?
Rule 47
When the pronoun is used as the object of a verb or preposition, it should be in the objective case.
Example
Let you and me do it.
They came for her and me.
Rule 48
Emphatic pronouns cannot stand alone in a sentence. They need another pronoun.
Example
We ourselves dug our grave.
Rule 49
The indefinite pronoun 'one' if used in a sentence, must be used throughout the sentence.
Example
One must not think highly of oneself.
Rule 50
'Either', and 'neither' is used for two persons or things. 'Any', 'none', and 'no one' is used for more than two.
Example
None of the three boys did the work.
Rule 51
'Each other' is used for two persons. "One another" is used for more than two.
Example
All the children love one another.
Rule 52
A noun or pronoun governing a gerund must be in possessive case.
Example
Please pardon his being abusive.
Rule 53
Are pronoun must agree with the antecedent in person number and gender.
Example
Each of these boys has done his work.
Rule 54
In a sentence, if pronouns of different persons is there, second person, third person, and then a first person.
Example
You, he and I must work together.
Rule 55
If plural pronouns of different persons is there, first person, second person, and then a third person.
Example
We, you, and they are playing.
Rule 56
The pronoun used after 'let' must be in the objective case.
Example
Let him go out.
Rule 57
'a' is used before a singular countable noun.
Example
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)
Example
Your habit of delaying the work puts me in a lot of trouble.
Rule 59
Articles are not used in some phrases
( By post, by mail, by chance, by air, by mistake, in fact, in detail, in danger, in hast, on duty, on strike, on foot)
Example
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
Example
I felt nervous because a friend of mine had given me very bad news.
Rule 61
The definite article 'the' is used in expressions to show propose other than implied by them.
Example
My brother told me that we must go to school.
My brother is going to the school for his son's admission.
We go to church every Sunday.
We went to the church for carols wedding.
Rule 62
Two consecutive nouns do not take apostrophe marks.
Example
The career of Ram's wife is at stake.
Rule 63
In compound nouns, an apostrophe mark is put on the last word.
Example
Her daughter in laws mother came.
Rule 64
In sentences beginning with
seldom, never, rarely,
inversion is used.
Example
Never does she come here.
Seldom have I seen such 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.
Example
Only later did she really think about the situation.
Rule 66
Sentences beginning with adverbial expressions denoting place
on a hill, around the corner, under the table, if followed by come, walk lie, stand invention is used.
Example
On the table sat the cat.
Rule 67
Sentences for unfulfilled wish condition if not beginning with 'if'
inversion is used.
Example
Had I done well I would be rewarded?
Had we arrived sooner we could have prevented this tragedy.
Rule 68
Sentences
With 'so' + adverb of manners
inversion is used.
Example
So rudely did she behave that I was offended.
Rule 69
Sentences
With 'to such' + an extent / a point / a degree,
inversion is used.
Example
To such an extent did they argue that people left the place.
Rule 70
In passive voice,
Verb + preposition is used.
Known to, surprised at, amazed at, astonished at, startled at, vexed at, annoyed with (you), annoyed at( this), contained in, decorated with, filled with, thronged with
Example
The matter was inquired into by the police.
I was laughed at by him.
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