Grammar based questions� Error identification:

� a sentence divided into 5 parts [CET pattern]

� Sentence correction

� a part of the sentence is underlined [GMAT pattern]

�Connect two sentences using the appropriate conjunctions

�Match the columns

The rules of grammar can also help in Para Jumbles and solving cause and effect questions

Language skeleton�sound (40 sounds)

�words (8 types) : parts of speech

�phrases (three types : adjective,adverb,noun)

�clauses (two types) : main and subordinate

subordinate clause : three types : adjective,adverb,noun

� sentence (three types): simple.compound,complex

Parts of SpeechThey are the foundation of English grammar.

�Noun

�Pronoun

�Verb

�Adverb

�Adjective

�Preposition

�Conjunction

�Interjection

�Articles

Sentence: definition

� Sub ( noun/pronoun) – verb (independent)

Difference between a phrase and a clause

Phrase – no finite verb (dependent)

Idioms – phrases with implied meanings

Clause – has a finite verb (dependent) :

Types : Main Clause

Subordinate Clause

Types of sentences�Simple = MC

�Compound = MC+MC

[coordinating conjunction] : joins two equal things

�Complex = MC + SC

[subordinating conjunction] : joins two unequal things

Types of ConjunctionsCoordinating Conjunctions : FANBOYS

Subordinating Conjunctions : clause defining (who,whom,what,which,that,when,where,why,how)

Reason : as,for,because,since

Others : as well as, along with, together, altogether etc

Double conjunctions : either –or (choice)

neither-nor (double negation),not only – but also (parallelism),no sooner-than ,hardly-when, scarcely-when (to indicate past perfect),so-that , both-and, never-or , whether-or , lest-should etc

Nouns and PronounsAspects of nouns and pronouns :

� Number : singular and plural

� Gender

� Case : Subjective/Objective/Possessive

Noun Template :

�Proper Noun : articles

�Common noun : number

�Collective noun : Sub-verb concord

�Abstract nouns : articles and number

Pronoun-antecedent concordNumber concord :

SN-SPr

PN-PPr

Gender concord :

Common : (he/she)

Case concord : Subjective/Objective [I/me/my/mine]

� Subjective case : when the noun and pronoun is used as a subject in a sentence

� Objective case : when a noun and a pronoun is used as an object in a sentence

� Possessive: when a noun and a pronoun is used to indicate possession in a sentence

Case conundrum resolved

Subjectivecase

Objective case

Possessive adjective

Possessivepronoun

I Me My Mine

You You Your Yours

He Him His His

She Her Her Hers

It It Its Its

We Us Our Ours

They Them Their Theirs

Who Whom Whose whose

Verbs – action defining words

Aspects of a verb : Number : Sub-verb agreement

Mood : conditionals

Tenses

Tenses : indicates time

Verbs : Finite/Non finite

Types of Tenses : Primary

Secondary

Primary tenses : Simple Present

Simple Past

Simple Future

Tenses and its types

Secondary tenses : Perfect

Perfect-Continuous

Continuous

Continuous : Present/Past/Future

Perfect – Continuous : Present/Past/Future

Continuous : Present/Past/Future

Tenses with an exampleTense Example

Simple present I teach.

Simple Past I taught.

Simple Future I shall teach.

Present Continuous I am teaching.

Past Continuous I was teaching.

Future Continuous I shall be teaching.

Present Perfect I have taught.

Past Perfect I had taught.

Future Perfect I shall have taught.

Present Perfect Continuous I have been teaching.

Past Perfect Continuous I had been teaching.

Future Perfect Continuous I shall have been teaching.

Auxiliaries or Helper verbs

Two types of Auxiliaries : Primary and Modal

� Primary Auxiliaries are tense indicators

� Modal Auxiliaries : are mood indicators or tense indicators

There are three primary auxiliaries:

� to be verb : am,is,are (present) was, were (past) (forms of the to be verb)

�Have : has (present) and had (past)

�Do : does (present) and did (past)

Modal AuxiliariesModal verb Primary meaning Secondary meaning

May Probability (AE) Permission

Might Past of may Gets a negative connotation in a sentence

Shall Indicator of a future tense (first person) Probability (BE)

Should Past of shall Advice and conditional

Can Ability Authority

Could Past ability Request (informal)

Will Future tense Surety

Would Past of will Request (formal)

Must Compulsion

Ought to Obligation

Had to Past compulsion

Needs to necessity

Had better Threat/warning

Present tenseSimple present tense can be used in the following

instances :

� the action is general

� the action happens all the time, or habitually, in the past, present and future

� the action is not only happening now

� the statement is always true

Perfect tense

Present perfect tense is used to indicate

� to indicate completed activities in the immediate past [e.g.. He has just gone out.]

� to denote action beginning at sometime in the past and continuing up to the present moment (often with since and for phrases) [e.g. He has been ill since last week.]

Present Perfect Continuous tense

is used for an action which began at sometime in the past and is still continuing [eg. They have been building the bridge for several months.]

Past Tense

Simple past tense: A simple past tense is used to indicate a past action.

Past Continuous tense: A past continuous tense is used to indicate any activity that was happening in the past.

Past Perfect tense: A past perfect tense is used when there are two actions in the past : one happened before the other ;the first action takes a past perfect and the other takes a simple past.

Sub-Verb Concord

�Sing Noun-Singular Verb

�Plural Noun –Plural Verb

�Singular Pronoun-Singular Verb

�Plural Pronoun-Plural Verb [ number and person]

�Indefinite pronouns-SV [ they are replaced by a singular masculine pronoun]

�Collective nouns : Collective action : SN-SV-SPr

Split action : PN-PV-PPr

�Conjunctions

Conjunctions in S-V concord

S-V concord (SN-SV/PN-PV),(SPr-SV , PPr-PV)

�N and N – PV (when the two nouns are joined by a coordinating conjunction the verb is always plural)

(except when the two nouns refer to the same person or convey the same idea)

�N as well as N – SV (when two nouns are joined by a subordinating conjunction the number of the verb depends on the number of the first noun)

�Neither N nor N – 4 possibilities :

SN-SN-SV

PN-PN-PV

SN-PN-PV

PN-SN-SV

Adjectives and Adverbs�Modifiers : Misplaced : adjective : noun / adverb: verb

[both adjectives and adverbs need to be placed near the noun and the verb they modify]

�Order of the adverbs : Manner/Place/Time

S-V-Manner / S-V-O-Manner

S-Freq-V

�Order of Adjectives : size, followed by general description of personality or emotion, followed by age, shape, colour, origin, material and purpose in the same order.

Adj/Adv ContdMisused Adjectives

(Substitution based questions)

� Few/some

� Much/many

� Few/less

� Less/lesser

� some/not many

� Some/any

� Any<not many<some

� The few<few<a few

� The little<little< a little

� Older/elder

� Partly/partially

� Rather/fairly

� Gold/golden

� Last/latest

� Later/latter

� Former/earlier

� Simple/simplistic

� Gracious/graceful

� Hard/hardly

� Quiet/quite

Degrees of Comparison� positive : used to compare two equal objects

�Comparative : used to compare two unequal objects

�Superlative : used to compare more than two unequal objects

Template for positive degree :

� As adj/adv as

� Not so adj/adv/as

Template for comparative degree :

� Used only two compare two adjectives

� Than/to

� Two comparative forms should not be used together

Prepositional errorsPre (before) + posit (place)

They are words placed before the noun and help in relating one noun to the other.

Depending on the relationship that they establish between two nouns they can be classified as follows:

• Prepositions indicating place

• Prepositions indicating time

• Prepositions indicating possession

• Prepositions indicating manner

• Prepositions indicating reason

Prepositions ……

Prepositions of Time Prepositions of Place

� On : day/date

� At : hours/minutes/seconds (specific)

� Around/by

� In : year/months/week

� Since/for/during

� From – to (range)

� in-area + stationary

� Into – area + movement

� On-surface + stationary

� Over – surface + movement

� Inside – enclosure

� Out/outside

� Beside/besides

� Between/among

� At – specific place

Prepositions of Possession Prepositions of Movement

� of (inanimate)

� with (animate)

� To

� By : medium used

� On : surface

� Into : movement contact

� Over : surface + movement

Prepositions ……

Phrasal verbsVerb + preposition = phrasal verbs

�Phrasal verbs can have literal or implied meanings

�Important for multiple usage questions

Phrasal verbs with literal meanings :

� Refrain from

� Upbeat about

� Agree with

� Responsible for

� Accountable to

� Abide by

Phrasal verbs with implied

meanings• The area was blocked off during the demonstration.

• Her story just doesn't add up.

• The problem boils down to a lack of money.

� John's car broke down so he had to take the bus.

� The parents broke down when they heard the bad news.

� It's rude to butt in on a conversation like that!

� The government has decided to clamp down on smoking in public places.

� Do people dress up to go to the opera in your country?

� Children love to dress up at Halloween.