English Grammar Correction Rules 1d1u12

1 Correction Rules: There should always be subject-verb agreement. Use of Articles: Articles are not used before Proper nouns, abstract nouns and material / concrete nouns, and uncountable nouns. Articles are used before nouns ‘The’ used before adjectives make them plural noun ‘The’ is not used with man / women to show the whole class. Correction Rules: i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. viii. ix. x. xi.

xii. xiii. xiv.

xv.

Nouns connected by AND take a plural verb, but if both are representing the same thing singular verb will be used. If two nouns are combined by using “WITH” or “AS WELL AS”, verb will qualify the noun which is used first. If two or more nouns are combined by using “OR”, “either---or”, “neither---nor”, verb will qualify the nearest noun. Either, Neither, Each, Every one, Many a, will always take a singular verb. Some nouns like news, politics, wages etc look plural but are singular and take singular verb. Means and pains take both singular as well as plural verbs. Means takes plural verb when it denotes wealth. Collective nouns take singular as well as plural verb depending on the situation. When some plural noun denotes a quality or quantity in its totality, it takes singular verb. Plural proper nouns denoting a single thing take singular verb. Some nouns usually have same singular and plural forms. They include sheep, pair, dozen, thousand etc. Some nouns are always used in plural, e.g., tools having 2 parts as bellows, scissors, tongs, pincers, spectacles; some clothes like tros, drawers, breeches; some diseases like measles, mumps; some games like billiards, draughts; others include annals, thanks, proceeds (of a sale), tidings, environs, nuptials, obsequies, assets, chattels. Some nouns have singular sense but are used as plural as Riches, Alms. Some collective nouns seem singular but are plural as the cattle, the people, the gentry, poultry, vermin Following singular nouns have no plural form: a. Advice, bread, furniture, jewelry, lightning, news, traffic, thunder, rice, laughter, knowledge, homework, business, apparatus, a golf links, clothing, information, luggage, machinery, scenery, work Countable Nouns: a. Countable nouns take following certain modifiers: few, fewer, many, a lot of, some, several, plenty of.

2 xvi.

xvii. xviii. xix. xx. xxi. xxii. xxiii. xxiv. xxv. xxvi. xxvii. xxviii. xxix. xxx. xxxi.

Uncountable Nouns: a. Uncountable nouns do not modifiers that specially denote numbers. That’s why A and An are not used with them. b. They don’t have a plural form. c. They take certain modifiers like less, much, a little, some, a lot of, plenty of. Problematic Nouns: a. Kindness b. Work Some is used in Positive statements, while Any is used in negative and interrogative constructions. ‘s is added with the last word of a multi-word noun. Nouns depicting Time or Place would take ‘s like A day’s work, A hand’s breadth, in a year’s time. ‘s will be used for things personified. Nature’s law. When two nouns are connected by AND and both of them have each / every before them, singular pronoun will be used. When two singular nouns are connected by or, either—or, neither----nor, singular pronoun will be used. When one singular and one plural noun are combined by or, nor, plural pronoun will be used. Pronouns’ sequence: a. For good or neutral ------ You, He, I (2,3,1) b. For bad------- I, he, you (1,3,2) Objective case of pronoun will be used after LET and BETWEEN. Words used for comparison (than, as) will be followed by Subjective case (I, we, he, she, it) Objective form will be used if THAN is followed by BOTH / ALL. Possessive pronouns like my, our, your, his, her, there are always followed by a noun. Possessive pronouns like mine, ours, yours, his, hers, theirs are not followed by a noun. But a noun may precede them. Relative Pronouns: a. Who is used for persons; which for non-living things and animals. b. Whose id used to denote possession; used for both animated and non-animated things. c. That is used for both things and persons but it is better to use it for ideas, imaginations etc. d. At some places that is preferred than which / who: i. After superlative degree ii. After only, all, same, nothing. iii. After interrogative pronoun e. Relative pronoun should be nearer to the person it intends to qualify. f.

xxxii. 2nd degree of adjectives is used to compare two similar things.

3 xxxiii. If qualities of two different person are to be compared use ‘er’ to make 2nd degree. If two different qualities of the same person are meant, use ‘more’ to make 2nd degree. xxxiv. If comparison is made with more than two, any other follows than. xxxv. Comparison of two similar things can be made only, e.g. climate of Multan can be compared with climate of Lahore and not with the city Lahore. xxxvi. Repetitive use of 2nd or 3rd degrees is incorrect. Like more cleverer, the most best etc. xxxvii.Some adjectives have only one form. These include: a. Unique b. Complete c. Square d. Extreme e. Ideal f. Universal g. Chief h. Round i. Perfect j. Entire k. Full; thus more round, the most perfect etc. are incorrect. xxxviii. Use of Eldest, Elder, Oldest, Older: a. Older and Oldest may be used for persons as well as things b. Elder and eldest will be used for persons only; especially for relatives. xxxix. Later, Latest, Latter, Last a. Later and latest hint at Time. b. Latter and Last hint at some place. xl. Farther, and Further a. Farther portrays distance b. Further depicts some addition xli. Little, A little, the Little (used to show quality; cannot be used for Quantitative portrayal) a. Little = Not Much; it has negative connotations. There is little hope of his recovery. b. A little = some, though not very much; it has positive connotations c. The little = not much but all that is; xlii. Few, A few, the Few (used for quantitative; cannot be used for depicting qualitative notions) a. Few = not many; hardly any; negative connotations b. A few = some; positive connotations c. The few = not many but all there are xliii. Some, any a. Some for positive sentences; Any for negative and interrogative sentences. xliv. Each, Every (same meaning but different usage) a. Every is used to make emphasis; every = each without exceptions b. Each for two + more than two; every for more than two only c. Each point at individuals of a group; every point at the whole group. d. Each is used when there is limited number in a group; every is used when there is unlimited numbers in a group.

4 xlv.

Some verbs did not take reflexive pronouns with them. Use of reflexive pronouns is incorrect with them. These include: a. Keep b. Dash c. Break d. Set e. Bathe f. Move g. Open h. Spread i. Turn j. Draw k. Rest l. Roll m. Enlist n. Burst o. Gather p. Hide q. Feed r. Qualify s. Form t. Steal u. Stop v. Lengthen w. Make xlvi. Some verbs will always take reflexive pronouns, these include: a. Avail b. Acquit c. Absent d. Demean e. Drink f. Oversleep g. Over-reach h. Resign i. Apply j. Exert k. Avenge l. Set m. Operate xlvii. Following words will take “AS” after them a. Regarded; I regarded him as my brother b. Described c. Represented; he represented me as an innocent man d. Treat; e. Defined xlviii. Present indefinite will be used to portray Habits and routines. a. Following word depict habits and routines: i. Everyday ii. Generally iii. Usually iv. Often v. Seldom vi. Never xlix. Ago, yesterday, last show past indefinite.

5 l. li. lii. liii.

liv.

lv.

lvi. lvii.

lviii. lix. lx.

lxi.

Never, Already, just show perfect continuous Now is used to depict present continuous. “In” will be used with time in a future tense. Following verbs should not be used in a continuous tense: a. See, hear, smell, taste, notice, recognize, , recollect, forget, know, understand, believe, feel (that), think (that), suppose, mean, gather (that), want, wish, desire, refuse, forgive, care, love, hate, like, dislike, seem, appear, contain, consist, possess, matter, own Infinitive, participle, and gerund: a. Infinitive = To- form of a verb; to go, to come, this is used irrespective of any tense. b. Participle = a verb used as an objective; laughing, retired etc. c. Gerund = a verb used as a noun; swimming, walking etc. While using participle, we usually forget to make agreement of next subject with the participle; e.g. sitting on the gate, a scorpion stung him (incorrect); while he was sitting on the gate, a scorpion stung him. To of infinitive usually remains intact with it. To immediately put (incorrect), to put immediately. Following words do not take “To” with them: a. Dare b. Bid c. As soon as d. Sooner e. Rather f. Had better g. Feel h. Hear i. See j. Need k. Make l. Do m. Let n. Must o. Will p. Shall q. Can r. May; I will make him to go there (incorrect); I will make him go there. If a verb is to be used after a preposition, -ing form will be used.so preposition should also be used according to the –ing form. Lest--- should; he fled lest he should be killed. Would is used: a. In indirect speech to replace shall and will. b. To show a resolve; I would do my best to get this scholarship. c. To show a habit or a routine; he would sit and dream all day. d. To show the result of some bet; I would do it if I were you. Following helping verbs will always be followed by first form of the verb: a. Can b. Could c. May

6 d. Might e. To f. Would g. Shall h. Will i. Should lxii. Following helping verbs will take 3rd form of verb: a. Has b. Have c. Had lxiii. Sequence of tenses: a. If principal clause is in past, subordinate will also be in past tense (if universal truth or scientific fact is there, present may be used). b. If principal clause is in past tense but subordinate clause starts from “than”, any tense may be used in the subordinate clause. c. If principal clause is in present or future tense, every tense may be used in subordinate clause. But if subordinate clause shows some purpose, it ought to be in present tense. E.g. I eat that I may live. lxiv. Position of Adverb: a. Adverb should be used right after the word it intends to modify; position of adverb changes meaning, so be careful, e.g. I have often thought of marrying. I have thought of often marrying. He often says he visits his father. He says he often visits his father. b. Adverbs related with time are used before verbs. He always speaks the truth. But they are used after to be, i.e. be, is, am, are, was, were, being, been. c. If an object follows a verb, adverb will be used after the object. I feel this insult keenly. He killed his enemy mercilessly. d. If the sentence has both a helping verb, and a main verb, adverb will be used between the helping verb and the main verb. e. If an adverb is being used to modify another adverb or adjective, it will be used right before that adverb or adjective. f. Enough will always be written right after the word it intends to modify. lxv. use of only: a. Only is used right before the word it intends to modify, otherwise it will change the meanings of the sentence. lxvi. Use of very and much: a. Much is used before all adjectives made with –ed form (except pleased, and tired) b. Very is used before all other adjectives plus tired and pleased. c. Very much can be used before any objective. lxvii. Relative positioning of Adverbs: a. Adverbs of manner; how, b. Adverbs of place; where, c. Adverbs of time, when He spoke at the debate this morning well. (incorrect) He spoke well at the debate this morning.

lxviii. Prepositions:

7

lxix.

a. At vs In i. In for large towns, cities, and for countries ii. At for small villages and towns b. In, At, Into, To i. In, at point towards static things. ii. ‘To’ and ‘Into’ point towards living / animated things. c. On, upon i. On for static / in-animated things. Car, bus etc. ii. Upon for living / animated things, cat, dogs. Man etc. d. Till, To i. Till is used to show Time. ii. To is used to show place. e. With, by i. With qualifies a tool ii. By qualifies the person f. From i. Shows a definite time, but not limited to some tense. Can be used with every tense. g. In, within h. Between, among i. Between is used for two things or persons. ii. Among is used for more than two things or persons. i. Beside, besides i. Beside means near ii. Besides means in addition to (hint: extra S depicts something extra) Conjunctions: a. Since: i. From that time (used in perfect tense to show a definite time) ii. Because (since there is no help, come, let us kiss and part. b. Or i. Your purse or your life (choice) ii. We must hasten, or night will overtake us (otherwise) iii. He wanted strength or courage ( ) c. If i. If he is there, I shall see him ( ii. If I am blunt, I am least honest. iii. I asked him if he would help me. iv. If I feel any doubt, I induire. d. That i. He was annoyed that he was contradicted ( ii. We so that we may reap. iii. I am so tired that I cannot go on. e. Lest (used to show_____________) i. Loves not sleep, lest you come to poverty. ii. He fled lest he should be killed. iii. I feared lest I might offend you. f. While i. While ii. The g. Scarcely, Hardly: (that or than is not used)

8 i. Scarcely and hardly are followed by when, or, before. Scarcely had he gone that a policeman knocked at the door. Scarcely had he gone when a policeman knocked at the door. h. No sooner: i. As sooner is the 2nd degree of soon, than will always be used with No sooner. ii. No i. Correlative conjunctions: (if there is noun after one, second will also be followed by a noun. Same will happen in case of the verb)

j.

i. Either----Or ii. Nether---Nor iii. Not only---- But Also He neither washed his hands nor his face (incorrect); he washed neither his hands nor his face