English Grammer 6

THE PREPOSITION

A Preposition denotes the position that a person or thing occupies in relation to the other. It is' pre' (before) because it is put before the noun or which is its object or equivalent to its object.

EXAMPLE :
The book is on the table.
On in the above sentence is a preposition. It shows the relation of the book to the table.
Note : Generally, the use of preposition is made before the noun or the pronoun but sometimes it is used after the noun or the pronoun.

EXAMPLE :
What are you looking for ?
Preposition in Common Use: After, about, above, across, against, around, before, behind,below, beneath, between, beyond, by, for, from, in into, of, off, on, over, since, through, till, towards, under, underneath, up upon, with, within, with out, out beside, down, besides.

PREPOSITIONS ARE OF TWO KINDS

(1) Simple Prepositions: At, in on, by, with, of. off, from, to, out, over, under, since, through, up,
down, above, after, about, round, across, till against.

(2) Compound Prepositions: Into, upon, within, without, beneath, beside, before, below, among, against, underneath, between, behind, outside, besides.

Use of Some Important Prepositions
Among, Between
Among is used for more than two persons or things, Between is used only for two.
EXAMPLES :
(i) Distribute these sweets among the poor students of the class.
(ii) Distribute these books between Ram and Shyam.

Among, In
Among is used before collective plural nouns; In is used before collective singular nouns.
EXAMPLES :
(i) I found him standing among the crowd.
(ii) I saw him in the crowd.

Beside, Besides
Beside means by the side of, Besides means in addition to;
EXAMPLES :
(i) The daughter was sitting beside her mother,
(ii) Besides his relatives, he invites, his friends also,

In, Within
"In1 means at the expiry of a period of time in future, within means before the expiry of a
period of
time in any tense.
EXAMPLES :
(i) She will return in a week, (at the end of the week)
(ii) I shall finish my work within a week, (before the end of the week)

On, Upon
On is used for things at rest; Upon is used for things, in motion.
EXAMPLES :
(i) He is sitting on the floor
(ii) The dog sprang upon the table.

By, With
By denotes that agent or doer; With denotes the instrument with which anything is done.
EXAMPLES :
(i) Ravana was killed by Rama with an arrow.
(ii) The bird was killed by the hunter with an arrow.
(iii) He beat the dog with a stick
(iv) I shall reach here by five O'clock, (here by means till)
By, is used in future tense to express the time upto the last stage.

After, in
'After1 means at the end of a period of time in the past; 'In' means at the end of a period of time in future.
EXAMPLES :
(i) I shall return your book in a week.
(ii) He returned the book after a week. For,

From, Since
'For' is used before a noun denoting a period of time with all the tenses.
From is used before a noun or phrase denoting the starting point of a duration, it is used in all the tenses.
Since is used before a noun or phrase denoting some point of time and is always preceded by a progressive verb in the perfect tense orthird form of a verb. i.e. past perfect, present perfect From is generally followed by 'to' or 'till'.
Examples : Use of 'For'
(i) We have been playing cards for two hours
(ii) My elder brother has been ill for four days.
(iii) She has lived1 in Bombay for four years.
Use of ‘From’
(i) We play from 5 p.m. to 6 pm.
(ii) Will your school remain closed from tomorrow till the 15th of March of the
next month ?
(iii) She stayed with her uncle from the 15th of March to the 15th of May.
Use of'Since'
(i) I have been reading this book since morning
(ii) My father has been teaching in this school since 1972.
(iii) He has not heard from his uncle since Monday last.

Above, Over
'Above' means' higher from' Over is used in the following four senses.
(i) In the sense of 'above': At noon, the sun is over our heads.
(ii) In the sense of beyond': I cannot get over my disappointment.
(iii) In the sense of superiority : God over all blesses for ever more.
Use of 'Above
(i) We flew above the clouds,
(ii) What he did is above stealing.
(iii) For explanation, see the sentence above.
At, Towards
At denotes the idea of aim; towards denotes the idea of destination (movement in a
direction).
EXAMPLES :
(i) He threw the stone at the cat.
(ii) He went towards the house.

At, in, On
'At' is used as follows,
(i) At is used with small towns and villages
He was born at Sonepat. (Sonepat is a small town).
He lives at village Babul, (Babul is a village).
(ii) 'At' is used before a noun denoting a definite point of time.
He called on me at 9 p.m. yesterday
'In'is used as follows:
(A) 'In' is used with the names of big cities, provinces and countries.
(i) His father lives in England .
(ii) I live at Parfipat in Haryana.
(iii) His younger brother lives in Calcutta.
(B) 'In'is used before the names of months and years.
His elder sister was born in 1972 in the months of May.
'On' is used with dates and names of days.
(i) I joined college on the 26th of April.
(ii) He will leave for Calcutta on Wednesday next.
Note : (i) At can be used before a big city when one stays there for a short time en route to some
other place. While going to Bombay he will stay at Poona for three days.
(ii) In is also used in the following phrases: In the morning ; In the evening; In the afternoon; In
winter; In summer
(iii) 'In' also denotes a place inside anything.
He travelled in a crowded bus.
(iv) 'At' is used in the following phrases:
At night, At midnight, At noon, At day- break, At sun-set, At sunrise.
At home, At the station, At work, At play.

Below, Beneath
Below means of lower level in positions, dignity and expectation, ect; beneath means
under some surface. Consider the following examples:
(i) It is below my dignity to talk to her
(ii) They rested beneath the shade of a tree.
In, Into , To
'In' expresses Rest or Motion inside anything.
'Into' expresses Motion towards the inside of anything or change from one medium to
another.
‘To’ denotes motion from one place to another, (in direction of)
EXAMPLES :
(i) The boys are in the room.
(ii) Translate this passage from English into
Hindi. (iii) He goes to the temple every morning.

Till, By, Of, Off
Till means up to or not earlier than a particular time or place .
By means not after that.
Of shows cause, source, separation, quality, contents, possesssion, apposition, point of
reference,space in time etc.
Off shows at a near distance, and detached condition (removal of something from the other)
Consider the following examples :
I shall work till 5 a.m.
By this time tomorrow, I' II have finished my job.
Madhu died of cancer, (cause)
The nib of the pen is of gold (made of)
He presented me a bottle of whisky, (contents)
He was deprived of his purse, (separation)
Our principal is a man of principles (quality),
He lived in the house of principal, (possession)
Mohan, the son of Mr. Ramlal, got married, (apposition)
Hewasblind of one eye. (point of reference)

English Grammer 5

THE ADJECTIVE

An adjective is a word that qualifies or adds something to the meaning of a noun.

Some Facts About Adjectives and Their uses :
(A) Adjective can be used in two ways-Attributively and Predicatively When an adjective is placed just before the Noun, its use is attributive, but when it is used after the noun or pronoun, the use is called predicative.

Example :
(i) This is a sweet mango
(Attributive)
(ii) This mango is sweet
(Predicative)
(iii) Fame is the perfume of heroic deeds
(Attributive)
(iv) The judge declared him guilty
(Predicative)

USE OF SOME IMPORTANT ADJECTIVES

For avoiding errors in the use of adjectives it is necessary to study the use of some
important adjectives. It is so because.
(A) These adjectives are frequently used during conversation.
(A) They are of a very confusing nature. A wrong use or misplacement of these adjectives
can Change the sense of a sentence altogether.

List of these Adjectives
1.Some, Any,                2.0lder,Elder,      3.Few, a few, the few,
4.Farther, further           5.Less, Lesser,    6. Mutual, Common
7. Little a little, the little, 8. First, Former,  9. First, Foremost,
10. Much, Many,          11. All, Whole,    12. Less, Fewer,
13. Each Every.            14. Oral, Verbal,  15 Either, Neither,
16. Many, a many great many, 17.Whole, the whole the Whole of, a Whole
18. Sick                        19. Enough.         20. Only, Nearest, next,
21.Later, Latter.Latest, Last,  22. Each other, one another.
Note: These adjectives are generally studied in 'groups'. So instead of mentioning them
separately.
they are written here according to the groups in which they exist.

Use of these Adjectives
1. 'Some is used in the affirmative sentences. 'Any' is used in the negative sentences.
(A) 'Some' is used as follows
(i) With uncountable nouns where it means- a little, a small quantity also with countable nouns where it means less in number.
 (ii) In a question which shows some request.

EXAMPLES :
(i) There is some water in the bottle.
(ii) Some of the students were absent yesterday.
(iii) Will you have some milk ?
(iv) Will you buy some fruit for me ?
Note :'Sorne' is not used in negative sentences, but it can be used in questions of negative nature.

EXAMPLES :
(i) Can't you spare some time for social work ? .
(ii) Didn't I give you some money yesterday?
(B) 'Any' is used as follows
(i) In negative sentences
(ii) In interrogative sentences
(iii) After 'Hardly' 'Scarcely' and 'Barely'
(IV) After if

EXAMPLES :
(i) There is not any sugar in the pot
(ii) We haven't any rice in the house
(iii) Are there any girls in your school?
(iv) I have hardly any money.
(v) There are scarcely any plants in this field
(vi) If there is any danger, blow the whistle
(A) Older:
Older (and oldest), are used for persons, animals and things.

EXAMPLES :
(i) Radha is older than Shyama
(ii) This dog is older than that
(iii) This building is older than that
(iv) John is the oldest member of the staff
(v) This monument is oldest in the city
Note : 'Older' and 'Oldest' refer to the persons who do not belong to the same family.
(B) Elder (and eldest): are used in respect of the members of the same family like sons,
daughters, brothers, sisters etc.

EXAMPLES :
(i) My elder sister is a lecturer.
(ii) Sachin is the elder of the two brothers
(iii) Meenakshi is the eldest of the three sisters.
Note: (i)'Elder'is not followed by'than'
(ii) 'Elder' and 'Eldest' cannot be used for things
(iii) In some cases, it may be followed by 'to' e.g. My brother Ram is elder to me.

(A) Few is negative and is the opposite of 'Many'. It means not many.
(B) A few is positive and means "some at least". It is the opposite of None.
(C) The few means 'minority' and suggests 'whether there is'.

EXAMPLES :
(i) We have few holidays in school
(ii) Very few students have done well in the examination.
(iii) He is man of few words.
(iv) Happy is the man who has few cares.
(v) Few boys will fail in the examination.
(A) Further means something in addition (more) can also we use in place of farther.
(B) Farther means 'a greater distance'

EXAMPLES :
(i) Further discussion will be held in the office of the principal.
(ii) Amritsar is farther from Delhi than Ambala.
(A) Less means in a small degree'. It can be used as a pronoun, an adjective, a determiner and an adverb.
(B) Lesser can be used only as an adjective. As an adjective it is a step further to less.

EXAMPLES :
(i) The porter said that he would not charge less than ten rupees for his services.
(Pronoun)
(ii) My income is less than yours.
(Adjective)
(iii) Chemistry is less difficult than Physics.
(Adverb)
(iv) Choose the lesser evil of the two
(A) Mutual means reciprocal (two or more people doing or feeling same for each other).
(B) Common means 'belonging to two or more'.

EXAMPLES :
(i) The mutual friendship between Sudhir and Ashok is growing day by day.
(ii) English and Sanskrit share some common features.
(A) Little is negative. It means, 'not much', or hardly any'.
(B) A little is positive. It means, some quantity.
(C) The little denotes quantity. It means,'not much but all that is, or whatever quantity there is'

EXAMPLES :
(i) There is little hope of his success.
(ii) He has little affection for his cousin.
(iii) The teachers have little influence on him.
(iv) He knows a little of everything
(v) A little of money has been stolen.
(A) First shows 'order or position'
(B) Foremost means the most notable, best or leading.

EXAMPLES:
(i) I am feeling sick
(ii) He has been ill for the past ten days.
,
Enough is used with both countable (both singular and plural) and uncountable nouns. It conveys
the sense of 'sufficient'.

EXAMPLES:
(i) There is enough sugar in the pot.
(ii) There are enough eggs in the basket.
(A) Nearest expresses'at least distance'
(B) Next expresses 'position'.

EXAMPLES :
(i) He lives nearest to the office
(ii) He is next to me in rank.
(A) 'Later'expresses'late in time'or'after some time'
(B) Latter means 'second in position or order
"
(C) Latest expresses newest or recent
(D) last means 'Final in position or order.

EXAMPLES :

(i) My father reached later than I expected
(ii) The latter position was better than the former
(iii) What is the latest news?
(iv) He was the first to come and last to go.

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English Grammer 4

THE ADVERB

Adverb is a word that qualifies-
1. a verb                   2. an adjective
3. another adverb     4. a preposition
Examples :
He runs Fast
In this sentence the word 'fast' is an adverb because it is qualifying the verb 'runs'.
She is quite an intelligent girl.
In this sentence the word 'quite' is an adverb because it is qualifying the adjective 'intelligent'
She ran very fast.
In this sentence the word 'very' is an adverb because it is qualifying the adverb 'fast'
The ship has sailed right round the world.
In this sentence the word 'right' is an adverb qualifying the preposition 'round'.

SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ADVERBS

An adverb can qualify not merely individual words, but an entire Assertive Sentence. In this case
it must stand first in the sentence.
Unfortunately the thief was not caught.

We could rewrite these sentences in the following forms.
It is unfortunate that the thief was not caught.
It was evident that you were much distressed at the news.

Note : (A) As a general rule adverbs donot qualify nouns or pronouns. But an adverb qualifies a
noun or pronoun in such a sentence as :
Even torture could not break his spirit. (Qualifying noun)
Only you can tell us the facts. (Qualifying pronoun)
(B) In the following examples the adverb that precedes the noun does not qualify the noun, but
makes some participle or adjective understood.
The then king = the king then reigning. The above
account = the account given above.
(C) In the following example the adverb 'almost' does not qualify the noun 'drunkard' but the verb
"is1:
He is almost, a drunkard.
To say, he is an almost drunkard1 would be incorrect.

KINDS OF ADVERBS

Adverbs are subdivided into three classes:
I. Simple             II. Interrogative           III. Relative

I. Simple Adverbs : These can be distinguished from one another according to their meaning.
(A) Time
He will soon arrive.
He was ill yesterday.
He has already come.
I met him some time ago.
The main adverbs of this class are:
Now, then, before, since, ago, already, soon, presently, immediately, instantly, early, late,
afterwards, yesterday, today, tomorrow.
(B) Place
We must rest here.
He went there.
The book is under the table.
My house is near the market.
The main adverbs of this class are : Here, there, hence, thence, hither, thither, in, out, within
without, above, below, inside, under, outside, far, near, etc.
(C) Number/Frequency
He always stood by his master.
He did this once, but he will not do it again.
He often goes for a morning walk.
She has tried twice already.
Mahatma Gandhi never told a lie.
The main adverbs of this class are : Once, twice, thrice, again, seldom, never, sometimes,
always, often, firstly secondly, thirdly, etc.
(D) Manner, Quality or state
She spoke loudly.
He behaved foolishly.
He did his work slowly but surely.
I worked honestly.
The main adverbs of this class are :Thus, so, well, ill, amiss, badly, probably, certainly,
conveniently, etc.
(E) Quality, Extent or Degree
She is quite an intelligent girl,
He is Clever enough for me.
She is a very beautiful girl.
The main adverbs of this class are :Very, much, too quite, almost, little, a little, rather, some,
what, half, partly, wholly, so etc.
(F) Affirming or Denying
He did not come after all.
EXAMPLES :
Yes, no, not, yea, nay, not at all, by all rr,3ans, etc.
Note:
Yes or no are pro-sentence or substitute Adverbs:
1. Did he come ? Yes (= He did come )
2. Did he come ? No (= He did not come)
In (1) Yes is substitute for an affirmative sentence, and in (2) No is substitute for a negative
sentence. As pronouns save the repetition of a noun, so these adverbs save the repetition of a
sentence.

II. Interrogative Adverbs : This is the name given to those Adverbs that are used for asking
questions as :
(A) Time
When do you intend to pay him ? How
long will you remain here ?
(B) Place
Whither are you going ? Where
did you stop ?
(C) Number
How often does the he visit you?
How many persons attended the meeting ?
(D) Manner, Quality or State
How are you today? (In what state of health) How
did you solve the sums?
(E) Quantity or Deane
How far (to what extent \ weather statement true ?
(F1) Cause or Reason
Why (for what reason) did you do this ?
Wherefore did she weep?
Note :The adverb 'how' is sometimes used in an exclamatory sense:
How nice of you to help me !
'What' in the sense or quantity or degree is similarly used in an exclamatory sense:
What a beautiful flower it is !

III. Relative Adverbs: Relative adverbs are the same in form as interrogative adverbs but
instead
of asking questions they join two sentences together.
These adverbs are called relative for two reasons:
(1) because they relate to some Antecedent, expressed or understood;
(2) because they are formed from relative pronouns.

(A) The Antecedent undone
This is where we work.
Let us know when you will leave.
(where = the place where we work)

(B) The Antecedent expressed
This is the place where we work.
Let us know the time when you will leave

DEGREES OF COMPARISON IN ADVERBS

Some adverbs have degree of comparison like adjectives.
(A) If the adverbs is a word of one syllable, the comparative is formed by adding er and the
superlative by adding est.
Late            Later            Latest or Last
Long           Longer          Longest
Loud           Louder         Loudest
Near            Nearer         Nearest
Soon            Sooner         Soonest

(B) Some adverbs form the degrees of comparison in an irregular way:
Far             Farther           Farthest
Forth         Further           Furthest
Bad           Worse             Worst
Little         Less                Least
Much         More             Most
Good         Better             Best

(C) Adverbs ending in "!y" form the comparative by adding more and the superlative by adding
most:
Beautifully        More beautifully         Most beautifully
Wisely              More wisely                Most wisely

Note : The Adverb 'early' however has 'earlier' for its comparative and 'earliest' for its superlative
SPECIAL USES OF SIMPLE ADVERBS Much Very
(A) 'Much' qualifies adjectives or adverbs in the comparative degree; 'very' in the Positive.
The air is much hotter today than yesterday.
(B) 'Much' qualifies past participles; 'very' present ones:
He was much annoyed at your behaviour.
This news is very interesting.
Too : The adverb 'too' denotes some kind of excess. It means 'more than enough' something that
goes beyond the contemplated limit or purpose. In the following sentences 'too' has been
wrongly written in place of 'very'.
Sugar is too sweet
This wall is too strong.
Note :But too is used correctly in the following sentences :
The news was too good to be true.
My heart was too full for words.
Enough:The meaning of'enough' is opposite to that of'too' Enough' signifies that the required
standard or limit or amount has been reached, but 'too' means 'more' than enough; that is, the
proper limit has been exceeded:
The air today is c"!d enough for me,
Little, a little : There is the same difference between these two adverbs as between the corre sponding
adjectives

(A) 'Little' is used in a negative sense and means 'not much'; in fact it is a weak form of 'not and
almost negative.
I little expected that he would fail. (I did not
expect that he would fail)

(B) 'A' Little is always used in an affirmative sense, and means to some extent at least' 'slightly"
She was a little (= slightly, somewhat) tired.
Since : This word is used as
(A) an adverb of time;
(B) a conjunction of time,
(C) preposition of time.

(A) As an adverb, it has two meanings:
(i) From then (from some time in the past upto now):
I first read it ten years ago and have remembered it ever since.
(ii) At or during some time between then and now. He told me last week and has spoken of it
several times since.

(B) As a conjunction it signifies from which time.
It is now a week since the school broke up.

(C) As a Preposition it signifies from:
He has been teaching since morning.
It has been raining since yesterday.
Ago : It is used.
(i) As an Adjective always following its noun.
This happened a month ago.
The lamb said, A year ago I was not born.
(ii) As an Adverb, in the expression long ago.
Taj Mahal was built long ago.

Before: This word is used a sometimes as an adverb of time, and sometimes as a conjunction of
time, and also as a preposition.

(A) As an adverb of time it signifies formerly, or on a former occasion.
He did this once before and he will do it again.

(B) As a conjunction of time it is followed by a verb in some present tense, if the verb in
the principal clause is in the future tense:
He had left before I reached there.

(C) As a preposition it signifies earlier than or in front of:
I reached home before 8 o' clock.
The accused stood before the judge.
Already: This adverb denotes that something has happened prior to the time mentioned or
thought
of:
Light the fire, it has already been lighted .
Yes, no: Mistakes are often made by students in the use of 'yes' or 'no' in answering a question:
Question -
Is the sky cloudy today?
Answer-
Yes, it is or No. it is not.
But if the question is put in a negative form, the answer given is often ambiguous:
Did you not find him at home ? The answer sometimes given is -Yes, I did not find
him at home. This is wrong, and the proper answer would be: Yes, I did find him at
home. No, I did not find him at home.
There : This adverb usually signifies 'in the place' but it frequently stands as the first word in a
sentence, where it has merely an introductory value, and has no significance of place (usually
used with verbs-be, seem, appear). There were four persons present. There came a messenger
from the king's court.
Else : Should always be followed by but and never by than.
It is nothing else but (not than) vanity.
Note : Never use 'seldom or even' but always say 'seldom or never' or 'seldom if ever' He seldom
or never (not ever) comes late.
Never: The word never is sometimes wrongly used with verbs indicating a special point of time for
' do not' or did not': as
I Never remember having met her.
Say-1 do not remember ever having met her.
Quite: This Adverb means Perfectly, 'completely; but it is often wrongly used as equivalent
to 'very'.
Are you very sure you want to go ? (Incorrect)
Are you quite sure you want to go ? (Correct)
Thus it is wrong to say.
'Bad water is quite unwholesome.
Bad water is very unwholesome (Correct)

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English Grammer 3

The Verb

A verb is a word used to tell or assert an action or activity related to any person or thing. The verb
may tell us;
1. What is person or thing does; as Savita swims.
2. What is done to a person or thing; as Mohan is punished.

TRANSITIVE AND INTRANSITIVE VERBS

Transitive Verbs : There are some sentences in which the action passes over from the subject to
the object. Verbs used in these sentences are called Transi tive Verbs.
Examples :
1. The boy picked up the stone.
2. The child hugged his mother.
3. The student wrpte a letter.

Intransitive Verbs : Those Verb where the action does not pass over from the subject to the
object.These verbs denote an action which does not pass over an object or express a state or
being.
Examples :
1. The baby sleeps.
2. Sunil ran fast.
3. The table is in the office.

AGREEMENT OF THE VERBS WITH SUBJECT : A DETAILED DISCUSSION
AN INTRODUCTORY NOTE

Verb-Subject agreement plays a very important role in English grammar. Even those who enjoy
a good command over the language, sometimes commit mistakes in understanding it. In the
following discussion, sixteen rules have been given that explain the Verb Subject agreement.

Rule -1 :
If two or more singular nouns are joined by 'and' the verb used will be
plural.
EXAMPLE :
(i) He and I were going to the market.
(ii) Ram and Mohan are friends.
In the above sentences Verb-Subject agreement is as follows:
Subject
Verb
He and I
Were
{Two singular nouns joined by and} {a plural verb}
Ram and Mohan
Are
{Two singular nouns joined by 'and}

Rule-2 :
If two singular nouns joined by 'and' point out to the same thing or
person, the verb used must be singular.
EXAMPLES :
1. Rice and curry is the favourite food of the Punjabis.
2, The Collector and District Magistrate is away.
In the first example rice and curry refer to one thing i.e., food Similarly The Collector and District
Magistrate is one man. Hence verb used is singular (i.e., is).
Note: If the article is used with both nouns, the reference will be to two persons or things and the
verb used in such case must be plural. For examples: The Philosopher and the teacher are dead.
The above sentence refers to two persons, i.e., the Philosopher (one man) and the teacher (the
other man).

Rule-3:
In case two subjects are joined 'as well as1 the verb agrees with the
first subject.
Mark the following
EXAMPLES :
1. Kanta as well as her children is playing.
2. Children as well as their mother are playing.
In the case of the first sentence the verb (is) agrees with Kanta and in the case of second
sentence
the verb (are) agrees with the children.

Rule-4:
‘Neither of’, ‘Either of’, ‘Every’, ‘Each of’, Everyone’ and ‘Many a’ are
followed by a singular verb. For example:
1. Either of the plans is to be adopted.
2. Neither of the two brothers is sure to pass.
3. Every student is expected to be obedient.
4.
Each of them is capable of
doing the work,
5.
Everyone of them desires this.
6. Many a person was drowned in the sea.

Rule-5:
If two subjects are joined by/'Either
or" Neither Nor"/the verb agrees
with the subject near to nor/or.
Note : You need not waste your time in understanding the meaning of 'near to it'. You should
simply keep in mind that in such cases the 'verb' agrees with the second subject.
Examples :
1. Either my brother or I have to do this work.
2. Neither he nor they are prepared to do this work.

In the first example, we find that the verb (i.e. have) agrees with I because I is just before it.
Similarly in the second sentence the verb (i.e.are) agrees with they because 'they' is just before it.
Now understand the following very important rule.

Rule-6 :
A noun singular in form and collective in sense takes a singular verb.
Mark the following.
EXAMPLE : The committee is unanimous in its opinion.
Note : 'Normally when there is oneness in action, the verb is singular but when there is diversity
and every member of the collective noun has to be mentioned, the verb used is plural1.
EXAMPLES ;
The Jury were divided in their opinion.

Rule-7 :
A great many ' is always followed by a 'plural noun' and a "plural verb'
e.g. A great many students have been declared success/ul.

Rule- 8 :
Similarly if two subjects are joined by 'with', 'together with' 'no less
than", 'along with', "in addition to', 'and not 1, etc. the verb agrees with
the first subject.
Mark the following
EXAMPLES :
1 The boy with his parents has arrived.
2. The officer together with his subordinates was present in the function.
3. He no less than I is to blame.

Rule-9:
No.uns, plural in form but singular in meaning, take a singular verb.
For example: 1. These news were broadcast from All India Radio yesterday, (incorrect)
2. This news was broadcast from All India Radio yesterday. (Correct)

Rule-10 :
When two subjects are joined by Not only
but also; the verb must
agree with the second subject.
EXAMPLES :
1. Not only India but also Pakistan is poor.
(The second subject 'Pakistan' is singular)
2. Not only the principal but also the students were laughing.
(The second subject 'Students' is plural)
'
3. Not only the children but also their mother was playing.
(The second subject' Their mother' is singular)

Rule-11 :
When two subjects are joined by 'Or' the verb must agree with the
second subject.
In the exercise of the above rule, It is necessary to keep in mind that the 'Plural Subject' if any
should be placed near the verb.
EXAMPLES :
1. Krishna or her sisters were there. (The
second subject is 'plural') 2. Mohan or Sohan
is responsible for all this. (The second subject
is'singular)

Rule-12
: When two subjects of different numbers and persons or both are
joined together by 'And' the verb used must be plural.
1. Sachin and his parents have gone to Calcutta.
2. He and I are friends.
3. Pakistan and other Muslim countries are bent upon breaking India.

Rule-13 :
Some nouns, which are singular in form but are plural in number take
a plural verb.
EXAMPLES :
1 The people were shouting.
2. The cattle are grazing.

Rule-14:
When a 'Plural noun' denotes some particular quantity or amount

considered as a whole, it takes a singular verb.
1. Five hundred rupees is a big amount.
(The verb will agree with amount and not with five hundred).
2. Hundred miles is a long distance.
(The verb will agree with the distance and not with hundred).

Rule-15 :
The title of the books, names of the countries or subjects which look
like plural, but actually are in singular number, are followed by singular
verb.
EXAMPLES : 1 .Mathematics is a difficult subject.
2. The United States of America is the richest country of the world.
3. The 'Arbian Nights' is an interesting book.

Rule-16:
When the subject is a relative pronoun, the verb agrees in Number and
person with the Noun or Pronoun to which the Relative Pronoun refers.
EXAMPLES:
1. Rajinder who is my friend has a thirst for knowledge.
2. I who am at your service should not be ignored.
Forms of Verbs : Verbs in English are used in three different forms. They are:
1 .Present orfirst or original form.
2. Past or second form.
3. Past Participle or third form.
Note: The terms, first form, second form and third form, do not exist in English Grammar but haye
been used here for the sake of convenience. Therefore, in ail subsequent discussions on verbs
we shall use the above mentioned terms. The form of the verb used determines the tense of a
sentence. Or conversely the tense of a sentence determines the form of the verb that is to be
used.

The first form is the actual form in which the verb as word exists in the language.
Therefore, we have referred to it as the original form. The other two forms of the verb, in most cases, are derived by making certain changes in the original form.
EXAMPLE :
Eat (1 st form) Ate (2nd form) Eaten (3rd form)
Verbs can be divided into different types according to their method of changing from one form into another.

Note the following :

1. Verbs with vowel change only as :
1st form       2nd form         3rd form
Abide          Abode             Abode
Begin           Began              Begun
Come          Came              Come

2. Verbs with a suffix (suffix is referred to the letter or letters added at the end of a word
to form another word n, -ne or- enin the third form as :
1st form       2nd form         3rd form
Know           Knew               Know
Write            Wrote              Written
Bear             Bore                 Born(to bring forth )
Bear             Bore                 Born(To carry)

3. Verbs which derive their 2nd and 3rd forms by the additions of -d-ed,or -t and without a
change in the vowel as:
1st form       2nd form         3rd form
Walk            Walked           Walked
Talk              Talked            Talked
Hear             Heard              Heard
Burn              Burnt               Burnt
Dwell            Dwelt              Dwelt

4. Verbs that have a vowel change as well as the addition of suffix as :
1st form       2nd form         3rd form
Feel              Felt                 Felt
Kneel           Knelt               Knelt
Bring            Brought           Brought
Sell              Sold                 Sold
Can             Could               Could

5.In some cases the verbs retain their original (identity) in all the three forms. They end in
-d or -1 as :
1st form       2nd form         3rd form
Cast             Cast                Cast
Cut               Cut                  Cut
Hurt             Hurt                Hurt
Let               Let                   Let

Note : There are no hard and fast rules by which one can make out, by looking at a verb, how
it is going to change its form. Therefore, in order to be able to use verbs correctly in all their
form it is essential to develop familiarity with them. This can be done by reading and if possible
memorising the list of verbs, with their different forms, that can be found in any book of grammar.

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English Grammer 2

PRONOUN

The repetition of a noun in a sentence or a set of sentences is really boring. So, Grammar
prescribes that instead of repeating the noun, we can use a word (for that noun) called
the pronoun. This leads us to a precise definition of pronoun. "A pronoun is a word that
we use instead of a noun." Many people commit grammatical mistakes because they lack
thorough knowledge regarding the use of pronouns. It is therefore, essential to have a
detailed discussion on pronouns to avoid errors in their usage.

KIND OF PRONOUNS

I. Personal pronouns:

A pronoun which is used instead of the name of a person is known as a' Personal
pronoun'. A list of the 'Personal Pronouns' is given below.
1.my, mine, me, we, our, ours, us.
(First Person)
Thou, thine, thy, thee. ,
(Second Person)
You, your, yours He, his him, she, her, hers, it, its,
(Third Person)
They, their, theirs, them.

II.Reflexive and Emphatic Pronouns :

 When self is added to my, you, him, her, it and selves to our, your, them< we get Compound Personal pronouns. We use reflexive pronoun when the action done by the subject affects the subject, (i.e. the person who performs the action)

EXAMPLE:
1.1 hurt myself.
2. He hurt himself.
3. They hurt themselves.
When Compound Personal pronouns are used to put emphasis they are called Emphatic
Pronouns. Following examples will make this point clear.

1. I myself will do it.
2. You Yourself can best explain.
3. They themselves admitted their guilt.

III. Demonstrative, Indefinite and Distributive Pronouns:

(A) Demonstrative Pronouns : Pronouns used to point out the objects to which they
refer are
called Demonstrative Pronouns.
Examples:
1. This is a present from my uncle.
2. These are merely excuses.
3. Bombay mangoes are better than those of Bangalore.

(B) Indefinite Pronouns : All pronouns which refer to persons or things in a general way
and do
not refer to any particular person or thing are called Indefinite Pronouns.
Examples
:
1 .Somebody has stolen my watch.
2. Few escaped unhurt.
3. Did you ask anybody to come ?

(C) Distributive Pronouns : Each, either, neither are called distributive pronouns because
they
refer to persons or things one at a time. For this reason they are always singular and
followed by
the verb in singular form.
Example :
1 .Each of the men received a reward.
2 These men received each a
reward. 3.Either I or you can go.
4. Neither of the accusations is true.

(IV) Relative Pronouns : A relative Pronoun refers or relates to some noun going before, which is
called its Antecedent.

Examples :

(V) Interrogative Pronouns : These pronouns, are used for asking questions.

Example:

Note : Interrogative pronouns can also be used in asking indirect questions Consider the following

Examples :
1. I met Hari who used to live here.
2. I have found the pen which I had lost.
3. Here is the book that you lent me.
1 Whose book is this ?
2. What will all the neighbours say?
3. Which do you prefer, tea or coffee?
1.1 asked who was speaking.
2. Tell me what you have done.
3.Say which you would like best.

CORRECT THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE

1. The man who they thought to be gentleman is a rogue.
2. Shankar is one of the greatest philosophers that has ever lived.
3. The prize was given to the girl whom they said stood first.
4. My father does not like me going to pictures everyday.
5. This is one of the best suggestions that has ever been made by you.
6. The more you read, the more you will like this book.
7. Between you and I, he is a rogue.
8. Zia can sing better than me.
9. This is the only one of his comments that deserve our attention.
10. Neither of the three candidates are fit for the post.
11. Both did not go.
12. You and he should not waste his money.
13. My watch is better than that of yours.
14. Who is your father should be respected.
15. The man standing beside the Minister is a friend of me.
16. Too much of love is one of those things which spoils the child.
17. Such boys who shirk work hardly succeed in life.
18. Mala's looks are more charming than Zia.
19. The Jury was divided on the issue.
20.1 hate him talking too much.
21. Its being a cloudy day, we stayed indoor.
22. We went to Batkal lake and enjoyed.
23. They repent who do not look before they leap.
24. We all did not accept his invitation.
25. He bought a beautiful pen and gave the same to his sister.

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English Grammer - 1

The Noun

A sentence is a group of words arranged in a manner which makes complete sense. Words are divided into different kinds of classes called part of Speech according to their use or according to the work they do in a sentence.
 A Noun is one of these parts. A Noun is a word used as the name of a person, place, animal or thing.

 The word thing includes (i) all objects that we can see, touch, hear, smell or taste and (ii) something we can think of, but cannot perceive by senses.

There are five different kinds of Nouns. They are :-
(1) Proper Noun (2) Common Noun (3) Collective Noun (4) Material Noun
(5) Abstract Noun.

THE FAMILY OF THE NOUNS

The following chart will make you familiar with the family of the Nouns :
The Noun             Nature of the Noun                                                      Some Examples
Proper Noun -       denotes one particular person, place or thing         Chander, Calcutta,India etc.
Common Noun -   Common Noun is the name given in common       Table,glass, town,king etc.
                             to every person or thing of the same class or kind.
Collective Noun -  It denotes a group or collection of similar             Army, class, host jury, etc.
                              individuals considered as one complete whole.
Material Noun-      It denotes matter or substance of which a              Wood, clay rubber, iron, 
                             thing is made.                                                               gold, cloth, etc.
Abstract Noun -      It expresses quality, state or action                      Truth, love., soul,mind,
                                                                                                               greatness,life,etc.

Examples: Mathematics are a difficult subject. (Incorrect)
                   Mathematics is difficult subject. (Correct)
Note:-  Mathematics looks like plural but, in fact, it is singular. So we cannot use
plural verb with it.


1. 'Cousin' is never followed by'brother'or'sister1.
2. We do not write a man. We write to a man.
3. 'Boarding' is a wrong use. It should be 'boarding house'.
4. 'Poor people' is a slang use. It should be 'the poor'
5. 'Signature' should be used in place of the abbreviation 'sign'
6. Food taken once is 'meal' and not 'meals' Meals means both 'lunch and dinner' and we cannot take them together.
7. 'Vacation' is one term. Hence it is singular.
8. 'Tickets' mean 'the number of tickets'. Ticket' means 'the mode of entry.
9. 'Alphabet' is generally used in the singular sense. But it can also be used in the plural sense when different languages are referred to at the same time.
10. 'Inning' is no word. The actual word is 'innings' and is always used in the singular sense.

CORRECT THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES

1. Though my means is small, I help my younger brother with money
2. I must help him, After all, we are brothers of the same profession,
3. He does everything for conscience's sake
4. Has the agendum for tomorrow's meeting been drawn up?
5. Custom on exports and imports is collected at airport.
6. The old lady who was crushed to death by a speeding truck was walking in the centre of the road.
7. My uncle's friend's son is a doctor.
8. Good night! How do you do ?
9. One of these men's sons was killed in the recent police firing
10. The juries consist of ten members.
11. The jury was divided in its opinion.
12. My father is in the teaching line.
13. Women's clothes are generally more expensive than men
14. All his family members are lovers of dance and music
15. His hat was blown off by a strong air.


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