10 Golden Rules of English Grammar For Error Detection and sentence improvement Part 4

C. USES OF VERBS CONTINUED FROM LAST SECTION

1. 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 in this office? . 

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

2. 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. 

3. 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. 

4. 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

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

5. Modal Auxiliaries are not used together. But two Auxiliaries can be connected by a Conjunction. 

Incorrect­ - He should must do it. 

Correct­ - He should and must do it. 

6. When need or dare is fol­lowed by not, it turns into modal auxiliary. In that situation it takes Bare Infinitive 'and we cannot use needs not or dares not. 

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

D. USES OF ADJECTIVES

7. 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.

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

8. 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,

Incorrect­ - I have taught you little things.
Correct­ - I have taught you a few things.

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

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

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

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,

10 Golden Rules of English Grammar For Error Detection and sentence improvement Part 3

C. USES OF VERBS

1.  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

2. A single Verb should be made to serve two Subjects, only when the form of Verb is same for both the subjects.

For example, 

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

3. Two auxiliaries can be used with one principal Verb, only when the form of the principal Verb is appropriate to both the auxiliaries.

For example, 

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

4. When there is only one auxiliary to two principal Verbs it should be correctly associated with the both.

For example, 

Incorrect­ : Ten candidates have passed one failed.
Correct­ : Ten candidates have passed, one has failed.

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

For example, 

Incorrect­ : He succeeded because he works hard.
Correct­ : He succeeded because he worked hard.

6. 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.

For example, 

Incorrect­ : Our teacher said that the earth moved round the sun.
Correct­ : Our teacher said that the earth moves round the sun.

7. 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.

For example, 

Incorrect­ : We start early lest we shall miss the train.
Correct­ : We start early lest we should miss the train.

8. An Adverb or Adverbial phrase should not be placed between 'to' and verbal part of,the infinitive. (This is called the split infinitive).

For example, 

Incorrect­ : I hoped to immediately reply to your letter:
Correct­ : I hoped to reply immediately to your letter.

9. An infinitive should be in the present tense unless it represents' an action prior to that of the governing Verb.

For example, 

Incorrect­ : I should have liked to have gone­there.
Correct :­ I should have liked to go there.

10. Gerund if preceded by a Pr­o­noun, that Pronoun must be in Possessive case.

For example, 

Incorrect ­: He emphasised me going there.
Correct­ : He emphasised my go­ing there.

10 Golden Rules of English Grammar For Error Detection and sentence improvement Part 2

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,

Correct­ - You need not work hard.

15. Had better, had rather,had as soon ... as ... , had sooner etc. are fol­lowed by Bare Infinitive.

For example, 

Incorrect­ - He had better to go now.
Correct­ - He had better go now.

16. Conjunction than is also followed 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.

For example, 

Incorrect­ - He did nothing but to wander.
Correct­ - He did nothing but wander.

18. Every Participial 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 cons

10 Golden Rules of English Grammar For Error Detection and sentence improvement Part 1

10 Golden Rules of English Grammar For Error Detection and sentence improvement Part 1  

A. SUBJECT ­ VERB AGREEMENT

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

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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

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