Grammar Workshop

Grammar based questions� Error identification:

� a sentence divided into 5 parts [CET pattern]

�5 sentences ;identify either the correct or incorrect sentences [CAT pattern]

� Sentence correction

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

�Choose the correct paragraph

�Para completion [grammar based]

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)

Errors related to sentence structure :

�Dangling modifier

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

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

Articles : a,an,the: templateTypes : definite (the) and indefinite (a, an)

Definite – to indicate specificity of a noun

Indefinite – to indicate the generic nature of a noun

Proper nouns : specific : the

�Names of individuals : implied/specific

�Names of country : united,republic,kingdom

�Names of organization : group (the)

�Geographic locations : the

�Names of planets : earth/the earth

Articles contd…Application in CAT :

� Sub-verb agreement (the president and treasurer/the president and the treasurer)

� Adjectives : the few/a few/few

� Abstract nouns : can take definite but will never take the indefinite article

� Multiple usage questions

Sub-Verb Concord�SN-SV

�PN-PV

�SPr-SV

�PPr-PV [ 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 concordS-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

Verbs : Tenses� Indicator of time

� Types : 2 : Simple/Secondary

� Simple : Present/Past/Future

� Secondary : Perfect/Continuous/Perfect-Continuous

� Important : Simple Present / Past Perfect

� Auxiliaries

� Types : Primary and Modal

� Primary : tenses indicators

� Modals : important from conversation point of view

AuxiliariesPrimary Auxiliaries Modal Auxiliaries

To be : am/is/are/were/was

May/might

Have : has/had Can/could

Do : does/did Will/would

Shall/should

Must

Ought to

Needs to

Modal AuxiliariesModal Basic Meaning Secondary Meaning

May Probability (AE) Permission

might Past probability Negativity

Shall Future tense (BE) Probability (BE)

Should Past of shall Past probability ,advice, if

Can Ability Authority

Could Past ability Request (informal)

Will Future tense (AE) surety

Would Past of will Request (formal)

Must/has to Compulsion

Ought to Obligation

Had better threat

Needs to necessity

Modifiers � Modifiers : adjectives and adverbs

Error of misplaced modifiers

Adverbs : order : Manner/Place/Time

E.g.. She wrote neatly /She wrote a letter neatly

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.

Error of misplaced modifiers

e.g. Shekhar told me he wanted to marry me often.

Error of dangling modifiers

e.g. While talking on the phone the door bell rang.

Adj/Adv Contd…Misused 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

� 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

Degrees of Comparison ContdSuperlative degree

� Used to compare more than two unequal objects

� ‘the’

� Two comparative forms should not be used together

Types of adjectives :

� Different forms in all the three degrees [good/better/best , little/less/least , much/more/most]

� The adjective takes the –er and –est suffix in the comparative and the superlative degree [ old, tall , big]

� The adjective takes a more and most in the comparative and superlative forms [intelligent , beautiful]

Parallelism� All phrases , clauses in a sentence should be in the

same structure

� All adjectives in the same degree

� All verbs in the same form [unless there is a change in the time factor and hence the tense has to change]

� All adverbs in the same form

� Error of comparison

� Use of the correct double conjunction [not only/but also]

PrepositionsPre (before) + posit + ion

�Time

�Place

�Manner

�Reason

�Possession

�Movement

Prepositions of Time�On : day/date

�At : hours/minutes/seconds (specific)

�Around/by

�In : year/months/week

�Since/for/during

�From – to (range)

Preposition for Place� in-area + stationary

�Into – area + movement

�On-surface + stationary

�Over – surface + movement

�Inside – enclosure

�Out/outside

�Beside/besides

�Between/among

�At – specific place

Prepositions Contd…�Manner : with

�Reason : for

�Movement : to,/by/on/into/over

�Possession : of (inanimate)

with (animate)

�Contrast/Concession : after/inspite of

with / for