What Are the 12 Rules of Grammar?

What Are the 12 Rules of Grammar?

Good grammar is essential for making sure our sentences are clear, precise, and understood as we intend. Knowing a few fundamental grammar rules can help anyone, from beginners to advanced learners, improve their writing and speaking skills. Here are the 12 essential grammar rules that everyone should know.

1. Use Proper Sentence Structure

Every sentence should have at least one subject (who or what the sentence is about) and one predicate (what the subject is doing). Together, these form a complete thought. This grammar rule ensures your sentences are clear and convey a complete idea.

Example: The dog barked loudly.
Here, “The dog” is the subject, and “barked loudly” is the predicate.

2. Ensure Subject-Verb Agreement

In a sentence, the subject and verb must agree in number. This means a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. This grammar rule is key to maintaining clarity in your sentences.

Example: She walks to school. (Singular subject and verb)
Example: They walk to school. (Plural subject and verb)

3. Use Correct Verb Tenses

Verb tenses indicate when an action occurs (past, present, or future). It’s essential to use the correct tense and be consistent throughout your sentence or paragraph. This grammar rule ensures your reader or listener knows when the action is happening.

Example: He studied yesterday. (Past tense)
Example: She studies every day. (Present tense)

4. Place Modifiers Correctly

Modifiers add detail to a sentence, but they should be placed close to the word they’re modifying to avoid confusion. Misplaced modifiers can change the meaning of a sentence, so following this grammar rule is essential for accuracy.

Correct: The boy with a red hat is my friend.
Incorrect: The boy is my friend with a red hat.

5. Use Proper Pronoun Agreement

Pronouns must agree with the nouns they replace in both number (singular/plural) and gender. Following this grammar rule helps keep sentences clear and understandable.

Example: Sarah lost her book. (“Her” refers to Sarah)
Example: The students raised their hands. (“Their” refers to students)

6. Use Active Voice When Possible

In the active voice, the subject performs the action, making sentences clearer and more direct. This grammar rule can make your writing and speaking more engaging.

Active Voice: The chef prepared the meal.
Passive Voice: The meal was prepared by the chef.

7. Use Commas Appropriately

Commas help clarify meaning by separating different elements in a sentence. Use them to separate items in a list, introductory phrases, and clauses. This grammar rule is crucial for proper punctuation.

Example: After dinner, we went for a walk.
Example: She bought apples, oranges, and bananas.

8. Capitalize Proper Nouns and Titles

Always capitalize proper nouns (specific names of people, places, and things) and titles when they’re used as part of someone’s name. This grammar rule ensures correct formatting in formal writing.

Example: I visited New York City.
Example: Doctor Smith is here.

9. Use Consistent Point of View

Maintain a consistent point of view throughout a sentence or paragraph. Shifting from “I” to “you” or “he/she” within a sentence can be confusing. This grammar rule keeps the sentence focused.

Correct: I went to the market and bought some vegetables.
Incorrect: I went to the market, and you bought some vegetables.

10. Place Adjectives and Adverbs Correctly

Adjectives describe nouns, while adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Make sure they’re placed correctly to clarify what they’re modifying. This grammar rule enhances clarity.

Example: She quickly finished her homework. (Quickly modifies the verb finished)
Example: The blue car is mine. (Blue describes the car)

11. Use Articles Correctly (A, An, The)

“A” and “an” are indefinite articles and are used with non-specific nouns, while “the” is a definite article used for specific nouns. Following this grammar rule helps clarify which nouns are general and which are specific.

Example: I saw a cat. (Any cat)
Example: I saw the cat that lives in our neighborhood. (A specific cat)

12. Avoid Double Negatives

Double negatives can make sentences confusing. In English, using two negatives in the same sentence cancels each other out, making the sentence positive. This grammar rule is essential for clarity.

Incorrect: I don’t have no money.
Correct: I don’t have any money.

In Summary

These 12 grammar rules provide a strong foundation for clear, effective communication in English. Mastering them can make a significant difference in how well you express yourself, whether you’re speaking or writing. So, take some time to review and practice these grammar rules, and you’ll see a noticeable improvement in your English skills. Happy learning!

Understanding Phrasal Verbs in English Grammar

 

Phrasal Verbs in English Grammar
Phrasal Verbs in English Grammar

English grammar is replete with various elements that add complexity and nuance to the language. Among these elements, phrasal verbs stand out as a distinctive feature, playing a crucial role in both spoken and written communication. Phrasal verbs consist of a main verb combined with one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs), and mastering them is essential for achieving fluency in English.

What are Phrasal Verbs?

A phrasal verb is formed by combining a verb with one or more particles, creating a new meaning that often differs from the individual words. These particles can be prepositions or adverbs. For example, the verb “look” combined with the preposition “up” creates the phrasal verb “look up,” which means to search for information.

Types of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs can be categorized into two main types:

 Transitive and intransitive

  • Transitive Phrasal Verbs:
      • These verbs are followed by an object, and the meaning of the verb often depends on the particle used. For instance, in the phrasal verb “look up,” the object could be a piece of information you are searching for.
    • Example: She looked up the word in the dictionary.
  • Intransitive Phrasal Verbs:
    • These verbs do not require an object. The meaning is often idiomatic, and it might not be apparent from the individual words.
  • Example: The children quickly ran out of the room when they heard the bell.

Separable and Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs can also be classified as separable or inseparable based on whether the object can be placed between the verb and the particle.

  • Separable Phrasal Verbs:
      • In these verbs, the object can come between the verb and the particle or follow the particle.
    • Example: She picked the book up. OR She picked up the book.
  • Inseparable Phrasal Verbs:
    • In these verbs, the object must follow the particle.
  • Example: They broke up last year.

Common Usage in Daily Communication

Phrasal verbs are pervasive in everyday English, and their usage adds a colloquial and natural touch to the language. While some learners find them challenging due to their varied meanings, mastering phrasal verbs enhances one’s ability to understand and express ideas effectively.

Here are some examples of commonly used phrasal verbs:

  • Call off:
      • Meaning: To cancel
      • Example: The meeting was called off due to unforeseen circumstances.
  • Bring up:
      • Meaning: To mention or introduce a topic
      • Example: She brought up an interesting point during the discussion.
  • Give in:
    • Meaning: To surrender or yield
    • Example: After a lengthy negotiation, they finally gave in to the demands.

Tips for Learning and Using Phrasal Verbs

  • Context is Key:
      • Pay attention to the context in which phrasal verbs are used, as this often provides clues to their meanings.
  • Read Widely:
      • Exposure to a variety of written material helps in encountering and understanding different phrasal verbs in diverse contexts.
  • Practice Regularly:
      • Actively use phrasal verbs in your speaking and writing to reinforce their usage and meanings.
  • Use Reference Materials:
    • Consult dictionaries or language resources that provide explanations and examples of phrasal verbs.

Have a look at EngVarta’s Phrasal Verbs series! In this video, we dive deep into the phrasal verbs associated with the word “Look.” Understanding phrasal verbs is crucial for English fluency, as they are commonly used in everyday conversation. Join us as we unravel the meanings, uses, and nuances of various ‘Look’ phrasal verbs, making your journey in English learning more comprehensive and enlightening.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

  • Detailed explanations of phrasal verbs like ‘look up’, ‘look after’, ‘look into’, and more.
  • Contextual examples to showcase how each phrasal verb is used in everyday language.
  • Tips for remembering and applying these verbs in your own conversations.

📚 Phrasal Verb Mastery:

  • Discover the versatility of ‘Look’ in phrasal verb formations.
  • Learn the subtleties that differentiate similar phrasal verbs.
  • Enhance your understanding of English grammar in a practical way.

📘 Building Fluent English:

  • Exercises to practice and reinforce your understanding of ‘Look’ phrasal verbs.
  • Strategies to incorporate phrasal verbs into your active vocabulary.

👥 Engage with Our EngVarta Community:

  • Share sentences you’ve created using ‘Look’ phrasal verbs.
  • Get feedback and insights from fellow learners and experts.
  • This series is not just about learning phrasal verbs; it’s about gaining the confidence to use them fluently in your daily English. Stay tuned for more videos covering different phrasal verbs in our series!

Download EngVarta for more in-depth English grammar practice.

Conclusion

In conclusion, phrasal verbs are an integral part of English grammar, contributing to the language’s richness and versatility. While they may pose a challenge for learners, understanding their meanings and usage enhances one’s ability to communicate effectively. Regular practice, exposure to diverse contexts, and a keen awareness of how phrasal verbs function will undoubtedly contribute to mastering this essential aspect of English language proficiency.

How To Naturally Learn English Like A Child | 4 Secret To Learn English

How To Naturally Learn English Like A Child
How To Naturally Learn English Like A Child
  • Have you ever wondered why you can speak your native language fluently but when it comes to English most of us fumble?
    Is it that your mother tongue is comparatively easier than English. Think again is it easier or you find it easy because you have been speaking it from childhood.
  • We feel more comfortable with our native language because we have listened and adapted it from as long as we can remember. Now, imagine if you have had learned English similarly, wouldn’t your English be as flawless as well?

We have grown up without really getting comfortable with English. So what can be done now to make English our strength? Why don’t we learn from children only, the right mantra to learn any language. The moment a child is born we start speaking to them, mostly to soothe them and to shower our love on them. As they grow, we start talking to them more frequently showing them the fan, the light, their tummy, their nose. Babies gently begin to memorize these words and understand their meanings. When they turn a little older, they start calling things around them by their name.
Gradually progressing from one word, they learn to speak the whole sentence and they actually learn all this by constantly listening to us, if we are conversing in Hindi then they’ll learn Hindi, if Bengali then Bengali, Gujarati then Gujarati even if the parents use Hinglish in their conversation, then they’ll learn Hinglish.

Lesson No. 1. Listen, listen and listen.

The more you’ll listen, the better your brain will grab that language. You have a varied variety of options – English songs, movies, Tv shows, news, online shows, videos, speeches, interviews, audio novels, anything and everything that features English as the main language.

 

It is not that easy to consistently listening to English as it is sounding to you. Many times we do not understand what the speaker has fluently said in English. We have the solution to this problem as well, moreover not just one but three.

 

First – If someone can talk to you in English regularly, make them your new best friend and listen to them as much as possible.

 

Second – Start slow, concentrate on Indian English news channels, Interviews of Indians in English as mostly due to accent we understand them easily.

 

Third – Listen to songs after reading the lyrics or watch once with subtitles and then without it for a better understanding of what they have said.

Lesson no. 2. Repeat.

A child firstly don’t know what a fan is? They are told the same thing repeatedly by showing the fan that ‘this is a fan’. Similarly to make your brain register English better, listen to the same thing more than a few times. Exactly the way you know the dialogues of your favorite movie by heart, in the same manner, you should get well versed with these English sentences as well.

Lesson no. 3. Practice.

A stage comes when children become COPYCAT and they start to repeat whatever you say. Actually, they are adding those words in their vocabulary so that they can use them when required ever after.
The same thing you have to do, just spell again and again what you hear. Automatically you will feel the improvements in your pronunciation, you’ll discover more new words and above all, you will automatically start learning the proper use of a word as well.

Lesson no. 4. Lose your fear.

A child isn’t afraid of making mistakes or asking questions, adopt the same attitude. Firstly, you will have to overcome of your fear of speaking English.
Secondly, if you do not understand something or meaning of any word then without any hesitation ask the meaning of that word or phrase. It might happen that you get to gain something new in asking your query.

For Regular English Practice with Expert: Download EngVarta Mobile App

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