Use of Articles -> A , An , the I) Use of articles A , An

Before every vocabulary (word) beginning with vowels- a,e,I,o,u

A - A Aeroplane incorrect

An Aeroplane correct

E- A egg incorrect

An egg correct

I- A ice-cream incorrect

An ice-cream correct

O- A Orange In correct

An Orange ->correct

U- A Umbrella ->incorrect

An Umbrella ->correct

When a vocabulary(word) begins with vowel as above, which doesnt sound as a or aa, but sounds as u, it

takes a instead of an.

Exa- an University ->incorrect

a University ->correct

an European ->incorrect

a European ->correct

an Universe ->incorrect

a Universe ->correct

Other words like Europa, Union, Unitary, Unilateral, Eureka, United, Ukraine, Urine, Eurasia etc. take a instead of

an.

In the like manner , when a vocabulary(word) begins with consonant instead of vowel as above ,but does sound

as a or aa, , it takes an instead of a.

Exa- A honest man incorrect

An honest man correct

A hour incorrect

An hour correct

A MLA/MP incorrect

An MLA/MP correct

Other words like honour ,heir , take an instead of a.

II) Omission of articles:-

1-Before proper noun

Exa-King Ashok was a popular ruler.-correct

The Ashok was a popular ruler.-incorrect

2-Before a noun used in its widest sense

Exa-Man is mortal. correct

The man is mortal.- incorrect

3-Before proper noun used to denote a class

Exa-Prime Minister Modi is Ashok of the age- correct

Prime Minister Modi is the Ashok of the age-incorrect

4-Before abstract nouns

Exa-My maternal grand mother is suffering from blindness due to her old age- correct

My maternal grand mother is suffering from the blindness due to her old age- incorrect

5-Before names of diseases

Exa-Choleara is a water borne disease-correct

The Choleara is a water borne disease-incorrect

A Choleara is a water borne disease-incorrect

6-Before certain titles indicating relationship

Exa- -correct

7-Before such nouns as are plural in sense but singular in form

Exa-Police are very alert-correct

The Police are very alert-incorrect

8-Before public institutions associated with thought not building

Exa-Parliament is necessary for democracy-correct

The Parliament is necessary for democracy-incorrect

III) Use of article THE:-

1-when we speak of a particular person or thing, or one already referred to, or known to the

speaker

Exa-The boy you mentioned is my cousin.

The book you have given me yesterday is lost.

2-Before nouns when these happen to be names of buildings, mountains, provinces, rivers,

oceans,gulfs lakes etc.

Exa-The Ganga is holy river.

The Rastrapati Bhawan was constructed by the Britishers.

The Bay of Bengal,The Indian ocean.

3-Before the names of the books.

Exa-The Bhagabat Gita,The Bible,The Quran,The Arthasasthra

4-Before the names of countries which are made of descriptive words

Exa-The United States of America,The United Kingdom,The United Arab Emirates,The

Republic of India,The kingdom of Bhutan.

5-Before Official designation/post

Exa-The Collector,The Prime Minister,The Chief Secretory,The Chief Justice,The Director

6-With an adverb in a comparative form

Exa-The more he eats, the more he demands.

Difference between the and a in respect of selective word.

Exa-Dont tell a lie.

Speak the truth.

use of who And whom

If the preposition comes at the end of the sentence or clause,

then we use who instead of whom

Exa-I am searching for the boy whom I met yesterday.

The boy I am searching for who I met yesterday.

Nouns used in singular only Scenery,luggage,news,nonsense,progress,rubbish,weather,milk,ink,water,

information,

furniture,bread,mischief,poetry,hair,advice,which are used in singular

only.These nouns are neither preceded by an indefinite article(a or an) nor

plularised.And these nouns never take indefinite articles i.e a or an,but

always take definite article,the.Also these nouns do take quantitative

adjective like some ,any ,many,etc.

Exa-He committed many acts of mischief.

The scenery of Kashmir is very beautiful

He has not a beautiful furniture in his houseincorrect

He has not any beautiful furniture in his housecorrect

Nouns used in plural only The following nouns are always plural in use

Police , cattle , poultry , people , gentry , peasantry ,infantry

,jury,clersey,company,alphabet,army are always used in plural

omission of Apostrophes The apostrophes is omitted In a few words , where too many hissing sounds

come together.

Exa-My class teacher is always for goodness sake correct

My class teacher is always for goodnesss sake- incorrect

Netaji continued his fight till end for justice sake- correct

Netaji continued his fight till end for justices sake- incorrect

When a comparision is introduced by means of a comparative followed by

than,the things compared must always be excluded from the class of things

with which it is compared by using other.

Exa-Kolkata is bigger than any city of india.-- incorrect

Kolkata is bigger than any other city of india.-- correct

Ashok is more popular than any king of India- incorrect

Ashok is more popular than any other king of India- correct

use of Adverb else When the adverb else is combined with certain indefinite

pronouns(anybody,somebody,nobody,etc).The usual possessive form is as

follows-

Exa-It is anybodys else property--- incorrect

It is anybody elses property--- correct

We should not think that the Railway station is nobodys else property --- incorrect

We should not think that the Railway station is nobody elses property --- correct

The adverb of quantity like scarcely , hardly are followed by when

instead of than

Exa-Scarcely had I completed teaching the lesson ,than the student fell asleep.-incorrect

Scarcely had I completed teaching the lesson ,when the student fell asleep.-correct

Hardly had I completed teaching the lesson ,than the student fell asleep.-incorrect

Hardly had I completed teaching the lesson ,when the student fell asleep.-correct

Hardly it was 6 am than the guest arrived the house.-----incorrect

Hardly it was 6 am when the guest arrived the house.-----correct

use of Adverb seldom Seldom is a negative concept. Hence it should not be followed by not.

However ,it can be followed bynever.

Exa-He seldom does not come to my house.-->incorrect

He seldom comes to my house.-->correct

He seldom or never comes to my house.-->correct

use of pronoun such What is pronoun?

AnsFor noun=pronoun

Pronoun is used in place of noun.

When the pronoun , such is used in the beginning of the sentence, it should

be followed by the conjunction ,that but not ,as.

Exa-Such was his ambition as he got it fulfilled .-->incorrect

Such was his ambition that he got it fulfilled .-->correct

When the pronoun such is used in the middle of the sentence, it takes the

preposition as

Exa-He is such a boy as is distinguished from the rest of the class.-->correct

He is such a boy as is distinguished from the rest of the class.-->correct

The relative pronoun ,as far as possible ,should be placed nearest to its

anticident.

Exa-I have read Platos writings , who was a philoshoper of Greece .-->incorrect

I have read the writings of Plato , who was a philoshoper of Greece .-->correct

the Adverb enough is AlwAYs plAced After the word

WHICH IT QUALIFIES Exa-He was kind enough to me.

The verb should agree with the antecedent

Exa-The headmaster and his students are going.

use of As well As When two or more subjects are joined by as well as , the verb agrees with the

first subject in number and person.

Exa-The principal as well as the professors were present in the college function. -->incorrect.

The principal as well as the professors was present in the college function. -->correct.

The verb should agree with the precedent subject

Exa-The headmaster as well as his students are going.-->incorrect

The headmaster as well as his students is going.-->correct

When the conjunction and is used in place of as well as ,the verb agrees with

the subjects taken together.

Exa- The principal and the professors was present in the college function.--incorrect

The principal and the professors were present in the college function.--correct

When two or more subjects are joined by

or,eitheror,neither.or,the verb Agrees with the

nearest subject

Exa-Either Rama or Sita forgot to take her pen--correct

Exa-Either Rama or Sita forgot to take his pen-- incorrect

A reflexive pronoun alone cannot be the subject of a

. verb Exa-Myself have done this workincorrect

I Myself have done this work- correct

He himself,she herself,you yourself,they themselves,etc can be the subject of

a verb

When the complement of a verb is pronoun ,it should be in

subjective form Exa-It is I,who have done the work-- - correct

It is me,who have done it--- incorrect

Use of either or/ neither nor When reference is made to two only .

Exa-Either of the two boys of Rama has come for work.-----correct

none of the two boys of Rama has come for work.-----incorrect

use of eAch other/ one Another When reference is made to speak about two in number , the phrase each

other is used. But when reference is made to speak about more than

two ,the phrase one another is used.

Exa-Two boys are quarreling among each other.

A group of five boys are discussing over the topic among one another.

Verbs that take REFLEXIVE PRONOUN Certain verbs like avail , acquit ,absent ,enjoy ,apply ,avenge ,resign ,

oversleep ,drink ,revenge ,exert etc.

Exa-He absented himself from that important meeting.

verbs thAt dont take REFLEXIVE PRONOUN Certain verbs like break, keep ,bath , turn, height ,feed etc. dont take

reflexive

Exa-The day broke itself in a cloudless sky.---incorrect

The day broke in a cloudless sky.-correct

The relative pronoun that , in preference to , who or which

a)After adjective in the superlative degree

Exa-It is the best that I can do for you.

b)after the interrogative pronoun

Exa-What is it that troubles you ?

c)After two anticidents-one denoting to a person and the other denoting to an animal or a

thing

Exa-The boy and his dog that had entered the house were turn out.

Such and same are followed by as in preference to that, which or

who

Exa-His answer was such as I expected from him.

No less than is used in reference to quantitative nouns .No fewer than is

used in reference to numbers

Exa-No fewer than one thousand people were killed in the earth quake.

Verbs that take the preposition as

Certain verbs like regard ,describe ,trip ,define etc. are followed by as

Exa-He is regarded as one of our family members.

When, one of the.. is used ,it takes plural nouns but singular auxiliary

verb only.

Exa-one of the boys was found missing from the group.

the verb comes before its subject when it is introduced

BY AN ADVERB Exa-No sooner did he reach the railway station , the train left ---incorrect

No sooner did he reach the railway station , than the train left ---correct

Exa-Rightly it has been said that virtue brings its own reward.-incorrect

Rightly has it been said that virtue brings its own reward.-correct

the Adjective eAch And everY Are singulAr And hence

FOLLOWED BY SINGULAR VERB

Exa-Everyone of the students of the class were present.----incorrect

Everyone of the students of the class was present.----correct

Eachone of the students of the class were present.----incorrect

Eachone of the students of the class was present.----correct

Nouns in both plural and singular form Certain nouns like deer , sheep , fish , pipe ,fruit ,yoke etc.

Exa-Deer is a herbivorous animal.

Ten deer are grazing grass together.

NOUNS TAKE PLURAL SENSE WHEN REFER TO KIND Certain nouns like fish , fruit , water etc. take plural from when it speaks of

more than one kind.

Exa-My father bought five mango fruit.

My father bought one each of mango and apple fruits.

He purchased ten Rohu fish from the market.

He purchased fishes of both Rohu and Catla from the market.

Kanyakumari is the place where three waters like Bay of Bengal ,Indian Ocean and The Arabian Sea

meet.

MATERIAL NOUN WHEN USED TO DENOTE A MASS OF MATTER

ARE NOT BE IN PLURAL FORM BUT IN SINGULAR FORM ONLY. When any material noun is used to denote the material as whole,it is to be

used in singular form only

Exa-My house is made up of brick and stone .-correct

-My house is made up of bricks and stones .-incorrect

Nouns plural in form but singular in use Certain nouns like Mathematics , staticstics ,Scissors ,Spectacles

,Tongs , measles ,Trousers , NEWS ,Annals ,Credentials ,Wages

,Innings ,Canteens ,Physics ,Synthesis ,Economics , Alms etc. look

like plural but are always singular in use.

Exa-My favorite subject is Physics-- correct

My favorite subject are Physics --- incorrect

Conjunction like UNLESS And UNTILL Are negAtive

Unless=If + not The sentence in which conjunction unless is used ,it will not be followed

by not.

Exa-Unless you work hard, it is not difficult to get success incorrect

Unless you work hard, it is difficult to get success correct

UNTIL=TIME + NOT

Exa-Until I dont come back, you should not leave the house-incorrect

-Until I come back, you should not leave the house-correct

Conjunction Although is followed bY A comma( , ) or

Yet but not bY but Exa-Although he is poor ,but he is honest--incorrect

Although he is poor , yet he is honest--correct

Although he is poor , he is honest--correct

the infinitive without to is used After the phrAses hAd

better ,hAd rAther , As soon AsExa- You had better not to stay here. incorrect

You had better not stay here. correct

Exa- He had rather not to reach there. incorrect

He had rather not reach there. correct

Exa-The miscreants started leaving the spot as soon as the policeman started to take action.--

>incorrect

The miscreants started leaving the spot as soon as the policeman started taking action.-->correct

other is followed bY thAn not bY but Exa-How could I hear such words from any other man but him.--> incorrect

How could I hear such words from any other man than him.--> correct

As if is used in pAst tense onlY Exa-He ordered me as if he is my boss.

. As though used in present tense onlY

Preposition

Some hints about use of preposition before noun ,verb or adjective and post position after

noun, verb and adjective .

The verb like angry, please, displease, happy etc. take the preposition with

Exa-My friend is angry with me.

My friend is happy with me.

My friend is pleased with me.

My friend is displeased with me.

The following adjectives ending with ior take the preposition to .

Senior-junior

Anterior-posterior

Superior-inferior

Exa-I am senior/junior to him. correct

I am senior/junior than him incorrect

I am superior/inferior to him. correct

I am superior/inferior than him. incorrect

The portico is anterior to my house. correct

The toilet is posterior to my house . correct

Difference between agree with and agree to

When the subject relates to the person , the postposition with is used .

Exa-I agree with him .

When the subject relates to the object , the postposition to is used .

Exa- I do not agree to his proposal .

Difference between into and to

When somebody or something looses its existence , into is used.

Exa- The child threw a stone into the river.

Here the stone ,though does not lose its existence ,but the child concerned cannot get it

back.

Exa-The child entered to the river with his father.

Here the child and his father will comeback from the river.

Exa-The child threw the ball to the neighbor's yard.

Here the child will get back the ball from neighbors yard.

difference between in And At Exa-My elder brother lives in Bangalore.

When the place is large like metro political city or city, in is used

My uncle lives at native village.

When the place is comparatively small, at is used

My friend lives in England

The moon appears at night .

The sun rises in the morning.

I met my friend in the seashore.

I met my friend at the river bank

The use of on , over and across

When something touches the object ,it takes the post position on .

Exa- There is a book on the table.

Here the book touch the table itself.

When something doesnt touch the object ,but is bit high ,it takes over .

Exa-There is a bridge over the river Mahanadi.

When something doesnt touch the object ,but is quite high ,it takes across.

Exa-The aeroplane is flying across the building.

Difference between under and beneath

The cat is under the table.

There is a goldmine beneath the mountain.

Common error

Difference between fact and true fact

Exa-It is a fact that 2014 General Election verdict was in favour of the BJP correct

It is a true fact that 2014 General Election verdict was in favour of the BJP incorrect

Difference between bag and baggage and with bag and

baggage

Exa-He left the house bag and baggage.

He left with bag and baggage