20 simple grammar rules
1. A Sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a period/full stop, a question mark or an exclamation mark.
The fat cat sat on the mat.
Where do you live?
My dog is very clever!
2. The order of a basic positive sentence is Subject-Verb-Object. (Negative and question sentences may have a different order.)
John loves Mary. / He loves her
They were driving their car to Bangkok. The family drove to Bangkok.
3. Every sentence must have a subject and a verb. An object is optional. Note that an imperative sentence may have a verb only, but the subject is understood.
Gary teaches. (English)
John walks. (to the shop)
They are swimming. (in the river)
Stop! (You stop!) [Imperative sentences are used to issue a command or instruction, make a request, or offer advice]
4. The subject and verb must agree in number, that is a singular subject needs a singular verb and a plural subject needs a plural verb.
John works in London.
That monk eats once a day.
John and Mary work in London.
Most people eat three meals a day.
5. When two singular subjects are connected by or, use a singular verb. The same is true for either/or and neither/nor.
John or Mary is coming tonight.
Either coffee or tea is fine.
Neither John nor Mary was late.
6. Adjectives usually come before a noun (except when a verb separates the adjective from the noun).
Adjectives tell us more about nouns or pronouns. Sometimes we call them “modifiers”.
A noun is a person, a place, a thing, a quality. It answers the question “who” or “what“.
I have a big dog.
She married a handsome Italian man.
Her husband is rich. [verb separates the adjective from the noun]
7. When using two or more adjectives together, the usual order is opinion-adjective + fact-adjective + noun.
I saw a nice French table. [Nice – opinion, French – fact]
That was an interesting Shakespearian play. [Interesting – opinion, Shakespearian – fact]
8. Treat collective nouns (eg committee, company, board of directors) as singular OR plural. a collective noun is generally treated as singular, needing a singular verb and pronoun.
The team is playing well.
My family likes going to the zoo.
CNN has changed its logo.
When the members of a collective noun are performing an action as individuals, use a plural verb. In this case, all or some members of the group are doing something independently of the other members; the group is not acting together as a unit.
- The orchestra are tuning their instruments.
- The cast have been practising their lines.
- The flock were running off in every direction.
- The staff disagree on the proposal.
In many cases, it may sound more natural to make the subject plural in form by adding a word like members:
- The members of the orchestra are tuning their instruments.
- The cast members have been practising their lines.
- The staff members disagree on the proposal.
9. The words its and it’s are two different words with different meanings.
The dog has hurt its leg.
He says it’s (it is) two o’clock.
10. The words your and you’re are two different words with different meanings.
Here is your coffee.
You’re (you are) looking good.
11. The words there, their and they’re are three different words with different meanings.
There was nobody at the party.
I saw their new car.
Do you think they’re (they are) happy?
12. The contraction he’s can mean he is OR he has. Similarly, she’s can mean she is OR she has, and it’s can mean it is OR it has, and John’s can mean John is OR John has.
He is working = He’s working
He has finished = He’s finished
She is here = She’s here
She has left = She’s left
John is married = John’s married
John has divorced his wife = John’s divorced his wife
13. The contraction he’d can mean he had OR he would. Similarly, they’d can mean they had OR they would.
He had eaten when I arrived = He’d eaten when I arrived
He would eat more if possible = He’d eat more if possible
They had already finished = They’d already finished
They would come if they could = They’d come if they could
14. Spell a proper noun with an initial capital letter. A proper noun is a “name” of something, for example Josef, Mary, Russia, China, British Broadcasting Corporation, English.
We have written to Mary.
Is China in Asia?
Do you speak English?
15. Spell proper adjectives with an initial capital letter. Proper adjectives are made from proper nouns, for example Germany → German, Orwell → Orwellian, Machiavelli → Machiavellian.
London is an English town.
Who is the Canadian prime minister?
Which is your favourite Shakespearian play?
16. Use the indefinite article a/an for countable nouns in general. Use the definite article the for specific countable nouns and all uncountable nouns.
I saw a bird and a balloon in the sky. The bird was blue and the balloon was yellow.
He always saves some of the money that he earns.
17. Use the indefinite article a with words beginning with a consonant sound. Use the indefinite article an with words beginning with a vowel /VOWEL sound.
a cat, a game of golf, a human endeavour, a Frenchman, a university (you-ni-ver-si-ty)
an apple, an easy job, an interesting story, an old man, an umbrella, an honorable man (on-o-ra-ble), an MBA (em-b-a)
18. Use many or few with countable nouns. Use much/a lot or little for uncountable nouns.
How many dollars do you have?
How much money do you have?
There are a few cars outside.
There is little traffic on the roads.
19. To show possession (who is the owner of something) use an apostrophe + s (‘s) for singular owners, and s + apostrophe (s’) for plural owners.
The boy’s dog. (one boy)
The boys’ dog. (two or more boys)
20. In general, use the active voice (Cats eat fish) in preference to the passive voice (Fish are eaten by cats).
We use active in preference to passive.
Active is used in preference to passive.