Nouns identify the subjects we are referring to such as: names of places, persons, things, or ideas.

The subject(s) can be expressed through the use of common nouns, proper nouns, or pronouns. 1) Noun represents the name of a place, a person, a thing, or an idea. a) Common Noun refers to any place, person, thing, idea, etc. Examples: car girl city religion mood b) Proper Noun refers to a particular place, person, thing, idea, etc. Examples: sedan Jane Spokane Christianity depression 2) Pronoun - can take the place of a noun. Examples: What caused the damage? As the whale was released back into the ocean, it immediately joined its pod. Sally washed her car and let it dry before she drove it home. 3) Case Personal Pronouns refers to the form that a pronoun takes in its relationship to the other words in the sentence. There are three types of cases: a) Nominative Examples: he she they we I it (He) (she) (they) (we) (I) (you) will support this fundraiser. (He) (she) (they) (we) (I) (you) agreed to organize (it). ** Note: When referring to the first person, the word I is always capitalized, even in mid sentence.

b) Possessive Examples: his hers its their/theirs our/ours my/mine your/yours

 That house is (hers) (his) (theirs) (ours) (mine) (yours). It is (her) (his) (their) (our) (my) (your) house. c) Objective Examples: him her them us me Tom asked (him) (her) (them) (us) (me) to arrive early. 4) Compound Personal Pronoun- is used for action when turned back on the subject (reflexive use) and for emphasis (intensive use). Examples: himself herself themselves ourselves myself yourself yourselves itself a) Reflexive use Examples: She talked herself into going to the concert. You could injure yourselves if you dont hold on tightly. b) Intensive use Examples: The manager himself made those long distant calls She herself will pay for all those expenses. 5) Relative Pronoun Modifies a noun or pronoun occurring in the sentence and connects it to the rest of the sentence. Examples: that which what who plus derivatives: whose whosoever whom whomever The position that she wanted has been offered to someone else. A container, which held toxic chemicals, exploded in the warehouse today. They hired John Adams, who has had twenty years sales experience. What he would have preferred, is the corner office space. We are offering computer training for whoever needs it.

6) Interrogative Pronoun is used in asking a question. Examples: which what who plus derivatives: whose whom whomever Who was at the meeting? With whom was that report left? Which customer made this payment? What did that customer buy? 7) Infinitive Pronoun frequently refers to number and gender. Examples: any either neither all both each some several everyone one someone none NOUNS :Rules Related to the Correct use of NOUNS :1) A proper noun becomes a common noun when it is used in the plural form, or when an article is placed before it. Eg:- There are five Gandhis in our College. Kalidas is the Shakespeare of India 2) A collective noun takes a singular Verb when the whole group is considered as one unit. Eg:- The committee consists of Five Members. The family living next door has come from Madras. 3) If we refer to the members of the committee or family separately, the collective noun takes a plural verb, but it (the collective noun) remains singular in form. eg:- The committee have taken their seats. 4)An abstract noun can also be used in the sense of a collective noun. When an abstract noun is used as a collective noun it takes a plural verb. eg:- Youth are the pillars of the nation. 5) When a material Noun denotes a mass of matter, it is not used in the plural form. eg:- Their House is built of bricks and stones. (Incorrect) Their house is built of brick and stone. (Correct) Rules Related to the Correct use of NOUNS :6) Some nouns have the same form for the plural as well as for the singular. The following are some nouns that belong to this category. Sheep,Species, Deer, Aircraft, OffSpring, Yoke, Space Craft, Salmon etc.

7) Some nouns are used in the singular only. The following are some nouns that belong to this category. Advice, Corn, Grain, Justice, Clothing, Information, Poetry, Scenery, Machinery, Hair etc. Some nouns are apparently plural in form but are singular in use. News, Economics, Physics, Measles, Mumps, Ethics. Note :- Summons is singular and summonses is plural. 9)When a plural noun denotes a specific amount, length, weight, quantity etc. considered as a whole, the verb must be in the singular form. Eg:- Ten Thousand rupees is a large amount. Six Kilometers is not a long distance for a runner like you. 10) Inanimate Objects (Lifeless Objects) which are remarkable for beauty, gentleness, Gracefulness, tenderness, weakness and so on, are treated as feminine gender. Eg:- the moon, the earth, the Spring, Virtue, Peace, charity,fame, nature, Hope,truth,victory, defeat, Modesty, liberty etc. 11) Inanimate things which are known for strength,courage,violence,superiority, and so forth, are treated as masculine. Eg:- the sun, the death, Summer, winter, war, anger, Fear,Thunder etc. 12) The possessive Case of nouns is formed when we put 's to the noun (apostrophe s). Eg:- The Girl's Dress. The Boy's Pen. b) The possessive case is used with the nouns of living things but not with the inanimate objects. Eg:- Table's Leg. (Incorrect) Leg of the Table. (Correct) c) The possessive is used with the names of personified objects. Eg:- Death's icy hands. 13) When the noun is plural, and ends in s; the possessive case is formed by adding only an apostrophe (After s) Eg:- Girls' hostel. Birds' nests. 14) When the noun is plural but does not end in s, the possessive case is formed by adding 's. Eg:- Men's Club , Children's Park, Women's Day 15)When a noun or a title consists of several words, the possessive case is formed by adding 's to the last word.

Eg:- The Prime Minister of India's Speech. The King of Bhutan's visit to India. 16) When two or more proper nouns are joined by 'and', and a common possession is meant, the possessive case will be formed by adding 's to the last noun. Eg:- Amar and Kumar's house is really beautiful. 17) When there are two nouns in apposition, the possessive case will be formed by adding 's to the second noun. Eg:- Penicillin, Flemming's discovery, has saved the lives of many people. Mohan, the professor's son, is very Intelligent. 1 The possessive case of a compound noun will be formed by adding 's to the last word. Eg:- Sister-in-law's house. Commander-in-chief's Office. 19) If the last syllable of a singular noun ends in '-s' or '-ce' and the noun is followed by the word ''sake'', the possessive case of the noun will be formed by adding (') only. Eg:- for goodness' sake, for justice' sake. for conscience' sake, for Jesus' sake. RULES FOR USE OF PRONOUNS :1) Some important uses of "it" are given with examples. Eg:- a) To introduce a sentence It is not certain that the president will come. b) To give emphasis to the noun or pronoun that follows. eg:- It was you who began the quarrel with us. c) As an indefinite nominative of an impersonal verb. eg:- It rains. d) In sentences showing distance. eg:- It is not far to walk e) In sentences indicating time. eg:- It is ten O' clock now. f) To introduce a phrase. eg:- It is decided to declare a holiday today. g) In exclamatory sentences. eg;- What a beautiful book it is! h) To introduce a that clause.

eg:- It is said that smoking is injurious to health. i) As a sort of object in order to avoid repetition. eg:- Let us fight it (the issue) out. RULES FOR USE OF PRONOUNS :2) While confessing a fault(or expressing a negative idea) the sequence of the personal pronouns should be as follows. Eg:- I, You and he are in the wrong and will be punished. Sequence:First person first, Second person next and third person last. 3) While expressing a positive idea or praise, the sequence of the personal pronouns should be as follows. Eg:- You, he and I, will get an award for the good work we have done. Sequence:Second person, third person and first person. 4) When two singular nouns joined by and denote the same person or thing, the pronoun used for them must be singular in number. The definite article the is placed before the first noun. Eg:- The accounts officer and treasurer should be careful in his work of keeping accounts. 5) When two singular nouns are by 'and' , and are preceded by each and every, the pronoun must be in singular number. Eg:- Every Student and every teacher took his/her seat. 6) When a personal pronoun is connected by a conjunction with some other word in the objective case, it must be in the objective or accusative case. Eg:- These Clothes are for you and me. 7) When a singular noun and a plural noun are combined by or, either....or, neither....nor, the singular noun usually comes first in the sentence, and the pronoun must be in the plural number. Eg:- Either the manager or his subordinates failed in their duty in sending the official message. The personal pronouns- yours,ours,hers,theirs and its- are written without apostrophe. Eg:- Your' Sincerely (Wrong) Yours Sincerely (Correct) 9) When a personal pronoun is used as a complement to the verb to be, it must be in the nominative case. Eg:- It was he, who could solve the problem easily.

10) A pronoun should be used in the objective case in a sentence beginning with let. Eg:- Let him go to his office immediately. Let her submit the records in time. 11) One can be used to talk about people in general, the pronoun that follows one should be one's ( not his/her) Eg:- One should do his duty. ( Wrong ) One should do one's duty. ( Correct ) 12) A relative pronoun must always be placed as near its antecedent as possible. Also, it must always agree with its antecedent in number, gender and person. Eg:- This is the manager who abused the clerk. 13) Generally, the relative pronoun in the objective case is omitted. Eg:- The student (whom is omitted) you wanted to punish is absent today. 14) The pronouns who, whom and whose are generally used for persons. Who is used in the nominative case. Whom is used in the objective case. Whose is used in the possessive case. Eg:- 1) Sarita is the student who got an award. 2) They are thieves whom the police caught. 3) This is the student whose certificates are lost. 15) When the relative pronoun is in different cases, one in the nominative and the other in the objective, it must be mentioned twice, once for each verb. Eg:- The girl, who is my daughter and whom you met in the library yesterday, left for mumbai in the morning. 16) Uses of WHICH :Which is used in the following ways: 1) For infants, small animals, and objects. Eg:- This is the baby which was lost in the theatre. This is the dog which my friend brought from the kennel's club. 2) When selection is expressed. Eg:- Which of these television sets do you want to purchase? 3) To refer to a sentence. Eg:- He was said to be drunk, which was not true. 17) Uses of THAT :That is used in the following ways : 1) For persons, lifeless things and small animals in the singular or in the plural number. Eg:- This is the girl that failed in the exam. This is the radio that i brought yesterday. 2) As a substitute for a singular noun already mentioned.

Eg:- The weather of Hyderabad is far better than Chennai. ( Wrong ) The weather of Hyderabad is far better than that of chennai ( Correct ) 3) After a noun phrase used as direct object. Eg:- I vividly remember the night that she came. 1 'Either' and 'neither' are used in speaking of two persons or places or things etc. Eg:- Neither Mahesh nor Mohan is intelligent. ( Negative meaning ) Either Mahesh or Mohan is expected to get a prize. ( Positive meaning ) 19) Uses of each other and one another 1) Each other is used for two persons or things or places etc. Eg:- These two students love each other. 2) One another is used for more than two persons or things. Eg:- Those four countries always disagree with one another. 20) Each can come in three different positions in a sentence. 1) Each of the students got a prize. (initial) 2) The students got a prize each. (end) 3) The students were each given a prize. (middle) 21) ONE is used in the following ways : 1) For people in general. Eg:- One must try to do One's duty. One must not be proud of oneself. 2) In place of a noun previously mentioned. Eg:- Give me bananas which are fresh ones. 22) As regards anybody, everyone, everybody, etc. the pronoun of the masculine or feminine gender should be used according to the context. Eg:- Everyone of the boys got his hall ticket. ARTICLES :There are two types of articles: i) The Indefinite Articles ( A, An ) ii) The Definite Article ( The ) 1) A or An is used before a singular countable noun. 2) The choice between A and An wholly depends on the pronunciation of the word. 3) 'An' is used before the word, the pronunciation of which starts with a vowel sound. 4) The indefinite article 'a' is used before

a) a word beginning with a letter which has a consonant sound. Eg:- a book, a man, a pen. b) a word that begins with a letter (like O) with the sound like 'wa'. Eg:- a One-rupee note, a One-eye man etc. c) a word beginning with 'u' or 'eu' giving the consonant sound 'yu'. Eg;- a university, a European. 5) The indefinite article 'an' is used before: a) a word beginning with a letter which has a vowel sound. Eg:- an apple, an egg, an umbrella, etc. b) a word beginning with 'h' but the pronunciation of which starts with a vowel sound. Eg:- an heir, an hour, an honest man, etc. c) an abbreviation, the first letter of which has a vowel sound. Eg:- an M.L.A, an M.P, an M.Com, an X-mas gift etc. 1) A or An is not used before : a) Plural nouns : a books, a universities, a dinners etc. (Wrong) b) Uncountable nouns : an advice, an information etc. (wrong) c) names of meals : Let us have dinner (correct ) Let us have a dinner (incorrect) Note:- An indefinite article can be used before names of meals when these are preceded by an adjective. Eg:- She gave me a good breakfast at 8 a.m. 2) A or An is used in the following ways: Before the word 'most' when it is used in the sense of very or much or exceedingly. Eg:- Sreedhar is a most intelligent student This is a most unfortunate event. 3) With a noun complement. This includes names of professions. Eg:- He is an actor. She is a good dancer. It was an accident. 4) In certain phrases: a cold, a pain, on an average, make a noise, make an effort, make a mistake, a fever etc. 5) With certain numbers : a hundred, a thousand, a million etc. RULES REGARDING USE OF ARTICLES :6) 'A' can be used before Mr./Miss/Mrs. + name Eg:- a Mr.Bose, a Mrs. Bose, etc. 7) Before a proper noun to make it a common noun.

Eg:- Mohan is a Newton. Amaresh is a shakespeare. Before certain uncountable nouns preceded by nouns + of Eg:- a piece of advice, a bit of news, a drop of water etc. 9) After the words many, rather, such, quite etc. in certain structures. Eg:- Many a friend of mine is attending the party. Such a show cannot be arranged now. He is rather a fool to take such decisions. 10) In certain expressions of quantity. Eg:- a lot of, a couple, a great many, a good deal of, a good many, a few, a little etc. THE is used in the following ways :11) Before a noun denoting a hospital, temple, school, college, prison etc. If its purpose or use is not referred to or say if used not in its primary purpose. Eg:- He has gone to the hospital to visit a friend. 12) Before an adjective in the superlative degree. Eg:- Michael is the tallest boy in the class. 13) With nouns which refer to the things which is unique. Eg:- the sun, the moon, the sky, the earth, the equator etc. 14) Before an abstract noun or a material if it is used with an adjunct ( a qualifying clause) Eg:- The gold you have brought from the U.S.A is of good quality. 15) Before a singular countable noun which picks out one individual, object etc as representative of a class. Eg:- The tiger is a ferocious animal. 16) The is used before certain adjectives to give a plural meaning. Eg:- rich,poor,dead,sick,healthy,deaf,blind etc. the rich = rich people the poor = poor people 17) With certain adjectives indicating nationality. Eg:- the Dutch, the Spanish, the Chinese, the Burmese etc. 1 Before 'Only' and original numbers, such as first, second, millionth etc. Eg:- All the students of the first year are invited . The second ranker is my son. 19) Before a noun when special emphasis is needed. Eg:- This is the novel i am talking about.

20) Before a common noun to give it the meaning of an abstract noun. Eg:- At last the father in him prevailed and excused him. 21) Before an adjective in the comparative degree, when the selection of one out of only two persons, places or things is meant. Eg:- Nalini is the more beautiful of the two girls in the class. 22) before the adjective in the superlative degree of the comparison. Eg:- She is the most intelligent of all the candidates in the exam. 23) In special comparatives. Eg:- The more you earn, the more you spend. The more, the better. The higher you go, the cooler you feel. 24) Before Musical instruments. Eg:- Rajani can play the piano very well. 25) Before the proper names of certain well-known or sacred books. Eg:- the Mahabharat, the Ramayana, the Gita, the Bible, the Quran. 26) Before the names of certain countries each of which is a union of smaller units. Eg:- the U.S.A, the U.A.R, the U.K etc 27) Before the words like north,south etc. when these are used as nouns. Eg:- the north of India, the Middle East, the West Asia 2 Before some proper nouns consisting of adjectives and noun or noun + of + noun. Eg:- the State bank of India, the National Museum. 29) The + singular noun + clause or phrase can be used to distinguish one person from another of the same name. Eg:- We have two Reddys, which Reddy do you want? I want the Reddy who signed the letter. 30) Before the names of political parties. Eg:- The Congress, The BJP etc... 31) When it is clear from the context that a particular person, place or thing is meant. Eg:- I talked to the principal yesterday. 32) Before the names of the historical or public buildings. Eg:- the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort etc.

33) Before the names of rivers,seas,Oceans, Chains of Mountains, deserts, Newspapers, Magazines etc. Eg:- the krishna, the Arabian sea, the Indian Ocean, the Himalayas, the Thar, the Deccan Chronicle, the Statesman etc. 34) The is used before groups of Islands and the names of certain countries. Eg:- the Andamans, the West indies, the Yemen, the Sudan etc. 35) Before the dates of months. Eg:- the 23 October, 1948 etc. THE is omitted in the following cases :36) Before a common noun is used in the widest sense and before the material nouns. Eg:- In general woman is kind-hearted. Man is mortal Gold is precious metal. (Note :- THE may be used with a material noun if it is used with an adjunct which makes it definite. ) Eg:- The gold we use in India is all imported. 37) Usually before proper nouns and before abstract nouns used in general sense. Eg:- Hyderabad is the capital of Andhra Pradesh. Honesty is the best policy. Sincerity pays dividends. 38 ) Before the words - father, mother, aunt, uncle, etc. in general sense. Eg:- Father is very angry today. 39) Before predicative nouns denoting a position that is normally held at one time by one person only. Eg:- Mr.Kiran was elected chairman of the committee. He became principal of our college in 1996. 40) Before plural nouns which are used to denote a class. Eg:- Historians study old monuments for research purposes. Camels are useful animals in deserts. THE is omitted in the following cases :41) Before plural nouns used in general sense. Eg:- Members are requested to pay their subscriptions in time. 42) Before the names of meals. Eg:- I had lunch at 2.30 p.m. Lets have dinner at 9.00 p.m.

(Note:- THE can be used when meals are preceded by an adjective or a clause or phrase particularising them.) Eg:- The dinner given by our colony association yesterday was not properly arranged. 43) Before common nouns used in pairs. Eg:- He worked day and night to prepare for the civil service exam. Both husband and wife are supposed to take part in this competition. 44) 'The' is not used before the words - bed, hospital, sea, temple, prison,court, school, university, college etc. When these places are visited or used for their primary purpose. Eg:- We go to bed to sleep We go to hospital as doctors. We go to university for higher studies. The articles A, AN and THE can be used as follows in some cases :45) When two or more adjectives qualify the same noun, the article is used before the first adjective only. Eg:- He has a black and white coat. 46) When two or more connected nouns refer to the same person or thing, the article is placed before the first noun only. Eg:- The chief accounts officer and financial adviser is supposed to certify your documents. 47) In expressing a comparison, if two nouns refer to the same person or thing, article 'a' is used before the first noun only. Eg:- He is a better teacher than administrator. Articles are omitted in the following cases :48 ) English = > the English Language the English = > the English people Eg:- we speak English at home. The English and the French have fought various wars. 49) He has gone to market. => He has gone to make purchases. He has gone to the market. => He has gone to the place where there is a market, not necessarily to make purchases. 50) To see light => to look at light To see the light => to be born Eg:- I see light at the end of the tunnel. His proposals for a new international airport never saw the light of the say. 51) The article 'the' is omitted before the nouns in the phrases below. He invite me to lunch/tea/dinner.

ADVERBS :An adverb is a word which modifies a verb, an adjective or another adverb in a given sentence. Eg:- She is reading very Fast. She is very intelligent girl. The horse runs very quickly. (Note:- Usually the adverbs end with -ly.) RULES REGARDING USE OF ADVERBS :1) In order to make our meaning clear, an adverb must be placed as near as possible to the word it modifies. Eg:- She has only three dollars with her. He says he often visits my place. He often says he visits my place. Note :- Other adverbs like only are : just, nearly, hardly, almost, scarcely. Wrong : We only have four hours to finish this paper. Correct: We have only four hours to finish the paper. Wrong: She just wants to take one class. [ Not anything else] Correct: She wants to take just one class. [ Not even second] Wrong: That building nearly costs sixty thousand rupees. Correct: That building costs nearly sixty thousand rupees. RULES REGARDING USE OF ADVERBS :2) When an adverb modifies an intransitive verb, it usually follows it. Eg:- She sang melodiously. She writes neatly. 3) When a verb consists of an auxiliary and a main verb, the adverb which qualifies is placed between the auxiliary and the main verb. Eg:- Wrong: I have told him often not to come late. Correct: I have often told him not to come late. 4) When an adverb modifies an adjective or another adverb, the adverb usually comes before it. Eg:- The Cuckoo sings quite sweetly. Do no speak so fast. Note :- The word 'enough' is always placed after the word it modifies. Why don't you speak loud enough to be heard. 5) The word 'only' should be placed before the word it is intended to modify. Eg:- Only she gave me this book. (i.e., she and nobody else) She only told me the truth. ( and nothing else ) I solved only two papers. (Correct) I only solved two papers. ( Incorrect ) RULES REGARDING USE OF ADVERBS :6) POSITION OF ADVERBS :The position of adverbs is often determined by shades of meaning, for which rules cannot be given, but some generalisations can be made. Adverbs of frequency:always, often, rarely, never, ever, generally, usually, sometimes, occasionally etc.

-> If the verb is in the simple tense form, the adverb is usually placed between the subject and the verb, preferably before the verb it modifies. Eg:- He always goes to college on foot. He often visits the U.S. His brother never takes alcohol. -> When the verb is some form of 'to be' ( is, am, was, are ) the adverb follows the verb: They are always late. He is never punctual. If you are ever in trouble, please meet me. If the verb is a compound one, the adverb is usually placed after the auxiliary: Eg:- I shall never forget his help. He will always behave properly. In negative sentences the adverb of frequency follows not. They ae not often late. In Interrogative sentences the adverb of frequency follows the subject immediately: Eg:- Does he often go fishing? Has he ever travelled by air? At times 'often' may be placed at the end to emphasise it. This is mainly confined to negative statements and questions. Eg:- he does not see his friend often, as he lives in a remote village. "Never' is sometimes placed at the beginning to emphasise it. Then the verb and subject are inverted as in a question. Eg;- I never saw such an accident. Never did i see such an accident. (S-V becomes V-S here) 7) USE OF HARD, HARDLY, SCARCE, SCARCELY:a) Hard as an adveb means 'diligently'. It usually follows the verb. Eg:- He works hard to make both ends meet. b) Hardly when used as an adverb means scarcely, barely. It conveys a negative meaning. Hardly (scarcely) had he reached the station, when the train left. Note:- Hardly and Scarcely are followed by when not than. No sooner is followed by than not when or then. (Very Very important) c) Scarce as an adjective means 'not plentiful', hard to find, not often found. Coal has become scarce in England. Scarcely as an adverb is almost synonymous with 'hardly'. Eg:- I can scarcely hear you. They have scarcely enough money to look after their children. 8 ) SPLIT INFINITIVE :The infinitive is to+ the simple form of the verb (V). Do not put an adverb between to and verb. i. He refused to do the work quickly. ii. They have decided to repeat the experiments carefully. Wrong: He wanted to carefully read the directions. Correct: He wanted to read the directions carefully.

9) DANGLING MODIFIER :The subject of the main clause must be same sa the understood subject of the introductory phrase. In other words, the introductory phrase modifies the subject of the main clause. Eg:- i) Looking at his watch, Mr. Vijay got up and left. Who looked at his watch? ( Mr. Vijay ) Who got up and left? ( Mr. Vijay ) ii) Travelling to bombay, Nalini injured her leg. Note:- Both these sentences are right. In both these sentences, the subject of the introductory phrase and the subject of the main clause are same. Wrong: When only a baby, my mother took me to the circus. Correct: When only a child, I was taken to the circus by my mother. GRAMMAR TIPS :1. Collective nouns: Collective nouns are singular. So whenever words such as 'team', 'Committee', 'group', 'family', 'cabinet', 'cluster of grapes', 'box of apples' etc are used, the verb needs to be singular Examples: 1. The Committee is meeting tomorrow (not 'are meeting tomorrow') 2. The family is the primary unit (not 'are the primary unit') 3. The family is important (not 'are') 4. The team is in the field (not 'are in the field') 5. A box of apples is on the table (not 'are') Related to what we said in an earlier point about the usage of phrases in a sentence, separated using commas or brackets: 1. The Committee, along with others, is meeting tomorrow 2. The Chairman, and his team, is coming tomorrow Exception However, when there is a division in the group, we use the plural form, to indicate the division. Examples: The jury are divided in opinion (not 'is') 2. Universal Truths For 'Universal Truths' sentences are always in the present tense. Examples: 1.'He said that the earth is round' (not 'was round') 2.'She said that the sun rises in the east' (not 'rose in the east') 3. Habitual action For habitual action, the present indefinite tense needs to be used. Examples: 1.'He always praises you' (not 'he is always praising you') 2.'He always speaks the truth' 4. Use of 'Will and Shall' 'Will' and 'shall' cannot be used twice in the same sentence. Example: 1.'I shall meet him if he comes' is correct. ('I shall meet him if he shall/ will come' is not) 2.'I shall do this if he agrees' is correct (not 'I shall do this if he will agree')

1.

If a sentence contains a phrase, separated from the subject and the verb by commas on either side, then the verb agrees with the subject only (and not the noun or pronoun in the phrase). For example: The politician, along with his attendants, is receiving presents (not are receiving

presents) The captain, as well as his team, is happy (not are happy) The king, along with his ministers, is outside (not are outside) 2. Some words always are used with singular verbs. These are: Everyone Someone No one One of Somebody Everybody Each Each one Either Anybody Anyone Many a Some examples: Everybody was outside (not everybody were outside) Each one must do his duty (not their duty) Someone is outside (not someone are outside) Everybody was making noise (not were making noise) No one was capable of this (not were capable) Either answer is correct (not are correct) Everybody respects him (not respect him) Many a game was won by sheer luck (not were) One of the boys was destined to succeed (not were) He is one of those who appear correct (not appears) If anyone calls, take his/ her number (not take their number) However, there is one exception: The pronoun none can take both singular or plural forms, depending on the particular context. 3. Always singular Some nouns are always singular. These apply to nouns dealing with currency, subjects etc. Examples: Ten Rupees is kept on the table (not are) Civics is an interesting subject (not are an interesting subject) Mathematics is useful (not are) 4. Always Plural Similarly, some nouns are always plural. These include nouns such as scissors, jeans, shorts, trousers etc The scissors have become blunt (not has become) The trousers are made of cotton (not is made of cotton) GRAMMAR TIPS :Using Due To :Due to means "caused by." It should be used only if it can be substituted with "caused by." It does not mean the same as "because of." Incorrect: The game was postponed due to rain. Correct: The game was postponed because of rain.

Correct: The game's postponement was due to rain. The wordy expression due to the fact that should be replaced by because or since. Doesn't or Don't? :Doesn't, does not, or does is used with the third person singular--words like he, she, and it. Don't, do not, or do is used for other subjects. Incorrect: It don't matter anymore. Correct: It doesn't matter anymore. Incorrect: Grandfather don't see too well. Correct: Grandfather doesn't see too well. Correct: His glasses don't help him much. GRAMMAR TIPS:1. Subject-Verb Agreement When singular subjects are connected using the words 'or' or 'nor', a singular verb should be used after that. However, when there is a singular and a plural subject in the same sentence connected with 'or' or 'nor', the verb agrees with the nearest subject (noun or pronoun). Examples: 1. It is incorrect to say "either A or B have drunk this" or "neither A nor B have drunk this". The correct way of writing the sentence would be "either A or B has drunk this" or "neither A nor B has drunk this" This is because both A and B are singular However, "when we have one plural subject in the sentence, the verb agrees with the closest noun or pronoun,". So, the correct sentences are: 1. "Neither Ram nor his friends are playing" and 2. "Neither Ram's friends nor Ram is playing" 3. 'Either he or is brothers are going out' 4. 'Either his brothers or he is going out' 2. Related to the rule above, when the subject of a sentence has two or more nouns or pronouns connected by the word 'and', then we always use a plural verb. For example: 1. Ram and Shyam are playing outside 2. He and his friends are playing cricket Want Plus Directional Adverbs or Prepositions The verb want is not supposed to be followed by an adverb or preposition indicating direction such as in, out, up, off or down. When using standard English, complete the sentence by including the words left out of such expressions as want in or want down. Incorrect: He wants out of the contract. Correct: He wants to get out of the contract.

Incorrect: The cat wants in. Correct: The cat wants to come in. Good or Well? Good is an adjective. It describes nouns or pronouns. It may be used with descriptive linking verbs like look, feel, sound, taste, or be to describe the subject. Incorrect: The coffee tasted well this morning. Correct: The coffee tasted good this morning. Correct: The pitcher is looking good today. Well is normally an adverb. It describes verbs (sometimes adjectives) and is used with most other verbs. Well as an adjective means "healthy." Incorrect: He pitches good. Correct: He pitches well. Incorrect: I do not feel very good. Correct: I do not feel very well. (healthy) Gone or Went? Gone is the past participle of to go. Used as the verb of a sentence, it must always be preceded by an auxiliary verb such as has, have, had, is, am, are, was, were, be, or one of their contractions. Went is the past tense of to go. It never takes an auxiliary verb. Incorrect: They gone to the movies. (Gone needs an auxiliary verb.) Correct: They have gone to the movies. Correct: They are gone to the movies. Correct: They went to the movies. Incorrect: You could have went with them. (Went takes no auxiliary verb.) Correct: You could have gone with them. Using That, Which, and Who as Relative Pronouns :That, which, and who when used as relative pronouns each has a distinct function. In modern speech, which refers only to things. Who (or its forms whom and whose) refers only to people. That normally refers to things but it may refer to a class or type of person.

Examples: That is a book which I need for the class. These are the books that I need for the class. He is the man who will be teaching the class. They are the type of people who would lie to their mothers. They are the type of people that would lie to their mothers. (That is OK here because it is a class or type.) Who and Whom :Who and whom correspond to he and him. Who is the subject or predicate nominative. Whom is the object. Correct: Who are you? (Subject) Correct: Whom do you see? (Direct object) Correct: Whom did you give it to? (Object of preposition to) Correct: Who did that? (Subject) It may help you to recall that who follows the same pattern as he and they. When all three are in the objective case, they end with m: whom, him, them. This same pattern applies when you add the suffix -ever or -soever: Correct: Whoever dies with the most toys wins. (Subject) Correct: He gave that ticket to whoever asked for one. (Subject of asked) Correct: Pick whomever I tell you to. (Direct object) Whose or Who's? Whose is the possessive form of who (or, occasionally, which). It means "belonging to whom or which." Who's is a contraction of who is or who has. Notice the apostrophe replacing the missing letters. Incorrect: Who's department do you work for? Correct: Whose department do you work for? Correct: Who's coming to visit tomorrow? Disinterested or Uninterested? Disinterested means "impartial" or "not taking sides." (In other words, not having a personal interest at stake.) Uninterested means "not interested." (In other words, not showing any interest.) Correct: A good referee should be disinterested. (He does not take sides.)

Incorrect: He was disinterested in Jill's hobby. Correct: He was uninterested in Jill's hobby. (He shows no interest.) Supposed To and Used To :The common expressions supposed to meaning "meant to" or "intended to" and used to meaning "formerly" are frequently misspelled or misunderstood. Both expression are normally in the Passive Voice. This means that the verb is the past participle so it ends with an -ed. Writers sometimes drop the final d because of the t sound which follows it. Incorrect: We are suppose to meet at seven. Correct: We are supposed to meet at seven. Incorrect: I use to read every Hardy Boys book I could find. Correct: I used to read every Hardy Boys book I could find.

Disinterested or Uninterested? Disinterested means "impartial" or "not taking sides." (In other words, not having a personal interest at stake.) Uninterested means "not interested." (In other words, not showing any interest.) Correct: A good referee should be disinterested. (He does not take sides.) Incorrect: He was disinterested in Jill's hobby. Correct: He was uninterested in Jill's hobby. (He shows no interest.) Supposed To and Used To :The common expressions supposed to meaning "meant to" or "intended to" and used to meaning "formerly" are frequently misspelled or misunderstood. Both expression are normally in the Passive Voice. This means that the verb is the past participle so it ends with an -ed. Writers sometimes drop the final d because of the t sound which follows it. Incorrect: We are suppose to meet at seven. Correct: We are supposed to meet at seven. Incorrect: I use to read every Hardy Boys book I could find.

Correct: I used to read every Hardy Boys book I could find.

Now let us first begin with a sentence.(Sentence is a group of words which make sense.) 1) She is a beautiful girl. In this sentence beautiful is an adjective, Now see this sentence. 2) She is a girl of great beauty. In this sentence of great beauty is an adjective phrase.(Phrase is a group of words depicting one meaning). Let us see this sentence. 3) She is a girl who is beautiful. In this sentence who is beautiful is a Clause. (A Clause is a group of words with a subject and a predicate.) Look at the 3rd sentence carefully. She is a girl can stand alone but who is beautiful cannot stand alone. It needs the support of the first part of the sentence. Now we shall divide this sentence into 2 parts. She is a girl /who is beautiful. The second part of the sentence needs the support of the first part. The result is; She is a girlMain Clause Who is beautifulSubordinate Clause. Now this subordinate clause says something more about the noun girl in the Main Clause. A word that says something more about a noun is an Adjective and so a clause that says something more is known as an Adjective Clause. Some more examples of sentences with this Clause; a) The man who is fat is my grandfather. b) Raja likes movies that are directed by Manirathnam. c) The stone which shines the most is the diamond. I hope you have tried to understand the concept of the Clause Analysis.

Usual vs Is Usual
When something is compared to itself, usual is fine. When something is compared to a subgroup to which it belongs, is usual should be used. For example: 1. He is nicer than usual 2. He is faster than is usual for any human being. 3. Ram is faster than usual today. 4. Emails are often written in a much formal way than is usual in writing.

5. The sun looks less brightly than usual to-day. 6. The new sports car is heavier than is usual for a performance automobile, but it is exceptional because of its high-powered engine . 7. Successful completion of Grammar course is not easy and requires more planning and preparation than is usual for normal course completion . 8. There was a higher ratio of comedy to drama than is usual in a one hour show. 9. I checked this article more carefully than usual for grammatical errors. 10. The gravel was damper than usual, since it rained heavily yesterday. 11. Today I was busier than usual at work. Few Common Mistakes :1) EXPATRIOT/EXPATRIATE An expatriot would be somebody who used to be a patriot; but that's not how people use the term. Instead, it is a common misspelling of "expatriate," meaning someone who chooses to live abroad. 2) EXPRESSES THAT/SAYS THAT "In her letter Jane expresses that she is getting irritated with me for not writing" should be corrected to "In her letter Jane says that. . . " You can express an idea or a thought, but you can't ever express that. In technical terms, "express" is a transitive verb and requires an object. 3) EXTEND/EXTENT People often write "to a great extend" or "to a lesser extend." "Extend" is a verb only, and should not be used as a noun. It's "to a great extent," and "to a lesser extent." 4) IN THE FACT THAT/BY THE FACT THAT The correct phrase is "by the fact that," not "in the fact that." While we're at it, "infact" is not a word; "in fact" is always a twoword phrase. 5) Interesting point :The "oid" ending in English is normally added to a word to indicate that an item is not the real thing. A humanoid is not quite human. 6) FAR BE IT FOR ME/FAR BE IT FROM ME The mangled expression "far be it for me" is probably influenced by a similar saying: "it's not for me to say." The standard expression is "far be it from me" (may this possibility be far away from me). 7) FAZE/PHASE "Faze" means to embarrass or disturb, but is almost always used in the negative sense, as in "the fact that the overhead projector bulb was burned out didn't faze her." "Phase" is a noun or verb having to do with an aspect of something. "He's just going through a temperamental phase." "They're going to phase in the new accounting procedures gradually." FIANCE/FIANCEE

Your fiance is the man you plan to marry; your fiancee is the woman you plan to marry. 9) FEELINGS FOR/FEELINGS ABOUT When someone says "I'm developing feelings for you," the message is "I'm falling in love with you." Feelings for are always positive feelings. In contrast, feelings about something or someone can be either positive or negative: "I've got a bad feeling about this." 10) FEARFUL/FEARSOME To be "fearful" is to be afraid. To be "fearsome" is to cause fear in others. Remember that someone who is fierce is fearsome rather than fearful. Some Rules of GRAMMAR :1. Two actions both in past This is an important type of question that appears in entrance exams. If there are two actions that both occurred in the past, then which tense should you use for both? The answer is that for the one that occurred earlier, the past perfect tense should be used. For Example: -- 'I reached there before he came' is wrong. Why? Because for the earlier action (your reaching there), the past perfect tense needs to be used. The correct sentence is therefore 'I had reached there before he came'. -- 'The movie had started before I reached' -- The game had commenced before I switched on the TV 2. Plural form for wishes/ desires Another important type of question/ rule of grammar from the test perspective is, while expressing wishes or desires, use the plural form. Examples: --'I wish I were a king' --'I wish I were a bird' --'He acted as if he were a king' --'He behaves as though he were my boss' --If he were here... (not 'if he was here') 3. Phrases that go together There are certain phrases that always go together. These cannot be used in any other form. Some such phrases are: --'Else' is always followed by 'but' --'No sooner' is always followed by 'than' --'Too' is always used with 'to' --'Hardly/ Scarcely' must be followed by 'when' --'The same' is always followed by 'That' --'Although' is always followed by 'yet' --'I' is followed by 'he' (not 'him') --'You' can be followed by 'him' and 'me' Examples: --It is nothing else but fraud --No sooner had he come than I met him (not 'no sooner had he come when I met him') --He was too big to fit through the hole (you cannot just say 'he is too big' or 'too good') --Hardly had he come when I met him --This is the same person that came yesterday (not 'who came yesterday) --Although he was aging, yet he was a good fielder --Besides you and me, they are also coming (not 'besides you and I)

--Along with you and me, they are also coming (not along with you and I) --I agree to you and him (not 'you' and 'he') PREPOSITIONS :A preposition describes a relationship between other words in a sentence. In itself, a word like "in" or "after" is rather meaningless and hard to define in mere words. For instance, when you do try to define a preposition like "in" or "between" or "on," you invariably use your hands to show how something is situated in relationship to something else. Prepositions are nearly always combined with other words in structures called prepositional phrases. Prepositional phrases can be made up of a million different words, but they tend to be built the same: a preposition followed by a determiner and an adjective or two, followed by a pronoun or noun (called the object of the preposition). This whole phrase, in turn, takes on a modifying role, acting as an adjective or an adverb, locating something in time and space, modifying a noun, or telling when or where or under what conditions something happened.

Prepositions of Time: at, on, and in

We use at to designate specific times. The train is due at 12:15 p.m. We use on to designate days and dates. My brother is coming on Monday. We're having a party on the Fourth of July. We use in for nonspecific times during a day, a month, a season, or a year. She likes to jog in the morning. It's too cold in winter to run outside. He started the job in 1971. He's going to quit in August. He's going to quit in August.

Prepositions of Place: at, on, and in

We use at for specific addresses. Grammar English lives at 55 Boretz Road in Durham. We use on to designate names of streets, avenues, etc. Her house is on Boretz Road. And we use in for the names of land-areas (towns, counties, states, countries, and continents). She lives in Durham. Durham is in Windham County. Windham County is in Connecticut.

Prepositions of Movement: to and No Preposition

We use to in order to express movement toward a place. They were driving to work together. She's going to the dentist's office this morning. Toward and towards are also helpful prepositions to express movement. These are simply variant spellings of the same word; use whichever sounds better to you. We're moving toward the light. This is a big step towards the project's completion.

With the words home, downtown, uptown, inside, outside, downstairs, upstairs, we use no preposition. Grandma went upstairs Grandpa went home. They both went outside.

Prepositions of Time: for and since

We use for when we measure time (seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, years). He held his breath for seven minutes. She's lived there for seven years. The British and Irish have been quarreling for seven centuries. We use since with a specific date or time. He's worked here since 1970. She's been sitting in the waiting room since two-thirty. A combination of verb and preposition is called a phrasal verb. The word that is joined to the verb is then called a particle. Please refer to the brief section we have prepared on phrasal verbs for an explanation. Idiomatic Expressions with Prepositions -->agree to a proposal, with a person, on a price, in principle -->argue about a matter, with a person, for or against a proposition -->compare to to show likenesses, with to show differences (sometimes similarities) -->correspond to a thing, with a person -->differ from an unlike thing, with a person -->live at an address, in a house or city, on a street, with other people Unnecessary Prepositions In everyday speech, we fall into some bad habits, using prepositions where they are not necessary. It would be a good idea to eliminate these words altogether, but we must be especially careful not to use them in formal, academic prose. The words in the braces should not be used. She met ((up with)) the new coach in the hallway. The book fell off ((of)) the desk. He threw the book out ((of)) the window. She wouldn't let the cat inside ((of)) the house. [or use "in"] Where did they go ((to))? Put the lamp in back of the couch. [use "behind" instead] Where is your college ((at))? Prepositions in Parallel Form When two words or phrases are used in parallel and require the same preposition to be idiomatically correct, the preposition does not have to be used twice. The words in the braces should not be used. You can wear that outfit in summer and ((in)) winter. The female was both attracted ((by)) and distracted by the male's dance. However, when the idiomatic use of phrases calls for different prepositions, we must be careful not to omit one of them. The children were interested in and disgusted by the movie. It was clear that this player could both contribute to and learn from every game he

played. He was fascinated by and enamored of this beguiling woman.

WHICH vs THAT
Both of the words introduce clauses.The difference lies in what type of clauses they introduce respectively.What is a clause???A clause is something which has a subject and a predicate.A Subject??A subject is something about which a sentence talks of.A predicate is something which consists of a verb and its constituents that talk about the subject. Sehwag went home. In the above sentence,Sehwag is the subject and went home is the predicate. So back to the start. THAT introduces a essential clause whereas WHICH introduces a nonessential clause. Essential clauses do not have commas associated with them while nonessential clauses are associated with commas.This is a good way to remember the difference.We use THAT where a comma is not used and we use WHICH when comma(s) are used. Some examples1)The guitar that was used by Jimi Hendrix is up for sale. As no comma is used,THAT is the correct usage.Here,we are talking about the particular guitar used by Jimi.So it is an essential clause and hence,THAT is used.

The guitar of Jimi Hendrix,which is a Fender,is up for sale. Comma is there,so we use WHICH.Here,the clause 'which is a Fender' is non-essential as without it provides an information which is not compulsory.Hence WHICH is used. Finally,an example combining the twoThe bat that was in lying in my garage, which I purchased two years ago, was stolen. Kindly analyze the above sentence carefully. Subject-Verb Agreement ( Important Topic ) :Basic Principle: Singular subjects need singular verbs; plural subjects need plural verbs. My brother is a nutritionist. My sisters are mathematicians. 1. The indefinite pronouns anyone, everyone, someone, no one, nobody are always singular and, therefore, require singular verbs. * Everyone has done his or her homework. * Somebody has left her purse. * Some indefinite pronouns such as all, some are singular or plural depending on what they're referring to. (Is the thing referred to countable or not?) Be careful choosing

a verb to accompany such pronouns. * Some of the beads are missing. * Some of the water is gone. On the other hand, there is one indefinite pronoun, none, that can be either singular or plural; it often doesn't matter whether you use a singular or a plural verb unless something else in the sentence determines its number. (Writers generally think of none as meaning not any and will choose a plural verb, as in "None of the engines are working," but when something else makes us regard none as meaning not one, we want a singular verb, as in "None of the food is fresh.") * None of you claims responsibility for this incident? * None of you claim responsibility for this incident? * None of the students have done their homework. (In this last example, the word their precludes the use of the singular verb. SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT :2. Some indefinite pronouns are particularly troublesome Everyone and everybody (listed above, also) certainly feel like more than one person and, therefore, students are sometimes tempted to use a plural verb with them. They are always singular, though. Each is often followed by a prepositional phrase ending in a plural word (Each of the cars), thus confusing the verb choice. Each, too, is always singular and requires a singular verb. * Everyone has finished his or her homework. * You would always say, "Everybody is here." This means that the word is singular and nothing will change that. Each of the students is responsible for doing his or her work in the library. Don't let the word "students" confuse you; the subject is each and each is always singular Each is responsible. 3. Phrases such as together with, as well as, and along with are not the same as and. The phrase introduced by as well as or along with will modify the earlier word (mayor in this case), but it does not compound the subjects (as the word and would do). * The mayor as well as his brothers is going to prison. * The mayor and his brothers are going to jail. SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT :4. The pronouns neither and either are singular and require singular verbs even though they seem to be referring, in a sense, to two things. * Neither of the two traffic lights is working. * Which shirt do you want for Christmas? * Either is fine with me. In informal writing, neither and either sometimes take a plural verb when these pronouns are followed by a prepositional phrase beginning with of. This is particularly true of interrogative constructions: "Have either of you two clowns read the assignment?" "Are either of you taking this seriously?" Burchfield calls this "a clash between notional and actual agreement." 5.The conjunction or does not conjoin (as and does): when nor or or is used the subject closer to the verb determines the number of the verb. Whether the subject comes

before or after the verb doesn't matter; the proximity determines the number. * Either my father or my brothers are going to sell the house. * Neither my brothers nor my father is going to sell the house. * Are either my brothers or my father responsible? * Is either my father or my brothers responsible? Because a sentence like "Neither my brothers nor my father is going to sell the house" sounds peculiar, it is probably a good idea to put the plural subject closer to the verb whenever that is possible. 6. The words there and here are never subjects. * There are two reasons [plural subject] for this. * There is no reason for this. * Here are two apples. With these constructions (called expletive constructions), the subject follows the verb but still determines the number of the verb. SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT :7. Verbs in the present tense for third-person, singular subjects (he, she, it and anything those words can stand for) have s-endings. Other verbs do not add s-endings. He loves and she loves and they love_ and . . . . 8. Sometimes modifiers will get betwen a subject and its verb, but these modifiers must not confuse the agreement between the subject and its verb. The mayor, who has been convicted along with his four brothers on four counts of various crimes but who also seems, like a cat, to have several political lives, is finally going to jail. 9. Sometimes nouns take weird forms and can fool us into thinking they're plural when they're really singular and vice-versa. Consult the section on the Plural Forms of Nouns and the section on Collective Nouns for additional help. Words such as glasses, pants, pliers, and scissors are regarded as plural (and require plural verbs) unless they're preceded the phrase pair of (in which case the word pair becomes the subject). * My glasses were on the bed. * My pants were torn. * A pair of plaid trousers is in the closet. 10. Some words end in -s and appear to be plural but are really singular and require singular verbs. * The news from the front is bad. * Measles is a dangerous disease for pregnant women. On the other hand, some words ending in -s refer to a single thing but are nonetheless plural and require a plural verb. * My assets were wiped out in the depression. * The average worker's earnings have gone up dramatically. * Our thanks go to the workers who supported the union. The names of sports teams that do not end in "s" will take a plural verb: the Miami Heat have been looking , The Connecticut Sun are hoping that new talent . See the section on plurals for help with this problem.

SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT :11. Fractional expressions such as half of, a part of, a percentage of, a majority of are sometimes singular and sometimes plural, depending on the meaning. (The same is true, of course, when all, any, more, most and some act as subjects.) Sums and products of mathematical processes are expressed as singular and require singular verbs. The expression "more than one" (oddly enough) takes a singular verb: "More than one student has tried this." * * * * * * * * Some of the voters are still angry. A large percentage of the older population is voting against her. Two-fifths of the troops were lost in the battle. Two-fifths of the vineyard was destroyed by fire. Forty percent of the students are in favor of changing the policy. Forty percent of the student body is in favor of changing the policy. Two and two is four. Four times four divided by two is eight.

12. If your sentence compounds a positive and a negative subject and one is plural, the other singular, the verb should agree with the positive subject. * The department members but not the chair have decided not to teach on Valentine's Day. * It is not the faculty members but the president who decides this issue. * It was the speaker, not his ideas, that has provoked the students to riot.

SUBJECT Vs OBJECT
In the simplest terms,SUBJECT is the performer or doer of a certain action while OBJECT is something/someone on which the verb is acting upon.We can say that SUBJECT is the doer of the action and OBJECT is the noun that is receiving the action in the sentence.The two types of OBJECT cases we need to remember are1)Direct Object- This type of object is the answer to the question WHAT? I drove the car.[ Here,The question "I drove WHAT?" is answered by CAR.So it is a direct object. 2)Indirect Object- This type answers the questions TO WHOM?/FOR WHOM? I gave him a punch. [ Here,HIM is the indirect object and punch is the direct object.]

Conditional Sentences in English ( If Clause, Main Clause ) :Conditional sentences :The conditional sentences are sometimes confusing for learners of English. Watch out: 1) Which type of the conditional sentences is used? 2) Where is the if-clause (e.g. at the beginning or at the end of the conditional sentence)?

There are three types of If- Clauses. I) Condition possible to fulfill II) Condition in theory possible to fulfill III) Condition not possible to fulfill (too late) Form :Type ---- If clause ---- main Clause I) Simple Present ---- Will - Future ( or Modal + infinitive ) II) Simple Past ---- Would + infinitive III) Past Perfect ---- Would + have + Past Participle Examples :- ( if-clause at the beginning ) I) If I study, I will pass the Exam. II) If I studied, I would pass the Exam. III) If I had studied, I would have passed the Exam. Examples :- ( if-clause at the end ) I) I will pass the exam, if i study. II) I would pass the exam, if i Studied. III) I would have passed the exam, if i had studied. Conditional Sentences - Special Types and Structures :If-clauses can be, a) Clause - initial b) Clause - medial c) Clause - final Examples :a) If you like, we can catch a movie. b) We, if you like, can catch a movie. c) We can catch a movie, if you like. Types :Aside from the typical I,II,III structure , conditionals can be divided in to real and unreal conditionals. Real Condition :-> If i have money, I spend it. -> If i had money, I spent it. -> If i have money, I will/am going to spend it. Unreal Condition :-> If i had had money, I would have spent it. -> If i had money, I would spend it. -> If i had money, I would spend it. Modal Verbs :Main Clauses with real conditional tenses can have modal verbs. Eg:- If i have money, I can spend it. You can use could and might instead of would in unreal conditional clauses.

Eg:- If i had money, I could spend it. ( I would be able to spend it ) If i had money, I might spend it. ( I would possibly spend it ) Mixed Conditionals :Past --> Present If i had taken an aspirin, I wouldn't have a headache now. Past --> Future If I had known that you are going to come by tomorrow, I would be in then. Present --> Past If she had enough money, she could have done this trip to Hawaii. Present --> Future If i were you, I would be spending my vacation in Seattle. Future --> Past If I weren't flying to Detroit, I would have planned a trip to Switzerland. Future --> Present If I were taking this exam next week, I would be high-strung.

Inseparable phrasal verbs

Use: Phrasal verbs consist of a verb and one or more prepositions. They are often used, especially in informal spoken English. The meaning of phrasal verbs is often completely different from the meaning of the verb alone. Form: 1) Some phrasal verbs never use an object. get up = get out of bed I get up at seven oclock every morning. take off = leave the ground The plane took off on time. look out = beware! be careful! Look out! That car is going to hit you! get on = be good friends My dad and my brother dont get on. break down = stop working (for vehicles) Our car broke down on the way home from Scotland. make up = become friends again after an argument The kids often fight but they always make up afterwards. 2) Some phrasal verbs need an object. get on / off something = exit transport Get off the bus at the next stop. look after someone / something = take care of someone / something Please can you look after our cats while were on holiday? see to something = do, arrange, prepare, organise Dont worry about dinner. Ill see to it. look into something = investigate There has been a burglary at the school. Police are looking into it. get to = arrive at When you get to the end of the street, turn right. 3) Some phrasal verbs contain three words and an object.

look up to someone = respect someone I look up to my teachers. look forward to something = be excited about (a future event) Im looking forward to the party. get on with someone = be good friends with someone I dont get on with Karen. get on with something = continue doing something Please be quiet and get on with your work. put up with something = tolerate I cant put up with that noise any longer!

Agreement Problems ( Subject and Verb )

Rule 1 :Make a verb agree in number with its subject; make a pronoun agree in number with its antecedent. The list of spare parts was long. (Singular) The lists of spare parts were long. (Plural) Singular Subjects take Singular verbs (list-->was), and plural subjects take plural verbs(lists-->were). Even an animal has its own territory. (Singular) Even animals have their own territory. (Plural) Singular antecedents are referred to by singular pronouns (animal-->its) and plural antecedents are referents of plural pronouns (animals-->their). Exception :- A plural verb is always required after you even when it is used in singular, referring to one person. Eg:- You were very helpful during my exams. Note:- 's' added to a noun indicates the plural form but 's' added to a verb indicates the third person singular. She favours the move. They favour the expansion of the school.

Rule 2 :Ensure the verb agrees with the true subject and not with an intervening plural object of a preposition or any other intervening plural. The box of Nestle's chocolates is missing. (Here the true subject is box and not Nestle's chocolates. Chocolates is the object of preposition of) His experience as teacher to boys and girls gives him understanding. The prices of the new model vary from town to town.

Rule 3 :Subjects joined by and are usually plural and take plural verbs. His typewriter and my audio were stolen. Sony and Sanjay are going to Chennai today. Exception :a) If a subject consisting of two singular nouns connected by and refers to the same

person or thing, a singular verb is used. My best friend and advisor has changed his mind again. Here the subject is treated as singular because both qualities are found in one person. Cornflakes and milk is our sunday breakfast. b) When two subjects connected by and are preceded by each, every or many a, a singular verb is used. Each man and boy is expected to meet his obligation. Every shirt, tie and coat is marked for reduction sale.

Rule 4 :Words like with, together with, along with, besides, as well as, including, in addition to, etc. do not affect the number of verb. If the subject is singular, a singular verb is required; if plural, a plural verb. The television, along with the cabinet, is sold. Mrs. Paul, with her son and daughter, is going to the theater. Our chief competitor, as well as ourselves, is obliged to increase prices. The decoration of the room, including the carpets and furniture, is most pleasing.

Rule 5 :If the subject is made up of both singular and plural words connected by or, nor, neither...nor, either...or, not only...but also, the verb agrees with the nearer part of the subject. Neither the quality nor the prices have changed. Neither the prices nor the quality has changed. Not only the headmaster but also the teachers are in favor of the expansion of the school. Not only the teachers but also the headmaster is in favor of the expansion of the school. Neither the salesmen nor the buyer is in favor of the system. Neither the buyer nor the salesmen are in favor of the system.

Rule 6 :If the subject consists of two singular words connected by or, neither...nor, either....or, the subject is singular and requires a singular verb. Neither our accounts Department nor our Head office has a record of the transaction. Sunita or Neetu has the swimming suit. Either October or November is a good vacation month. Neither the radio nor the television was in working order.

Rule 7 :Nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning, such as news,measles,mumps,physics,electronics,tactics,eco nomics and so on, usually take singular verbs. News is travelling faster than ever before. Physics has fascinated my hostel mate for months. Some nouns ending in -ics ( Such as athletics, statistics and politics ) are considered singular, when referring to an organised body of knowledge and plural when referring to individual facts, qualities or activities.

Athletics provide good recreation. (ie., Various games ) Athletics is required of every student. (ie., Participation in games )

Rule 8 :A linking verb usually agrees with its subject, not with its complement. Excessive absences were the reason for his failure. The reason for his failure was excessive absences.

Rule 9 :Plural verbs are required for many nouns that have no singular form, such as proceeds,goods,ashes,remains,credentials,premises etc. The proceedings of the magic show are to be given to the fund for soldiers' welfare. The goods are being dispatched today by goods train. Collective Nouns :- A collective noun is a word that represents a group of persons, animals or things, e.g. audience, committee, company, council, army,police, society, board, department, cabinet etc. The following rules govern the form of verb to be used with a collective now.

Rule 10 :When the group acts as a unit, the verb should be singular. The committee has agreed to submit its report on friday. The Board of directors meets once in a month. The firm is one of the most reputed in the country. The majority has made its decision.

Rule 11 :When the members of the group are thought of as acting separately,the verb should be plural. The team are arguing over who should be the captain. The committee were not in agreement on the action to be taken. The audience were cheering and laughing; even crying.

Rule 12 :Company names may be either singular or plural, according to their meaning. The plural form emphasizes the individual personnel making up the company. Mudra and corporation have retained the goodwill of their customers. The oil Corporation is located at Nariman Point, Mumbai.

Rule 13 :When nouns expressing periods of time, amounts of money, or Quantities are considered as a single unit, singular verbs are used. Ten rupees seems too much for the job. Three months is too long a time to wait. The number of board members is very small. That Rs 1,00,000 was an inheritance from my father. Yes, 5 metres is ample for a suit.

Rule 14 :After such expressions as one-half of, two-thirds of, a part of, a majority of, a) Use a Singular verb if a singular noun follows the of. Eg:- A part of the office is closed. Two-thirds of the mailing list has been typed. A majority of 3400 indicates his popularity in the Constituency. b) Use a plural verb when a plural noun follows the of. Eg:- Part of the walls are to be painted. Two-thirds of our workers live in the suburbs. The majority of our staff members live in villages.

Rule 15:The expression the number has a singular meaning and requires a singular verb, whereas the expression a numberhas a plural meaning and takes plural verb. The number of board members is very small. A number of board members were absent. The number of orders still to be executed is estimated at nearly a hundred. A number of our staff are going on leave.

Rule 16:In sentences containing the words one of, the verb is chosen as follows: a) In simple form one of or one of the, a singular verb is used. Eg:- One of the reasons for his demotion is his carelessness. One of the pens is missing from my desk. b) The sentences containing phrases one of those who or one of the things that, a plural verb is required. Eg:- He is one of those managers who favour increasing the staff. Here, favour agrees with those. In the phrase one of those who, those is the plural object of the preposition of. In the subordinate clause who favour, the relative pronoun who is the subject and must agree with its antecedent those. Mr Verma is one of our Officers who are accompanying me. He is one of our employees who are always alert. However, when only precedes one of/one of those, a singular verb is used. Ramesh is the only one of our employees who is always alert. Mr Verma is the only one of our officers who is accompanying me. Rule 17 :Certain Collective nouns, though singular in form, are always used in the plural sense and take a plural verb. For example, gentry, cattle, poultry, alphabet, offspring etc. These poultry are ready for sale. There are twenty-six alphabets in English. The cattle are grazing near the canal. Rule 18 :-

Certain nouns are always used in singular and followed by singular verbs. These are not used in the plural sense and do not take on plural verbs. For example hair, issue, advice, information, scenery, luggage, mischief, bread, abuse, furniture, land, business, machinery, poetry etc. Her hair has turned grey now. The scenery of kasauli is beautiful. Is there any information in this regard? All the machinery is old. I have sold all the furniture that was useless. My luggage is lying at the bus stand. Note:- A plural sense is often expressed by using some other suitable word before the above nouns. For example :He gave me many pieces of advice. I have brought many items of furniture. They have purchased many plots of land.

Rule 19 :The words each,every,either and neither, used as pronouns or as adjectives, are always singular and require singular verbs. Each of them does have political ambitions. Each employee is responsible for clearing his desk in the evening. Neither of the boys is eligible for taking the examination. Neither boy is eligible for selection. Exception : If a parenthetical each follows a plural noun or pronoun, the verb should be plural. The members each feel their responsibility. They each have their own problem. Ten each of these books are required.

Rule 20 :All, any, more, most, some may be singular or plural depending on the meaning and take verbs accordingly. Some of the books seem too old. Some of the food is not good. All the typing has been finished. All the reports have been typed. Most of the goods have been sold. Most of the stock has been sold, but more of these shirts are due.

Rule 21 :The titles of books or magazines are considered singular and take singular verbs. The Hindustan Times still has wide circulation. 'The two faces of Indira Gandhi' is a best seller.

Rule 22 :The following words and their compounds are always singular and require a singular verb. body (anybody, everybody, nobody, somebody)

thing (anything, everything, nothing, something ) one (anyone, everyone, someone, no one ) Something is wrong with him these days. Everybody in the office has tickets. Everyone is required to clear his dues. Nobody knows the trouble I have seen. No one is entitled to have his debts cancelled.

Rule 23 :A relative pronoun (who, which, that) used as a subject takes a singular or plural verb to accord with its antecedent. Measles is among the diseases that are curable. This is the only one of the local papers that prints a weekly horoscope.

Rule 24 :When,while,after,till,before : When these words are used in the subordinate clause with reference to some future event, they are not followed by a verb in the future tense. Before the rain would stop, they would have reached home. (incorrect) Before the rain stops, they would have reached home. (Correct) When you will come to me, we will go to Ludhiana. (incorrect) When you come to me, we will go to Ludhiana. (Correct)

Rule 25:until/unless : Mistakes are generally committed in using these words. Until means time before and unless shows condition and means if not. I cannot solve it unless you tell me its method. Until she was informed officially, she had no idea about the plans.

Rule 26 :Doubt that/ doubt whether : Doubt that is used in negative sentences and doubt whether in positive sentences. I do not doubt that he will succeed. I doubt whether the news is true. I doubt whether our country is really free. We do not doubt that he will be fully cured.

Rule 27 :Need/Needs : As a regular verb, need means require. In present tense, with third person singular, when followed by a negative, the final s is not added. He need not worry. ( Negative not is followed ) He needs to be worried. ( Negative not is not followed ) However, regular forms should not be confused. He dare not do it again. (ie, does not have courage) She dare not come to me. (ie, does not have courage to come to me) However, if it is not followed by a negative word(not) or used in the sense of challenge,

s is to be added. She dare not to disobey me. but She dares to disobey me. She dares to insult me. It should, however, not be confused when used as a normal verb: I dare, he dares, she dares, they dare, we dare, sunita dares.

Rule 28 :Since/from/for : Both since and from imply a point of time ( definite time, day, date etc. ) and for implies period of time. a) Since indicates point of time with present perfect or perfect continuous tense. b) From indicates point of time with all other tenses. c) For indicates period of time with present perfect or perfect continuous tense. For examples : I have done nothing since yesterday. She has been ill since last friday. She will go to school from today. He commenced work from 30th january. I have not seen him for a long time.

Rule 29 :As long as/while/until : As long as and while are used to express the duration of an action, where as until is used to express the time before an action takes place. As long as you remain in the office, you will get no rest. Wait here until I come. While I am sitting here, you can work on it.

Rule 30 :On/Over : On suggests contact with something; Over suggests at higher position without actual contact. Keep this book on the table. Place this cap on the table. Keep the umbrella over your head.

Rule 31 :You, he/she, I :- When pronouns having different persons are used, the second person (you) should come first, then the third person (he or she) and last of all the first person (I). You, he and I should try to visit Sri Lanka. (not I, you and he ) It is between you and me. ( not me and you )

Rule 32 :Who and whom : To determine correct usage of who or whom, cover the beginning of the sentence, including who or whom and read what is left, inserting he or him. If he sounds right use who; if him sounds right use whom. It was he whom we chose to be our captain.

(We chose him to be captain; so use whom ) It was he who we thought would win the prize. (We thought he would win the prize; so use who )

Rule 33 :Prepositions are not required after such words as: attack, accompany, discuss, emphasize, fear, join, request, resist, pervade, precede, violate, reach, shirk, resemble, recommend etc. They attacked the enemy. ( not on the enemy ) She resembles her mother. ( not with or to her mother ) I have ordered the book. ( not for the book ) One should not fear death. ( not from death ) You can request him. ( not request to )

Rule 34 :Do not use that with words like how, whether, why, what, where, when, whom, whose, which, etc. Nothing can be said that when he is expected to arrive. (incorrect) Nothing can be said when he is expected to arrive. (correct ) He could no explain that why he was late. (incorrect) He could not explain why he was late. (Correct) It is difficult to say that whether he will succeed. (incorrect) It is difficult to say whether he will succeed. (Correct) In the above sentences that is not required. However, as to can be used. For example: He could not explain as to why he was late.

Rule 35 :Because of/on account of/so that/in order that : a) Because of and on account of introduce adverbial phrases and should modify verbs. He resigned because of ill-health. (modifies resigned) She resigned on account of ill-health. (modifies resigned) b) To express a cause or a reason use because of and to express a purpose use in order that or so that. Men work so that they may earn living. He missed his class because he overslept. c) Do not use because and reason of together. The reason why he missed his class was because he overslept. (incorrect) The reason why he missed his class was that he overslept. (Correct)

Problems in Conjunctions :Conjunctions are words used to join words, sentences and clauses together. Note the following conjunctions : As Soon....as Both...and Either...or Neither...nor

Lest....should Not only...but also Hardly....before or when Though....yet Whether....or Scarcely....when or before

Rule 1:When a negative co-relative is used in the beginning of a sentence, a helping verb must be used before the subject (eg:- do,does,did etc ) Scarcely did she hear the news when she began to cry. Not only was he accused of theft, but also of murder. No sooner did she heard the news than she wept. No sooner did the doctor came than she died. Also, Note that no sooner is followed by than and not then or when;

Rule 2:Though....yet a) When though is used with a verb in the subjective mood (expressing doubt, a condition contrary to fact, a wish, a concession ) it is followed by yet and not by but; Though he might not have recognised me, yet it is rude of him. Though she disallowed me, yet I will go to her. b) When though is used with a verb in an indicative mood ( expressing a fact or making a statement ) a comma is used in place of yet. Though he is my relative, I shall not spare him. Though he is known to me, I shall not favour him.

Express Parallel Ideas in Parallel form ( Parallelism ) :a) Adjectives should be paralleled by adjectives, nouns by nouns, subordinate clauses by subordinate clauses, etc. This generator is inexpensive, noiseless and it is easily operated. (incorrect) This generator is inexpensive, noiseless and easily operated. (correct) This course is challenging and an inspiration. (incorrect) This course is challenging and inspiring. (Correct) b) Correlative conjunctions (either...or, neither....nor, not only...but also etc ) should be followed by elements in parallel form. She is not only proficient in desk work but also in marketing. (incorrect) She is proficient not only in desk work but also in marketing (Correct) I have written both to their branch office and Head Office. (incorrect) I have written to both their branch office and Head Office. (Correct) He would neither study at home nor would he go to school. (incorrect) He would neither study at home nor go to school. (Correct)

Avoid Redundancies :Redundancy refers to the use of more words than necessary to make a statement. Redundancy is moderate formality and is restricted almost completely to indicating an excess caused by tautology : redundant phrases like 'essential requisite' or 'fundamental basis'. It may also mean use of unnecessary adjectives or words that needlessly make the sentence a sort of re-statement by using unwanted words. These type of errors are often seen in written english communication and are not desirable in grammatically correct sentences. Notice below that the words in brackets contribute nothing to the meaning. Avoid such

wordiness or redundancy in your written communication : (important or basic) essentials in (the city of) Ludhiana Co-operated (together) as a (usual) rule (true) facts blue (in colour) small (in size) ten (in number)

Beside and Besides :Beside is a preposition meaning 'at the side of', 'by' or 'next to' Eg:- Why is the cat sitting beside the chair? Besides is used when we add new information to what is already known. Eg:- Besides aerobics, I have to do crunches and push ups. Besides can also be used as a discourse marker meaning 'also', 'in any case',and 'as well'. It is often used to add a stronger, more conclusive argument to what has gone before. In this case, besides usually goes at the beginning of the clause. Eg:- It's too late to go out now. Besides, it's starting to rain. I don't like this dress; besides,it's too expensive

Usage of 'JUST' :1)Time 'Just' often emphasizes the idea of 'at this moment' or 'close to the present'. Eg:- I'll be down in a minute-I am just completing my lunch. Harry has just phoned. In expressions such as 'just after', 'just before', and 'just when', just suggests closeness to the time in question. Eg:- I saw him just after lunch. (=very soon after lunch.) 2)'Only', 'scarcely' Just can mean 'only', 'scarcely', 'nothing more than'. Eg:- Complete dinner set for just Rs 500/-. I just want somebody to stay with him. There was only just enough light to read by. Could/Can I Just....? can make a request seem less demanding. Could I just use your bicycle? 3)Exactly What is the time by your watch?--It's just 2 o'clock. Thanks. That's just what I wanted to know. 4)Emphasizer Just can emphasize other words and expressions, with the sense of 'simply', 'there's no other word for it'. Eg:- You are just amazing. I just love your bike.

Whether and if :1) Indirect questions Whether and if both introduce indirect questions. Eg:- Im not sure whether/if Ill have time. I asked whether/if she had any mails for me. 2) After verbs that are more common in formal style, whether is preferred. Eg:- We discussed whether we should close the caf.. 3)In formal style, whether is preferred in two part question with or. Eg:- The Board Of Directors have not decided whether they will invest or not. 4)If indirect question is fronted, whether is used. Eg:- Whether Ill have time Im not sure at the moment. IF is used for a conditional idea. Whether is used for an alternative or possibility. Eg:- Let me know if you'll be coming means that I want to hear from you only if you're coming. Alternatively Let me know whether you'll be coming means that I want to hear from you about your plans one way or the other. TAKE 2: Whether is correct when we discuss two options (whether to get chocolate or strawberry ice cream) If is correct for more than two options (if she should get ice cream or a cookie). Incorrect: Her client didnt tell her if he had sent his payment yet. Correct: Her client didnt tell her whether he had sent his payment yet. 1)A NUMBER VS THE NUMBER As a stand-alone word and as a collective noun, "number" can take a singular or a plural form. Eg:- Three hundred persons were at the party However, when preceded by an article and followed by preposition "of", "number" is singular and the verb that follows "number" will be conjugated singular or plural depending on whether there is a definite or indefinite article in front. The expression 'the number of . . .' is singular, while 'a number of . . .' is plural. Eg:-The number of people has increased. A number of people have gone. The following sentences are both correct: The number of bad movies showing this summer is unbelievable. A number of my friends are going to the beach this weekend. 2. GREATER THAN VS MORE THAN Greater than is appropriate when describing numbers alone. Eg:-Greater than 500. More than should be used when describing the numbers of objects or when making comparisons. Eg:- More than 1000 fish. 3. NONE VS NO ONE

None can be singular or plural. No one is always singular

Whose and Who's

Whose is a possessive word meaning 'of whom/ which'.Mainly it is used in posing questions and relative clauses. Who's is a contraction of who is and who has. USAGE: 1) Whose is that pen? (NOT Who's is that pen?) 2) It was a decision whose importance was not realized at that time. 3) Do you know anybody who's going to America in the next few days? 4) I have got a friend who's never been to Delhi

Good or Well?
Good and well are often misused.Good is an adjective and it can only modify nouns and pronouns. Well is an adverb .It can modify verbs , adjectives and other adverbs. Eg:- I scored good on my spelling test.(incorrect) I scored well on my spelling test.(correct) The new car runs good. (incorrect) The new car runs well.(correct) The exception is verbs of sensation in phrases such as 'The pie smells good,' or 'I feel good'[emphasis added].

affect vs effect:
Affect is usually a verb (action) - effect is usually a noun (thing). If it's something you're going to do, use "affect." If it's something you've already done, use "effect." To affect something or someone. Meaning: to influence, act upon, or change something or someone. For example: The noise outside affected my performance. To have an effect on something or someone !Note: effect is followed by the preposition on and preceded by an article (an, the) Meaning: to have an impact on something or someone. For example: His smile had a strange effect on me. AMONG VS BETWEEN between for two things among for more than two. ITS VS ITS It's with an apostrophe means it is its without an apostrophe means belonging to it. AMOUNT VS NUMBER Amount should be used to refer to quantities that cannot be counted or cannot be expressed in terms of a single number. Example: Repairing the radio took a great amount of work.

Number is used for quantities that can be counted. Example: A large number of deer ate the corn. 1.) Subjects and verbs must agree in number. This is the cornerstone rule that forms the background of the concept. Example: The dog growls when he is angry. The dogs growl when they are angry. 2.) Dont get confused by the words that come between the subject and verb; they do not affect agreement. Example: The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually very good. 3.) Prepositional phrases between the subject and verb usually do not affect agreement Example: The colors of the rainbow are beautiful. 4.) When sentences start with there or here, the subject will always be placed after the verb, so care needs to be taken to identify it correctly. Example: There is a problem with the balance sheet.Here are the papers you requested. A list of a few common errors that we make in English Language :The Titanic drowned in the sea. (incorrect) The Titanic sank in the Sea. (correct) Higher we go, Cooler we feel. (incorrect) The Higher we go, the Cooler we feel. (correct) She quickly did the job. (incorrect) She did the job quickly. (correct) Most Unique Opportunity. (incorrect) Unique opportunity. (correct) It is much hot day. (incorrect) It is very hot day. (correct) Rich should be kind to poor. (incorrect) The Rich should be kind to the poor. (correct) One must do his duty. (incorrect) One must do one's duty. (correct) Do you know to dance? (incorrect) Do you know how to dance? (correct) Have you bought some apples? (incorrect) Have you bought any apples? (correct) No less than 50 persons killed. (incorrect) No fewer than 50 persons killed. (correct)

The climate of Goa is better than Nagpur. (incorrect) The climate of Goa is better than that of Nagpur. (correct) Many a man were here. (incorrect) Many a man was here. (correct) My state of health. (incorrect) The state of my health. (correct) I don't know the English alphabets. (incorrect) I don't know the English alphabet. (correct) May I take your leave. (incorrect) May i take leave of you. (correct) Excuse me being late. (incorrect) Excuse my being late. (correct) He rarely goes out, doesn't he? (incorrect) He rarely goes out, does he? (correct) He admitted that he was in wrong. (incorrect) He admitted that he was in the wrong. (correct) The number of people are small. (incorrect) The number of people is small. (correct) My litter sister goes to the school by bus. (incorrect) My little sister goes to school by bus. (correct) The series of lectures were boring. (incorrect) The series of lectures was boring. (correct) He lives in a boarding. (incorrect) He lives in a boarding room. (correct) You are wiser than old. (incorrect) You are more wise than old. (correct) A good play of football. (incorrect) A good game of football. (correct) He behaves as if he was a king. (incorrect) He behaves as if he were a king. (correct) They were counting on me helping them. (incorrect) They were counting on my helping them. (correct) This drawing is more perfect than the other one. (incorrect) This drawing is perfect than the other one. (correct) Word by word translation is not necessary. (incorrect) Word for word translation is not necessary. (correct) Two third of the book. (incorrect) Two thirds of the book. (correct) No space in this compartment. (incorrect) No room in this compartment. (correct)

Put pen on paper. (incorrect) Put pen to paper. (correct)