English Grammar Notes (Aamir Mahar)
I. Practice Exercises on Remedial Grammar Covering:
i. Common Errors in English
ii. Subject-Verb agreement
iii. Use of Articles
iv. Prepositions
v. Tense and aspect
I. COMMON ERRORS IN ENGLISH
Objective:
To improve the learners’ ability to understand eight
common types of errors found in their spoken and written
English.
1. Subject – Verb Agreement:
1
, English Grammar Notes (Aamir Mahar)
The verb and subject must agree with each other. If the subject
is singular, then the verb must be singular. If the subject is
plural, then the verb must be plural.
1. If a singular subject is separated by a comma then the
following sentence remains singular:
1. The child, together with his grandmother and his parents, is
going to the beach. (Right)
2. Frank, accompanied by his student, were at the studio.
(Wrong)
3. Frank, accompanied by his student, was at the studio. (Right)
2. Collective nouns, such as family, majority, audience, and
committee are singular when they act as one group. They are
plural when they act as individuals.
1. A majority of the shareholders wants the merger.
2. The jury were in disagreement.
3. All phrases separated by and are plural; phrases
separated by or are singular.
1. Ted, John, and I are going.
2. Mary, Sheela and Peter are waiting at the reception.
4. Neither/nor and either/or are a exceptional case. If two
2
, English Grammar Notes (Aamir Mahar)
subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb should agree with
the subject that is near to it.
1. Neither the supervisor nor the staff members were able to
calm the distressed client.
2. Neither the staff members nor the supervisor was able to calm
the distressed client.
5. Choose the right subject in sentences in which the verb
comes before the subject.
1. There is many reasons why I can't help you. (Wrong)
2. There are many reasons why I can't help you. (Right)
2. Modifiers:
1. Use of Adjectives and Adverbs in correction of sentences.
An Adjective describes a noun and gives explanations for
questions like how many, which one and what kind
She is a good tennis player. (What kind of tennis player?)
An Adverb describes a verb or an adjective and explains the
questions beginning with when, where, why, in what manner,
and to what extent.
i. She plays cricket well. (She plays cricket how?)
3
, English Grammar Notes (Aamir Mahar)
ii. This problem is reasonably simple. (How simple?)
Generally adverbs do end with -ly to the adjective, like, "She
sang mellifluously."
She is a real good swimmer. (Wrong)
She is a really good swimmer. (Right)
"really" is acting as an adverb to modify the adjective "good"
The new student speaks bad. (Wrong)
The new student speaks badly. (Right)
"Badly" changes how the student speaks.
2. Corrections in the use of Adjectives with Verbs of Sense.
The below given is the list of verbs of perception which are
described by Adjectives: look, smell, taste, seem, taste, hear etc.
After the three week vacation, she looked very well. (Wrong)
After the three week vacation, she looked very good. (Right)
Explanation: "She is well" means "She is healthy" or describes a
person's well-being.
The strawberry shortcake tastes deliciously. (Wrong)
The strawberry shortcake tastes delicious. (Right)
3. Pronoun Agreement:
It is similar to subject – verb agreement rule. Pronoun that is
used should agree with its subject. The following is the list of
4
I. Practice Exercises on Remedial Grammar Covering:
i. Common Errors in English
ii. Subject-Verb agreement
iii. Use of Articles
iv. Prepositions
v. Tense and aspect
I. COMMON ERRORS IN ENGLISH
Objective:
To improve the learners’ ability to understand eight
common types of errors found in their spoken and written
English.
1. Subject – Verb Agreement:
1
, English Grammar Notes (Aamir Mahar)
The verb and subject must agree with each other. If the subject
is singular, then the verb must be singular. If the subject is
plural, then the verb must be plural.
1. If a singular subject is separated by a comma then the
following sentence remains singular:
1. The child, together with his grandmother and his parents, is
going to the beach. (Right)
2. Frank, accompanied by his student, were at the studio.
(Wrong)
3. Frank, accompanied by his student, was at the studio. (Right)
2. Collective nouns, such as family, majority, audience, and
committee are singular when they act as one group. They are
plural when they act as individuals.
1. A majority of the shareholders wants the merger.
2. The jury were in disagreement.
3. All phrases separated by and are plural; phrases
separated by or are singular.
1. Ted, John, and I are going.
2. Mary, Sheela and Peter are waiting at the reception.
4. Neither/nor and either/or are a exceptional case. If two
2
, English Grammar Notes (Aamir Mahar)
subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb should agree with
the subject that is near to it.
1. Neither the supervisor nor the staff members were able to
calm the distressed client.
2. Neither the staff members nor the supervisor was able to calm
the distressed client.
5. Choose the right subject in sentences in which the verb
comes before the subject.
1. There is many reasons why I can't help you. (Wrong)
2. There are many reasons why I can't help you. (Right)
2. Modifiers:
1. Use of Adjectives and Adverbs in correction of sentences.
An Adjective describes a noun and gives explanations for
questions like how many, which one and what kind
She is a good tennis player. (What kind of tennis player?)
An Adverb describes a verb or an adjective and explains the
questions beginning with when, where, why, in what manner,
and to what extent.
i. She plays cricket well. (She plays cricket how?)
3
, English Grammar Notes (Aamir Mahar)
ii. This problem is reasonably simple. (How simple?)
Generally adverbs do end with -ly to the adjective, like, "She
sang mellifluously."
She is a real good swimmer. (Wrong)
She is a really good swimmer. (Right)
"really" is acting as an adverb to modify the adjective "good"
The new student speaks bad. (Wrong)
The new student speaks badly. (Right)
"Badly" changes how the student speaks.
2. Corrections in the use of Adjectives with Verbs of Sense.
The below given is the list of verbs of perception which are
described by Adjectives: look, smell, taste, seem, taste, hear etc.
After the three week vacation, she looked very well. (Wrong)
After the three week vacation, she looked very good. (Right)
Explanation: "She is well" means "She is healthy" or describes a
person's well-being.
The strawberry shortcake tastes deliciously. (Wrong)
The strawberry shortcake tastes delicious. (Right)
3. Pronoun Agreement:
It is similar to subject – verb agreement rule. Pronoun that is
used should agree with its subject. The following is the list of
4
