ENGLISH

GRAMMA
R
CHAPTERS;-
1.Subject-Verb Concord
2.Tenses
3.Modals
4.Reported Speech
 Subject Verb Concord
 If the number of the subjects is singular, then the verb should be
singular or vice-versa. This is known as Subject-Verb Concord.
 It is also known as Subject-Verb Agreement.
 For example: i. Ram (Singular Subject) is (Singular Verb) a boy.
ii. Ram and Shyam (Plural Verb) are (Plural Verb)
Friends.
 There are certain rules which are used in Subject-Verb Agreement
1. Some nouns appear singular, but they are plural in form.
Nouns: Police, Vermin, Cattle, People, Rich, Poor, Poultry
etc.
Example: The police are investigating the case.
Whose cattle are these?
2. Some nouns appear plural but they are singular in form.
Nouns: Economics, Politics, News, Mathematics, Physics,
Innings, Statistics, Mechanics, Electronics, Measles etc.
Example: Politics is a dirty game.
The news is true.
Mathematics is my favourite subject.
3. Some nouns do not change their form either in singular or
plural form.
Nouns: Deer, Sheep, Dozen, Score
4. Some nouns have two parts. They are followed by plural verbs.
Nouns: Scissors, Spectacles, Bellows, Tongs, Tweezers,
Pincers, Pliers, Earphones, Earrings, Legs, Hands, Eyes,
Kidneys, Lungs, Slippers, Shoes, Socks, Sleeves, Binoculars,
Jeans, Shorts, Trousers, etc.
Example: My Shoes are shining.
His trousers are nice.
5. Some nouns are always used as singular number. They are
followed by singular verbs.
Nouns: Furniture, Scenery, Luggage, Baggage, Traffic,
Knowledge, Information, Fruit, Stationary, Machinery, etc.
Example: The Scenery of mountains is charming.
Knowledge is power.
 6. When two objects refer to the same person or thing, singular
verb is used.
Example: Bread and Butter is my favourite breakfast.
The governor and chancellor of universities has
Accepted our invitation.
Note: “The poet and the writer have passed away”
In this sentence, there are two articles ‘the’ which indicates that the two
persons are different, Therefore, Plural verb is used.
7. When two subjects are joined by “as well as” or “with”, the verb
agrees in number and person with the first one or subject.
Example: My friends as well as I are visiting Delhi.
He as well as they is ready to jump.
8. When one of the subjects is joined by or, nor, either or, neither
nor, is plural, then the verb must be plural and the plural subject
should be placed close to the verb and vice-versa.
Example: Neither the principal nor the teachers were present
In the meeting.
Neither the teachers nor the principal was present
In the meeting.
9. The indefinite pronouns “each one”, “everyone”, “no one”,
“anyone”, “many a” take singular verbs.
Example: Many a flower is born to blush unseen.
Each one teach one.
Anyone is welcomed to the programme.
10. Distributive pronouns are always followed by singular
verbs.
Pronouns: “each”, “every”, “neither”, “either”
Example: Every boy and every girl was given sweets.
Every man and woman has to die one day.
Each soldier and sailor is to march.
11. When a plural noun denotes some specific quantity or
amount considered as a whole, the verb is singular.
Example: Two-thirds of city is in ruins.
Ten thousand rupees is a good sum.
12. A unit of measurement is always followed by a singular
verb.
Example: Ten kilometres in not a long distance.
 This bottle contains 5 litres of water.
13. Mathematical calculations are always followed by singular
verbs.
Example: Two and two makes four.
Two and four is six.
14. The titles of books and names of sciences are always take
singular verbs.
Example: The Arabian Nights is an interesting book.
Physics is my favourite subject.
15. “A lot of”, “Some of“, “half of” and “most of” take a plural
verb if the reference to number. But they take singular verb, if
the reference is to amount or quantity.
Example: Some of the houses are not fit to live.
Half of the money has been stolen.
16. “A number of” is followed by plural verb and plural subject.
Example: A large number of books are missing from the
shelf.
17. “The number of” is followed by plural verb and plural
subject.
Example: The number of students participating in the dance
competition is huge.
18. “A great deal of”, “A good deal of”, “A large quantity (of)”
are always followed by a singular verb since these expressions
denote amount or quantity.
Example: A great deal of money was spent on the repairs of
the old house.
 Tenses
 A tense is used to determine the time of an action.
 The following types of tenses are as follows;-
 Simple Present;-
Subject + Verb (V1) + Object
Example: He goes to school.
She plays with him.
 Simple Past;-
Subject + Verb (V2) + Object
Example: He played football.
I played hockey.

 Simple Future;-
Subject + will/shall + Object
Example: Ram will give the letter to him
I shall study tonight.

 Present Continuous;-
Subject + is/am/are + Verb(ing) + Object
Example: He is playing football.
They are helping others.

 Past Continuous;-
Subject + was/were + Verb(ing) + Object
Example: He was playing cricket.
They were cooking vegetables.

 Future Continuous;-
Subject + shall/will + be + Verb(ing) + Object
Example: I shall be doing this work.
They will be planning to work tomorrow.

 Present Perfect;-
 Subject + has/have + Verb (V3) + Object
Example: Virat has scored a century.
They have done their homework.

 Past Perfect;-
Subject + had + Verb (V3) + Object
Example: Virat had scored a century.
They had done their homework.

 Future Perfect;-
Subject + will/shall + have + Verb (V3) + Object
Example: I shall have done the work.
They will have done the work.

 Present Perfect Continuous ;-

Subject + has/have + been + Verb (ing) + Object
Example: Virat has been playing cricket.
They have been working for a company.

 Past Perfect Continuous ;-

Subject + had + been + Verb (ing) + Object
Example: Dhoni had been playing cricket.
They had been working for a company.

 Future Perfect Continuous ;-

Subject + will/shall + have + been + Verb (ing) + Object
Example: He shall have been working in an office.
They shall have been planning to come to India.
 Modals
 Modal is a helping verb.
 It modifies the main verb in a sentence

List of Modals;-
 Shall;-
It is used with first person pronoun.
Example: I shall go to Cuttack.
Shall we go to the theatre?
 Should;-
It is used to express an advisory.
Example: Students should reach the venue 30 minutes prior to
the schedule.
We should follow the traffic rules.
 Will;-
It is used in informal situation.
Example: I will carry your books.
I will try to best next time.
 Would;-
It is used in formal situation to express request, offer or
invitation.
Example: Would you like to join the party?
Would you like to have tea or coffee?
 May;-
It is used to express a possibility.
Example: It may rain this evening.
May god bless you!
It is used to express a situation.
Example: May I come in?
May I have your kind attention?
It is used to express an offer.
Example: May I help you?
 Might;-
It is used to express less possibility.
Example: He might survive.
It is used to express past action.
 Example: If I had been there, I might have scored more runs.
He might be responsible for the tragedy.
 Can;-
It expresses ability or capacity.
Example: I can speak different languages.
He can lift 100 kg box.
It is used to express permission.
Example: Can I take your pen?
 Could;-
It expresses past ability.
Example: I could run fast when I was a child.
 Dare:-
It is used to express courage.
Example: How dare you?
We dare to care.

This modal is also known as semi-modal as it used for the

main and auxiliary verb.

 Must;-
It is used to express a compulsory action.
Example: I must appear this exam to get a job.
 Need;-
It is used to express necessity.
Example: I need your help.
You need not stay here for long.
 Used to;-
It expresses past habit.
Example: I used to play hockey in my school days.
Ravi used to be a clerk but now he is an officer.
 Ought to;-
It is used to express obligation or responsibility.
Example: We ought to serve our country.
You ought to pay loan amount to the bank.
 Degree of Formality:-
More Formal Formal Informal
OFFICIAL UNOFFICIAL
May Might Will
Could Can
Would
Should
Shall
 Reported Speech
 Direct Speech;-
When a sentence reports the exact words of the speaker, it is said to
be direct speech.
Example: She said, “I am going to Paris.”

 Indirect Speech:-
In Indirect speech, we report what the speaker has said with quoting
his or her exact words.
Example: She told me that she was going to Paris.

 Reporting Verb:-
The verb which is used to speak about a given topic is known as
Reporting Verb. In other words, the verb which is placed before
direct speech or indirect speech is known as Reporting Verb.
Example: Rahul said, “I am tired.
Rahul told me that he was tired.
Some other words that used in place of said are “add”, “complain”,
“promise”, “remind”, “remark” and “point out”.

 Rules for changing sentences from direct to indirect speech ;-

 If the reporting verb is in the present tense or future tense, the
tense of the reported speech remains unchanged.
Example: The trainer will say, “The children are ready for the
tournament.”
The trainer will say that the children are ready for
tournament.
 The conversion table as follows;-
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
1. Simple Present Simple Past
Example: The man said, “I like Example: The man said that
flying kites.” he liked flying kites.
2. Present Continuous Past Continuous
Example: Rita said, “My aunt is Example: Rita said that her
cooking dinner” aunt was cooking dinner.
 3. Present Perfect Past Perfect
Example: Rock said, “I have Example: Rock said that he
taken a bath.” had taken a bath.
4. Simple Past Past Perfect
Example: He said, “I bought a Example: He said that he had
watch for my mother.” bought a watch for his mother.
5. Past Perfect Past Perfect
Example: Ronny said, “Rahul Example: Ronny said that
had done this before” Rahul had done this before.

 Exceptions to these rules;-

1. If the reported speech expresses a universal truth or an
established/habitual fact, its tense remains unchanged.
Example: The teacher told the class, “The sun is a star.”
The teacher told that the sun is a star.
2. If the reported speech describes a state of affairs which still
exists when the speech is reported, its tense remains
unchanged.
Example: The president said, “The people of this country
are very intelligent.”
The president said that the people of this
country are very intelligent.
3. Modal verb forms also change sometimes.
 “Must” changes to “had to”.
 “Will/Shall” changes to “would”.
 “Shall” changes to “should”. (Not always)
 “Can” becomes “could”.

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Today That day
Now Then/ At the moment
Yesterday The day before
…days ago …days before
Last week The week before
 Next year The following year
Tomorrow The next day/ The following day
Here There
These Those
Ago Previously/ before
Tonight That night
Last… The … before
The day before yesterday Two days before
The day after tomorrow In two days’ time
Next… The following…