Five Major Grammar Rules with Examples
English grammar rules are certainly not easy to learn and follow. But students and anyone else who desires to become a professional writer must remember these rules. Many people often overlook the grammar rules. However, this is a major mistake that can ruin the readability of the content.
The primary reason for creating these rules is to make writers follow them. The writers who abide by these laws usually stand out from the crowd and succeed in impressing their readers. That’s why it is inevitable for individuals to spare time to learn these grammar rules efficiently.
The five major grammar rules are discussed below.
They’re-Their-There
The first basic rule every writer must learn is finding the difference between They’re, Their’ and There.’ It is quite simple but a bit tricky. Therefore, most people use them incorrectly.
Many individuals get confused between when they need to use “they’re,” “their,” and “there.” So, let’s solve this problem.
They’re
They’re’ is basically a contraction of two words; they and are. For instance, “they’re planning to go out tomorrow”.
Their
Their is used to define possession. For instance, “their home is beautiful.”
There
There is mainly used to define position. For instance, “Please wait; I am coming there.”
Isn’t it extremely easy and simple?
Using the Right Articles
Another important grammar rule that you must learn is correct article usage. As a writer, you must know when you should use “a,” “an,” or “the” in their sentences.
It is essential to know that “A” and “an” are usually put before common nouns. For example, you need to use “an” before common nouns that begin with vowels –a, e, i, o, or u. On the other hand, the article “a” is used for the words that begin with consonants – all the letters except vowels.
Similarly, you should use “the” before proper nouns, any specific subject, and so on.
You need to practice these rules to enhance your understanding of them.
Punctuation
While talking about English grammar, there is something that cannot be neglected: Punctuation. Punctuation helps you set the tone of your written content and make it easily understandable for the readers. There are numerous punctuation marks that you need to get familiar with to generate quality content.
Besides, it is also advised to take the help of online platforms to get more knowledge about punctuation. Adding punctuation correctly on your device is important to make your text engaging. The following example will help you learn about punctuation efficiently.
“Let’s go to the park together and play soccer Paul”.
Now, the proper sentence:
“Let’s go to the park together and play soccer, Paul!”
The above example would have helped you learn how to use punctuation marks to enhance your text’s readability. You can also use our punctuation checker to make your content perfect.
Subject-Verb Agreement
Every English writer needs to know that the subject must agree with the verb in your sentence. This rule mainly directs for singular and plural nouns. As the writer, you must ensure that the sentence’s subject and the accompanying verb remain at the same level. The verb must be a plural tool if the subject is plural. The same goes for singular nouns. Generally, a singular verb has “s” at the end, while plural verbs don’t.
For instance, “They all need pens to write the letters” _ plural verb
“He needs a book to read” – singular verb.
Beware! Role of Punctuation Marks in Written Communication
Beware! Affect Vs Effect
Beware! Colon vs Semicolon
Preposition
The use of the right preposition in the sentence is the fundamental rule for English grammar. There are words like “on, it, at, in, over, at, and more” that allow you to join two sentences. Learning about the accurate use of prepositions is essential for individuals to craft flawless content. An advanced grammar checker also helps you in this regard. The utility highlights any incorrect prepositions used in your writing and suggests ways to rectify them.
Learn When to Capitalize
Many people often face problems while using capital letters. One of the major reasons to use capital letters is when you are mentioning a proper noun.
Here are some common proper nouns:
- Names
- Specific places
- Words of address, such as “Can you give me a glass of water, Jack?”
- Days of the week
- Months of the year
- Job titles are used as part of a name or preceding a name, such as “President of ABC country, Joe Biden.”
You should also capitalize the word title of any book or article, except conjunctions and prepositions that are three letters or fewer.