Grammer

English Grammar is the foundation for all of our writing and speaking skills in the English language. The Language started with sounds which transformed into words, phrases and sentences. The sum-up of the complete knowledge and understandability of language is known as Grammar. To learn a language, learning Grammar is not required but to understand the language efficiently, the knowledge of Grammar is quite important. The grammar of a language includes basic axioms such as verb tenses, articles and adjectives (and their proper order), how questions are phrased, and much more. Language cannot function without grammar. Speakers and listeners, authors and their audiences must function in like systems in order to understand one another. In other words, a language without grammar is like a pile of bricks without mortar to hold them together. While the basic components are present, they are, for all intents and purposes, useless. Grammar is actually something all of us begin to learn in our first days and weeks of life, through interaction with others. From the moment we’re born, we start learning it, as we hear it spoken around us, even if we don’t fully comprehend its meaning yet. Although a baby wouldn’t have a clue about the terminology, they do begin to pick up and assimilate how sentences are put together (syntax), as well as figure out the pieces that go into making those sentences work (morphology). “A preschooler’s tacit knowledge of grammar is more sophisticated than the thickest style manual,” explains cognitive psychologist, linguist, and popular science author Steven Pinker.

Anyone who wants to be an effective speaker or writer must have at least a basic grasp of grammar. The further beyond the basics you go, the more effectively and clearly you’ll be able to communicate in almost any situation. “There are several applications of grammatical study” :
(1) A recognition of grammatical structures is often essential for punctuation.
(2) A study of one’s native grammar is helpful when one studies the grammar of a foreign language
(3) A knowledge of grammar is a help in the interpretation of literary as well as nonliterary texts, since the interpretation of a passage sometimes depends crucially on grammatical analysis
(4) A study of the grammatical resources of English is useful in composition: in particular, it can help you to evaluate the choices available to you when you come to revise an earlier written draft. In a professional setting, having advanced knowledge of grammar can help you interact efficiently and easily with your colleagues, subordinates, and superiors. Whether you’re giving directions, getting feedback from your boss, discussing the goals of a particular project, or creating marketing materials, the ability to communicate effectively is extremely important.

Types of English Grammer

Teachers follow a course of pedagogical grammar when instructing English language learners. While students mainly have to deal with the nuts-and-bolts of prescriptive, traditional grammar (such as making sure verbs and subjects agree and where to put commas in a sentence), linguists focus on the infinitely more complex aspects of language.

The types of grammar are listed below:

1. Case grammar
2. Cognitive grammar

1. Construction grammar
2. Generative grammar
3. Lexical-functional grammar (LFG)
4. Mental grammar
5. Theoretical grammar
6. Transformational grammar

The Basic rules of English Grammer are:

• Sentence structure: A sentence must have a subject and a predicate.

• Parts of speech: Words are categorized into nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

• Agreement: Subject and verb must agree in number.

• Tense consistency: Verbs must be used consistently in the same tense.

• Pronoun agreement: Pronouns must agree with the antecedent in gender and number.

• Modifiers: Adjectives and adverbs must be placed correctly in sentences.

• Parallelism: Ideas in a list or comparison must be expressed in parallel form.

• Capitalization: The first word of a sentence and proper nouns must be capitalized.

• Punctuation: Proper use of punctuation is crucial for clear and concise writing.

• Spelling: Correct spelling is important for clarity and credibility.

• Word choice: Precise word choice is essential for effective communication.

• Tone: The tone of a piece of writing should match the purpose and audience.

The part of speech indicates how the word functions in meaning as well as grammatically within the sentence. An individual word can function as more than one part of speech when used in different circumstances. Understanding parts of speech is essential for determining the correct definition of a word when using the dictionary. There are eight parts of speech in the English language:

1. Nouns – Naming words are called nouns. 

• Proper Noun

• Common Noun

• Singular Noun

• Plural Noun

• Possessive Noun

• Collective Noun

• Abstract Noun

• Compound Noun

• Countable Noun

• Uncountable Noun

• Material Noun

2. Pronouns – A Pronoun is a word that we use as a replacement for a noun in a sentence to avoid the repetition of a noun.

• Relative Pronouns

• Reflexive Pronouns

• Demonstrative Pronouns

• Possessive Pronouns

• Indefinite Pronouns

• Personal Pronouns

• Subject Pronouns

• Object Pronouns

• Interrogative Pronouns

• Reciprocal Pronouns

• Intensive Pronouns

• Distributive Pronouns

3. 3. Verbs – A verb is a word or group of words that is used in a sentence to indicate that something happens or exists.

• Verb Forms

• Main Verbs

• Helping Verbs

• Auxiliary Verbs

• Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

• Regular Verbs

• Irregular Verbs

• Modal Verbs

• Phrasal Verbs

• Finite Verbs

• Non Finite Verbs

• Linking Verbs

• Stative Verbs

• Action Verbs

• Gerund

4. Adjectives – Adverb of Manner and Quality, Adverb of Place, Adverb of Time, Adverb of Quantity and Range, Adverb of Number and Frequency, etc.

• Descriptive Adjectives

• Quantitative Adjectives

• Proper Adjectives

• Demonstrative Adjectives

• Possessive Adjectives

• Interrogative Adjectives

• Indefinite Adjectives

• Compound Adjectives

• Degree of Adjectives

• Adjectives List

5. Adverbs – A word that modifies a noun or noun phrase and describes its referent.

• Conjunctive Adverbs

• Adverb Clauses

• Sentence Adverbs

• Adverbs of Time

• Adverbs of Frequency

• Adverbs of Place

• Adverbs of Direction

• Adverbs of Degree

• Adverbs of Manner

6. Conjunctions – The conjunction is a word that we use to make connections in a sentence.
   • Subordinating Conjunctions

• Coordinating Conjunctions

• Correlative Conjunctions

7. Prepositions – A Preposition is the word or group of words used before or after the nouns and pronouns in a sentence to establish  a meaningful relationship between the words. 

• Prepositions of Time

• Prepositions of Place and Direction

• Prepositions of Agents or Things

• Phrasal Prepositions

• Preposition Phrases

9. Interjections – A word or phrase that is grammatically independent from the words around it, and mainly expresses feeling rather than meaning.

Sentences in English Grammer

A sentence in English grammar is a basic unit of meaning that conveys a complete thought. It typically has the following key characteristics: In this section, we have listed all the characteristics of sentences.

• Simple sentence
• Compound sentence
• Complex sentence
• Compound-complex sentence

Articles in English Grammer

Articles in English grammar are tiny words that do a lot of work in sentences. Articles are how we understand whether somebody is talking about a specific noun or just any old noun. Using articles in English grammar is easy. It’s the difference between a glass of water and the glass of water. The word A, An/The are called Articles in English Grammer.

Rules of Using Articles with Examples

There are two types of articles namely Indefinite and Definite articles.

Definite Article

The definite article is used to refer to a specific or a particular thing. “The” is the only definite article present in the English language. 
For example, when we say, “Let’s go to the mall.”, we are using “the” to refer to a particular mall that everyone is familiar with. Another example is ” Where is the house?”, here “the” is used to inquire about a specific house that everyone knows about.

Indefinite Article

The indefinite article is used to refer to a non-specific or a generalized thing. “A” and “an” are the two types of indefinite articles in the English language. Examples:
“There is a book on the shelf.”- Here, a book refers to any random book in general.
“I want to eat an apple.”- It refers to eating an apple.

Definite and Indefinite Articles with Examples

Examples of definite articles:

1. The kids are playing in the playground.
   The delivery boy is here.
   3. The movie was amazing.
   4. It is kept in the drawer.
   5. Did you watch the game?

Examples of indefinite articles:

1. I saw a bird at the window.
   2. I need an explanation.
   3. He bought a car.
   4. She ate an apple.
   5. India won a T20 international match.

Punctuations in English Grammer

In English grammar, punctuation refers to a system of marks and symbols used to clarify the meaning and structure of written language, and it is one of the most important topics to learn if you are learning English grammar. Punctuation is used to create sense, clarity and stress in sentences. You use punctuation marks to structure and organise your writing.

Punctuation rules in English

• The period 

The period (known as a full stop in British English) is probably the simplest of the punctuation marks to use. You use it like a knife to cut the sentences to the required length. Generally, you can break up the sentences using the full stop at the end of a logical and complete thought that looks and sounds right to you.

Examples

• Rome is the capital of Italy.
• I was born in Australia and now live in Indonesia.
• The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people.

• The comma

There are some general rules which you can apply when using the comma. However, you will find that in English there are many other ways to use the comma to add to the meaning of a sentence or to emphasise an item, point, or meaning.

Examples

• I met Harry, we went for a swim together, and afterwards Harry went home.
• I like your son, I might even love him, but he is not a very good soccer player.

• The house we visited was dark, dreary, and run-down.

• The exclamation mark

The exclamation mark is used to express exasperation, astonishment, or surprise, or to emphasise a comment or short, sharp phrase. In professional or everyday writing, exclamation marks are used sparingly if at all.

Examples

• Help! Help!
• That’s unbelievable!
• Get out!
• Look out!
• What a lovely day! 

• The question mark

          The question mark is used at the end of all direct questions.

          Examples

• There is cause for concern (isn’t there?) that the current world economic balance is so fragile that it may lead to a global economic downturn.
• “Why is she here?” asked Henry.

• The colon

The colon expands on the sentence that precedes it, often introducing a list that demonstrates or elaborates whatever was previously stated.

Examples

• He collected a strange assortment of items: bird’s eggs, stamps, bottle tops, string, and buttons.
• Peter had an eclectic taste in music: latin, jazz, country and western, pop, blues, and classical.

• The semicolon

The semicolon is somewhere between a full stop and a comma. Semicolons can be used in English to join phrases and sentences that are thematically linked without having to use a conjunction (example 1 below). Semicolons can also be used instead of commas to separate the items in a list when the items themselves already contain commas

Examples

• I like your brother; he’s a good friend.
• Many great leaders, Churchill, leader of Britain during the Second World War; Alexander, the great Emperor and general; and Napolean, the brilliant French general, had strong characters, which were useful when their countries were at war but which did not serve them well in times of peace.

The quotation mark

• The quotation marks are used to cite something someone said exactly. When rephrasing what someone told you, no quotation marks are needed.

Examples

• “I’m going to the store now,” she said.
• Harry told me, “Don’t forget your soccer jersey.”
• Harry told me not to forget my soccer jersey.

• The apostrophe

          The apostrophe probably causes more grief than all of the other punctuation marks put together! The problem nearly always seems to stem from not understanding that the apostrophe has two very different (and very important) uses in English: possession and contractions.

Possession apostrophe

In most cases you simply need to add ‘s to a noun to show possession

Examples

• a ship’s captain
• a doctor’s patient
• a car’s engine
• Ibrahim’s coat
• Mirianna’s book

Contractions

The most common use of apostrophes in English is for contractions, where a noun or pronoun and a verb combine. Remember that the apostrophe is often replacing a letter that has been dropped. It is placed where the missing letter would be in that case.

Examples

isn’t, hasn’t, hadn’t, didn’t, wouldn’t, can’t

I’ll, you’ll, she’ll, we’ll, they’ll

I’d, you’d, he’d, we’d, they’d

• The hyphen and the dash
• Parentheses and brackets

Determiners and Quantifiers

The words which are placed before nouns to understand what the nouns are referring to are known as determiners. Determiners behave like an adjective since they introduce or alter a noun in a sentence. For example: that game, your life, our planet. Quantifiers are words which are placed before nouns to quantify a noun i.e., they indicate an amount or quantity. For example: some milk, most children, lots of people. Quantifiers are sometimes classified as a type of determiner.

Types of Determiners

In general terms, there are five different types of determiners. We will see about two more types of determiners also.

1. Articles

They are one of the most commonly used determiners. They are used to identify the noun that is being referred to. Based on whether the noun is specific or non-specific, there are two types of articles: definite (“the”) and indefinite (“a” and “an”)

Examples: 
Where is the washroom?
He wishes to be an actor.
 

2. Demonstrative Determiners

Demonstrative determiners are used to indicate the position of a person or thing relative to the speaker. Common demonstratives are “this”, “that”, “these”, “those”, “here”, “there”.

Examples:
Those days are gone.
This city is beautiful.

3. Possessive Determiners

As the name indicates, these determiners indicate possession. They include pronouns like “my”, “our”, “your”, “his”, “her”, “their”.

Examples:
Did you find his notes?
This is our home.

4. Quantifiers

Quantifiers are used to refer to a number or quantity in a noun phrase. Words like “many”, “few”, “a little”, “a lot”, “some”, “a little” are some of the types of quantifiers.

Examples:
There are many animals in the zoo.
Can you pass some sugar?

5. Distributive Determiners

Distributives determiners are used to refer to a group or individual components within a group. Words like “each”, “every”, “all”, “both” are some examples of distributive determiners.

Examples:
Each player contributed to the winning cause.
All the students passed the exam.

6. Interrogative Determiners

They are used to modify a noun into a question with the use of words like “what”, “whose” and “which”.

Examples:
Which game were you talking about?
Whose phone did you use?

7. Determiners of Difference

Two words “another” and “other” are used as determiners of difference. They are used to refer “different kinds of” or “additional”.

Examples:
Do you have any other book?

Quantifiers

Definition of quantifiers

Quantifiers are words that precede a noun to denote a number or quantity to that noun phrase. Words like “many”, “few”, “a little”, “a lot”, “some”, “a little” are some of the types of quantifiers.

Examples:
We can see many stars in the night sky
Can you pass me some water?

Types of Quantifiers

There are three main classifications of quantifiers.

1. Quantifiers that Indicate Large Quantities

Here, words like “many”, “a lot”, “much”, “several”, “a number of” are used to refer to large quantities.

Examples:
There are many books in the library.
JK Rowling has written several books on the fantasy world of Harry Potter.

2. Quantifiers that Indicate Small Quantities

The words used for these cases are “few”, “a little”, a bit”, “not much” etc.

Examples:
Few people left the building.
The boy paid little attention to what his father said.

3. Neutral or Relative Quantifiers

These quantifiers do not refer to a small or large quantity. Words like “some”, “any”, “enough”, “most of” represent relative quantifiers

Examples:
There is some money in the drawer.
He has done enough work for today.

Examples of Quantifiers

1. There arefew people at the station.
   2. Can I have somewater?
   3. There are several cars in the showroom.
   4. I have enough money to buy that phone.
   5. There are a lot of trees in the forest.

Uses of Determiners and Quantifiers

Both determiners and quantifiers are placed in front of nouns to make it easier to understand what the nouns are referring to. While determiners have multiple uses, quantifiers are mainly used to indicate a number or quantity that the noun is referring to.

Based on its uses, determiners have different classifications. Articles (“a”, “an”, “the”) are determiners that are used to provide the specificity of the noun i.e. to indicate whether the noun is specific or non-specific. Demonstrative determiners (“this”, “that”, “these”, “those”, “here”, “there”) are used to indicate the position of a person or thing relative to the speaker. Possessive determiners (“my”, “our”, “your”, “his”, “her”, “their”) indicate possession while distributives determiners (“each”, “every”, “all”, “both”) are used to refer to a group or individual components within a group. Similarly, quantifiers are classified based on the quantity that is being referred to i.e., small, large, or relative. Words like “few”, “little”, “many”, “a lot”, “some”, “any” are examples of quantifiers.

Word Forms

Word forms are defined as the different variations of the word that can change the part of speech or help to express different grammatical categories. The general type of  word forms are prefixes and Suffixes.

Prefix and Suffix are important parts of words that help us understand and create new words. A prefix is added to the start of a word to change its meaning, like “un-” in “undo,” which means “to reverse.” A suffix is added to the end of a word to change its function or meaning, such as “-ed” in “played,” which makes the word past tense. Knowing how to use prefixes and suffixes can help you expand your vocabulary and understand how different words are formed.

Rules to Be followed When Adding a Prefix or a Suffix

When adding a prefix or suffix to a word, certain spelling rules should be followed to maintain proper word formation:

1. Prefixes Usually Don’t Change the Spelling:

• When adding a prefix to a word, the spelling of the original word usually doesn’t change. For example, adding “un-” to “happy” becomes “unhappy.”

2. Doubling the Final Consonant:

• When adding a suffix to a word that ends in a single consonant, and the vowel before it is short (e.g., “run”), double the final consonant before adding a suffix starting with a vowel (e.g., “running”).

3. Dropping the Final ‘e’:

• If a word ends in a silent “e,” drop the “e” before adding a suffix that starts with a vowel (e.g., “hope” + “-ing” = “hoping”). However, if the suffix starts with a consonant, keep the “e” (e.g., “hope” + “-ful” = “hopeful”).

4. Changing ‘y’ to ‘i’:

• If a word ends in a “y” preceded by a consonant, change the “y” to “i” before adding a suffix (e.g., “happy” + “-ness” = “happiness”). However, if the suffix begins with “i,” such as “-ing,” keep the “y” (e.g., “carry” + “-ing” = “carrying”).

5. No Change for Suffixes Starting with Consonants:

• When adding suffixes that start with a consonant, the base word typically remains unchanged (e.g., “treat” + “-ment” = “treatment”).

6. Adding ‘s’ or ‘es’ for Plurals:

• For most words, simply add “s” to make them plural (e.g., “cat” becomes “cats”). However, if the word ends in “s,” “x,” “z,” “ch,” or “sh,” add “es” (e.g., “box” becomes “boxes”).

7. Maintaining Original Stress:

• Adding a prefix usually does not change the stress pattern of the word (e.g., “appear” becomes “disappear” without changing the stress on “pear”).

Examples of Prefixes

Examples of Suffixes

Tenses

Tense in English grammar is the backbone of the language; it refers to the form of verb that indicates when an action is taken. In the below section, we have a breakdown of each part with a detailed explanation.

• Simple Present Tense

The simple present tense is employed in phrases to describe an event or happening that is currently taking place or just recently happened in the given context.

Rules for Simple Present Tense

Just regular verbs can follow the principles of such present simple tense. Regular verbs comply with regulations but irregular verbs often don’t. There are a couple of rules to follow and factors to be mindful of while using the present simple tense effectively and productively. The following are a few simple present-tense guidelines:

1. The basic form of the verb has been most commonly employed in the simple present tense.

1. We utilize some other forms of verbs if a third-person pronoun or topic is present in a phrase.

1. You must add es at the end of verbs that finish in ch, gh, ss, o, th, sh, or z.

1. Whenever a verb finishes in a consonant + y, you drop the y and replace it withies.

1. We don’t do this with vowel + y.

Purpose of Simple Present Tense

The following can be the reason for choosing simple present tense:

1. When quoting broad truths or research methods.

1. Used to signify routine actions that occur regularly or at periodic intervals.

1. Used to denote constant occurrences.

1. Used to refer to established structures.

1. Upcoming activities that are scheduled in advance.

1. To begin introducing quotes

1. Comment on television

1. Historical accounts

Examples of Simple Present Tense

1. I go to the park every day.

1. She likes to play hockey.

1. My brother lives in Delhi.

1. The earth revolves around the sun.

1. My school starts at 8 a.m.

1. Do you like to watch television?

1. Does Aradhya buy vegetables?

1. Priya doesn’t break this plate.

1. What does Radha teach in school?

1. Don’t you sleep in bed?

1. I take a bath daily.

1. They study in college.

1. Does she write a letter to her parents?

1. My mother regularly cleans the house.

1. People speak Japanese in Japan.

• Present Continuous Tense

“The verb form used for actions or events that are happening or developing now” is how the Cambridge Dictionary describes the “present continuous tense.” “A verb form consisting of an auxiliary be in the present tense followed by a present participle and used especially to indicate that a present action or event is in progress, being repeated, or of a temporary nature, or to express the future,” is how the Collins Dictionary defines the present continuous tense. The Macmillan Dictionary defines the present continuous tense as “the tense used to talk about actions or behaviour that are in progress now or planned for the future.”

Structure of the Present Continuous Tense

There is definitely just one formula to mastering the present continuous tense and this is how it goes. Subject + am/is/are + present participle (verb+ing) + the rest of the sentence

But you should be aware of something else as well. It’s important for you to understand the structure of positive, negative, interrogative, and negative interrogative phrases that contain the verb in the present continuous tense.

Present Continuous Tense Rules

• Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb form “to be“(am, is, are) should agree with the subject of the sentences. For singular subjects, use “is“(he is, she is), and for plural subjects, use “are”(we are, they are).
• Present Participle Form: Add the “-ing” suffix to the base form of the verb to create the present participle. However, keep in mind that there are certain spelling rules to follow (e.g., drop the final “e” in words like “write” becomes “writing”).
• Time Indicators:The present continuous tense is commonly used with time expressions such as “now,” “at the moment,” “currently,” and “right now” to emphasize the ongoing nature of the action.

Present Continuous Tense Examples

• I am writing an essay on my best friends.
• She is reading different kinds of novels.
• Kids are playing cricket outside now.
• Rohan is drinking coffee at the shop.
• We are going to the nearest library.
• Rick is eating his pizza at home.
• They are shopping at the fair for some refreshments
• I like listening to old classical songs.
• We are not quarreling with anyone.
• Are you planning to go to the movies tonight?

• Simple Past Tense

It is a part of past tense. Simple past tense is defined as ” an action happened in the past ( before present time ) and there is no longer happening of this action. Simple past tense is used to refer an habitual action in the past. It is also used to refer a single act that happened before the present time. 

Simple Past Tense Rules

Simple past tense follows a few rules. These are described below – 

Rule 1. For some regular verbs, you just need to add ‘ed’ or ‘d’ at the end of the verb to make it past form. The verbs that contain a word ‘e’ at the end is followed by ‘d’. 

Example: 

Rule 2. Some verbs remain the same spelling in simple past tense. 

Example: 

Rule 3. Some verbs take different spelling in simple past tense and there is no such systematic rules or patterns. 

Example : 

Simple Past Tense Formula

The formula for making a sentence in the simple past tense depends on whether the verb is regular or irregular. Here’s a simple breakdown:

• Regular Verbs: You add -ed to the base form of the verb. For example, “walk” becomes “walked.”

• Irregular Verbs: These verbs don’t follow a set pattern, so you have to learn them individually. For example, “go” becomes “went.”

The formula can be seen as follows:

Affirmative Sentence: Subject + Past tense verb (regular or irregular) + Object.
Example: She played tennis.

Negative Sentence: Subject + did not + Base form of the verb + Object.
Example: He did not go to school.

Question: Did + Subject + Base form of the verb + Object?
Example: Did you see the movie?

Purpose of Simple Past Tense 

It is an essential part of a tense. So it has some useful purposes. These are given below – 

1. i) It is used to refer an action that happened before present time. 
2. ii) It is used to refer an habitual action that happened in the past. 

Simple Past Tense Examples

We give some examples of simple past tense which help you to get the complete knowledge about this article. 

1) They played cricket in the field. 

2) We went for a movie. 

3) He did it. 

4) He got success in examination. 

5) The workers worked very hard. 

6) The students studied the modern history. 

7) The oldman walked on the road. 

8) Her father dropped her at bus stand. 

9) My friend bought a new car. 

10) I paid the electricity bill. 

• Past Continuous Tense

When describing activities that started in the past and typically continued for at least a brief amount of time after the action began, the past continuous tense is the one to use. This tense is used to characterize activities or occurrences that took place at a particular point in the past. At the point in time when the sentence is being spoken or printed, these activities are typically no longer taking place.

Past Continuous Tense Formula

Past Continuous Tense Structure

Past Continuous Tense Rules

The use of the past continuous has its own set of guidelines to follow. In its most fundamental version, it is constructed by combining the past tense of the verb “to be” with the present participle of a base verb and the suffix “-ing.”

Subject + was/ were + present participle verb + -ing + extra information

• Was used for 
  I, she, he, and it.

• Were used for
  You, they, we, and you all.

• Was used for
  Proper names of singular people, the name of a country, continents, etc.

• Were used for: 
  2 or more mentioned proper nouns.

Purpose of Past Continuous Tense

It is important to use the past continuous tense because it is used when mentioning actions or events that took place at a specific period in the past and which, in general, are no longer taking place now. You can demonstrate that an action or event occurred in the midst of another action by using either this tense by itself or in combination with the past simple tense. It provides a feeling of the order of events as well as the time period in which events from the past occurred in relation to one another.

• The activity that was taking place in the past but had not reached its conclusion at the time the sentence was written is expressed using the past continuous tense.

• Words such as always, constantly, perpetually, etc. are examples of those that can be used in the past continuous tense to describe an action that occurred on a regular basis in the past.

• It describes the unfinished action that occurred in the past but does not provide information about when the action began or when it concluded.

• It gives a simultaneous account of two events that took place in the past at the same moment.

• It can also be used to describe one action that has already been completed (in the simple past tense) and another action that was ongoing in the past. The duration of the action that has been completed is relatively brief, whereas the duration of the action that is ongoing is significantly longer.

 Past Continuous Tense Examples

• John was playing board games when his father arrived home.

• The boys were playing basketball in the backyard.

• Radhika was waiting at the bus stop when she received that message.

• We all were eating food.

• Ronak was studying last night.

• Ruby was reading the newspaper when I came.

• She wasn’t playing the guitar.

• The boys were making a robot yesterday.

• Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect tense, also known as the pluperfect tense, denotes that one action from the past was finished before moving on to the next action from the past. The past perfect sentence should be used exclusively when describing an event that happened in the past before another event.

The use of the past perfect participle denotes an activity that was finished in the past. The use of the past perfect participle eliminates a great deal of confusion regarding the chronological sequence of the events. 
When you use the past perfect present, you are indicating that one action occurred in the past before another action.
When used in a sentence, the past perfect participle is often accompanied by adjectives such as before, after, already, as well as yet.

In comparison, the use of the simple past tense indicates that there was only one action that took place in the past at a particular moment in time.

Definition of the Past Perfect Tense

“The form of a verb that is used to show that an action had already finished when another action happened” is how the Cambridge Dictionary defines the past perfect tense. The past perfect tense is described as “the form of a verb that expresses an action completed before a particular point in the past, formed in English with had and the past participle” by the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary.

Another definition of the past perfect tense given by the Merriam Webster Dictionary is as follows. According to it, the past perfect tense is “ the form of the verb that is used in referring to an action that was completed by a particular time in the past.” The Collins Dictionary puts it a little differently. According to it, the past perfect tense is “a tense indicating an action as completed or a state as having ended before a specified or implied time in the past,” and they also call the tense with another term – ‘pluperfect.’Definition of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense

The Future Perfect Continuous Tense, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as a tense form used “when we are looking back to the past from a point in the future, and we want to emphasise the length or duration of an activity or event.”

Past Perfect Tense Structure

When talking about activities that were finished before a certain moment in the past, the “Past Perfect” tense should be used.
The form of the Past Perfect is created by combining the auxiliary verb’s past participle with the word had.

Past Perfect Tense Formula

So, here is the formula of the past perfect tense.

Past Perfect Tense Rules

The construction of the past perfect tense is very comparable to that of the present perfect tense. The past perfect tense, which is very similar to the present perfect tense, is formed by combining the auxiliary word “had” with the primary verb’s past participle. The only distinction is that when speaking in the past tense, the auxiliary word “had” is used instead of the first, second, or third pronoun depending on which one is functioning as the subject of the sentence. In most cases, the past participle of ordinary verbs is identical to the verb’s past tense form. If you have a good comprehension of the past participle, you won’t have any trouble understanding as well as using the past tense in your writing and conversation because you will be able to do so accurately.

The very next thing that you need to keep in mind is that a statement that utilizes the form of the verb known as the past perfect makes use of not one but two verbs: a helping verb and the primary verb. The assisting word that is used here is “had.” The word “had” will be utilized with all of the verbs and questions.

Purpose of Past Perfect Tense

It is a term that is used to indicate an activity that was finished before a specific period in the past.
When referring to an event that transpired in the past more than once, the past perfect sentence should be utilized for the event that happened first. These kinds of statements are linked together using conjunctions like when, after, before, or already.
It is also used to characterize a sentence that does not have two parts but makes it abundantly obvious that the event in question took place a very long time ago through the use of the sentence itself.
For instance-

• I had already purchased my new vehicle. He had finished cooking quite a while ago.

• It is used to characterize a desire, wish, or anticipation from the past that was not met, among other things.

• It is a term that is used to characterize negative actions that occurred in the past that subsequently had an impact.
  After converting the direct speech of present perfect as well as past indeterminate tenses into indirect speech, we discovered that they had transformed into past perfect tenses.

Past Perfect Tense Examples

1. I had called the doctor for an appointment but it was already full.

1. I had never met anyone like him before I met Jack.

1. He had still not reached his home.

1. She had just received the parcel.

1. He had drawn the sketch of a map.

1. Had she lived in this house?

1. John had traveled to Venice until last month.

• Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The action was initiated in the past and was still in progress in the past before another action from the past began. This type of action is described using the past perfect continuous tense, which is also known as the past perfect progressive tense. When compared to the past perfect tense, which describes an action that occurred in the past and was completed before the second act began, the past perfect continuous tense places more emphasis on the action’s ongoing development.

When we want to emphasize how long an action took place in the past before it was followed by another action or occurrence, we typically use the “past perfect continuous” phrase. We can also use it to speak about an action from the past that was the cause or result of an incident or circumstance from the past.

Structure of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Combining the past perfect of the verb to be (=had been) with the present participle (base+ing) results in the past perfect continuous tense.

Rules for Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The phrase “action that started in the past as well as was still in progress when another action started” can be described using the “past perfect progressive” (continuous) form of the verb. The past is where both of these activities started and where they finished. The statement, much like the past perfect simple, is divided into two parts:

The past perfect progressive is used to allude to an activity that was still occurring at the time of the sentence’s writing.
The action that occurred after the first action is referred to using the straightforward form of the past tense.

Purpose of Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The challenging form of the past perfect continuous is as follows. There are a lot of websites that will state that they can describe this tense in just a short article, but unfortunately, this is not feasible (sorry!). This particular version of the word is used in a few distinct contexts, and depending on those contexts, it can convey a variety of different meanings. Here are some examples:

It’s important to keep in mind that these correspond fairly closely with the various ways in which we use the present perfect continuous form:

• Recent Efforts That Have Been Realized

• Actions That Are Still Being Taken (with for and since)

• Different Patterns of Conduct and Habits

I had been traveling since five o’clock in the morning, which is an example of the past perfect continuous tense. The only difference is that the time reference is in the past.

• She had been touring Europe for three weeks.

• She had been learning French for five months.

• Rohan had been playing for the opposite team for two months.

It is important to point out that the past perfect and the past perfect continuous can be substituted for one another in a variety of contexts.

Examples of Past Perfect Continuous Tense

1. You have been driving since seven o’clock in the morning.

1. She had been touring Germany for three weeks.

1. Suneel had been learning Spanish for four months.

1. Tiwari had been applying for engineering jobs for five months.

1. The artists had been painting the wall for the last six days.

• Simple Future Tense

The simple future tense, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “the form of a verb that expresses what will happen after the present.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the simple future tense as “a verb tense that is used to refer to the future.” “A tense of verbs used when the action or event described is to occur after the time of utterance”, is the definition of the simple future tense according to the Collins Dictionary. The Macmillan Dictionary defines the simple future tense as the tense that depicts actions or events “expected to exist or happen during the time following the present time.”

Simple Future Tense Formula

The formula of the simple future tense is as follows:

Structure of the Simple Future Tense

The structure of the Simple Future Tense for different kinds of sentences is listed below:

Affirmative: 

Subject + Helping verb (Will / Shall) + Root form of verb + Object

Example:

1. They will pay us a visit in the new year.

1. I shall go to my relatives.

1. We shall take bath daily.

1. She will complete her homework on time.

1. He will come after his vacations are over.

Negative:

Subject + Helping verb (Will / Shall) + Not + Root form of verb + Object

Example:

1. She will not eat her meal.

1. They will not clean their rooms.

1. I shall not become rude.

1. They shall not break the crockery.

1. I will not watch the cricket match today.

Interrogative:

Helping verb (Will / Shall) + Subject + Root form of verb + Object + ?

Example:

1. Will he eat fruits?

1. Shall I consume junk food?

1. Will you play in the tournament?

1. Shall I read novels?

1. Will it be sunny tomorrow?

Wh-questions:

Wh-word + Helping verb (Will / Shall) + Subject + Root form of verb + Object + ?

Example:

1. When will you complete your homework?

1. Where shall we go shopping?

1. Who will you come with to the party?

1. What shall I do to be healthy?

1. When will you return home?

Negative Interrogative:

Helping verb (Will / Shall) + Subject + Not + Root form of verb + Object + ?

Example:

1. Will you not give me your notes?

1. Shall I not play with sharp objects?

1. Will they not eat with us?

1. Shall I not harm animals?

1. Will he not complete his project?

Rules for Simple Future Tense

Keep the following factors in mind to utilize the simple future tense correctly and successfully:

1. A verb’s simple future tense usually needs two verbs: the helping verb will and the verb’s root form.

1. The helping verb will precede the topic and root form of the main verb in a query.

1. Negative phrases can be distinguished by placing not after the helping verb will.

1. Recall that the helping verb “will” indicates to the viewer or audience that the tense is spoken further about future or future occurrences.

Purpose of Simple Future Tense

The simple future tense can be used for the following purposes:

1. To indicate occurrences or acts that will occur in the coming days.

1. To speculate or forecast about anyone or anything in the future.

1. To make a declaration further about the true future.

1. To inquire regarding anything or anyone who will undertake a task in the future.

1. Consider future implications, situations, or options.

Simple Future Tense Examples

1. We will prepare our project tomorrow.

1. I will go to Nani Taal in April.

1. He shall not come home on Diwali.

1. My siblings shall plan to go to Ujjain.

1. My sister will go shopping for her wedding dress.

1. I shall improve my writing skills.

1. My mother will go to Switzerland next month.

1. When will you come to your home?

1. When will he return my money?

1. She shall not watch too much Netflix.

1. Will you quit your smoking habit?

1. He will not come to play cricket with us.

1. You shall not pluck flowers from the garden.

1. Shall I learn something new during my summer vacation?

1. Will you join us for the dinner?

• Future Continuous Tense

As to the Cambridge Dictionary, the future continuous tense is utilised to “refer to temporary actions and events that will be in progress at a particular time in the future.” The future continuous tense is employed, according to the Collins Dictionary, “to suggest that something is about to happen or will happen at some time that is not clear or precise.”

Future Continous Tense Formula

The formula of the future continuous tense is as follows:

Structure of the Future Continuous Tense

The structure of the future continuous tense for different kinds of sentences is listed below:

Affirmative

Subject + Will + Be + ing form of the verb + Object

Examples:

1. The students will be having their lunch in the afternoon.

1. She will be watching the movie at night.

1. He will be cleaning the house tomorrow.

1. They will be playing football in the morning.

1. I will be coming to the party tonight.

Negative

Subject + Will + Not + Be + ing form of the verb + Object

Examples:

1. They will not be coming to our house on Christmas.

1. She will not be eating her dinner.

1. I will not be sharing my notes with her.

1. He will not be using his tablet.

1. The president will not be flying to Lucknow.

Interrogative

Will + Subject + Be + ing form of the verb + Object + ?

Examples:

1. Will he be coming to your school for the meeting?

1. Will they be talking to you?

1. Will she be speaking about the match?

1. Will you be playing with your friends?

1. Will she be traveling to Assam?

Wh-questions

Wh-word + Will + Subject + Be + ing form of the verb + Object + ?

Examples:

1. When will you be returning to your home?

1. Where will she be going in your holidays?

1. Who will he be giving his books to?

1. Where will they be staying in America?

1. When will you be going shopping?

Negative Interrogative

Will + Subject + Not + Be + ing form of the verb + Object + ?

Examples:

1. Will Anu not be participating in her school competition?

1. Will you not be starting your business?

1. Will he not be cleaning his room?

1. Will she not be playing with us?

1. Will they not be coming with us to the party?

Future Continuous Tense Rules

When using the future continuous tense, follow the rules.

1. When constructing the statement in the future continuous tense, use ‘will be’.

1. Insert ‘-ing’ after the primary verb.

1. When writing the statement in a negative structure, the word ‘not’ will appear within the will and be.

 Purpose of Future Continuous Tense

The future continuous tense can be used to: 

1. Indicate that a more prolonged future activity will be interrupted by a quicker future action.

1. Explain a future action that will occur at a particular moment in time.

1. Talk about a future action that is avoided by another action.

 Future Continuous Tense Examples

1. I will be singing at the concert.

1. She will not be giving her exam tomorrow.

1. You will be purchasing a new car.

1. I won’t be having dinner tonight.

1. They will not be waiting for us in the meeting.

1. Will he be coming with us for the trek?

1. Will she be reading a new novel today?

1. When will you be purchasing a new smartphone?

1. She won’t be going to the emirates tomorrow.

1. I will be joining my office next month.

• Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect tense expresses an action as having been finished or perfected at some moment in the future. It also indicates that the action has been completed. It also refers to activities that will begin at a specific moment in time in the future and continue until they are finished. When describing the amount of time that the activity has already been going on, we use time expressions like “for 30 minutes” and “since early morning” to talk about the duration of time.

The future perfect tense is a verb form or construction that is used to describe an occurrence that is anticipated or planned to occur prior to a point in time that is located in the future.

Structure of the Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect construction in English is made up of the auxiliary word “will” (shall), which indicates the future, the auxiliary verb “have,” which indicates the perfect, and the past participle about the main verb. It will help you is understanding the basic formula you can use to construct future perfect tense phrases.

Sentence Structure-
Affirmative sentence
Subject + will have/shall have + 3rd form of verb + Object.
Example 
He + will have + completed + school task.

Sentence Structure-
Negative Sentence
Subject + will /shall + not have + 3rd form of verb + Object.
Example 
He + will + not have + completed + school task.

Sentence Structure-
Interrogative Sentence
Will/shall + Subject + have + 3rd form of verb + Object?
Example 
Will + he + have + completed + school task?

Future Perfect Tense Rules

When describing an action that is guaranteed to be completed by a particular point in the future, the future perfect tense is the most appropriate verb tense to use. The Future Perfect Tense conveys a sense of unwavering dedication and responsibility that is typically absent from other forms of the future tense. This is due to the fact that a particular aspect of the category is discussed.

Purpose of Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect continuous tense is typically employed when one wishes to emphasize the fact that something has been going on for a considerable amount of time and that it will continue until a specific moment in time in the future. It is necessary to specify the precise period in the foreseeable future when it will continue on until, as well as the total amount of time that it will have been going on.

Examples of Future Perfect Tense

To help you understand how to use the future perfect tense in sentences, here are a few examples:

• Shawn will have submitted the assignment by tomorrow.

• Before I go to see her, she will have left the place.

• Future Perfect Continuous Tense

As a tense type used “when we are looking back to the past from a point in the future, and we want to emphasise the length or duration of an activity or event,” the Future Perfect Continuous Tense is described by the Cambridge Dictionary.

Future Perfect Continuous Tense Formula

Here is the formula that you can use to structure a sentence in the future perfect continuous tense.

Structure of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense

The structure of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense for different types of sentences is listed below:

Affirmative:

Subject + Will / Shall + Have + Been + ing form of the verb + Object

Examples:

1. I will have been cleaning the house for two hours when you come back.

1. They shall have been playing full day.

1. I will have been starting my own business for ten years.

1. You shall have been taking a rest for two days.

1. I shall have been playing the piano in the concert of my college.

Negative:

Subject + Will / Shall +Not + Have + Been + ing form of the verb + Object

Examples:

1. Aradhana shall not have been going to the office since Tuesday.

1. He will not have been working with his teammates.

1. We shall not have been cleaning the garden for three days.

1. They will not have been living here for whole year.

1. We will not have been studying for the test tomorrow.

Interrogative:

Will / Shall + Subject + Have + Been + ing form of the verb + Object + ?

Examples:

1. Will you have been exploring the world outside?

1. Shall I have been sitting here since morning?

1. Will he have been going to his new school?

1. Shall they have been working here for twelve years?

1. Will she have been coming to this garden since childhood?

Active Voice and Passive Voice

Active and Passive voice is a particularly essential grammatical structure used in the English language. Understanding the rules governing their usage is crucial for effective communication. The English Language is utterly essential for all competitive exams, and you must understand the significance of the Voice section if you are preparing for one.

Voice of a verb

The voice of a verb is the form of the verb that indicates whether the subject of the sentence is performing the action or the subject is receiving the action. In the English Language, verbs can be classified into two types of voices – Active voice and Passive voice.

There are Two Basic Kinds of Voice in English Grammar:

1. Active Voice

1. Passive Voice

What is Active Voice?

• When the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed by the verb then it is Active Voice.

• For Example: “Nisha ate the apple”. Here “Nisha” is the subject performing the action”ate”.

What is Passive Voice?

• When the subject of the sentence receives the action expressed by the verb or is acted upon then it is Passive Voice.

• For Example: “The apple was eaten by Nisha.” Here, ” The apple” is the subject receiving the action “was eaten”.

“Active voice defines that the subject is doing the action and the passive voice refers to that the subject is being acted upon.”

Active and Passive Voice Rules Chart

Active And Passive Voice Rules For Conversion :

• The object of the active verb becomes the subject of the passive verb.

• The active sentence’s subject becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped). The finite form of the verb is changed to past participle or V3 form.

• The preposition “by” is used before the passive object.

Active and Passive Voice Rules For All Tenses:

1. Simple Present/ Past/ Future Tense

• Active: Subject + V1/ V2/ will V1/ shall V1 + object…

• Passive: Object + Is/are/am/was/were/will be/shall be + verb (III forms) + by + subject…

2. Present/ Past Continuous Tense

• Active: Subject + Is/are/am/was/were + verb (ing) + object…

• Passive: Object + Is/are/am/was/were + being + verb (III from) + by + subject… 

3. Present/ Past/ Future Perfect Tense

• Active: Subject + has/have/had/shall have/will have + verb (IIIrd form) + object…

• Passive: Object + has/have/had/shall have/will have + been + verb (IIIrd form) + by + subject…

NOTE: Generally, there is no voice change with Present Perfect Continuous, Past Perfect Continuous, Future Continuous, or Future Perfect Continuous.

4. Interrogative Sentences

Present and Past Tense:

• Structure 1:
  Active: Do/does/did + subject + V1 + object….?
  Passive: Is/are/am/was/were + object + V3 + by + subject….?

• Structure 2:
  Active: Is/are/a/was/were + subject + verb (ing) + object…?
  Passive: Is/are/am/was/were + object + being + verb (III from) + by + subject…?

• Structure 3:
  Active: Has/have/had + subject + verb (IIIrd form) + object…
  Passive: Has/have/had + object + been + verb (IIIrd form) + by + subject…

• Structure 4:
  Active: Who + verb (s or es)/verb (IInd form) + object…?
  Passive: By whom + is/are/am/was/were + object + verb (IIIrd form)?

• Structure 5:
  Active: Wh-question word + do/does/did + subject + verb (I form) + object…?
  Passive: Wh-question word + Is/are/am/was/were + object + verb (III from) + by + subject…? 

Future Tense:

• Structure 1:
  Active: Shall/ will + subject + verb (Ist form) + object….?
  Passive: Is/are/am Shall/ will + object + be + verb (IIIrd form) + by + subject….?

• Structure 2:
  Active: Shall/ will + subject + have + verb (IIIrd form) + object…
  Passive: Shall/ will + object + have + been + verb (IIIrd form) + by + subject…

• Structure 3:
  Active: Who + Shall/ will + V1 + object…?
  Passive: By whom + Shall/ will + object + be + verb (IIIrd form)?

• Structure 4:
  Active: Wh-question word + Shall/ will + subject + verb (Ist form) + object…?
  Passive: Wh-question word + Shall/ will + object + be + verb (IIIrd from) + by + subject…? 

5. Imperative Sentences

• Positive

• Active: Verb + object
  Passive: (i) Let + object + be + past participle
  (ii) You are requested/ordered/suggested + to + verb (Ist form) + object

• Negative

• Active: Do + not + Verb + Object
  Passive: (i) Let + object + not + be + past participle
  (ii) You are requested/ordered/suggested + not + to + verb (Ist form) + object 

6. “To be” Sentences

• Active: Subject + Is/Are/Am/Was/Were/Has/Have/Had + To + Verb (Ist form) + Object..

• Passive: Object + Is/Are/Am/Was/Were/Has/Have/Had + To + Be + Verb (III form) + By + Subject.

7. Verb + Preposition + Object

• Active: Subject + verb + preposition + object…

• Passive: Object + to be + verb (III form) + preposition + by + subject…
   

8. Modal Verbs

• Active: Subject + modal verb + (V1) + object…

• Passive: Object + modal verb + be + V3 + by + subject… 

9. Di-Transitive Verbs

• Some verbs take two objects, for example:

• Active: Swetha gave the beggar an old t-shirt.
  Passive: (i) An old t-shirt was given to the beggar by Samdish.
  (ii) The beggar was given an old t-shirt by Samdish.

10. Sentences with the Intransitive Verb:

Such sentences are known as Mid-voice or Quasi-Passive voice. They seem in active voice, but their meaning is in passive voice, and they have intransitive verbs, like without a direct object.

• Active: Honey tastes sweet.

• Passive: Honey is sweet when it is tasted.

Importance of English Grammar

English grammar plays a crucial role in the effective communication and comprehension of the language. By mastering grammar, one can improve writing, speaking, and reading skills, which are important for success in the academic as well as professional world. Below is the list of the importance of learning English grammar:

• Improves communication skills: Having a strong understanding of English grammarallows for more effective and clear communication.
• Boosts writing abilities:Good grammar skills help in writing clear, concise, and error-free content.
• Enhances job opportunities:Proficiency in English grammar is often a requirement for many professional careers.
• Improves reading comprehension:Understanding grammar helps in reading and understanding written material more effectively.
• Increases confidence:Good grammar skills enhance one’s confidence while speaking and writing in English.
• Facilitates learning other languages: English grammarserves as a foundation for learning other languages.
• Essential for academic success:Grammar is a fundamental aspect of the English language and critical for academic success.