ENGLISH - RULES OF GRAMMAR (PART - 2)

1. When a singular and a plural noun are joined by ‘or’, ‘nor’, the pronoun must be plural.

Uses -
Either the engineer or his mechanics failed in his duty. (Incorrect)
Either the engineer or his mechanics failed in their duty. (Correct)

2. ‘Whose’ is used for living persons and ‘which’ for lifeless objects.

Uses -
i)Which book did you select? (Incorrect)
Whose photograph is lying there? (Correct)

ii)What book do you read? (Incorrect)
Which book do you read? (Correct)

3.  ‘Each other’ is used when there are two subjects or objects and ‘one another’ when there are more than two.

Example - 
i) Rameo and Juliet loved each other.
ii) Those five friends, who are sitting there, love one another.

Uses - 
All the students of the class are friendly; they love each other. (Incorrect)
All the students of the class are friendly. (Correct)

4. (a) When a pronoun stands for a collective noun, it must be in the singular number and in the neuter gender if the collective noun is viewed as a whole.

Example -
The jury gave ‘its’ verdict.
Here the ‘jury’ gives the idea of one whole.

(b) If the collective noun conveys the idea of separate individuals comprising the whole, the pronoun standing for it must be plural.

The jury were divided in their opinions.
Here, the ‘jury’ gives the idea of several individuals.

Uses -
The team are divided in this opinion about playing on Sunday. (Incorrect)
The team are divided in their opinion about playing on Sunday. (Correct)

5. If pronouns of different persons are to be used together in a sentence, the serial order of persons should be as follows; second person + third + first person in a good normal sentences. But in fault is to be confessed, the order will be; 

first person + second person + third person.

Example -
You, he and I have finished the work. (Normal sentences)
I, you and he are to blame. (Confession)

Uses -
Ram, I and you have finished our studies. (Incorrect)
You, Ram and I have finished our studies. (Correct)

6. (a) ‘Some’ is used in affirmative sentences to express quantity or degree. ‘Any’ is uses in negative or interrogative sentences.

Example -
I shall buy some apples.
I shall not buy any apples.
Have you bought any apples?

(b) But ‘some’ may be correctly used in interrogative sentences which are, in fact, requests.

Example -
Will you please give me some milk?

Uses - 
I shall read any book. (Incorrect)
I shall read some book. (Correct)

Have you bought some apples? (Incorrect)
Have you bought any apples? (Correct)

7. The use of ‘few’, ‘a few’’ and ‘the few’ should be used with care. They denote ‘number’.

‘Few’ means ‘not many’. It is the opposite of many. A ‘few’ is positive and means ‘some at least’. It is the opposite of none. ‘The few’ means ‘whatever there is’.

Uses -
A few men are free from fault. (Incorrect)
Few men are free from fault. (Correct)

NB:- Here the sense is negative and thus ‘a few’ is wrong.

Uses -
Few boys will pass in the examination. (Incorrect)
A few boys will pass in the examination. (Correct)

NB:- Here the sense is positive and thus ‘few’ is incorrect.

Uses - 
I have already read a few books that are on the bookshelf. (Incorrect)
I have already read t he few books that are on the bookshelf. (Correct)

NB:- Here the sense is ‘whatever there is’.

8. Use of ‘less’ and ‘fewer’ : ‘Less’ denote quantity and ‘fewer’ denote number.

Uses -
i)No less than fifty persons were killed. (Incorrect)
No fewer than fifty persons were killed. (Correct)

ii)There are no fewer than five litres of water in the jug. (Incorrect)
There are no less than five litres of water in the jug. (Correct)

9. Use of little, a little, the little.

‘Little’ means - ‘hardly any’

Uses -
There is a little hope of his recovery. (Incorrect)
There is a little hope of his recovery (correct)

‘A little’ means - ‘some’, though not much.

Uses - 
Little knowledge is a dangerous thing. (Incorrect)
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. (Correct)

‘The little means - ‘not much but all there is’.

Uses -
The little milk that is in the pot may be used for the patient. (Incorrect)
The little milk that is in the pot may be used for the patient. (Correct)

10. Normally ‘than’ is used in the comparative degree, but with words like superior, inferior, senior, junior, prior, anterior, posterior and prefer ‘to’ is used.

Uses -
Shelley is junior than Wordsworth. (Incorrect)
Shelley is junior to Wordsworth. (Correct)

I prefer reading than sleeping. (Incorrect)
I prefer reading to sleeping. (Correct)

11. When comparing two qualities of the same person or thing, use 'more' and not '-er' to form the comparative.

Example -
Sujata is more clever than wise. (not cleverer)
Rajesh is more brave than wise. (not braver).

12. Guard against using double comparatives and superlatives.

Example -
She is the cleverest girl of her class. (not most cleverest)
Naveen is one of the richest men of the town. (not most richest)

Next Part of Grammar Rules Will be Posted Soon...