GRAMMAR Part I

Renalyn Joy M. Ruiz

 COMPETENCIES:

Analyze the rules of grammatical usage

Examine sentences in terms of their
constituent elements
Distinguish the different parts of speech in
English their meanings, forms, order, and
functions
 COMMON ERRORS IN GRAMMAR

A. VERB ERRORS
B. PRONOUN ERRORS
C. ADJECTIVE and ADVERB ERRORS
D. ERRORS in USAGE
 PAST PRESENT FUTURE

SIMPLE -ed -s will + V

BE (past) + BE (present) will + be +
PROGRESSIVE -ing + -ing -ing
had + -ed/- has/have + will + have
PERFECT en -ed/-en + -ed/-en
PERFECT had + been has/have + will + have
PROGRESSIVE + -ing been + -ing + been +
-ing
1. Check if the correct VERB TENSE has been
used in the sentence

When I came home, the children still didnt finish

dinner (hadnt finished dinner)

Past Perfect Tense: an action in the past

that happened before some other action
in the past.
I studied when Martin called me. (was studying)

Past Progressive Tense: an activity was

in progress at some specified time in the
past

Many people are swimming when the shark was

sighted. (had been swimming)

Past Perfect Progressive Tense: an

action was going on when something
else happened
Jessa is living In Manila for six years.
(has lived)
Present Perfect Tense: an action that
began in the past and is still going on.

She had felt ill, but she feels better now.

(has been feeling)

Present Perfect Progressive Tense:

shows incompleteness or indefiniteness
very close to the present time.
The obedience school trained fifty dogs by the
end of the year. (will have trained)

Future Perfect Tense: an action that will

be completed in the future.

By the end of this year, the Cruz family had lived

in the same house for a hundred years.
(will have been living)

Future Perfect Progressive Tense:

combines the ideas of completeness and
duration of time in the future.
2. In REPORTED SPEECH, check if the rule of
SEQUENCE OF TENSES has been observed

Is Andrew at home? Ann asked.

Ann asked if Andrew was home.

Rowena said, I understand the problem now.

Rowena said that she understood
the problem now.
 3. Check if there is SUBJECT-VERB
AGREEMENT in number

There is many reasons why I cant help you.

(are many reasons)

In sentences with Delayed Subject the

subject comes after the verb.
 SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

1. INTERVENING PLURALS
* Our order for these goods (was, were) placed
yesterday.
* The mislabeling of sizes, especially
in such articles as hats, blouses,
and stockings, (is, are) most
annoying to our customers.
2. PLURAL COMPLEMENTS
* The most favorable period (is, are) the last
three weeks of the year.
* The main advantage of the new filing cabinet
(is, are) the five full-size drawers.

3. PLURAL SUBJECTS USED IN

SINGULAR SENSE
* Buy now and pay later (is, are) the
philosophy of many Filipinos.
* Two hundred pesos (is, are)
a lot of money to pay for a necktie.
4. DELAYED SUBJECT
* Still unsold from the original lot (is, are) three
generators.
* There (was, were) five packing cases in the
shipment.

5. COLLECTIVE NOUNS
* The committee (was, were) unable
to agree among themselves.
* The staff (has, have) no authority
to act.
6. WITH AND SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS
* Mr. Royo, with his lawyer, (is, are) going to
court this morning.
* Mr. Arias, together with his wife and two
children, (was, were) seen boarding the train.

7. NEGATIVE EXPLANATORY PHRASE

* The players, not the coach,
(was, were) standing on the field.
* Not Mr. Diaz but his subordinates
(was, were) reprimanded.
8. WORDS SUCH AS EACH AND EVERY
* Every farmer, laborer, and consumer (is, are)
involved.
* None of the banks officers (is, are) on the
platform.

9. COMPOUND SUBJECTS
* You and I (am, are) going together.
* Either the debtor or his co-singers
(is, are) required to be present
at the meeting.
10. WORDS SUCH AS SOME AND PART
* Some of the paint (has, have) been stolen.
Some of the papers (is, are) missing.
* Part of the oranges (is, are) mine.
Part of the shipment (is, are) going.

11. NUMBER AS SUBJECT

* A number of well-known
businessmen (was, were) involved
in the transaction.
* The number of people involved
(was, were) not large.
 TRY THIS:
One of the most demanding sports
events 1. (is, are) the triathlon, which originated
in Hawaii. The race 2. (consists, consist) of
three demanding forms of competition. Every
man and woman who 3. (competes, compete) in
the event must train very hard. Each man and
each woman first 4. (swim, swims) a distance of
4.2 miles in open water. After completing that
part of the race, the leader, as well as his or her
followers 5. (puts, put) on shoes and shorts for
a bicycle ride of 112 miles.
The number of hills 6. (seem, seems) endless to
the tired competitors. When the second phase
of the events 7. (has, have) been completed, the
participant must then run a marathon: 26 miles
and 385 yards. Last year, there 8. (was, were) a
number of contestants unable to complete the
race. A different set of muscles 9. (is, are) used
in each event. Either fatigue or dehydration
10. (prevent, prevents) most contestants from
winning.
 TRY THIS AGAIN!

Baseball is one of the professional

sports that 1. (is, are) popular in the U.S. Many
foreigners for whom the game of baseball is
new 2. (is, are) confused when they see a game
televised. There 3. (is, are) nine players on each
team. Each player, along with his teammates, 4.
(has, have) a specific position on the field. The
infield which 5. (enclose, encloses) the bases,
is called the diamond.
The scores made in the game 6. (occurs, occur)
when a player or players on the batting team
travel around first, second, and third bases and
return successfully to home plate. A player who
7. (fail, fails) to hit three balls thrown by the
opposing pitcher in the strike zone is called
out on strikes. Players on the batting team
8. (is, are) also called out for failure to reach a
base successfully. Balls batted high
in the air and caught by an opposing
player also 9. (result, results) in an
out.
Batters on a team 10. (is, are) allowed three outs
before their opponents are allowed to bat. After
each of the teams 11. (has, have) had a turn at
bat, they have completed the segment of the
game called an inning. There 12. (is are)
normally nine innings in a game. If the score is
tied at the end of nine innings, the game
continues until one or the other of the teams
13. (lead, leads) at the end of an inning. Avid
fans of the game 14. (memorize, memorizes)
the statistics on their favorite players.
The batting records of players
15. (inspires, inspire) young
players.
 4. Check if the COMPLEMENT OF VERBS
requires an INFINITIVE or GERUND

I intend learning French next semester.

(to learn)

Verbs may be followed by either an

Infinitive or a Gerund. Others may
require one or the other for idiomatic
reasons.

I love swimming at night.

I love to swim at night.
 Direct objects can change places with indirect objects.

*The IO never has a preposition when its before a DO.

Subject Verb IO DO
I gave John a book.
I gave the dog a biscuit.

DO IO
I gave a book to John.
I gave a biscuit to the dog.

Typical Mistake
I gave to John a book.
5. Check for three things in the sentence verb
and ending in TAG ENDINGS:
a) same PERSON?
b)
same TENSE?
c) POSITIVE and NEGATIVE
combination?
Shes been there before, isnt she?
(hasnt she)

If there is a contraction in the sentence

verb, make sure you know what the
contraction stands for.
Exceptions:
* Im right, arent I?
* We ought to go, shouldnt we?
* Lets see, shall we?
 MODALS
CAN COULD
capability/possibility past ability
I can run fast. I could run fast when I
was a child, but now I cant

informal polite request polite request

Can I borrow your pen? Could you help me?

informal permission suggestion

You can use my car now. You could have talked to her.

less than 50% certainty

He could have been home.
negative impossibility
That cant be true! That couldnt be true.
 SHALL SHOULD
intention to do something
We shall recommend you You should go out more
for promotion. often.

advisability
I should study tonight. I should have studied last
night.
polite question to make a
suggestion 90% certainty
Shall I open the window? She should have done well
on the test.

She should do well on the

test.
 WILL WOULD
strong intention
You will recover. I would join the rally.

polite request
Will you please pass the Would you mind if I left early?
salt?
preference
100% certainty I would rather go to the park
He will be here tomorrow. than stay at home.

willingness repeated action in the past

The phones ringing, Ill When I was child, I would
get it. visit
my grandparents every
weekend.
 MAY MIGHT
possibility
You may call m tonight. Rita might join the club.

less than 50% certainty

John may be at the John might have been at the
library. library.

polite request
May I borrow your pen? Might I borrow your pen?

formal permission
You may leave the room.
 MUST
strong necessity
I must go to class today.

95% certainty
May isnt in class. She
must be sick.

negative prohibition
You must not open the
door.
Which is a poorly constructed sentence:
A. The mislabeling of sizes, especially in
such articles as hats, blouses, and
stockings, is most annoying.
B. Either Alice or I am going to the party.
C. A number of businessmen
was involved in the transaction.
D. There are a woman and a child
in the room.
 CASES OF PRONOUNS

Nominative Objective Possessive

Singular
1st Person I Me My/Mine
2nd Person You Your/Yours
3rd Person He/She/It Him/Her/It His
Her/Hers/ Its
Plural
1st Person We Us Our/Ours
2nd Person You Your/Yours
3rd Person They Them Their/Theirs
1. Check if the PRONOUN is the SUBJECT or
the OBJECT of a verb or preposition

All of us Didi, Becky, and me were late. (I)

I dont know who Noel meant. (whom)
The boss approves of ours going on outings
together. (our)

The Subjective Case is used for subjects and

subject complements. The Objective Case is
used for direct and indirect objects, objects of
prepositions and for both subjects and objects
of infinitives. The Possessive Case is generally
used before a gerund.
2. Check if the PRONOUN and its VERB agree
in number

Alpheus is absent, but a few of the class is here.

(are)
Everyone on the project have to come to the
meeting. (has)

Singular Indefinite Pronouns: all, another, any,

anyone, anything, everybody, everyone,
everything, nobody, one, each.
Plural Indefinite Pronouns: few, many, several,
both, others
3. Check if POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS agree in
person and number

If anyone calls, take their name. (his)

4. Check if the VERB TO BE is followed by a

SUBJECT PRONOUN.

It must have been her at the door. (she)

5. Check for PARALLELISM in IMPERSONAL
PRONOUNS

One should take your duties seriously.

(ones/his or her
You should take your duties
seriously)

In forms using Impersonal Pronouns,

use either One ones/his or her or
You your.
1. Which sentence does not observe a consistent
point of view?
A. I am usually patient and tolerant with
obnoxious people but a person has his limits.
B. Once one has agreed to do a job, he should
make every effort to really do it.
C. One never knows what one may do
in a moment of excitement.
D. He didnt want to argue with people,
but he could not ignore unfair criticism.
2. Which is the BEST way to write the
underlined portion of this sentence:
Many people do not take responsibility
for his own actions.
A. her C. our
B. their D. your
3. Which is a poorly constructed sentence?
A. Who is responsible to whom?
B. The debate was between Maria and I.
C. We teachers are accountable for our
decisions in the classroom.
D. A group of us teachers will fly to the
convention.
4. Which is a poorly constructed sentence?
A. Neither Bert nor Rico had brought his tools.
B. Imelda or her assistants will give their
permission.
C. If you give us your instructions for the
activity, we shall follow it to the letter.
D. We cannot accept the article for credit
because to do so would set a very bad
precedent
 Usualword order when two
or more adverbs modify a
verb:

MANNER FREQUENCY PLACE

TIME
CAUSE/REASON
At the end of the line its manner, place, time.
manner :how place:where time: when
She sang beautifully at the contest last night.

*Travel verbs use place, manner, time.

TV
I went to Rome by train last year.

*Use the most precise adverb first.

We arrived at Imus in Cavite.
We got up at 5 oclock in the morning.
1. Check if the correct form of ADJECTIVE or
ADVERB is used as modifier

I sure wish I were rich! (surely)

An Adjective describes a noun and

answers the question, What kind?
An Adverb describes either a verb or an
adjective and answers the question,
How?
*Adjectives but not adverbs can follow be, become:
verbs of perception.
seems sounds
appears looks
smells tastes

V Adv. Perception V Adj.

He runs quickly. He looks happy.
He sings well. It sounds good.
She cooks brilliantly. The soup smells delicious.
Most adverbs are formed by adding ly to the
adjective. The following are exceptions:
Adjective Adverb
early early
fast fast
good well
hard hard
(hardly means almost not)

late late
(lately means recently)
Never put an adverb between a verb and its
direct object.

Typical Mistake
N V Adv. DO
Mrs. Reyes read carefully the recipe.

Adverbs of frequency often go between the

subject and the verb.

We always go to church on
Saturday.
 * Adverbs of frequency are always after the verb to be.

He is usually hungry.

*Adverbs of frequency should always go between the main

verb and its auxiliary verb or between two auxiliaries.

I have never been to Rome.

I should never have listened to him.

Typical Mistakes
I go always to the movie house.
They usually are at home.
I always have enjoyed singing.
I never should have eaten much.
 ORDER OF ADJECTIVES
Determiner:
Articles, Demonstratives, Possessives,
Indefinite Adjectives, Numeral

Observation

Physical Description:
Size, Shape, Age, Color

Origin

Material

Qualifier

Head Noun
Determiner Observation Physical Description Head Noun

(Numeral) (Age)

four lovely old trees

Determiner Physical Description Material Qualifier Head Noun

(possessive) (Shape) (Color)

her short black silk business suit

Determiner Physical Description Origin Head Noun

(Indefinite Adj) (Size) (Shape)
As a rule, avoid long strings of adjectives Two or, at
the most, three adjectives modifying one noun phrase
seem to be the limit in English.

When three adjectives of the same category are used

in series with and, use commas between the items in
the series.
Determiner Observation Head Noun
a messy, dirty, and depressing room

But never use the comma between the last adjective

and the noun it modifies.
 some delicious, Mexican
food
inexpensive American comfortabl
some
food e
American
that
inexpensiv
that comfortable little chair
e
Mexican rocking chair little
delicious
rocking

our big old English oak

old
dining table
table
several
big
frames
dining
several narrow black narrow
our
picture frames black
English
picture
oak
 2. Check for errors in COMPARATIVES

Vic works as hard as his father.

Jany is prettier than her sister.
Benny drives less carelessly than he used to.
You drive better than he (does).

A pronoun following than in comparison will be

the Subject Pronoun
In using comparisons, Adjectives of one or two
syllables ending in y, add er; other words use
more. Adverbs of one syllable add er; longer
adverbs use more
You are different to me. (different from)
The word different is followed by from

He is the most successful of his brothers.

He speaks the most interestingly.

Exceptional Forms:
good better best
bad worse worst
much/many more most
little less least
3. Check if the correct form has been used in
PARALLEL COMPARISONS

The more you practice, you will get better.

(the more the better)

4. Check for IDIOMS used in COMPARATIVE

STRUCTURES

You may have to spend so much as two hours

waiting. (as much as)
5. Check for errors in modifying COUNTABLE
and NONCOUNTABLE NOUNS

I was surprised by the large amount of people

who came. (number of people)

If a noun can be preceded by a number, it is a

Countable Noun and will be modified by: a
few, few/fewer, many/more, number of, some
If it cannot be preceded by a number, it is
noncountable and will be modified by: amount
of, a little, little/less, much/more, some
1. Which is the BEST way to write the
underlined portion of this sentence: I could
wear my black or brown pair of shoes.
Which do you think is more?
A. good C. best
B. better D. well
2. Which is the BEST way to write the
underlined portion of this sentence:
He was the better prepared of all the
contestants in track and field.
A. best C. most better
B. more better D. well
 1. Check for the appropriate use of
CONNECTORS

She speaks not only Spanish but French as well.

( * She speaks Spanish and French.
* She speaks Spanish. She also speaks
French. * She speaks Spanish and French, too.
* She speaks not only Spanish
but also French. * She speaks both Spanish
and French. * She speaks Spanish
as well as French )
There are several ways of connecting
ideas. Do not mix different forms
 2. Check for MISPLACED, INTERRUPTING,
and DANGLING MODIFIERS

The castles are breathtaking in Wales.

(The castles in Wales are breathtaking)

A Misplaced Modifier is positioned in

a sentence so that it is unclear which
word, clause, or phrase is modified.
 The concert, because it rained heavily all day,
was cancelled.
(Because it rained heavily all day, the concert
was cancelled.)

An Interrupting Modifier disrupts

the continuity of thought in a
sentence and can make it difficult
to understand the meaning of a
sentence.
 Seeing that the hour was late, it was decided to
postpone the committee vote.
(Seeing that the hour was late, the committee
decided to postpone the vote.)

An introductory verbal modifier should

be directly followed by the noun or
pronoun that it modifies. A Dangling
Modifier occurs when a word, phrase,
or clause does not modify any element
in the sentence
 3. Check for PARALLEL CONSTRUCTION in
sentences

The film was interesting, exciting, and it was

made well. (well-made)

Parallelism show grammatically

balanced treatment to items in a list or
series and to parts of a compound
construction. Do not mix infinitives with
gerunds, adjectives with participial
phrases, or verbs with nouns
 4. Check for UNNECESSARY MODIFIERS

He drove in a careful way. (carefully)

That depends on the state of the general

condition of the situation. (on the situation)

The more simply an idea is stated, the better

it is. An adverb or adjective can often
eliminate extraneous words.
Beware of words with the same meaning in
the same sentence.
Beware of general wordiness.
5. Check for COMMONLY CONFUSED WORDS

He was laying in bed all day yesterday. (lying)

to lie lied lied lying

to tell an untruth
to lie lay lain lying
to recline
to lay laid laid laying
to put down
The price of gas has raised three times this
month. (rose/ was raised)
He raised slowly from his chair. (arose)

to rise rose risen rising

to go up; to get up
to arise arose arisen arising
to wake up; to get up
to raise raised raised raising
to lift; bring up
 6. Check for MISUSED WORDS and
PREPOSITIONAL IDIOMS

They came despite of the rain.

(in spite of/ despite)
The two expressions are
synonymous; use either one or the
other.
I hardly never see him. (hardly ever)
He has scarcely no money. (scarcely any)

Both mean almost not at all; do

not use a negative with them.
1. Which is the BEST way to write the
underlined portion of this sentence: A good
doctor inquires not only about his patients
physical health, but about their mental health
too?
A. but about their mental health too
B. but their mental health also
C. but also inquires about
their mental health
D. but also about their mental health
2. Which is a poorly constructed sentence?
A. He blushes; therefore, he is guilty.
B. The refugees had neither food nor shelter
for ten days.
C. She was a fine tennis player
and she did not win a gold medal
D. He declared that he would
never give up; nevertheless,
he gave up.
3. Which does not use parallel structures?
A. Some of the things she enjoys doing are
knitting, sewing, and embroidering.
B. It is difficult to work with people who are
irresponsible and who cannot be relied upon.
C. Ms. Reyes expects her pupils
to study diligently and to cooperate
in class activities.
D. The contest organizers gave her
the option to go on an all expense-paid
tour of Spain or getting a brand new car.
4. Which does not observe economy in
expression?
A. Two hundred students joined the rally
against tuition hike.
B. Last week we had occasion to be the
witness of a very interesting incident.
C. The private sector is now
cooperating with the government.
D. If I had much money, I would quit
my job and travel the rest of my life.