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English Grammar Secrets Revealed

Gaurav — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 02:19:00 +0000

Here is one ebook on English Grammar by Caroline Brown and Pearson Brown. I did tweet and posted on our facebook wall, but I think people are not so socially active. BTW, you can also download this ebook from our download box section. It is uploaded in the Verbal section. Happy downloading and do remember the fact that by just downloading the ebook doesn’t solve the purpose. Our motive here is to share those material which can really help you improve your skills. So after downloading do solve the exercises present in the ebook. They will help you strengthen your foundation.
English Grammar Secrets Similar Posts:

Top 5 Most common English grammar errors

Gaurav — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 05:30:36 +0000

Hello students! Hope your preparations for your most awaited exams are in full swing! And for those who are not so confident about their preparation should not panic, there is still time, to make the improvements. So in this article I will be discussing the most discussed, and yet always mistaken, subject- the common grammatical errors. It has been observed that even the students who are really good at vocabulary and stuff and consider English their cup of tea, makes these few commonly made grammatical errors in this following article we would discuss the same. So here goes the most made mistakes:

1. Never use two past tenses simultaneously:

It’s the most common error, while in fluency of speaking or even writing for that matter we often use sentences like “ I dint knew you were so good at dancing”. Now over here, we cant use both, “knew” and “dint” together we can only use one of them the correct form of this would be “ I dint know, you were so good at dancing”.

2. Another one major blunder that people often make is “ I will do it”:

Over here “it” can never be used as a matter of fact it’s a rule of English to always use “so” whenever you are treating a line like that.

3. Also you cant use sentences like “ I will go and do so”:

presence of “and” is not required over here, only “I will go do so” would do.

4. Incorrect use of apostrophe:

it should be remembered that apostrophe is used in two cases. One; to show contractions e.g. “ don’t in place of do not.”, second to represent possessions e.g. “ its mark’s pen”. Therefore apart from this it shouldn’t b used where it doesn’t belong.

5. Another confusion that people face is while using i.e. and e.g.:

i.e. is an abbreviation used for “id est.” means that is , which is used to explain things in other words. While e.g. is “exempli gratia” which is used to mention the examples specifically.

So next time when you are writing an essay or enjoying your fluent English conversation make sure that you don’t make the following blunders. I will be coming up with more mistakes that are made commonly in my next article. Till then make a note to remember and revise these. All the best.Similar Posts:

One Idiom/Phrase per week

Gaurav — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:37:06 +0000

I have organised a list of 50 idioms/phrases with full meanings and usage, and now I have put it in a newsletter format. You have to subscribe to this newsletter in order to get an Idiom/Phrase per week to your mailbox. Don’t worry this is not any marketing effort to grab your email id; this is to separate the feed of this blog from a very meaningful list of difficult or new idioms/phrases.

You will receive an email on every sunday morning in your mailbox. It will contain a single idiom/phrase with its analysis/meaning so that you can use it in your daily language, and it will help you in your mba exam too. So if you are interested in signing up this newsletter than you have to click the undermentioned link i.e

MBAtutes’ Idiom/Phrase per week Newsletter

Once you click the above link a form will open in a new tab in which you have to enter your email id and your name, thats it. You will start receiving the mail from next sunday. Email service is powered by spamfree mailchimp.

Please Note: Even the subscriber of this blog has to seperately signup this newsletter as I don’t want to hurt anybody’s privacy by giving them what they don’t need, and last but not the least your email id will remain safe with me as I told that my intention is to help others.Similar Posts:

FREE GMAT Verbal Guide (Sentence Correction)

Gaurav — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 06:10:36 +0000

After completing my World MBA Tour registration I find that they have given the link to download free Manhattan Review Verbal Guide. It is a guide to tackle sentence correction topic.

Here is the link to open the pdf file:

http://tours.qsnetwork.com/modules/wmt2/download/ManRev_GMAT_SCGuide.pdf

You can also click the image beside this text to open this e-book. Once the file is open, you can save the file by clicking the save button on top left side of the page.

Note: I am not violating any copyright. This is a free book in public domain. So don’t worry in downloading this book.Similar Posts:

Get a Sentence for a word or phrase: Word Usage

Gaurav — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 13:25:37 +0000

Uptill now I used to type the word on google to get the relevant sentence. But yesterday I find a tool where you can even add a phrase or word to get the sentence which uses it. It actually finds the sentence from BNC (British National Corpus) , which is a 100 million word collection of samples of written and spoken language from a wide range of sources, designed to represent a wide cross-section of current British English, both spoken and written. . To know more about BNC click here.

You can search for a single word or a phrase, for example Dogged or brown bread.

Use the _ character to match any single word, for example bread _ butter finds bread and butter, bread or butter etc.

Use the = character to restrict searches by part of speech, for example house=VVB finds only verbal uses of house.

Use braces { and } to enclose a regular expression, for example {s[iau]ng} finds sing, sang or sung

TOOL LINK

RESULT PAGE:

This is how you can use the tool. This tool is actually a website, you don’t have to download anything. Just click on the link of the site and start using it.

Points to know:

1) Very reliable.

2) If you type a relevant entry, it will give you a result.

3) Very helpful, Seriously.Similar Posts:

Idioms List for Sentence Correction

Gaurav — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:38:48 +0000

A very nice collection of idioms in English language. Though this list is prepared by someone who was preparing for GMAT but it is helpful to other MBA aspirants too. It is freely available on internet so there is no copyright issues involved in it. I know copyright is a big issue for GMAT aspirants especially after the mayhem of Scoretop, but this is free on internet. I have shared the link of the source of this file; see below.

BTW, remember that this list cannot be mugged in one day. You need to learn by rote. Please click the title of the embeded file to download this file directly from SCRIBD.

GMAT Idiom List

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Education idiom list

Source: Beat the GMAT. You need to login at the beat the gmat to download this file from there.

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Resource of English Grammar Rules

Gaurav — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:30:14 +0000

While surfing, today I came across site of Jane Straus, who has organised all the grammar rules at one place. Though he is also selling his grammar book but it is free if you are ready to read it online. If you are still not very good in grammar, then just give a click to the image beside this text and see it for yourself.

GRAMMAR RULES’ COMPENDIUM

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Sentence Correction Notes in Brief

Gaurav — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:20:53 +0000

Though there are numerous books on Sentence Correction but the best notes we can have on any topic is which other CAT/GMAT crackers have prepared. So today while surfing the net I found a Sentence Correction notes of Rajat (I don’t know who he is, but he got the score of 740 in GMAT). I have retained the name of the file and would like you to keep it same as we should not take the credit for his work. These notes are brief and contains the real juice. I have uploaded it on scribd. You can also download it from Mbatutes’s Scribd Profile.

Sentence Correction Notes of Rajat

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Colleges and Univers Education sentence correction sc

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WHO/WHOM Dilemma

Gaurav — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 07:06:06 +0000

Here are some clarifications on the Who Vs. Whom dilemma that most of of us face (I picked this up from somewhere long back, will post the link as well, if I happen to find it):

Which of these sentences are correct?

1. We will give the money to the person who needs it most.

2. We filed a complaint against the contractor who we hired last month.

3. No one knows who you are.

4. Who are you calling?

5. Who is at the door?

6. We will be kind to whomever knocks on our door for help.

7. Whomever we elect for president will be in office for four years.

All the odd numbered sentences are correct.

Before we go over the four-step trick for getting “who” and “whom” right every time, let’s look at the grammatical difference between these words, keeping in mind that “whoever” and “whomever” function just as “who” and “whom” do. (All grammarphobes please skip right on down to the trick!)

“Who” and “whoever” will always be either the subject or the predicate pronoun of their own clauses. (A subject and a verb comprise a clause.) Thus, in sentence 1, “who needs it most” is correct because “who” is the subject of the verb “needs.” In sentence 3, “who” is the predicate pronoun of the clause “who you are.” (Because of the linking verb “are,” the clause says “you = who.”) Sentence 5 is correct because “who” is the subject of the verb “is.”

“Whom” and “whomever” will always serve as objects. Sentence 2 is incorrect because in the clause “who we hired last month,” the subject is “we,” the verb is “hired,” and the object of that verb is “whom.” Likewise, in sentence 4, the subject is “you” and the object of the verb “are calling” is “whom.” In normal order, the clause reads “we are calling whom.” Here are corrected versions of sentences 2 and 4:

2. We filed a complaint against the contractor whom we hired last month.

4. Whom are you calling?

Sentence 7 correctly employs “whomever” as the object of its own clause, “Whomever we elect for president.” The subject is “we,” the verb is “elect,” and the direct object is “whomever.” In normal order, the clause reads “we elect whom.”

Here is the four-step trick for getting these words straight every time:

Step 1: Isolate the clause containing the “who(ever)” or “whom(ever).” (Sentences that ask questions, such ase 4 and 5 above, can have only one clause.)

Step 2: Ignore the part of the sentence that is NOT in the “who(ever)” or “whom(ever)” clause.

Step 3: In place of the word “who(ever)” or “whom(ever),” plug in the words “he” or “him” and see which one sounds better. (Sorry, ladies; we can’t use “she” and “her” because “her” doesn’t end with an “m,” and the trick won’t work!)

Step 4: If “he” sounds better, then choose “who(ever).” If “him” sounds better, then choose “whom(ever).” Remember that the “m” words (“him” and “whom”) go together.

Let’s try the trick on sentence 1:

(1) Isolate the “who/whom” clause: We will give the money to the person [who needs it most].

(2) Ignore the rest of the sentence outside the bracketed clause.

(3) Plug in “he” or “him” and see which sounds better: “he needs it most” or “him needs it most”?

(4) Obviously, “he” sounds better, so our choice will be “who.”

Let’s try it on sentence 7:

(1) Isolate the “whoever/whomever” clause: [Whomever we elect for president] will be in office for four years.

(2) Ignore the rest of the sentence outside the bracketed clause.

(3) Plug in “he” or “him” and see which sounds better: “we elect he for president” or “we elect him for president”?

(4) Obviously, “him” sounds better, so our choice will be “whom”–or, in this sentence, “whomever.”

The trick works even when the “who” or “whom” refers to a group of people; simply use “they” and “them” instead of “he” and “him.” The “m” words still go together: “them,” “him,” “whom,” and “whomever.”

We get in trouble when we forget step 2 of the trick and don’t ignore the part of the sentence that is outside the “who/whom” clause. Notice what would have happened if we had made that mistake with sentence 6 and said “we will be kind to him” instead of “he knocks on our door for help.” We would have incorrectly chosen “whomever” instead of “whoever.”

Source: pagalguy. Here is the link Who/Whom.

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Subject Verb Agreement:

Gaurav — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 07:26:57 +0000

Main Proposal: Let plural subjects take plural verbs and singular subjects roam about with singular verbs.

Proposal 1:- When two or more nouns are present, ask the verb to agree with its proper subject instead of the noun near it.

The quality of language in British books is outstanding.

All the books on the rack are the law books.

Proposal 2:- Some nouns are plural by nature and like to be with plural verbs. Following are the names of these famous nouns-

Savings, thanks, surroundings, riches, goods, outskirts, belongings, particulars, premises, clothes, earnings, congratulations, people, police and staff.

Proposal 3:- When the verb is holding hands with two or more subjects and wearing either…or or neither…nor, use a singular verb if the last subject is singular and a plural verb if the last subject is plural.

Neither Levin nor Kitty wants to live in a city.

Either John Galt or his representatives are to stop the motor of the world.

Either nurses or the doctor is responsible for the wrong operation.

Proposal 4:- When two bachelor (singular) subjects are joined by spinster ‘and’, they form a pair (plural)

Dolly and Doll were t he first one to arrive.

Bob and Roger are playing a guitar.

Proposal 5:- Listen to what nouns suggest, if they suggest one idea to the mind, or refer to same person or thing, then the verb would rather stay single.

Bread and butter is kept in the refrigerator.

Time and tide waits for none.

Proposal 6:- Be cautious with the following-

Everyone, no one, anybody, somebody, everything, each and every, each of, neither of, the majority of, all of, some of and uncountable nouns.

All of food is stolen.

Knock! Knock! Is anybody there?

Proposal 7:- Economics, civics, statistics, news, mathematics, wages, linguistics, phonetics, politics etc are plural in form but singular in meaning and take a singular verb.

Mathematics is TG’s passion.

Politics is the major part of the corporate world.

Subject Verb Agreement contd….PART 2;

Proposal 8:- When there is a group of nouns (Collective nouns), a singular verb should be brought into action. When the individuals of this group are addressed, we would like to use plural verbs.

The crowd is maddening.

The population of Japan is on its life time low this year.

Proposal 9:- When noun denotes some specific quantity or amount considered as a whole, we should agree on a singular verb.

One-fourth of the work is completed by William.

The five thousand yen that he gave me was spent in a single day.

Proposal 10:- There are outsiders (words and phrases) besides ‘and’ that attach themselves to the subject and make it look plural but the subject still stays the same. These are the famous intruders -as well as, accompanied by, including, along with, in addition to and together with. So verbs, be careful!

Leonidas, along with his 300 Spartans, is going to fight against the Persian army.

Books, as well as music, are my passion.

Proposal 11:- When the subject is commanding, ordering, or suggesting — ‘you’, the person being directed by the subject has to disappear. (Subject expects itself to be understood)

(You) Listen to the sound of the music!

(You) Suggest a plan for the month.

Proposal 12:- Both subject and verb give special preference to ‘None’. None can be treated as both singular and plural until someone else in the crowd doesn’t recognize its number.

None of the men are ready for the war,

None of the men is ready for the war.

None of the dancers have given their best. (Here you can’t use singular because the word ‘their’ precludes the use of the singular verb.)

Proposal 13:- Sometimes nouns are playing tricks with you. They can beguile you into thinking they are plural when they are not. Nouns such as pants, pliers, glasses and scissors are regarded as plural (and prefer being with plural verbs) unless they’re preceded by the phrase pair of, so be careful!

The scissors are lying on the table.

A pair of scissors is lying on the table.

Proposal 14:- If the sentence is giving both positive and negative vibes, the verb will respond only to the subject giving positive vibes..

It is not Carol but her sisters who are married.

It was the subject of the movie, not the actors, that has charmed the audience.

Proposal 15:

Note: the word dollars is a special case. When talking about an amount of money, it requires a singular verb, but when referring to the dollars themselves, a plural verb is required.

Proposal 16:

Nouns such as scissors, tweezers, trousers, and shears require plural verbs. (There are two parts to these things.)

Sources: Pagalguy, Total Gadha, some online portals (don’t remember), some books (don’t remember the names)

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Top 10 English Grammar Myths & Superstitions while writing SOP or Essay

Gaurav — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 05:51:51 +0000

Now, when CAT is over, Its time when we start writing S.O.P (Statement of Purpose) and essays for our application forms. But before you start writing, read these myths so that you don’t confuse on small nitty-gritties of English Grammar. You can also download the file by clicking the link given below. It’s free to download. The one I liked the most is “correct date format in Essay Writing“.

10 Mythes of English Grammar

Get your own at Scribd or explore others: Literature Education language learning

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A Basic English Grammar

Gaurav — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:02:29 +0000

A very interactive e-book on english grammar with solved exercises by John Eastwood. For downloading this e-book click : English Grammar. This book is really very creative and interactive. This won’t let you getting bored.

A Basic English Grammar Exercises by J Eastwood Romty – Upload a Document to Scribd

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Confusing words in English

Gaurav — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:32:12 +0000

Click the image

I have found a list of confusing words which make us confuse while solving the verbal questions. List is in two parts. All words in the list looks similar but in meaning they are far dissimilar. Their dictionary meanings are not given but they are used in sentence according to their dictionary meanings. You have to use dictionary to see the meaning of words. Click the image to go to the site.

Note: CAT has last time played with similar kind of confusing words. for e.g, a question of CAT 2007

51. The cricket council that was[A]/were[B] elected last March is[A]/are[B] at sixes and sevens over new rules.
The critics censored[A]/censured[B] the new movie because of its social inaccessibility. Amit’s explanation for missing the meeting was credulous[A]/credible[B]. She coughed discreetly[A]/discretely[B] to announce her presence.
1) BBAAA
2) AAABA
3) BBBBA
4) AABBA
5) BBBAA

Thanks Grammar.cccSimilar Posts:

Usage of “A WHILE/AWHILE”

Gaurav — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:01:41 +0000

When “awhile” is spelled as a single word, it is an adverb meaning “for a time” (“stay awhile”); but when “while” is the object of a prepositional phrase, like “Lend me your monkey wrench for a while” the “while” must be separated from the “a.” (But if the preposition “for” were lacking in this sentence, “awhile” could be used in this way: “Lend me your monkey wrench awhile.”)

Thanks Paul BriansSimilar Posts:

Sometime, Some time, & Sometimes

Gaurav — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 06:06:31 +0000

Sometime means “at an indefinite or unstated time in the future.”

Some time means “a period of time.”

Sometimes means “occasionally, now and then.”

Examples:

“Why don’t you come up sometime and see me?”
(Mae West in She Done Him Wrong, 1933)
“You must give some time to your fellow men. Even if it’s a little thing, do something for others–something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it.”
(Albert Schweitzer)
“I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying.”
(Oscar Wilde)

If you want to research more on these words then click this !Similar Posts:

Difference & Usage of ‘Anxious/Eager’

Gaurav — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 07:10:30 +0000

Is there a difference between being anxious to do something and being eager to do something?

Yes. To be anxious is to be nervous, worried, or concerned about something; to be eager is to look forward to something.

Generally meaning is clear to many, In addition, anxious is usually followed by about, whereas eager is usually followed by to.

The most common mistake here is to say something such as, “I am anxious to go on vacation.” If you are nervous, worried, or concerned about going on vacation, you might be anxious about going on vacation; however, if you are looking forward to going on vacation, as is probably the case, you want to say that you are eager to go on vacation.

Note: Take care about these idiomatic usage of anxious and eager as examiners play game in these area while making SC (Sentence Correction) questions.

Thanks Grammarmudge.
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Difference of ‘Pedal’ and ‘Peddle’

Gaurav — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:06:34 +0000

If you are delivering newspapers from a bike you can pedal it around the neighborhood (perhaps wearing “pedal-pushers”), but when you sell them from a newsstand you peddle them.

Did you know this?

I will wait for your response in comment form.

Thanks Paul BrianSimilar Posts:

CARROT/CARAT/KARAT/CARET

Gaurav — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:52:39 +0000

“Carrots” are those crunchy orange vegetables Bugs Bunny is so fond of, but this spelling gets misused for the less familiar words which are pronounced the same but have very different meanings.

Precious stones like diamonds are weighed in carats. The same word is used to express the proportion of pure gold in an alloy, though in this usage it is sometimes spelled “karat” (hence the abbreviation “20K gold”).

A caret is a proofreader’s mark showing where something needs to be inserted, shaped like a tiny pitched roof. It looks rather like a French circumflex, but is usually distinct from it on modern computer keyboards. Carets are extensively used in computer programming.

Just remember, if you can’t eat it, it’s not a carrot.Similar Posts:

Usage of ‘Good’ and ‘Well’

Gaurav — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:44:43 +0000

You do something well, but a thing is good. The exception is verbs of sensation in phrases such as “the pie smells good,” or “I feel good.” Despite the arguments of nigglers, this is standard usage. Saying “the pie smells well” would imply that the pastry in question had a nose. Similarly, “I feel well” is also acceptable, especially when discussing health; but it is not the only correct usage.

Thanks Paul BrianSimilar Posts:

Usage of Apostrophe

Gaurav — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:06:37 +0000

In English, you can use an apostophe to:

indicate that one or more letters were dropped in a contraction:
it is > it’s
we are > we’re
does not > doesn’t
of the clock > o’clock
indicate possession:
a) singular with ’s
Anuj’s post
Sumit’s reply
the tute’s queries (only one tute has the query here)
b) plural with s’
the books’ covers
my brothers’ jobs
the tutes’ queries(multiple tutes have queries)

The apostrophe should never be used when you are just talking about something that is plural, with no possession.

The girl’s walked by > The girls walked by

My brother’s are tall > My brothers are tall

Welcome traveler’s > Welcome travelers

Conclusion

Just remember that the apostrophe has a purpose: to indicate a contraction or possession. It does not indicate a plural – the letter s does a fine job of that all by itself. So remember this while you are attempting the sentence correction questions as examiner plays with these small issues to confuse you.

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Online Grammar & Vocabulary Quizzes

Gaurav — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:52:02 +0000

Click to start

In order to hone your talent in English I found one good databse for practice. Lots of Quizzes in grammar and vocabulary, as well as Crossword Puzzles. You should click the image to go to the home page of the site and start practicing. This is more helpful for those who has started his preparation. All the best tutes. Please put in your feedback about this site in shout box; also put in what you are searching?Similar Posts:

Common Errors in English Usage

Gaurav — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:00:51 +0000

Common Errors

There are lot of errors in English which we don’t notice, while doing our daily chores but when you are aspiring for CAT, you can’t afford this. Mine English is also very poor (Please point out, if any, my errors when you notice). Today while researching for improving my English I came across one very informative web-page where (most probably but not sure) Paul Brian has put all the common errors in English usage. You will find lot of words which we confuse in our usage and you can correct them only if you know about them. So Click here and see for yourself how strong are you in your English Usage skills.

Common Errors in English UsageSimilar Posts:

OG-11 Review of GMAT (Sentence Correction)

Gaurav — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:17:11 +0000

Official Guide-11, Review

So if you think you are not good in sentence correction and need some good quality exercise then nothing is better than OG-11 (Official Guide-11) Review. It has 138 questions of Sentence Correction. Answer key is very descriptive. After all you can never doubt their grammar skills as every person who prepare for GMAT purchase it. I don’t have the full version but the day I will get it, I will share it with you guys.

It has 98 pages ( I am still on 40th page). File size : 35 MB.

Click here to download: Official Guide-11 (SC)

Note: Now you can also put your questions on “Wall/Shoutbox” in left sidebar. Also we would love to listen from you about our new theme.Similar Posts:

Usage of Lay/Lie

Gaurav — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:31:54 +0000

Lay means to place or to set down. Lie means to rest or to recline. Many people confuse these two words. The most common lay/lie error is using lay in sentences such as, “I am going to lay down on my bed.” Really? You are going to place own on your bed? Of course not. If you are going to rest, you are going to lie down. So, remember the difference between the two words by thinking that lay refers to the action of placing or putting an item somewhere. Lie, on the other hand, refers to the lack of action involved in resting. To make this situation even more confusing, the past tense of lie is lay.

Remember: no one ever said the English language had to make sense!

Here is a brief overview

LIE:

MEANING: To rest, to recline

PAST TENSE:Lay

PAST PERFECT:Lain

LAY:

MEANING:To place, to set down

PAST TENSE:Laid

PAST PERFECT:Laid

Questions

1. If you ____ on the couch any longer, you will turn into a
potato!
a. lay
b. lie
c. lays
d. are laying

2. Please ____ the files on my desk.
a. lie
b. lay
3. The apples ____ on the counter for so long that they are
now rotten.
a. have lain
b. laid
c. have lied
d. lied
4. Bronson ____ the blankets on the bed.
a. lain
b. lay
c. laid
d. lied

5. Don’t just ____ there like a lump, do something!
a. lay
b. lie

6. We ____ so long in the sun, by the end of the day we
looked like lobsters.
a. had laid
b. had lain
c. laid
d. lain
7. I always forget where I ____ my keys down when I get
home.
a. lay
b. lie
8. After the baby fell asleep, she was quietly ____ in her crib.
a. laid
b. lied
the goof-proof rules—word usage

Put your answers in comments box. I will give you answers after 24 hours in comment form.

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Crash Course in Grammar – Download it

Gaurav — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:40:37 +0000

Goof-Proof Grammar

If you think that Grammar is your bogeyman; then you shouldn’t think like this anymore. We have come up with an e-book which will help you in knowing where generally people goof-up in their grammar skills and will help in correcting them. Name of the book is Goof-Proof Grammar. It’s a must read; even if you haven’t read the Wren & Martin. Major Basics and goof-ups of grammar are covered in this book.

So all those who don’t have time to read Wren & Martin, must read this ebook and revise it. Its a 140 page ebook.

File Size: 448 Kb

Click here to Download: Goof-Proof Grammar

Contributed By: Ansh GuptaSimilar Posts:

Word Usage which helps in Sentence Correction

Gaurav — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 18:08:37 +0000

Some pairs of words, like fewer and less, are often used incorrectly because they’re treated as synonyms. In fact, there is a solid rule that determines which one you should use, and the exam will test your ability to decide which is the correct option. The exam tests four such word pairs with particular frequency, so memorize the rules pertaining to them if you don’t know them already.

1.Fewer/Less

Which of the two following sentences is correct?

§The company fired no less than fifty employees.

§The company fired no fewer than fifty employees.

The second sentence is correct. Why? Because you use less when you’re talking about things you can’t count (less pollution, less violence) but fewer when you’re talking about things you can count (fewer pollutants, fewer violent acts).

2.Among/Between

Use between when only two options are available (between the red car and the blue car) and among when more than two options are available (among the five answer choices, among the many books).

3.If/Whether

Whether is correct when you’re discussing two options (whether to get chocolate or strawberry ice cream) and if is correct for more than two options (if she should get ice cream, frozen yogurt, or a cookie).

On the CAT, whether will (almost) always beat if

Incorrect: Her client didn’t tell her if he had sent his payment yet.

Correct: Her client didn’t tell her whether he had sent his payment yet

4.Compared to v/s. Compared with: To show comparison between unlike things, ‘compare to’ is used. To show comparison between like things, ‘compare with’ is used.

e.g.

§He compared her to a summer day.

§Scientists compare the human brain to a computer. (Unlike thing)

§The police compared the forged signature with the original. (Like things)

Compare to is used to stress the resemblance. Compare with can be used to show either similarity or difference but is usually used to stress the difference.

5.Each

This question tests one use of “each” which most of us ignore. The traditional rule still holds true i.e. “the subject of a sentence beginning with each is grammatically singular”.

But there is another rule which says that:

When each follows a plural subject, the verb and subsequent pronouns remain in the plural:

e.g. the apartments each have their own private entrances (not has its own private entrance)

§Three cats each eat …

§Three cats, each of which eats …,

In 1, each is postpositive Adj, whereas in 2, it is distributive determiner.

based on above solve this

Although it claims to delve into political issues, television can be superficial such as when each of the three major networks broadcast exactly the same statement from a political candidate.

(A) superficial such as when each of the three major networks

(B) superficial, as can sometimes occur if all of the three major networks

(D) superficial whenever each of the three major networks

(E) superficial, as when the three major networks each

6.That Vs Which

Most often than not, in CAT, which would be preceded by a comma in the sentence.

e.g. Get me the book, which is mine. Which is used to qualify the book i.e. which is mine. There may be many books in the room, but I want my book.

‘Which’ should always refer to a noun. E.g. Get me the book, which is mine. So, ‘which’ here refers to the noun ‘book’.

·Which should apply to things

·The other thing–which must replace a noun, not a sentence or idea.

another problem

Sales of United States manufactured goods to non-industrialized countries rose to $167 billion in 1992, which is 14 percent more than the previous year and largely offsets weak demand from Europe and Japan.

§which is 14 percent more than the previous year

§which is 14 percent higher than it was the previous year

§14 percent higher than the previous year’s figure

§an amount that is 14 percent more than the previous year was

§an amount that is 14 percent higher than the previous year’s figure

However, CAT is very tricky at times, and can of course create a question in which this rule does NOT apply. In fact, I’ve seen a question that used which without a comma, but ALL the answer choices violated the rule. I.e., none of the answer choices used that; they all used which without a comma.

7.Usual v/s. Is Usual: He is faster than is usual for any human being – Is correct.

He is faster than usual today – is correct

A Mercedes is more expensive than usual for a car – Incorrect

A Mercedes is more expensive than is usual for a car – Correct

When something is compared to a subgroup to which it belongs, is usual should be used. When something is compared to itself, usual is fine.

e.g. He is nicer than usual.

Can v/s. Could: If you are just assuming something, ‘could’ should be used

Could is used for: possibility (John could be the one who stole the money), condition (If I had more time, I could travel around the world), suggestion (You could spend your vacation here), polite request (Could I have something to drink?)

8.Like vs. Such As

Question: What’s the difference between like and such as?

Example of the “mistake” that we make in everyday speech: Can you buy me some fruit like oranges or grapefruit?

Using like in this answer choice mistakenly suggests that the utterer of the request does in fact not want oranges or grapefruit, but rather some other kind of fruit that is similar to oranges or grapefruit.

like means similar to, and such as means for example. Take a look at these examples:

·Can you buy me some fruit such as oranges or grapefruit?

Yes, this is what we’re supposed to say in CAT — oranges and grapefruit are examples of the type of fruit we want.

Thanks “Varun Khullar” from Pagalguy.

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English Test for practice

Gaurav — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 17:57:39 +0000

I have found one small english test of complete the sentence. It’s just for practice. Its uniqueness is its animated part. I have never seen any cute test like this. I liked it, therefore I am sharing it with you. Just click on the undermentioned link and start doing

http://tinyurl.com/englishtest

If its not opening then copy the URL and paste it in the address bar and press enter. Enjoy and keep looking for updates.Similar Posts:

Usage of ‘would’

Gaurav — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:44:48 +0000

WOULD is a helping verb…..

To my understanding, will and shall are used in future tense of course.

But would and should aren’t only used in past tense. (YAHI HAI ZINDAGI KA ASLI FANDA)

Sometimes

1. “would“ is a polite way to give an ask question:

Would you like to have your dinner with me?

2. “Would“ be applied to Subjunctive If Clauses:

If I were rich, I would buy a Benz.

If I had won the prize, the life would have changed.

3. “Would” and “should” have the meaning of “past” when their usage like this:

I would have done the essay.

I could have done the essay

4. Would (or the contracted form ‘d) is sometimes used as an alternative to ‘used to’ when discussing past habits:

‘When we were young, we would spend (we‘d spend) every summer holiday at the sea-side.’
‘You would find him (you‘d find him) sitting at the bar every lunchtime, drinking that strong black beer and chatting to the bartender until one day he was there no longer.’

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Usage of ‘that’ and ‘which’

Gaurav — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:24:54 +0000

Many a time I too feel the confusion of whether to use ‘that’ or ‘which’. So I got my answer while browsing through google. So here is the lesson that will help you understand the usage….

What is the difference between that and which?

That – That is used with restrictive phrases. Restrictive phrases are phrases that are essential to the sentence.

Which - Which is used with nonrestrictive phrases. Nonrestrictive phrases are phrases that states non essential information. A phase is nonrestrictive phase if the phase can be from the sentence.

Examples:

The shirt that you lent me is in my bag.
The shirt, which is red, is in my bag.
The house that I wanted to buy has been sold.
The house, which didn’t want to buy, has been sold.
The food store that I go to all the time is closed today.
The store which is near my house, is not open today.

I hope it will solve clear the confusion. If you have any better version, then please share it with our other users of this blog. Waiting for your commentSimilar Posts:

Compare (With/to)

Ansh — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:14:42 +0000

Compare usually takes the preposition to when it refers to the activity of describing the resemblances between unlike things: He compared her to a summer day. Scientists sometimes compare the human brain to a computer. It takes with when it refers to the act of examining two like things in order to discern their similarities or differences: The police compared the forged signature with the original. The committee will have to compare the Senate’s version of the bill with the version that was passed by the House. When compare is used to mean “to liken (one) with another,” with is traditionally held to be the correct preposition: That little bauble is not to be compared with (not to) this enormous jewel. But to is frequently used in this context and is not incorrect.Similar Posts:

None Found

Glossary of English Grammar Terms

Gaurav — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:20:32 +0000

Active Voice
In the active voice, the subject of the verb does the action (eg They killed the President). See also Passive Voice.
Adjective
A word like big, red, easy, French etc. An adjective describes a noun or pronoun.
Adverb
A word like slowly, quietly, well, often etc. An adverb modifies a verb.
Article
The “indefinite” articles are a and an. The “definite article” is the.
Auxiliary Verb
A verb that is used with a main verb. Be, do and have are auxiliary verbs. Can, may, must etc are modal auxiliary verbs.
Clause
A group of words containing a subject and its verb (for example: It was late when he arrived).
Conjunction
A word used to connect words, phrases and clauses (for example: and, but, if).
Infinitive
The basic form of a verb as in to work or work.
Interjection
An exclamation inserted into an utterance without grammatical connection (for example: oh!, ah!, ouch!, well!).
Modal Verb
An auxiliary verb like can, may, must etc that modifies the main verb and expresses possibility, probability etc. It is also called “modal auxiliary verb”.
Noun
A word like table, dog, teacher, America etc. A noun is the name of an object, concept, person or place. A “concrete noun” is something you can see or touch like a person or car. An “abstract noun” is something that you cannot see or touch like a decision or happiness. A “countable noun” is something that you can count (for example: bottle, song, dollar). An “uncountable noun” is something that you cannot count (for example: water, music, money).
Object
In the active voice, a noun or its equivalent that receives the action of the verb. In the passive voice, a noun or its equivalent that does the action of the verb.
Participle
The -ing and -ed forms of verbs. The -ing form is called the “present participle”. The -ed form is called the “past participle” (for irregular verbs, this is column 3).
Part Of Speech
One of the eight classes of word in English – noun, verb, adjective, adverb, pronoun, preposition, conjunction and interjection.
Passive Voice
In the passive voice, the subject receives the action of the verb (eg The President was killed). See also Active Voice.
Phrase
A group of words not containing a subject and its verb (eg on the table, the girl in a red dress).
Predicate
Each sentence contains (or implies) two parts: a subject and a predicate. The predicate is what is said about the subject.
Preposition
A word like at, to, in, over etc. Prepositions usually come before a noun and give information about things like time, place and direction.
Pronoun
A word like I, me, you, he, him, it etc. A pronoun replaces a noun.
Sentence
A group of words that express a thought. A sentence conveys a statement, question, exclamation or command. A sentence contains or implies a subject and a predicate. In simple terms, a sentence must contain a verb and (usually) a subject. A sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop (.), question mark (?) or exclamation mark (!).
Subject
Every sentence contains (or implies) two parts: a subject and a predicate. The subject is the main noun (or equivalent) in a sentence about which something is said.
Tense
The form of a verb that shows us when the action or state happens (past, present or future). Note that the name of a tense is not always a guide to when the action happens. The “present continuous tense”, for example, can be used to talk about the present or the future.
Verb
A word like (to) work, (to) love, (to) begin. A verb describes an action or state.Similar Posts:

What is Grammar?

Gaurav — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 13:17:05 +0000

Well this is my first post on this Blog, I am excited about it, ok, lets not waste any time. Coming to the point. Since I am from Science background, preparing for competitive exams is not new to me. When I started my preparation for MBA, first thing which I came to know was Mathematics is now be called as “Quant” and “DI (Data Interpretation)” and English will be divided as “VA (Verbal Analysis)” , “RC (Reading Comprehension)” and Grammar etc. Main horror for me (generally Science background students) is English, oops VA, RC and Grammar. So I started searching for some online help and I found what? you guessed it right, I found Pagalguy; an online forum for all MBA aspirants.

My Grammar is very poor and while searching for help, I came across this very wonderful definition of Grammar i.e

What is Grammar?

Grammar is the system of a language. People sometimes describe grammar as the “rules” of a language; but in fact no language has rules*. If we use the word “rules”, we suggest that somebody created the rules first and then spoke the language, like a new game. But languages did not start like that. Languages started by people making sounds which evolved into words, phrases and sentences. No commonly-spoken language is fixed. All languages change over time. What we call “grammar” is simply a reflection of a language at a particular time.
Do we need to study grammar to learn a language? The short answer is “no”. Very many people in the world speak their own, native language without having studied its grammar. Children start to speak before they even know the word “grammar”. But if you are serious about learning a foreign language, the long answer is “yes, grammar can help you to learn a language more quickly and more efficiently.” It’s important to think of grammar as something that can help you, like a friend. When you understand the grammar (or system) of a language, you can understand many things yourself, without having to ask a teacher or look in a book.
So think of grammar as something good, something positive, and something that you can use to find your way – like a signpost or a map.

After reading this, I was feeling relaxed that poor grammer is not something which I should be shamed of. So, all those MBA aspirants who think that they cannot clear an exam because their grammar is poor, its nothing to worry upon. These are just some of the rules of this language (English) and these can be easily learned with some organised efforts. There is also one website which can help you in improving your grammar i.e “http://www.edufind.com/ENGLISH/grammar/INDEX.CFM”

Bibliography:

“tzssrivastava” of Pagalguy .Similar Posts: