What are basic grammar rules?
Grammar is the building block of good, clear communication. Knowing and applying basic grammar rules can improve your speaking and writing abilities.
This blog will explore 10 important grammatical principles that all English learners should know to avoid common mistakes and advance their language skills.
Mastering grammar can be achieved organically through conversation and trial and error, although it may take some time.
Alternatively, learning certain rules and structures, similar to following a recipe, can accelerate language acquisition.
10 Basic Grammar Rules
1. Write in Complete Sentences
A complete sentence is a group of words that expresses a full thought, requiring a subject and a verb. Every complete sentence needs a subject and a verb. The subject tells who or what the sentence is about, and the verb describes the action or state of the subject.
This rule is required to form what is known as an independent clause. A sentence without a subject or a verb is considered a fragment.
For example-
Correct- Katie plays the violin.
Incorrect- Katie playing the violin.
In the correct example, ‘Katie’ is the subject, and ‘plays’ is the verb. The incorrect example lacks the necessary verb to make it a complete sentence.
2. Make Sure Your Subjects and Verbs Agree
Subject-verb agreement is crucial for sentence clarity. Singular subjects should be paired with singular verbs and plural subjects with plural verbs.
It’s important to identify whether the subject is singular or plural and choose the right verb form. Collective nouns and irregular verbs can make this tricky.
Paying attention to the subject-verb agreement makes your writing clearer and more professional.
For example-
Correct– My kitten wants food.
Incorrect– My kittens wants food.
Here, ‘kitten’ is singular and matches with the singular verb ‘wants,’ while ‘kittens’ is plural and should match with ‘want.’
3. Link Ideas With a Conjunction or Semicolon
Combining simple sentences can make your writing more engaging. Use coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) or semicolons to link ideas.
Remember to use conjunctions or semicolons to connect ideas. You can use a semicolon to link closely related independent clauses. Using conjunctions and semicolons effectively will make your writing sound better and easier to understand.
It will help you avoid short, choppy sentences. So, next time you write, try using conjunctions or semicolons to connect your ideas. This simple change can make a big difference in how clear and easy it is to read your writing.
For example-
Conjunction– Delia found a cat, and she named it Purdy.
Semicolon- Delia found a cat; she named it Purdy.
This helps in creating compound sentences, making your writing flow better.
4. Use Commas Correctly
Avoid commas by not using a comma alone to combine independent clauses. Use a coordinating conjunction with the comma.
Commas are important because they help make sentences clear and easy to understand. They’re used to separate items in a list, like when you list fruits: apples, oranges, and bananas.
Commas also come before conjunctions (like ‘and,’ ‘but,’ or ‘so’) when they connect two complete thoughts in a sentence, and they are used to set off introductory words or phrases at the beginning of a sentence.
Using commas correctly helps readers understand your ideas clearly. They act like signposts, guiding readers through your sentences and making sure your meaning is clear and easy to follow.
For example-
Incorrect– Delia found a cat, she named it Purdy.
Correct– Delia found a cat, and she named it Purdy.
5. Use a Serial Comma When Necessary
The Oxford comma, or serial comma, is used before the final conjunction in a list. The serial comma is placed before the word ‘and’ or ‘or’ in a list. It helps avoid confusion.
For example, in the list ‘apples, oranges, and bananas,’ the serial comma is the one before ‘and bananas.’ Its main job is to separate items in a list, especially when the items themselves contain commas.
It’s important to be consistent with your use of the serial comma in your writing. If you’re unsure, using the serial comma can help make sure that your lists are clear and easy for your readers to understand.
For example-
With Oxford comma- We bought some goats, cows, and horses.
Without Oxford comma- We bought some goats, cows and horses.
Use the Oxford comma especially when its absence could lead to misinterpretation.
6. Use Active Voice
Active voice makes sentences clearer and more direct by placing the subject before the verb. Active voice means the subject does the action, making sentences clear. It emphasizes who or what is doing the action, making sentences engaging and easy to understand.
On the other hand, passive voice is when the subject receives the action, sometimes making it unclear who is responsible or making sentences less direct.
Using active voice is usually better for writing because it conveys information more efficiently and keeps readers engaged.
For example-
Active– Shelby dried the dishes.
Passive– The dishes were dried by Shelby.
Active voice generally makes your writing more engaging and easier to understand.
7. Use the Correct Verb Tense
Using the correct verb tense is essential to indicate the time of the action. Verbs change to show different times like past, present, and future.
It’s important to use the right verb tense to match when the action happened. If it already happened, use the past tense. If it’s happening now, use the present tense. If it will happen later, use the future tense.
Mixing tenses can confuse people. Stick to one tense unless there’s a good reason to change, like telling a story that moves through time.
Using the right verb tense helps people understand when things happen, making your writing clear and organized.
For example-
Present Tense- Mary and I eat lunch every Tuesday.
Past Tense– Mary and I ate lunch.
Future Tense– Mary and I will eat lunch.
Using the appropriate tense helps convey the timeline of events accurately.
8. Keep Your Verb Tense Consistent
Maintain the same verb tense within a sentence or paragraph to avoid confusion.
Keeping the same verb tense throughout your writing is important for clarity. It can confuse readers when you switch tenses unexpectedly.
This is especially important in academic writing, formal reports, and storytelling. To stay consistent, decide on the tense that fits your piece and stick to it. This will help your readers follow along easily and improve your writing overall.
For example-
Incorrect– Stuart lost his wallet. He goes to the bank and gets some cash.
Correct– Stuart lost his wallet. He went to the bank and got some cash.
Consistency in verb tense ensures clarity and coherence in your writing.
9. Only Use Apostrophes for Possessive Nouns and Contractions
Apostrophes should be used to show possession or to form contractions, not for plurals.
Apostrophes show that something belongs to someone or something else.
For plural nouns that end in ‘s,’ the apostrophe goes after the ‘s,’ such as ‘the dogs’ toys,’ showing that the toys belong to multiple dogs. Apostrophes also form contractions, which combine two words into one.
Using apostrophes correctly helps clarify writing. Misplacing or omitting an apostrophe can change the meaning of a sentence or make it unclear.
Remember to use apostrophes for possession and contractions only to ensure your writing is clear and easy to understand.
For example-
Correct– Xander can’t wait until summer vacation. (contraction)
Correct– Did you borrow the neighbor’s car? (possessive)
Incorrect– Merry Christmas from the Henderson’s! (plural)
Avoid misusing apostrophes in plural nouns.
10. Keep Your Homophones Straight
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Using the wrong one can change the meaning of your sentence.
Mixing up homophones like to, too, and two can make your writing confusing. ‘To’ is used for direction or as part of an infinitive, ‘too’ means also or very, and ‘two’ is the number.
It’s important to check the meaning and spelling of homophones before using them to make sure you’re saying exactly what you mean.
Paying attention to homophones helps make your writing clear and correct, so others can understand you easily.
For example-
Correct: They’re going to their house over there.
Incorrect: Their going to there house over they’re.
Be mindful of commonly confused homophones like ‘to,’ ‘too,’ and ‘two,’ or ‘your’ and ‘you’re.’
CONCLUSION
Knowing and using the basic rules of grammar is important for writing clearly and effectively. Things like using commas right, writing in active voice, picking the correct verb tense, and telling the difference between words that sound the same can make your writing better.
Keeping the same verb tense throughout, using apostrophes correctly for showing possession, and making contractions also help make sure your meaning is clear. Following these rules makes your writing easier to read and helps people understand your ideas.
Whether you’re writing casually or formally, sticking to these basic grammar rules makes your writing more precise and professional. If you keep practicing and pay attention to these rules, you’ll feel more confident expressing yourself in writing, and people will understand exactly what you mean.
In the end, having a good understanding of basic grammar rules sets a strong foundation for effective communication in any type of writing.
FAQ’s
- How can we master Grammar?
- Certain steps can be followed to master Grammar. Do grammar exercises, look things up, use the grammar you know, notice the correct grammar, learn the grammar of words, and read a lot.
- What are the basics of English Grammar?
- There are some basics in English Grammar like nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.
