ENGLISH

HUNDRED GOLDEN RULES TO FIND OUT ERRORS IN ENGLISH FOR ALL EXAMS COMPILED BY TEAM SIR JOHN
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CORRECTION OF SENTENCES IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE FOR ALL EXAMS  

A. SUBJECT - VERB AGREEMENT

1 . Two or more Singular Subjects connected by and usually take a Verb in the Plural.

For example,

Incorrect- Hari and Ram is here. 

Correct- Hari and Ram are here.

2. If two Singular Nouns refer to the same person or thing, the Verb must be Singular.

For example,

Incorrect- The Secretary and Principal are coming.

Correct- The Secretary and Principal is coming.

(Here the same person is .Secretary as well as Principal)

3. If the Singular Subjects are preceded by each or every, the Verb is usually Singular.

For example,

Incorrect- Every boy and girl were ready.

Correct- Every boy and girl was ready.

4. Two or more Singular Subjects connected by or, nor, either ..... or, neither .... nor take a Verb in the Singular.

For example,

Incorrect- Neither he nor I were there.

Correct- Neither he nor I was there.

5. When the Subjects joined by 'or/nor are of different numbers, the Verb must be Plural, and the Plural Subject must be placed next to the Verb.

For example,

lncorrect- Neither the Assistant Masters nor the Headmaster was    present.

Correct- Neither the Headmaster nor the Assistant Masters were

present. '

6. When the Subjects joined by or, nor are of different persons, the Verb agrees in person with the one nearest to it.

For example,

Incorrect- Either he or I is mistaken.

Correct- Either he or I, am mistaken.

7. A Collective Noun takes a Singular Verb when the collection is thought of as a whole, a Plural Verb when the individuals of which it is composed are thought of.

For example,

Correct- The Council has chosen the President.

Correct- The military were called out.

8. Some Nouns which are singular in form but plural in meaning, take a Plural Verb.

For example,

Incorrect- Mathematics are a branch of study in every school.

Correct- Mathematics is a branch of study in every school.

9. Words joined to a Singular Subject by with, together with, in addition to, or, as well as, etc. are parenthetical, and therefore do not affect the number of the Verb.

For example,

Incorrect- The Chief, with all his men, were massacred .

Correct-The chief, with all his men, was massacred.

10. When the Subject of the Verb is a Relative Pronoun care should be taken to see that the Verb agrees in Number and Person with the Antecedent of the relative.

For example,

Incorrect- I, who is your friend, . will guard you,r interests.

Correct- I, who am your friend will guard your interests.

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General English

IDIOMS AND PHRASES

Idioms and phrases form an integral part of the English language. As a result questions from this area are always a hot favourite for any competitive examination. The etymology of all idioms is not known clearly but that of some are obvious. 

At arm’s length (To keep at a distance)

He is a thorough crook, so keep him at arm’s length.

At daggers drawn (To be sworn enemies)

Ram and Sham are at daggers drawn over a small piece of land.

All and sundry (Everything without exception) All and sundry were full of praise for him.

At one’s wits end (Confused; not knowing what to do)

He was at his wits end when he heard of the income-tax raid on his firm.

(Have) an axe to grind (Have a selfish purpose)

I am helping her out of kindness and I have no particular axe to grind.

At sixes and sevens (In a disordered manner)

In a writer’s room, the books always remain at sixes and sevens.

At loggerheads (To be enemies; to be at war)

Three times India and Pakistan were at loggerheads over the of Kashmir issue.

At a loss (To be puzzled)

At the time of accident, I was at a loss to understand what to do.

Alpha and omega (The beginning and the end)

The alpha and omega of Gandhi’s life was truth and non-violence.

At sea (Confused or lost)

Since the interview was in Hindi, the candidates from Kerala were completely at sea.

In the nick of time (Just at the last moment)

He thought he wouldn’t be able to sit for the exam, but his hall ticket arrived in the nick of time.

At large (Free; not confined )

The escaped terrorist is still at large (used for wrongdoers in this sense).

(An) Acid test (A decisive or critical test)

The acid test of a truly educated person is whether he maintains his temper in his predicament; Adversity is the acid test of a man’s courage.

Alive and kicking (Active and healthy)

Ramlal is alive and kicking even at the age of eighty.

Out of the frying pan, into the fire (From a bad situation to a worse one)

By selling his failed business and investing in a collapsing bank, he was going out of the frying pan into the fire.

Add fuel to the fire (To increase anger)

The two communities were already in the grip of communal tension. The article in the newspaper added fuel to the fire, resulting in bloody clashes between the members of those communities.

Too many irons in the fire (Engage in too many enterprises at the same time)

My friend has too many irons in the fire; he is always busy.

To beat a hasty retreat (To go away quickly)

As soon as the thief saw the police, he beat a hasty retreat.

To miss the boat (To miss an opportunity)

He reallymissed the boat when heturned down an offer of job in the Gulf.

To burn one’s boats (To take a decision which cannot be changed)

I must stick to my new appointment because I have burnt my boats by resigning the previous one.

To burnthe candleatbothends (Toworkextremely hard; to use up too much energy; work very early and very late. )

You will ruin your health as you are burning the candle at both ends.

To burn one’s fingers (To lose on account offoolish behaviour)

You will burn your fingers if you refuse to obey the orders of your boss.