10 Basic English Grammar rule for beginners

One of the most difficult things about learning a new language is grammar. It can be hard to keep track of all the different rules and when to use them. But don't worry, we're here to help. Are you looking to improve your English grammar skills? In this blog post, you will get 10 basic English grammar rules that every beginner should know.

By the end of this post, you will have a better understanding of how to use grammar correctly in your everyday life.

10 Basic English Grammar rule for beginners

The English language can be very confusing for beginners. There are so many rules to remember and it can be difficult to know where to start. Today I'm going to share with you 10 basic English grammar rules that every beginner should know.

1. Check your use of adjectives and adverbs.

Adjectives, which normally appear in front of a noun, characterize, identify, and quantify individuals or objects. They remain unchanged if the noun is plural. Adverbs, which normally occur after the verb, modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. As an example:

• He's a slow driver. (adjective)
• He drives slowly. (adverb)

Most adverbs are created by adding -ly to an adjective, as seen in the example.

2.Take note of homophones.

Homophonic words are those that are pronounced similarly to other words but have distinct meanings, even if they are spelled differently. This can easily cause misunderstanding, and several of these words exist in English. As an example:

• they're – their – there
• you're – your
• it's – its
• I – eye
• here – hear
• break – brake
• flower – flour
• our – hour

So, while you're writing, make sure to use proper spelling.

3. Use the correct verb conjugation.

Remember to modify the verb to match the topic. The major subjects to be cautious of are he, she, and it because they frequently have a distinct form from the others. As an example:

• She has two cats.  RIGHT
• She have two cats. WRONG

This may appear to be a minor error, but it is a very visible one, so try to get into the habit of conjugating verbs correctly.

4. Connect your ideas with conjunctions

A conjunction is a word that can be used to connect two thoughts or brief phrases. As an example,

I'm studying ICT. ICT is important.

Becomes:

I'm studying ICT because it's important.

5. Get familiar with the main English verb tenses

You won't be familiar with all the tenses if you're just starting to learn English. And it's all right. Just concentrate on learning the four or five that are utilized the most. Attempt to be able to employ these

• Present simple is used to describe routines and ongoing circumstances. For example, We live in New York.
• Present continuous is used to represent both present circumstances and upcoming plans. For example, I'm meeting John later.
• To describe completed past acts, use the past simple. For example, They arrived at 3 p.m.
• To explain previous events related to the present, use the present perfect tense. For example, We've finished the reports.
• Will - used to indicate upcoming behavior. For example, I'll meet you in front of the conference center.

6. Be careful with countable and uncountable or mass nouns

Some nouns in English are countable and others are uncountable. This means that you can use some nouns with a/an and the plural form, and you can use other nouns only in the singular. For example,

• We have two cats. RIGHT
• We have a lot of furnitures. WRONG
• We have a lot of furniture. RIGHT

To avoid making this mistake, try to memorize which nouns are countable and which aren't. Or, if you're not sure, look them up in a dictionary.

7. Pay attention to prepositions

Prepositions are words that show the relationship between two things. For example,

• The book is on the table.
• The cat is under the chair.
• I'm interested in learning English.
• I'm looking forward to seeing you.

There are many prepositions in English and unfortunately, there isn't always a logical reason for which preposition you use with which verb or noun. The best way to learn prepositions is to memorize the most common combinations.

8. Use the correct article

Remember to use a/an before singular countable nouns when you're talking about something for the first time. For example,

• I have a new car. RIGHT
• I have new car. WRONG

When you're talking about something that's already been mentioned or is common knowledge, you can use the. For example,

• The sun is a star. RIGHT
• A sun is a star. WRONG

9. Learn vocabulary specific to your field

If you're studying a particular subject, you'll need to learn the vocabulary that is specific to that area. For example, if you're interested in business, you'll need to know words like marketing, sales, accounts, and so on. If you're interested in medicine, you'll need to know words like doctor, hospital, patient, and so on. The best way to learn this vocabulary is to read and listen to as much material as possible in your field of interest.

10. Practice, practice, practice

Practicing is the only way to become an expert in English grammar. So, don’t forget to practice the below rules. 
 

• English has two main pronouns - he and she. When referring to a person, you should always use the correct pronoun. For example, if you're talking about a woman, you would say "she" not "he." There are another two common English pronouns - I and you. Remember to use the correct pronoun when referring to someone. For example, you would say "I am walking to the store" if you're the one walking, but you would say "You are walking to the store" if the person you're talking to is the one walking.
• There are three verb tenses in English - past, present, and future. Remember to conjugate verbs correctly depending on which tense you're using. For example, the verb "to walk" would be conjugated as "walked" in the past tense and "will walk" in the future tense. The present tense in English can be either simple or progressive. The simple present tense is used for habitual actions or for facts that are always true. For example, you would say "I walk to the store every day" in the simple present tense. The progressive present tense is used for actions that are happening right now. For example, you would say "I am walking to the store" in the progressive present tense.
• There are four main sentence types in English - declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, and imperative. Declarative sentences make a statement and they usually end with a period. Interrogative sentences ask a question and they usually end with a question mark. Exclamatory sentences express strong emotion and they usually end with an exclamation point. Imperative sentences give a command and they usually end with a period.
• Every sentence in English must have a subject and a verb. The subject is the noun or pronoun that is doing the verb. For example, in the sentence "I am walking to the store," the subject is "I" and the verb is "am walking."
• There are two main kinds of English verbs - regular and irregular. Regular verbs follow a specific conjugation pattern in the present tense. For example, the verb "to walk" would be conjugated as "walk, walks, walked." Irregular verbs don't follow a specific conjugation pattern and they usually have a different form in the past tense. For example, the verb "to be" is conjugated as "was, were."
• English has two main kinds of adjectives - descriptive and limiting. Descriptive adjectives describe a noun or pronoun. For example, you would say "The blue car is fast" to describe the car. Limiting adjectives limit the noun or pronoun. For example, you would say "The only car on the road is the blue car" to limit the car.
• Subject-Verb Agreement: One of the most basic grammar rules is that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree with each other in number. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular; and if the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural. For example: Singular subject: The cat drinks milk.  Plural subject: The cats drink milk.
• Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in number, gender, and person. An antecedent is the word or phrase to which a pronoun refers. For example: Singular pronoun: Every student must hand in his or her paper on time. Plural pronoun: All of the students must hand in their papers on time.
• Use of There is/There are: We use “there is” when we are referring to a singular noun and “there are” when we are referring to a plural noun. For example: There is a cat on the roof. There are two cats on the roof.

Hope you found these 10 basic English grammar rules helpful. If you're looking for more grammar help, be sure to check out our other blog posts and courses on Ghoori Learning.