Grammar rules one word sentences

Image by Ozzy Delaney on Flickr.com licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Image by Ozzy Delaney on Flickr.com licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Here I’m going to highlight some of the simplest sentences in English. All of these sentences are only ONE word long! Sit back, relax, and enjoy; these are going to be some of the easiest English sentences you’ve ever learned. (It is about time something in English was easy, right?!)

One-word sentences in English come in a few different forms:
interrogatives or questions (example: Who?)
imperatives or commands (example: Stop!)
declaratives (example: Me.)
locatives (example: Here.)
nominatives (example: Jesse.)

In fact a lot of words in English can be one-word sentences, it all depends on the context.

A complete sentence, even a one-word sentence, needs to have a noun and a verb. In one-word sentences the subject (noun) or the action (verb) of the sentence is implied. That means it is understood in the context of the sentence (or the sentences around it) so that the subject and/or verb do not need to be stated explicitly.

Being brief and saying as much as you can in as few words as possible is something a lot of people want to do. Be careful though, sometimes you can sound robotic or rude if you use too many one-word sentences.

Here is a list of some common one-word sentences. I’m sure you already use some of these.  Along side the one-word sentences I have written out what you could say, with more words, to mean the same thing.

Hi. (Hi there.)
Wait. (Please wait.)
Begin. (You may begin.)
Stop. (You need to stop.)
Hurry. (Hurry up please.)
Catch. (Catch this.)
Here. (Here you go.)
Go! (Get going now!)
Help! (I need help!)
Eat. (Go ahead and eat.)
Yes.  (Yes, that would be great.)
No.  (No, thank you.)
Thank you. (Thank you, I really appreciate it.)
The wh-question words: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? 
A lot of swear words: Sh*t., F*ck., etc.

Do you have a favorite one-word sentence? Add to this list by posting a comment below! Thank you.

English is a beautiful language, and one of its many perks is the one-word sentences. One-word sentences — as the name suggests is a sentence with a single word, and which makes total sense.

One word sentences can be used in different forms. It could be in form of a question such as “Why?” It could be in form of a command such as “Stop!” Furthermore, it could be used as a declarative such as “Me.” Also, a one-word sentence could be used to show location, for example, “here.” It could also be used as nominatives e.g. “David.”

Actually, most of the words in English can be turned into one-word sentences. All that matters is the context in which they are used. In a sentence, there is usually a noun, and a verb. In a one-word sentence, the subject and the action of the sentence is implied in the single word, and this is why to understand one-word sentences, one has to understand the context in which the word is being used.

Saying only a little at all times is a skill most people want to learn; knowing when to use one-word sentences can help tremendously. However, you cannot use one-word sentences all the time so as robotic or come off as rude.

Pointing fingerHere are common one-word sentences, and their meanings:

  1. Help: This signifies a call for help.
  2. Hurry: Used to ask someone to do something faster
  3. Begin: Used to signify the beginning of a planned event.

Basically, the 5 Wh-question words — where, when, why, who and what? can also stand as one-word sentences.

one word sentences in English

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By Bizhan Romani

Dr. Bizhan Romani has a PhD in medical virology. When it comes to writing an article about science and research, he is one of our best writers. He is also an expert in blogging about writing styles, proofreading methods, and literature.

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It might sound a little outlandish, but you can form sentences with only one word. That’s right; you can write one word and then place a period (or exclamation mark) to close it. This article will explore some examples to help you understand them.

Can One Word Be A Sentence?

Of course, it’s possible to come across one word as a sentence. Here are some of the types that we will mention in this article:

  • Interrogatives
  • Imperatives
  • Declaratives
  • Locatives
  • Nominatives
  • Adjectives
  • Adverbs
  • Accusatives
  • Exclamations

one word sentences examples

A one-word sentence is known simply as a sentence word. The above types are all the broader words we can use to describe specific types of sentence words. Each one offers a different way for us to use a one-word sentence when they apply.

Interrogatives

Interrogatives are the most common form of sentence words. We use them mainly as questions because they cover the most common words in English like “who,” “what,” and “where.” These words are all simple one-word sentences in the form of direct questions.

Here are some of the best interrogatives you can use:

  • Who?
  • What?
  • Where?
  • How?
  • When?
  • Why?

As you can see, each one is followed by a question mark. This shows that all interrogatives work best when we are directing them as a question toward someone.

It’s also common for the answer to be a sentence word, but it depends on the context. Most of the answers you can give to interrogative sentence words will apply to one of the other sections coming up in the article.

Imperatives

Imperatives are commanding words. We can use verbs to command someone to do something in the imperative case. It’s common for imperative sentences to have only one word because it shows the emphasis and need of someone to follow whatever command you are giving.

Since all imperatives are commands in the form of verbs, these examples should help you to understand them:

  • Stop.
  • Don’t.
  • Leave.
  • Go.
  • Run.
  • Walk.
  • Work.
  • Return.

Each of these verb forms allows us to give someone a command. The period after each one really emphasizes the need for someone to listen to what we have to say.

It can be easy for some people to ignore commands, which is why the imperative form exists. We can use these sentence words with a stern tone to show that we are only interested in someone listening to us (it’s usually for their own good).

Declaratives

Declaratives allow us to declare ourselves or someone else as an answer. We can use declaratives like “me” when we want to show that we are happy to declare ourselves or our actions in some way. Again, this mostly works when we are replying to specific questions.

There aren’t many good declaratives, but they’re still used. Here are some examples:

  • Me.
  • Aye.

It’s difficult to come up with many more legitimate declaratives. Some people might argue that “she” or “he” would work, but it’s not common for English speakers to use either of those pronouns as a sentence word.

That’s why “me” is the most appropriate declarative because it’s reasonable to expect someone to declare themselves as a candidate for something.

“Aye” also works because it’s a proclamation that we agree with something.

Locatives

Locatives are a more specific branch of sentence words we can use. They are word forms that always refer to locations. For example, we might say something like “here” or “there” when we are trying to show where something is happening. That’s how locatives work.

Locatives relate to locations, which these examples will make clear:

  • Here.
  • There.
  • Everywhere.
  • Nowhere.
  • Home.
  • Near.
  • Far.
  • Wherever.
  • Somewhere.

As long as a position or place is mentioned in the sentence word, locatives work well. They work when replying to certain questions, so you might benefit from checking out the following examples:

  • Where do you live?
  • Here.
  • Where were they last?
  • There.

As you can see, we use them to reply to questions about someone or something’s location.

Nominatives

Nominatives are ways for us to nominate someone else. We can offer names, people, and things in the nominative case. It’s most common to see someone’s name as the nominative form when we are presenting a sentence word answer to a question.

Nominatives can cover anyone’s name, so we’ll include some examples to help you:

  • Jane.
  • John.
  • Sarah.
  • Stuart.
  • Smith.
  • Daniel.
  • Craig.
  • Lewis.
  • Martin.

There are plenty of questions that could lead us to use a nominative form. For example, if someone asked us who completed a specific job, we could provide the name if we know the person that did it.

Technically, we can also provide names of items or objects rather than just people. It mostly refers to things that you can nominate or pick out as a culprit for something, which is why it works well in many different cases.

Adjectives

Adjectives are a common form in the English language. We use them as descriptive words, but it’s also common to see them as sentence words. However, it mostly only applies to informal situations when you want to use adjectives in this manner.

Here are a couple of examples to help you out:

  • Pretty.
  • Cute.
  • Nice.
  • Kind.
  • Happy.
  • Friendly.
  • Incredible.
  • Amazing.
  • Brilliant.
  • Gorgeous.
  • Ugly.
  • Grim.

While it’s easy to easy adjectives in the sentence word form, you might not be entirely sure how to use them correctly. Remember, it’s mostly an informal construct because you would be expected to use more words formally.

You might find it useful to also see a question and answer formation to see how this works:

  • What do you think of this artwork?
  • Gorgeous.
  • How do you find her?
  • Pretty.

As you can see, each of the adjective answers allows us to modify a specific noun listed in the question. For example, the first question asked about “artwork,” which we can modify with the responsive adjective “gorgeous.”

The second example used the noun “her,” and the descriptive word was “pretty.”

Adverbs

Adverbs are similar to adjectives. However, they usually include an “-ly” ending after the adjective and modify verbs. We can use adverbs to modify the verb that might have been presented in the previous question. If the question has no verb, an adverb cannot work.

These examples will help you make more sense of what adverbs can do:

  • Calmly.
  • Softly.
  • Easily.
  • Quickly.
  • Gently.
  • Nicely.
  • Happily.
  • Confidently.
  • Rapidly.
  • Cautiously.
  • Barely.

You might also benefit from the following question and answer examples to help you figure it out:

  • Would you take a look at this for me?
  • Happily.
  • How should I speak when giving the address?
  • Confidently.

As you can see, we can only use adverb answers when someone has provided a verb for us to modify. In the first example, we are modifying the verb “look” with “happily” to show that we’re happy to take a look at what they’ve done.

The second example modifies the verb “speak” with “confidently” to show that we have a specific desire to listen to someone speak with a confident tone.

Accusatives

Accusatives are exactly what the name would suggest they are. We can use them to accuse someone specifically. The most common way for us to do this as a sentence word is by using object pronouns to point the finger toward someone you might have done something wrong.

If you don’t know what we mean, these examples will clear things up:

  • Him.
  • Her.
  • Them.
  • That.
  • It.
  • You.
  • Me.
  • Us.

Accusatives work well when someone has asked us for a culprit. If we know that someone has done something wrong (or even if we know that someone will be helpful to answer a question), we can use this form.

Here are some examples that should help you:

  • Do you know who did it?
  • Him.
  • Who is the smartest person here?
  • Her.

It doesn’t always have to refer to bad things. Sometimes, we can use the accusative form just to pick someone out from a crowd. It’s a quick way for us to respond to a question with a pronoun rather than an explanation.

Exclamations

Exclamations are another really common form of sentence words. A simple “yes” or “no” can apply when we are using exclamations. They are called exclamations because they allow someone to exclaim their answer to a question without more explanation.

Here are a couple of examples that will help you to figure it out:

  • Yes.
  • No.
  • Maybe.
  • Oh.

There are plenty of other exclamations in English, and some people will treat them more as interjections. For example, you might be familiar with ones like “huh” or “err.”

However, we didn’t want to include these ones because they’re not technically words that you can use in English. It’s always best to stick with ones that actually have definitions, which is why we thought it was reasonable to only include a handful.

Now you have all the necessary information to help you start using sentence words yourself. Exclamations tend to be one of the most common ways to do this without even thinking about it, so get to work!

martin lassen dam grammarhow

Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.

Your English teacher is probably correct in the sense that those are the only complete, grammatically-correct sentences that contain only one word. But in common writing we often use one-word statements that are not complete sentences. Like Robusto’s example, «Where are you going?» «Home.» «Home.» is not really a «sentence» as it contains neither a subject nor a verb but just an object. It conveys no clear meaning by itself, but only when heard with the preceding question. But I wouldn’t be afraid to use such statements. They’re perfectly acceptable to all but the most annoying pedants.

When I was in school, teachers often insisted that on a test, all answers must be complete sentences. So if the question was, say, «What is the capital of France?», a student who wrote «Paris» would be marked wrong. The student was required to write, «The capital of France is Paris.» Which always struck me as rather silly: the question is right there, the teacher and I both know what it is, why do I need to repeat it? I recall my chemistry teacher once saying that on his tests it was NOT necessary to do this. That if he asked, «What chemical reaction occurs when you mix NaCl and AgNO3?», you should just write the resultant chemicals, it was not necessary to write, «Yes indeed, a chemical reaction occurs when you mix NaCl and AgNO3. …»

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The simple sentence is the most basic sentence structure in the English language. It’s important to understand simple sentences before understanding any of the other types of sentences.

Today, we’re taking a look at the definition and parts of simple sentences and how they compare to other types of sentences. We’ll also cover the different ways that simple sentences might look when they have simple or compound subjects or verbs.

What Is a Simple Sentence?

A simple sentence is a sentence that is comprised of only one independent clause.

What’s an independent clause? Well, it’s a clause that can stand on its own as a simple sentence.

Wait a second. Do you feel like those answers are going to put us in a never-ending loop of simple sentence/independent clause definitions?

Image showing definition of simple sentence

Let’s break this down. An independent clause contains a subject and a predicate. This means that a simple sentence must contain a subject and a predicate. It cannot have any other independent clauses or dependent clauses.

That’s a basic definition of simple sentence, but you might still be wondering what all those other words mean. Let’s look at simple sentences in more detail.

What Are the Parts of a Simple Sentence?

Image showing the definition of independent clause

We know that a simple sentence contains a subject and a predicate. A subject is a noun, and the predicate will contain a verb or verb phrase. How do you identify the subject and predicate in a simple sentence? We’ll cover each in detail below.

How Do You Find the Subject of a Sentence?

The subject of a sentence is the person or thing that a sentence is about (the noun). It is who or what is doing the action in the sentence (the verb). If there is more than one noun in a sentence, ask yourself which one is completing the action. Here’s an example.

  • John saw a dog.

John is the subject of this simple sentence. He is the one who saw the dog.

How Do You Find the Predicate in a Sentence?

Image showing subject-predicate relationship

The predicate is the part of a clause that contains the action done by the subject. We call this action the verb or verb phrase. It can be just one word, or several words. Let’s look at the same example.

  • John saw a dog.

The predicate is «saw a dog.» The verb that John does is «saw.» The predicate also contains the object of the action (the dog) and all the words that don’t go with the subject. In this example, that includes «a dog.»

What Are the Different Types of Simple Sentences?

Some people might tell you there are different types of simple sentences. That’s not really the case. What they probably mean is that there are different types of subjects and predicates.

This can make it look like there are four different kinds of simple sentences.

In its most basic form, a simple sentence consists of a one-word subject and a one-word predicate, like this:

  • Sally eats.

There can also be an implied subject («you»), which results in a one-word simple sentence like this imperative sentence:

  • Eat!

Many simple sentences contain more than one word in their subject or predicate or both, like in our example above about John.

  • John saw a dog.
  • My friend John saw a dog.

Image showing the types of subjects and predicates

A simple sentence can also contain a compound subject. A compound subject is when there are two or more subjects doing the verb. It looks like this:

  • John and Melissa saw a dog.

John is one of the subjects, and Melissa is the other. Together, they create a compound subject.

There are also compound predicates. This is when two or more verbs share a subject, but there is not a second independent clause. It might look like this:

  • John saw a dog and crossed the street.

We can see that John is the subject for both «saw» and «crossed.» Neither of the two predicates function as independent or dependent clauses.

A simple sentence can also have both a compound subject and a compound predicate, like in this example:

  • John and Melissa saw a dog and crossed the street.

It doesn’t matter what type of subject or predicate a simple sentence has. If there is only one independent clause and no dependent clauses, then it is still a simple sentence.

What Are the Four Types of Sentences in English?

Simple sentences are just one type of sentence in English. There are actually four! They are:

  1. simple sentences
  2. compound sentences
  3. complex sentences
  4. compound-complex sentences

Let’s discover the difference between these.

What Is the Difference Between Simple Sentences and Compound Sentences?

While a simple sentence has just one independent clause, a compound sentence has two or more independent clauses.

However, neither has a dependent clause. In a compound sentence, we can combine the independent clauses in a few ways: with a comma and a conjunction, a semicolon, an em dash, or a colon.

Here’s an example of a compound sentence.

  • John saw a dog, but he didn’t know what breed it was.

You see that we combined two independent clauses (John saw a dog, and He didn’t know what breed it was) with a comma and the conjunction «but.» We could eliminate the joining method and be left with two simple sentences:

  • John saw a dog. He didn’t know what breed it was.

Image showing sentence types and structures

What Is the Difference Between Simple Sentences and Complex Sentences?

A complex sentence contains an independent clause and at least one dependent clause. Simple sentences do not have dependent clauses. A dependent clause cannot stand on its own as a simple sentence.

Here is an example of a complex sentence:

  • While he was out running, John saw a dog.

The dependent clause is «while he was out running.» That’s not a sentence by itself. It needs the independent clause to make it a complete sentence.

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What Is the Difference Between Simple Sentences and Compound-Complex Sentences?

What happens when you combine a complex sentence with a compound sentence? You get a compound-complex sentence!

A compound-complex sentence contains at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. This is what it looks like:

  • While he was out running, John saw a dog, but he didn’t know what breed it was.

We see the dependent clause followed by two independent clauses joined with a comma and a conjunction.

These are about as far from a simple sentence as you can get. But it’s still important to understand simple sentences so that you can identify and create the other types of sentences.

It’s not a bad thing to use simple sentences. But too many of any type of sentence makes your writing hard to read. The ProWritingAid Sentence Length Report vizualizes the sentence lengths in your document so you can add variety. Too many long sentences in a row can be exhausting, while too many short sentences feel choppy and unfinished.

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What Are Some Examples of Simple Sentences?

Now that we have covered what a simple sentence is, how it might look, and how it differs from other sentence structures, let’s take a look at a few examples:

  • Sally sells seashells.
  • The dog is short and fat.
  • Henry and Jenny ate Chinese food and watched a movie.
  • We never go places or do anything fun!
  • She loves you very much.
  • You and I are best friends.
  • Roxanne played in the snow.
  • Charles Darwin sailed on board the HMS Beagle.

Now you know exactly how to write a simple sentence! Don’t be afraid to use them in your writing; just use them along with the other sentence structures.


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Introduction

When you want to write something (like an article, letter, CV, etc) in the English Language, you will make sure that it is meaningful and error-free, but it’s obvious that you make a lot of mistakes in Grammar.

Grammar errors like spelling, prepositions, sentence structure & formation, etc are common while writing.

So as we know that every language has its own grammar, we are going to explain these 12 rules of Grammar to avoid those errors and write well.

Also Read: What is Grammar? | (Grammar definition, rules & examples) | Best Guide 2021

Here are some sets of rules that you need to follow in order to avoid mistakes in English grammar.

Rule 1: Every sentence should start with a Capital letter in the first word.

In the English Language, when you are starting a sentence, then make sure that you capitalize the first letter of the first word. Also, remember that you need to capitalize even when you start a new paragraph.

Example Statements:

  • Incorrect: my best friend’s name is Rohan. he is a good boy. (X)
  • Correct: My best friend’s name is Rohan. He is a good boy. (_/)
  • Incorrect: i live in Mumbai. it is a wonderful place. (X)
  • Correct: I live in Mumbai. It is a wonderful place. (_/)

Rule 2: Every sentence should either end with a full stop (or) a question mark (or) an exclamation mark.

If you want to end a sentence, then make sure that you need to use a full stop (.), a question mark (?) or an exclamation mark (!) based on the type of the sentence.

The above, any of the three mentioned should be used depending on the situation of the sentence. For example, let us consider a few examples with its usages (purpose).

1) Full Stop/Period (.):

Here, the full stop is used when a sentence completes a proper message (meaning). The symbol used for the full stop is (.).

Example Statements:

  • John loves to play football. He dreams to become a football player.
  • I am living in London for 2 years.
  • I purchased a new car. It is very expensive.

2) Question Mark (?):

Question marks are used only for questioning (or) interrogating sentences. It is used at the end of the sentence, to make it questionable. The symbol used for questioning is “?”.

Example Statements:

  • Which college are you studying from?
  • Do you know who I am?
  • Where do you live?
  • Are you still playing these old games?
  • Do you know how to swim?

3) Exclamation Mark (!):

An Exclamation Mark is used when you are expressing your feelings or emotions. So, when you are expressing it in a sentence, you need to remember that exclamation should be done at the end.

The symbol which is used for the sentence is “!”.

Example Statements:

  • She actually won the lottery!
  • Wow, such a wonderful place it is!
  • You are late again!
  • You did a great job!

Rule 3: Every sentence should have SVO (Subject – Verb – Object).

The basic rule of grammar in the English Language is that you must include Subject and Verb. The object is optional depending on the usage.

This order is only applicable for positive sentences, not for sentences with negatives or question marks (?) or exclamation marks (!) because they may have different orders.

The Subject usually plays a major role in the entire sentence. It helps you to give an idea of who is performing an action, who is talking to whom, etc.

The verb is usually the action which is performed by the Subject, and the object is usually on which the action is performed.

Sometimes, a few sentences don’t mention the subject. Actually, it has a subject, and it is understood even if it is not shown. For example, consider the word “Stop!” – which means that you must stop (here “you” is hidden).

Example Statements:

  • Mary loves to play with cats. (S – Mary, V – play, O – cats)
  • Michael teaches French. (S – Michael, V – teaches, O – French)
  • We are planning to visit Singapore. (S – We, V – planning, O – Singapore)
  • I am happy. (S – I, V – am, O – happy)
  • Come here! (It means – “You come here!”) (Here, the subject is hidden)

Rule 4: The Subject and Verb forms are interrelated in the sentence.

If you are using a singular Subject, then you need to use a singular Verb for the whole sentence and if you want to use a Plural subject, then you must use a plural verb.

If you are using he/she/it as a Subject, then use its corresponding verb and when using we/they/I/you, then use its verb.

Example Statements:

  • Harry wants to buy a new bike.
  • We are going to a restaurant this weekend.
  • We don’t like to go to the library.
  • They are watching a football match on TV.
  • She likes to stay in London.
  • They want to have coffee this evening.

Rule 5: Use Either – or (or) Neither – nor depending on the Sentence while using singular nouns.

In English sentences, Either – or and Neither – nor is used when two singular nouns are connected. These two are different in usage. Also, remember that the singular verb is used for singular nouns.

Either – or:

Either – or is used when any one of the two cases is true. This means that either this must be true or that.

Example Statements:

  • Raju and Srikanth must be either friends or enemies.
  • I want either Tea or Coffee.
  • I think either Team A or Team B will win this match.

Neither – or:

Neither – or is used when two of the (subject) cases are false. This means that both are false.

Example Statements:

  • Neither I nor you broke the vase.
  • Neither John nor Mike are late today.
  • Neither I nor you must win this game.

Rule 6: Proper Nouns should be capitalized anywhere in the sentences (including at the beginning) when used.

It is important to capitalize on the words which are Proper Nouns. This can be at the beginning, middle and end of the sentences (in short, anywhere in the sentence).

Example Statements:

  • I love to drink coffee at Starbucks.
  • I will eat only high-protein foods.
  • I have final exams from tomorrow.
  • Mount Everest is the highest mountain located in Nepal.

Rule 7: Common Nouns should be capitalized only at the beginning of the sentences.

When common nouns are used, then you need to capitalize them only at the beginning of the sentences.

Example Statements:

  • I have beautiful flowers in my garden.
  • I love to read books in the library.
  • My school is located near the railway station.
  • Tina went to a supermarket to buy groceries.

Rule 8: The words its – it’s, and you’re – your are not the same.

Some words in the English Language look like they are the same, but they have different meanings. Now let us take some examples to understand the concept well.

Here, the main difference between its and it’s is,

  1. its: It is a Possessive determiner and used to say that it belongs (holds or refers to) something.
  2. it’s: Here “it’s” is the short form of “it is” and is used to mention things.

Example Statements (for its):

  • This fish is too big for its aquarium.
  • This bread has passed its expiration date.
  • The dog has hurt its tail.

Example Statements (for it’s):

  • It’s taking so much time to prepare this presentation.
  • It’s always raining here.
  • It’s good to know the current politics of your area.
  • It’s been a wonderful day!

Rule 9: Use Indefinite Articles for Countable Nouns and Definite with specific Countable & all Uncountable Nouns.

The Indefinite Articles (a/an) are used mostly for Countable nouns. Definite Articles (the) are used for a few Countable nouns and mostly for Uncountable nouns.

Example Statements:

  • I saw an eagle which is flying very high in the sky.
  • The principal asked a student about his performance.
  • Arun is a brilliant student in the class.
  • An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
  • Hari is a good boy. He likes to help others.
  • I want to buy an iPhone this month.

Rule 10: Use the article “a” for Consonant sounds and “an” for vowel sounds.

Use the article “a” for the words which sound Consonant at the very beginning. For example, consider the below table.

Consonant Sounded Words

With Article (a)

bat

a bat

cat

a cat

dog

a dog

fish

a fish

gun

a gun

hat

a hat

jug

a jug

kite

a kite

lemon

a lemon

mat

a mat

Use the article “an” for the words which sound Vowel at the very beginning. For example, consider the below table.

Vowel Sounded Words

With Article (an)

apple

an apple

eagle

an eagle

elephant

an elephant

orange

an orange

umbrella

an umbrella

igloo

an igloo

apron

an apron

Note: When you’re using “a” or “an” then make to focus on pronunciation rather than the word’s spelling. Few words look like consonants, but it actually pronounces like vowels. For example, “an hour”.

If you want to read more about Articles, then click on the button below or read from the suggestion link.

Also Read: What are Articles in English Grammar? | (with easy examples)

Rule 11: Use Apostrophe to show Possessions.

Possession is something which is usually owned by a person, place, thing, etc. It has two forms, which are Singular and Plural.

For Singular use (-‘s) and for plural use (-s’).

Example Statements:

  • Boy’s car (Singular)
  • Boys’ car (Plural)
  • Raju’s car got damaged last night.
  • Ravi’s friend came to Europe to visit Ravi.

Also Read: What is a Possessive Noun? (with examples) | Best Guide 2021

Rule 12: Active voice is more preferred than Passive voice in the English Language.

Most of them recommend writing Active voice rather than Passive voice while writing articles, letters, etc.

In simple terms, an Active voice is a sentence in which the subject performs an action (verb). Whereas in Passive Voice, the Verb (action) is displayed first and then the Subject.

Example Statements:

  • Passive Voice: Football was played by Raju.
  • Active Voice: Raju plays football.

Click the below button to learn about Active and Passive Voice in detail.

Quiz Time! (Test Your Knowledge Here)

#1. He can have _______ a pizza _____ a burger.

either, or

either, or

or, or

or, or

either, nor

either, nor

none

none

Answer: He can have either a pizza or a burger.

#2. Which word is wrong in the sentence, «Tina want to buy a new house.»

want

want

new

new

buy

buy

a

a

Answer: Tina wants to buy a new house. Here “wants” should be used because the subject (Tina) is singular.

#3. I usually order pizza from Dominos. Identify the Proper Noun (P) and Common Noun (C).

P: pizza, C: pizza

P: pizza, C: pizza

P: pizza, C: Dominos

P: pizza, C: Dominos

P: Dominos, C: pizza

P: Dominos, C: pizza

P: Dominos, C: Dominos

P: Dominos, C: Dominos

Answer: Proper Noun is Dominos and Common Noun is Pizza.

#4. Passive voice is considered more than Active voice. Is it true?

false

false

none

none

true

true

can’t say

can’t say

Answer: It is false.

#5. Correct the given sentence, «do you know where I live»

Answer: Do you know where I live?

#6. Which article is used for hour?

a

a

an

an

both

both

none

none

Answer: Here “an” article is used because the letter “h” is silent and sounds like a vowel (like our).

#7. Correct and rewrite the sentence, «he is a lazy person and doesn’t complete his work on time»

Answer: He is a lazy person and doesn’t complete his work on time.

#8. Rewrite the given sentence, «today, Raju has purchased a new car he is very excited about it»

Answer: Today, Raju has purchased a new car. He is very excited about it.

#9. «Raju car is not working properly.» — Rewrite the sentence with Possession.

Answer: Raju’s car is not working properly.

#10. Correct the Possession for the given sentence, «Todays temperature is very high.»

Answer: Today’s temperature is very high.

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Summary: (12 Rules of Grammar)

Rules of Grammar - English Topper
(Rules of Grammar)

If you want to write better in the English Language, then you need to focus on these 12 Rules of Grammar, which I have mentioned above.

The 12 Rules of Grammar are:

  1. Every sentence should start with a Capital letter in the first word.
  2. Every sentence should either end with a full stop (or) a question mark (or) an exclamation mark.
  3. Every sentence should have SVO (Subject – Verb – Object).
  4. The Subject and Verb forms are interrelated in the sentence.
  5. Use Either – or (or) Neither – nor, depending on the Sentence, while using singular nouns.
  6. Proper Nouns should be capitalized anywhere in the sentences (including at the beginning) when used.
  7. Common Nouns should be capitalized only at the beginning of the sentences.
  8. The words its – it“a”’s, and you’re – your not the same.
  9. Use Indefinite Articles for Countable Nouns and Definite with specific Countable & all Uncountable Nouns.
  10. Use the article “a” for Consonant sounds and “an” for vowel sounds.
  11. Use apostrophes to show Possessions.
  12. Active voice is more preferred than Passive voice in the English Language.

Also Read: What is Grammar? | (Grammar definition, rules & examples) | Best Guide 2021

If you are interested to learn more, then you can refer to Wikipedia here.

I hope that you understood the topic “12 Rules of Grammar”. If you have any doubts regarding this topic, then comment down below, and we will respond to your questions as soon as possible. Thank You.

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