Learn the rules that matter most to you

Awal Madaan

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The English language has been evolving for ages. It is essential to learn grammar because it is the essence of this language. Without grammar, there can be no sentence structure and thus, no language. Let’s learn some of the most relevant grammar rules that can help you refine your communication, speaking, and writing skills.

 Grammar Rule 1 – Use of “for” and “since”

“For” is used to refer to a period of time during which activity occurs. It can be used to mention the duration of an activity in the present, past, or future.

For example:

 1. I will stay in Dehradun for 2 days next week.

(Duration of a future activity)

 2. He played Badminton for 5 hours today.  (Duration of a past activity)

 “Since” is used to refer to a specific point in time in the past, from which an activity started occurring.

 They have been writing the blog since 2019.

They have lived here since 2015.

(A specific starting point of an activity)

 Grammar Rule 2- Differentiate between adjectives and adverbs

Mixing up adjectives and adverbs will drastically change the meaning of the sentence. Adjectives are used to qualify a noun, whereas adverbs are used to qualify a verb, adjective, or another adverb.

 For example: She made a quick phone call. (Adjective)

 She made a phone call quickly. (Adverb)

 However, some irregular adverbs are used without adding -ly to them

 For example: He drives fast.

She fared well in the exam.

 Grammar Rule 3 – Use of “few” and “a few”

Both “few” and “a few” are used to talk about the quantity of something or someone.

 “Few” is used when the number of people or things are next to zero.

 “A few” changes the meaning of the sentence to an extent. It is used when there is some quantity.

 For example: Few employees quit their jobs each year.

 In the sentence above, we used “few” to indicate that only one or two employees of a company quit their jobs—most of them stay put. However, if we add “a” to “few” in this sentence, we will be saying something else:

 A few employees quit their jobs each year.

 Here we’re saying that some employees of a company quit their jobs. It’s still not a lot of them, but there are some.

 Grammar Rule 4- Certain words used for formal and informal communication

With all these rules, one should know what words they should use. For example, if you make a request or ask permission or questions, you should use “May” or “Could” formally because using it is considered more polite and appropriate than using “Can”. Similarly, you can use the following words to communicate formally.

 Did they inform you? (Instead of using tell)

I haven’t received it yet. (Instead of using get)

I would like to inquire about it. (Instead of using ask)

 You may find learning English grammar a difficult task, but it will be extremely easy for you when you understand the concepts clearly. Be confident even when you make mistakes while practising grammar, because “Practice makes Perfect”.

The writer is CEO and Founder, AwalEnglish.com