English Language and Grammar
This domain checks functional English: parts of speech, subject-verb agreement, articles, prepositions, tense, voice, narration, vocabulary, and error spotting. Group D papers usually keep the level at Class 10, but distractors exploit small rules.
Core rules
- A verb agrees with its real subject, not with a phrase in between: One of the boys was absent.
- Each, every, either, neither, everyone and nobody take singular verbs.
- With neither...nor and either...or, the verb agrees with the nearer subject.
- Use a before consonant sounds, an before vowel sounds, and the for something already specified.
- Present perfect (has/have + past participle) is used for past actions with present relevance; simple past is used with a definite past time.
- In passive voice, the object becomes subject and the verb becomes be + past participle.
Worked example
Error-spotting item: She do not like mangoes. Find the subject She, which is third-person singular. In the simple present negative, use does not, and the main verb stays in base form: She does not like mangoes. Do not write does not likes; the auxiliary carries the tense and person.
Traps
- One of the boys were absent is wrong because the subject is one.
- He is senior than me is wrong; senior takes to.
- Since and for are confused: since 2019, for five years.
- In indirect speech, say said that and back-shift the tense unless the statement is a universal truth.
- Do not choose an option only because it sounds formal; check the grammar first.