Basic Rules of English Grammar for DU LLB Entrance

Rules of Noun

1. Articles are not used before materials nouns.

1. Material nouns are abstract nouns are not used in the plural.

1. Proper nouns are sometimes used as common nouns.

1. Collective noun usually takes a singular verb and is substituted by a singular pronoun.

1. A collective noun takes a plural verb and is substituted by plural pronoun when the group members do not behave as a whole but take a different direction.

1. Collective nouns, even when they denote living being are considered to be of neuter gender.

1. Young children and lower animals are also referred to as neutral gender.

1. When objects without life are personified, they are considered of either masculine or feminine gender.

1. Units of counting i.e., pair, dozen, score, hundred, thousands, etc., when used after numbers retain their singular form.

1. In a compound noun, a compound word is not used in plural of a noun does the work of an adjective.

1. The following nouns are used only in the plural.

1. Some plural forms are commonly used in singular like Mathematics, statistics, physics, Economic (All subjects), Gymnastics, New innings, Series, Measles, Rabies, Mumps, Rickets, Summons, Names or books, etc.
2. Uncountable nouns are used in the singular forms only. Indefinite articles (a, an) is not used before them, nor are they (a, an) used with plural verbs.

Rules of Conjunctions

1. Scarcely and Hardly should be followed by when and not by Eg. Hardly had he arrived, when he had to leave again.
2. No sooner is followed by than and not by Eg. No sooner had I started than the rain started.
3. Seldom or never and seldom if ever both are correct but seldom or ever is incorrect. Eg. He seldom or never goes to see a movie in the theatre.
4. Unless means ‘if not’ and therefore, it should not be used in a sentence which is already negative. Eg. Unless you do not work hard, you will fail (incorrect). Unless you work hard, you will fail (correct).
5. Lest expresses a negative sense and therefore cannot be used with not. Should is always used with Eg. Walk steadily, lest you should fall.

1. If two subjects together express one idea, one being added to the other for the sake of emphasis or clarification, the verb is singular. Eg. slow and steady wins the race.
2. When the plural noun denotes some specific quantity, distance, time or amount considered as a whole, the verb is generally singular. Eg. six miles is not a long-distance for me.
3. Two or more singular subjects connected by either-or, neither-nor, take a verb in the singular. Eg. either harsh or darsh is absent today.
4. When the subjects joined by ‘or’ or ‘nor’ are of different numbers, the verb must be plural and the plural subject must be placed next to the verb. Eg. Either Ashna or her parents are coming to the party.
5. When two nouns or pronouns are joined by ‘not only-but also’, the verb agrees with the second noun or pronoun. Eg. Not only the officer but also the soldiers were awarded.