English Grammar Blog

Writing is an art of expressing ideas or thoughts into words. It is an essential skill that students should learn. A good writing skill is always in demand as it helps in communicating the message clearly. Writing is not just confined to conveying a message, but also it is a method of preserving memories. Most people pen down their thoughts, special moments or fond memories in their secret diaries. Apart from maintaining dairy, one should also write to capture the thoughts and ideas that pop up in their mind for a second. In simple words, writing is a good exercise to express your opinion, refine your ideas and preserve your special moments. Writing in the English language is little difficult for many people. However, it is considered as a mandatory skill in most fields. In the college admission test or screening process, students are being asked to write an essay. Besides, many companies demand for cover letter at the time of the interview so as to check the writing skills of an appli...

Are you not able to communicate your thoughts clearly or express your ideas into words? You can improve it by mastering the important rules of grammar. To develop English language skills, you need to learn some basic rules of language. English grammar plays a major role in structuring the sentences correctly. One can easily get a good command over English language by learning English grammar rules. Grammar is the essence of any language. It maintains a correct flow in the sentence and makes the language meaningful for the listeners and readers. It is important for all of us to understand the English grammar rules as it lays a solid foundation for effective communication. Be it a written or spoken form, an improper grammar changes the meaning of the entire sentence. Many of us often make mistakes while speaking or writing in English language which is called as a grammatical error. Grammatical errors can be various types such as a punctuation mark, subject-verb agreement, spelling error,...

A research paper includes the writer’s opinion on a topic. It is a review or the personal perceptions and not a summary developed by including the others’ thoughts. However, a research paper is a well-illustrated essay that showcases the writer’s interpretation or arguments. A research paper is writing about a subject or a topic by following a detailed research work so that the writer can present the best possible information about the chosen subject. 10 Steps in Writing Research Paper • Subject – Selecting a subject is the first and foremost step and be careful while choosing a subject. Before choosing the subject make sure you will get a good amount of information about that. If the writer selects a subject that is quite familiar with him, then it is easy to elaborate the topic with adequate information. It is better to avoid some topics, which are sensational or controversial. • Narrow the Subject  – After selecting the topic, the writer must jot down the main points about the subj...

Persuasive writing is a kind of writing, where the authors convince the readers to take an action on a particular issue. The words used in this essay are suitably chosen to persuade the readers. In brief, this type of writing allows the readers to take their position on an issue. Persuasive writing is common in the advertising sector and in other sectors, where convincing people is a part of the job. However, developing a persuasive writing is understanding an issue and also taking a stand on an issue. Persuasive essay allows the writers to spread about an action or issue and build strong arguments to convince others. By reading this essay, the readers get easily involved and develop a point of view on a situation or an action. Moreover, writing a persuasive essay is not so easy, a thorough research work is essential, along with the understanding of the both sides of an issue. In addition to this, the writer must be mindful about the reader’s biases. A successful persuasive essay alway...

Before writing a paragraph, we must know the impact of it on the writing. Paragraph is an aggregation of sentences formed on a same topic. A paragraph is a part of a writing that allows people to understand the subject intended to convey. Usually, a paragraph contains pertinent sentences and it allows a writer to stay on track during the process of reading. It has been proved that a constructive paragraph is always appreciated as it delineates the right message to the readers. In brief, it plays an imperative role in making each writing more effective as well as well-ordered. When you include your ideas in the writing, then, make sure, these points can get space so that each of them gets noticed. In short, explain your thoughts or ideas in different paragraphs so that the readers can easily understand the messages hidden in the write up. Moreover, the purpose of a writing is to make the readers understand the message, otherwise, the effort of a writer will go in vain. Paragraph Structu...

Expository writing or expository essay is a type of writing that demands a thorough investigation by the students, along with the evaluation of the evidences and delineation of the ideas mentioned in the essay. Based on one’s understanding, a related argument needs to be presented in a concise manner. However, the objective of writing an expository essay is to expound a topic in a logical manner. Here, the ornaments of language are not necessary, rather a balanced analysis of an idea is more appreciated. Based on the facts, a subject or idea is explicated in the writing in a straightforward manner. Most importantly, there is no place for the author’s emotions and opinions in this essay. However, to master the expository essay, students must follow some proven steps as it does not easy as it looks. Writing this type of essay is a life skill and it is required in many career aspects. An expository essay usually includes five paragraphs and the first or introductory paragraph incorporates...

Descriptive Writing is a type of literary work that tells about a place, person, event or any object in a detailed manner. Here, the author uses suitable words to delineate a picture about the subject they narrate. In addition to this, in descriptive writing, the author uses sensory details to engage the readers. In brief, a descriptive writing comprises a thorough description about the subject by including the technique of sensory details. The purpose of descriptive writing is very clear as it includes some techniques to portray a character or thing in such a manner that can be memorable for the readers. It is a great way to catch the readers’ attention as this type of writing leaves a remarkable impact on the readers’ mind. The common thing is that while developing a descriptive writing, the author puts his close attention to the details and make the readers engaged by using words related to the five senses. However, this kind of writing is a common task in school and it helps studen...

Definition: Narrative writing is telling about something with elaboration. It can be fiction or non-fiction and the objective of narrative writing is to tell a story to the readers. However, a narrative writing is more open than other types of write up. The tone and structure of this kind of writing are clear and cogent. Characteristics of Narrative Writing Some Characteristics of Narrative Writing are mentioned here: •    Narrative writing is similar to telling stories and hence, it has setting, characters, plot, conflict as well as resolution. It has prominent beginning, middle part and end and each narrative writing maintains this structure. •    Each narrative writing is delineated by a narrator and the person is quite familiar with the plot, characters and other things. The narrator is the character of the story and the person opens up the events in a step-by-step manner. •    Here, the narrators have point of view and they explain their views specifically. Here the first person u...

Composition writing skill refers to the general writing skill that includes the handwriting, the knowledge of spelling and grammar as well as the basic understanding of the language. In addition to this, while writing a composition, students must focus on some aspects such as the planning of the writing, organization of the thoughts or ideas, recognition of  the requirements of the readers and other things. Most importantly, choosing the appropriate words is also essential to make each piece of writing engaging as well as informative. On the other hand, the writers’ motivation, confidence as well as perseverance is also needed to develop a well-written document. Accelerating the composition writing skill means one has to improve his overall writing skill. There are two prominent ways to improve the writing skill. One is to read different books and the other one is to write one thing in different manners. First of all, students must choose the type of writing whether they are going to ...

Essay writing is one of the skills that students should develop from the very beginning of their school life. Through essay writing, students learn to organize their thoughts and ideas properly. It is a basic skill which helps them to attain success in school and college. Writing an essay in a structural way makes it more appealing and keeps the reader hooked from the start to the end.  For example, to construct a house you need to have a foundation on which the house can be built, in the similar manner to write an essay you need to outline the key points which forms the base for the essay. In other words outlining helps you in organizing the topics in a sequential way and depicts the flow of the story. Below are few of the pointers which will help in defining the outline of an essay. •    Once you have decided on a topic, scribble on a piece of papers all ideas good or bad that come in your mind for 5-10 minutes. Once done, then revisit those ideas and sort them. This will help you in...

Figurative language is a kind of language in which a writer compares something with another thing. In simple words, figurative language refers to the words or expressions that do not have literal meaning. The words or expressions have meaning, but different from their literal meaning. The main objective of using figurative language is to make comparisons, alterations or exaggerations so as to point out particular a phrase or a sentence. The writers often use figurative language in order to make their work more interesting and dramatic for the readers. This type of language is specifically used in poetry and also used in non-fiction writing. Figurative language is categorized into various forms such as simile, metaphors, personification, alliteration, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, idioms and cliché. Let us discuss various types of figurative language in detail. Watch this video: Types of Figurative Language 1.     Simile: Simile is a figure of speech and it is used to compare two different...

In the reading comprehension, the significance of vocabulary is immeasurable. It is the most essential part of reading.  A good vocabulary skill allows students to recognize different types of words. They can use new words while writing or speaking. Hence, it is important for students to expand their vocabulary skills. The more words students know, the better they are able to comprehend the written materials. Apart from this, they can also express their thoughts and ideas by using more stronger and descriptive words. In order to develop vocabulary skills, students should use the dictionary and thesaurus more often. Dictionary and thesaurus encompass a list of synonyms and antonyms of words, which help students to identify the meaning of a particular word along with its antonym. Let us understand the role of vocabulary in reading comprehension in detail. 1.    The students who have better vocabulary skills or know more words are able to read and comprehend the passages more quickly. 2. ...

The parts of the words are common roots, prefix and suffix. It is essential to distinguish these three parts to use each word appropriately. However, primarily, words are formed with the units of meaning and these units are known as morphemes. These morphemes cannot be broken down into smaller parts. For example, run, tree are the morphemes. In short, morpheme refers the meaning, without being a word. Keep in mind that morphemes are not English words. Common roots: Roots are the basic of words and these carry fundamental meanings. Example: sadness Here, the root word is sad. Telephone is the combination of morphemes. Tele + phone Bio (root) +life (meaning) = Biology Cred (root) + believe (meaning) = Credible Dict (root)+say (meaning) = Dictionary Fact root) + make(meaning) =Manufacture Geo (root) + earth(meaning) = Geography Leg (root) + law = Legal, legitimate Mini (root) + small = Miniature Mort (root) + death =Mortal Path (root) + feeling =Sympathy Photo (root) + light =Photon Pre...

Monologue refers to a speech or a verbal presentation that a character gives to exhibit his ideas as well as thoughts in a loud manner. Through monologue, the character shares his thoughts with the audience, or sometimes, with another character. Moreover, it is a kind of literary device and it is quite common in the plays, films and sometimes, in poetry, a non-dramatic medium. The word ‘Monologue’ comes from a Greek word-monos that means alone and logos refers to speech. However, there are two types of monologue- interior and dramatic monologue. In interior monologue, the character usually conveys his thoughts so that the audience can also get the experience. Moreover, it is remarkably noticeable in the plays, novels and films. This kind of monologue is also signified as the stream of consciousness. On the other hand, dramatic monologue is a kind of monologue, where a character addresses to the silent listener. It comprises the theatrical qualities and it is also seen in the poetry. Fe...

Homophones are the words that possess the same pronunciation, but different meaning as well as spelling. Generally, they come in a group, or sometimes, these words can be three or four. It is essential to learn the most common homophones to use these words appropriately in writing. Keep in mind a wrong word can change the entire meaning of a sentence. An example can make it clear. Buy- to purchase something Bye- goodbye Scent- perfume Cent- copper penny Aisle- the walkway isle- island Accept- receive Except- exclude Weather- atmosphere Whether- It is a conjunction and it is used while including choices in the sentences Made- created, built Maid- servant Examples of some Homophones used in the sentences: New (recent, brand-new) –I have bought a new red color top yesterday. Knew (past form of the verb ‘know’) – I knew that Jim’s birthday is in this month. Pear (a kind of fruit) – I love to have pear as it is juicy. Pair (two of something, couple) – I have a nice pair of red shoes. Sea (l...

Homonyms are the words that have the same spelling and same pronunciation, but different meanings. These words are also known as multiple meaning words. An example can make it clearer. Example: Bear (an animal) – Bears are one kind of mammals and they have different classifications. Bear (tolerate)- Bear can bear the cold temperatures. Left (opposite of right)- Go straight and then turn left to reach the park. Left (departed from) – The red car took left and then left the highway. Suit (fit) – Wear something that suits you. Suit (costume)- Wear a new suit for the reunion party. On the other hand, Homophones are the words that sound alike but they have different spellings as well as different meanings. However, Homophones are a kind of Homonyms. Moreover, both of these are linguistic terms. Students must understand these two to use words appropriately. Example: See- look, visualize Sea- lake, ocean Steel-metal made from iron Steal-to take something from someone Pray-urge Prey- target of...

Literally and figuratively are two different aspects, but when conveying something to the readers both should be used aptly. Literally signifies exactly, in a broader sense, without any exaggeration, it states about the thing, accurately what happens. On the other hand, figuratively refers to metaphorical sense. It means the thing is delineated metaphorically, not in a practical way. An example can make it clear. If we say, ‘I am literally foaming at the mouth’, then it means the foam is coming out from the mouth, but if we say, ‘I am figuratively foaming at the mouth’, then it signifies that I am very angry as foaming at the mouth is an idiom. However, ‘literally’ is an adjective and it means actual.  It is used in an exact sense. Example: I made a literal translation of this book. Here, it reflects the fact that someone has truly translated the book. Besides, ‘literally’ word is used to intensify things. When it is said that I am literally on fire that does not mean that someone is ...

Analogy is a kind of comparison, where a thing or idea is compared with another one and that two things are quite different in nature. The objective of using Analogy is to describe the things by comparing with other things which are more familiar. However, Analogy is extensive as metaphors and similes are used as the parts of it. Some examples can make it more clear. Examples: A sword is the weapon of a warrior, like a pen is the weapon of an author. She is as annoying as nails on the chalkboard. A doctor diagnoses the diseases, like the detective investigates criminal cases. However, Analogy is noticeably used in English literature to represent things distinctly to the readers. ‘The Flea’ written by John Donne comprises good examples of analogy. Apart from that ‘Romeo and Juliet’ written by Shakespeare is a remarkable piece of writing, where analogies are used successfully. “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other word would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not...

A personal essay is a kind of nonfiction work and it is likely an autobiographical writing that comprises a conversational outlook. This type of writing is also known as a personal statement. It is a creative writing and there is no such specific pattern. However, it is a common assignment in colleges and it showcases the writers’ proficiency level in the field of communication, critical thinking and maturity. However, a personal essay is all about a personal experience and it is written by using first person and to accelerate its impact on the readers, an emotional touch should be available, along with a good number of references. Besides, including vivid details is good to make each personal essay interesting. Moreover, it can be a part of the college assignments or writing courses. Some tips need to be kept in mind to make your personal essay successful. Some tips about writing a Personal Essay: •    Find a subject what, exactly, you want to portray to the readers. Include what make...

Onomatopoeia is known as a word that represents the sound of a thing or an animal. In brief, it exhibits a sound effect related to the thing described in the sentence. However, the use of Onomatopoeia makes the entire sentence more catchy and expressive. It is interesting to read the sentences that include Onomatopoeia. For instance, ‘The gushing stream flows in the forest’ showcases the sound of the flowing stream and it is more natural to hear. Through this sentence, the readers can feel the rhythm of a flowing stream and can also imagine the scene. Examples of Onomatopoeia: bing, buzz, bong, bang, quack, meow, ring-ring, boom, etc. The objective of using these words in the poetry is to make the writing more natural, intriguing as well as memorable. These words are descriptive and each of them keeps the readers engaged with the piece of writing and most importantly, it gives a better reading experience. Some tips regarding of using Onomatopoeia in Poetry: •    It is a great poetry de...

Writing an essay is a good way to accelerate one’s writing skill, along with other skills. However, it is a common task in schools as it is a constructive method to nurture one’s qualities and skills and accelerate these aspects in a required manner. In addition to this, an essay reveals one’s writing as well as the understanding capability on different topics and also showcases the person’s vocabulary skill. Hence, practicing essay writing is favorable for the students in all manners. However, some tips that can make your writing experience better are discussed here. •    Reading is the most essential skill that updates your expertise as well as allows you to choose a suitable subject for your essay. The significance of reading skill is immeasurable as it instills information and enables us to use these information appropriately. Hence, reading different topics and learning various concepts is the must do task for all students. •    The second most essential requirement is understandi...

Business letter is a kind of formal letter which is formed to communicate with others in a professional manner. It has a specific outline as it commences with a salutation and ends with the sender’s signature. However, a business letter is sent through post, courier or online and nowadays, the third mode of communication is much used as it makes the entire process fast and effective. Most importantly, different types of business letter are there and each of them is used for different purposes. The common thing is its 12-point font that is used for all standard business letters. Moreover, the content of each business letter should be concise, cogent and comprehensive. Sales Letter: Sales letter generally starts with an intriguing statement that can grab the readers’ attention. It allows the readers to make a call to action. Additionally, this letter usually includes the details so that the readers get a thorough understanding. It highlights the benefits of the readers and also add the ...

Punctuation is the system of symbols that guides the readers while reading any content. In brief, it helps the readers to read the texts in a right manner. In addition to this, punctuation assists the readers in comprehending the meaning of a text. However, sentences are the medium of expressing thoughts or ideas of the writers and these elements are the building blocks that develop each written account. However, punctuation shows the right ways to read those sentences so that the meaning can be understood easily and aptly. A sentence gets its completeness when it starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop. Instead of a full stop, it can be a question mark or an exclamation mark at the end based on the situation. The Basic Signs of Punctuation are as follows: The comma ( , ) The full stop ( . ) The colon  ( : ) The semi-colon ( ; ) The exclamation mark ( ! ) The question mark ( ? ) Quotation marks ( “   ” ) The apostrophe ( ‘ ) Brackets (  )  or [   ] The hyphen ( – ) The s...

To write a sentence appropriately, we must know the key rules of capitalization. Here some rules are mentioned precisely. •    The first word of each sentence should be a capital letter. Example: Start a day as early as possible. •    Proper nouns always start with the capital letter. Examples: I have got a nice gift from Uncle George. (Here, uncle starts with a capital letter ‘u’ as the name is also mentioned in the sentence.) My uncle stays in Mumbai. (Here, ‘U’ is a small letter, as it is used generally.) More Examples: She likes the poems of Rabindranath Tagore. (The name should start with a capital letter) I like John’s efforts towards the literacy campaign. Key Rules, Along with the Examples: The names of hills and mountain ranges always start with a capital letter.             Example: Mt. Vesuvius, Mount Everest The names of the oceans, rivers, lakes, seas should start with a capital letter.             Example: the Indian Ocean, the Ganga, etc. The building’s names should b...

There are eight parts of speech in the English and these are Noun, Pronoun, Adjective, Verb, Adverb, Interjection, Conjunction and Preposition and most importantly, each of them has a distinct function. Knowing parts of speech is essential as it makes us familiar with the function of each word as well as their grammatical significance in the sentences. However, a same word can be used as different parts of speech based on the situation. Noun: A noun always refers to the name of the place, person, thing, etc. However, proper noun starts with the capital letter and others are not, and a noun can be singular or plural. However, there are seven types of noun – Proper (Game of Thrones), Concrete (Sand), Common (Car), Abstract (Bravery), Collective (Class- group of students), Mass (Rice), Count (Ball). Example :  It is Riya’s birthday. (Here, ‘birthday’ is a noun) Pronoun: Pronoun is the replacement of a noun. Example : Jaya is very stylish and she maintains herself properly. (Here, she is...

Tense refers to the readers that when the action or work is done in the sentences. There are three basic types of tense- Past, Present and Future. Past tense is used when the action is done, whereas the present tense signifies the action, which is in the process and the future tense indicates the action or work that is going to be happened. Past Tense – I prepared chicken curry yesterday. Present Tense – I am preparing chicken curry for lunch. Future Tense – I will prepare chicken curry on this Friday. Here are some formulas of tenses, along with the examples. Simple Present – (Finish) – I always finish my tasks within the specified time. Subject+ Verb1(s/es) + Object. Present Progressive – (Finishing) – I am finishing my tasks. Subject + am/is/are +Verb-ing + Object. Present Perfect (Have /Has Finished) – Radha has finished her tasks. Subject +have/has +V3 + Object. Present Perfect Progressive (Have/ Has been Doing) – I have been doing my tasks since morning. Subject + have/has...

Idioms are the expressions and these are quite different from the words. However, idioms can be a word or a group of words, which are prominently used in the sentences to convey the message beyond the literal meaning. In brief, Idioms have the established meanings and each of them does not relate to the individual meaning of the words. In another way, we can say, idiom has the meaning which is not understandable by the individual word. Keep in mind that idioms are also phrases. Examples: ‘Raining cats and dogs’ – is an idiom and it means heavy rain. Based on the countries and cultures, different colloquial idioms are also available. English Idioms: Read between the lines (Get the hidden meaning) Give someone the cold shoulder (Ignore someone) Get the ax (Lose the job) To pull someone’s leg (Doing tricks by saying something untrue) Think on your feet (Making fast decisions and adjusting quickly) Keep in mind that the groups of words are not always used as idioms and based on the context...

Parallel structure is something, where the same pattern of words of phrases is repeated in a sentence or a passage to exhibit an equal importance. Parallel structure is quite visible in the texts as the writers prefer to use this literary device to organize his ideas or points and most importantly, to make the entire text more comprehensive. However, the use of this literary device allows the writer to include a rhythm in his writing that grabs the reader’s attention. In brief, parallel structure the write up can be more approachable and cogent. Examples : “Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.” Here, William Shakespeare has noticeably used the parallel structure in these two lines taken from ‘The Tragedy of Julius Caesar’, a famous tragedy for all the time. In the first line, three different groups of society are equally referred and in the second line, two different phrases are placed in a parallel manner. Francis Bacon included the...

A sentence always expresses a complete thought and it comprises a subject and an object, but when these three most important elements are not available, then it is referred as a sentence fragment. Sentence Fragment at a Glance: •    Sentence fragment does not give a complete thought. Example: Meena is (Here, it imparts an incomplete idea or thought. through this sentence, the readers cannot understand a clear meaning.) •    Sometimes, the subject is not available. Example: Eating chilly chicken and fried rice. (Here, the subject is missing and hence, it is a sentence fragment.) •    Sometimes, the action is not available. Example: A story book without some pages. (Here, the thought is not clear as we do not know who is doing with the book and exactly, what is going to happen.) •    A dependent clause is an example of sentence fragment. Example: And I went to my hometown. (Here, it is a dependent clause and it cannot stand alone.) There are some rules to correct the sentence fragmen...

Modifiers are the words or phrases and these elements add the additional information about the subject. However, clauses are also modifiers and this group of words imparts detailed information and hence, these elements are mostly describing words- adverbs and adjectives. Keep in mind that a modifier can play the role of an adjective or adverb. Modifier Examples: When modifiers are used as adjectives: I have a small balcony. Here, small is an adjective and it modifies the noun balcony. Additionally, ‘a’ is an article and it acts as a modifier. When modifiers are used as adverbs: Rana accidently met with his step mom. She looked incredibly beautiful on her wedding. Here, ‘accidently’ is an adverb and it modifies the verb ‘met’. In the second sentence, ‘incredibly’ modifies the adjective ‘beautiful’. Some More Examples: I have a bag smaller than a mobile. It is an adjective phrase and it modifies the noun, ‘bag’. I have a bag which is smaller than my mobile. Here, the adjective clause mod...

A phrase is just a group of words that includes a meaning to the sentences, but it is not at all a sentence as it does not have either a subject, verb or a complete idea. In English grammar, five different types of phrases are available. These phrases are Noun, Prepositional, Adjective, Adverb, Verb and others. Examples: Noun Phrase – all my dear friends. Prepositional Phrase – after a long walk. Adjective Phrase – happy with the work. Adverb Phrase – time goes very quickly. Verb Phrase – He should wait before going to watch movie. Some Common Phrases: I have heard so much about you – It is generally used during the introduction if you have much information about the person, whom you are introduced. It’s good to have you here – To feel someone comfortable as well as welcomed in an event or a party. It is the right phrase. I would like to meet someone – To introduce a new person to more people. I almost didn’t recognize you- After a long time, if you see someone, then this small talk ph...

An allegory (AL-eh-goh-ree) is referred as a symbolism device and here, the concept or the abstract is conveyed with the help of corporeal idea or objects being taken as an example. In short, an allegory refers to a story where an underlying story is also available. Actually, it signifies something as a surface story, along with a hidden matter or story. However, allegory is fun to read and many authors prefer to use this literary device while communicating something deeper or complex. Writers apply allegory to incorporate several layers of meanings to their writing. Allegory makes each story as well as character multidimensional and hence, each of them stands for something larger or more significant in meaning than before. Allegory gives the writers scopes to put their moral as well as political views forward. A close study of an allegorical writing makes us familiar with the thoughts of a writer. In brief, through allegory, a writer represents his wishes as well as views about the wo...