By

Dr. B.B. Jain

M.A., Ph.D.
(Retd.) Professor and Head
Department of English Studies and Research,
Agra College, Agra.

(Further Revised and Enlarged Edition)

UPKAR PRAKASHAN, AGRA

© Author

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ISBN : 978-81-7482-185-0

Code No. 394

Printed at : UPKAR PRAKASHAN (Printing Unit) Bye-pass, AGRA

 Preface

Adding a new book on English Grammar and Usage to the existing flood of books on the
subject sounds rather audacious. But strangely enough, it is this flood of books, some of which
are spurious and others too technical and abstruse to be followed by the learner, that has
prompted the present author to write a new book on Applied Grammar, Usage, Comprehension,
and Letter-Writing which could well serve as a practical handbook and guide to the learning of
English Language both by the primary as well as advanced learners.
English is indeed a difficult language to learn, and the rules of Formal and Applied
Grammar and Usage which govern it are equally difficult for the learner to understand through
the medium of English. Therefore, all these rules and their application have been explained in
the present book through the medium of Hindi. This would enable even the primary learner to
understand all these rules in their real spirit and to apply them with judicious understanding and
discrimination. A purist may scoff at the idea of explaining the rules of English Grammar
through the medium of Hindi, but the practical needs of the hour and the prospects of future
demands would not only justify this attempt but also applaud it as a far-sighted approach.
The book is designed to be all-comprehensive in its range and scope. It has 44 Chapters
which, as the contents would show, cover practically all aspects of Applied Grammar, Usage,
Word-Formation, Comprehension, Composition, and Letter-Writing. It represents a synthesis of
the traditional and the structural methods to teach the learner how to read, write and speak
English correctly, idiomatically and fluently. While dealing with Grammatical and Structural
problems under various chapters, special attention has been paid to the intricate and ticklish
problems which even the advanced students have to face. These problems relate particularly to
the correct use of Syntax, Articles, Prepositions, Auxiliaries, Non-Finite Verbs, Position of
Adverbs, Tense and Time Sense, and Phrasal expressions. Due attention has also been paid to
the special requirements of the candidates appearing at various competitive examinations at the
State and Central levels.
It is confidently hoped that the book would serve as a complete practical text book and
manual of English Grammar, Usage, Comprehension, and Letter-Writing to the candidates
preparing for the various University and competitive examinations throughout the country.

—B. B. Jain
 A Note to the Further Revised and Enlarged Edition

This book has already passed through several reprints. In the present further revised and
enlarged Edition, besides routine corrections and emendations, many necessary and useful
additions have been made to several chapters, notably the chapters on Syntax, Non-Finite
Verbs, Idioms and Idiomatic Phrases. A very important section on Sentence Structures in
Tabular Forms has been added to the chapter on Time and Tense. This section bridges the gap
between the traditional and the Structural forms of Grammar. Moreover, two new chapters, one
on Paraphrasing and another on Report-Writing, have also been added. In the present further
revised and enlarged Edition, a very important Chapter on Letter-Writing has been added.
Therein the formats and models of all types of letters have been given. This chapter would prove
very useful to the learners in general and to the examinees in particular. In the present Edition
three new Chapters on Message writing, Notice writing and Diary writing have also been added.

It is hoped that with these emendations and additions this Edition of the book would prove
even more useful to the students.

—B. B. Jain
 Books Consulted

1. The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, Vols. I & II

2. The Universal Dictionary of the English Language : Henry Cecil Wyld (Wordsworth)
3. The Random House Dictionary of the English Language
4. A Dictionary of Modern English Usage : H.W. Fowler
5. The King's English : H. W. Fowler and F. G. Fowler
6. An A.B.C. of English Usage : H.A. Treble and G.H. Vallins
7. Good English : G. H. Vallins
8. Better English : G.H. Vallins
9. Desk-book of Correct English : Michael West and P.F. Kimber
10. Current English Usage : F.T. Wood
11. Contemporary English Grammar, Structure and Composition : David Green
12. Living English Structure : W.S. Allen
13. Hints on the Study of English : Rowe and Webb
14. Notes on Learning English : Ralf Cooke
15. A Grammar of English Words : H.E. Palmer
16. Get It Right : H. M. Burton
17. A Practical English Grammar : A. J. Thomson and A.V. Martinet
18. English Grammar, Composition and Usage : J.C. Nesfield
19. Modern English Grammar : J. C. Nesfield
20. A Manual of Advanced English : Bernard Blackstone
21. A Guide to Patterns and Usage in English : A.S. Hornby
22. English Grammar and Composition : Wren and Martin
23. A Hand-book of English Grammar : R.W. Zandvoort
24. A Remedial English Grammar for Foreign Students : F.T. Wood
25. A Book of English Idioms : V.H. Collins
26. A Second Book of English Idioms : V.H. Collins
27. English Idioms : W. McMordie
28. English Idioms : J.M. Dixon
29. College Composition : H. Martin
30. A Senior Course of English Composition : J.C. Nesfield
 CONTENTS
Chapters................................................................. Pages Correct Use of Adjectives : Positive Degree
Adjectives ........................................................... 50
1. Some Basic Concepts .............................. 3–4
Comparative Degree Adjectives......................... 51
Letters, Syllables, Phrases and Sentences ............. 3
Superlative Degree Adjectives ........................... 54
Kinds of Sentences................................................ 3
Some Other Typical Adjectives.......................... 55
Parts of Speech...................................................... 4
2. Syntax ..................................................... 5–16 7. Adverbs ................................................ 61–70
Agreement of the Verb with the Subject ............... 5 Kinds of Adverbs................................................ 61
Some Exceptions ................................................... 6 Degrees of Adverbs ............................................ 61
Collective Noun and the Verb ............................... 9 Position of Adverbs ............................................ 62
Some Typical Nouns and the Verb ....................... 9 Some Typical Adverbs ....................................... 64
Relative Pronoun and the Verb ............................. 1 Some Common Rules ......................................... 69
Numeral Expressions and the Verb ..................... 11
Quantitative Expressions and the Verb ............... 11 8. Prepositions.......................................... 71–93
Verb 'to be' and the Complement ........................ 13 Forms of Preposition .......................................... 71
Concord of Nouns, Pronouns and Functional Types of Preposition ........................ 71
Possessive Adjectives ......................................... 15 Use of Prepositions : Their Position .................. 72
3. Articles ................................................. 17–25 Omission of Preposition ..................................... 72
Kinds of Articles ................................................. 17 Wrong Use of Prepositions ................................ 73
Forms of Indefinite Article : 'A' or 'An' .............. 17 Some Typical Prepositions ................................. 73
Uses of Indefinite Article : 'A' / 'An' ................... 18 Preposition + Gerund.......................................... 75
Uses of Definite Article : ‘The’ .......................... 20 The Same Word followed by Different
Omission of Articles ........................................... 21 Prepositions ........................................................ 76
Position of Articles ............................................. 24 Different Forms of Words followed by
Different Prepositions ........................................ 77
4. Nouns.................................................... 26–35
List of Appropriate Prepositions ........................ 79
Formation of Genders ......................................... 26
Conversion of Numbers ...................................... 27 (a) Nouns followed by Prepositions ............ 79
Formation of Possessive (Or Genitive) Case ...... 28 (b) Adjectives and Participles followed
Correct Use of Nouns : Rules ............................. 29 by Prepositions ...................................... 83
5. Pronouns .............................................. 36–45 (c) Verbs followed by Prepositions............. 87
Forms of Pronouns .............................................. 36 9. Conjunctions...................................... 94–102
Correct Use of Pronouns : Personal Pronouns .... 36 Uses of Conjunctions.......................................... 94
Pronoun 'It'/'This'................................................. 39 Correlative Conjunctions .................................... 94
Relative Pronouns ............................................... 40
Functional Conjunctions .................................... 99
Compound Relative Pronouns ............................ 42
Omission of Relative Pronouns........................... 42 10. Verbs................................................. 103–120
Reflexive Pronouns ............................................. 43 Kinds of Verbs.................................................. 103
Interrogative Pronouns ........................................ 44 Auxiliary/Modal Verbs : Their Functions ........ 104
6. Adjectives ............................................. 46–60 Verbs 'To be' : Am, Is, Are, Was, Were ........... 105
Kinds of Adjectives ............................................. 46 Have/Has/Had/Will have .................................. 106
Position of Adjectives ......................................... 47 May/Might ........................................................ 110
Degrees of Adjectives ......................................... 49 Can/Could......................................................... 111
 ( vii )

Shall/Should, Will/Would ................................. 112 Sentences Beginning with 'Let' ........................ 163
Must/Ought ....................................................... 115 Some General Observations ............................. 163
Need/Needn't ..................................................... 115 15. Analysis ............................................ 169–177
Dare/Daren't ...................................................... 116 Some Common Observations ........................... 169
Used to .............................................................. 117 Analysis of Complex Sentences ....................... 170
Two Auxiliaries and Principal Verb ................. 117 Subordinate Noun Clause ................................. 170
Position of Subject, Verb, Object, and Subordinate Adjective Clause .......................... 171
Complement ...................................................... 118 Subordinate Adverb Clause .............................. 172
Question–Tags/Tail Questions .......................... 119 Analysis of Compound Sentences .................... 174
11. Non-Finite Verbs ............................. 121–127 16. Synthesis........................................... 178–185
Kinds of Non-Finite Verbs................................ 121 Combining into a Simple Sentence .................. 178
The Infinitive..................................................... 121 Combining into a Complex Sentence ............... 181
(a) Infinitive with or without ‘to’ ................ 121 Combining into a Compound Sentence ............ 183
(b) Noun Infinitives ..................................... 122 17. Transformation ............................... 186–196
(c) Gerundial Infinitives .............................. 122 Interchange between 'too' and 'so' .................... 186
(d) Other Uses of Infinitives........................ 122 Conditional Sentences ...................................... 186
The Gerund ....................................................... 124 Concession or Contrast..................................... 187
(a) Functions of the Gerund......................... 124 Degrees of Adjectives ...................................... 187
(b) Uses of the Gerund ................................ 124 Active and Passive Voice ................................. 188
The Participle .................................................... 125 Affirmative and Negative Sentences ................ 188
(a) Kinds of Participles................................ 125 Exclamatory and Assertive Sentences .............. 189
(b) Uses of Participles ................................. 125 Changes in Parts of Speech .............................. 189
(c) Rules of Use of Participles ..................... 126 Interchange between Simple and Compound
Sentences .......................................................... 190
12. Time and Tense ............................... 128–149 Interchange between Simple and Complex
Distinction between Time and Tense................ 128 Sntences ............................................................ 191
Three Forms of Verbs : A List .......................... 128 Interchange between Compound and
Structures of Sentences : Complex Sentences .......................................... 193
Structures in the Present Tense ........................ 130 Interchange between Principal and
Structures in the Past Tense ............................. 135 Subordinate Clauses ......................................... 194
Structures in the Future Tense ......................... 139 18. Formation of Words ....................... 197–200
Uses of Tenses .................................................. 144 Suffixes............................................................. 197
Tenses and Time ............................................... 148 Words Converted into Different Parts of
Structures of ‘It is time’, ‘Ifwere’ and ‘Wish’ Speech .............................................................. 198
Sentences ........................................................... 149 Prefixes ............................................................. 199
13. Active and Passive Voice ................ 150–154 Antonyms Formed by Negative Prefixes ......... 200
Interchange between Subject and Object .......... 150 19. Antonyms ......................................... 201–203
Changes in the Verb .......................................... 150 20. Synonyms ......................................... 204–207
Imperative Sentences ........................................ 152 21. Homonyms ....................................... 208–213
Negative Sentences ........................................... 153 22. Paronyms ......................................... 214–218
Interrogative Sentences ..................................... 153
23. Same Word Used as Different
Some Other Sentence Structures ....................... 153 Parts of Speech ................................ 219–222
14. Direct and Indirect Narration........ 155–168 24. One-Word Substitution .................. 223–227
Some General Terms ......................................... 155 25. Idioms ............................................... 228–239
Rules for Connectives ....................................... 155
26. Idiomatic Phrases ............................ 240–246
Rules for Change of Tenses .............................. 156
Noun Phrases .................................................... 240
Rules for Change in Persons ............................. 158
Adjective Phrases ............................................. 240
Miscellaneous Changes ..................................... 159 Adverb Phrases................................................. 241
Conversion of Interrogative Sentences ............. 160 Prepositional Phrases ........................................ 241
Conversion of Imperative Sentences................. 161 Verbal Phrases .................................................. 242
Conversion of Exclamatory Sentences ............. 162 Phrases in Pairs................................................. 245
Question-Tags ................................................... 162 Idiomatic Comparisons .................................... 246
 ( viii )

27. Distinction between Similar 39. Paraphrasing ................................... 293–297

Expressions ...................................... 247–247 40. Report-Writing................................ 298–299
28. Proverbs ........................................... 248–250 41. Messages........................................... 300–303
29. Expansion : Paragraph-Writing .... 251–255 42. Notices .............................................. 304–306
30. Spellings ........................................... 256–257 43. Diary-Writing .................................. 307–308
31. Punctuation and Capitals ............... 258–262 44. Letter-Writing ................................. 309–320
32. Figures of Speech ............................ 263–265 Format of Personal Letters ............................... 309
33. Foreign Words and Phrases ........... 266–268 Format of Official Letters ................................ 311
34. The Courtesy Words ....................... 269–270 Format of Business Letters............................... 311
35. Greetings and Salutations .............. 271–271 Models of Personal Letters............................... 312
Models of Matrimonial Letters
36. Dates and Time................................ 272–273 Invitations, Bio-Data and Advertisements ....... 315
37. Comprehension ............................... 274–283 Models of Business Letters and
38. Precis-Writing ................................. 284–292 Applications...................................................... 317