10 Basic English grammar rules that you should master

You just cannot build a strong English foundation, if you do not know Basic English grammar. If it is your goal to speak English fluently, you need to master English grammar as it will not only allow you to have error-free English conversations but will also build your command of the language.

As a beginner, you shouldn’t worry too much about being grammatically correct. Even native speakers make mistakes with grammar, especially in daily life conversations. However, by beginning to learn the fundamental English grammar tenses and rules, you will be surprised at how quickly your English language skills will improve.

If you have begun to learn some English vocabulary, but lack a basic understanding of English grammar, you won’t be able to construct sentences or converse. Learning Basic English grammar is essential to hold English conversations and dialects.

So if you are a beginner, this guide is for you. Stick to it till the end to learn 10 Basic English grammar rules.

Importance of learning English grammar

It is essential to improve your communication skills by learning proper sentence structure through Basic English grammar. People will understand you better if you speak and write to them using these commonly understood sets of grammar rules. Grammar organizes and glues your words together in a way that native English speakers understand, rather than simply having a list of jumbled words.

Learning English grammar is about more than just understanding yourself; it is also about understanding the spoken and written words around you. Understanding Basic English grammar allows you to better interpret books, street signs, restaurant menus, email correspondences, and many other things.

Learning grammar and English tenses will let you interpret everything happening around you. Learning a new written language opens up new worlds of ideas and culture. Consider how much more you will learn and enjoy when you can read what is going on around you while traveling in an English-speaking country.

10 Basic English grammar rules

Singular vs. plural nouns

When you begin learning a new language, nouns will be the first words you learn Nouns can be singular, referring to a single person, place, thing, or idea, or plural, referring to a group of people, places, things, or ideas.

The ending of the noun changes from singular to plural. This will vary depending on the word’s end.

For most nouns, simply add an -s to the end to turn it into a plural noun. For example:

• Cat – Cats
• Dog – Dogs
• Doctor – Doctors
• Car – Cars
• Hill – Hills

For nouns that end in a -ch, -x, or -s, add -es to turn the word into a plural noun. For example:

• Tax – Taxes
• Brush – Brushes
• Eyeglass – Eyeglasses

You need to add an -es to nouns that end in -f or -fe while also changing the -f to a -v. For example:

• Knife – Knives
• Half – Halves

Some nouns change their spellings in a possessive form. For example:

• Person – People
• Woman – Women
• Man – Men
• Child – Children

Words ending in -o or -y are difficult to change because there are no consistent rules to follow. Most of the time, simply adding a -s to the end of a word ending in -o suffices. However, there are times when the word requires a -es at the end.

When there is a consonant before the -y in a word, the plural is usually formed with -ies.

If a vowel comes before the -y, simply add a -s to the end of the word. For example:

• Lady – Ladies
• City – Cities
• Country – Countries
• Hero – Heroes

Some words remain unchanged, no matter if they are singular or plural. For example:

• Sheep – Sheep
• Fish – Fish
• Jewelry – Jewelry
• Classwork – Classwork

If you are a beginner, you may find English hard to learn and these singular and plural words quite confusing. But, once you start learning them in an organized manner, you will not find them tricky anymore.

Possessive nouns

To make nouns possessive, add an apostrophe and a -s to indicate who owns something. For example:

• Jenny’s husband
• Annie’s book
• Dad’s shoes

Add an apostrophe to the ends of names already ending in -s.

• The teachers’ register
• Jess’ car

When referring to two people who share ownership of a single object, simply add an apostrophe and -s to the end of the second person’s name.

• Mom and dad’s room
• John and David’s cat

Add an apostrophe and -s to both people’s names to describe a situation in which they own separate things.

• John’s and David’s rooms
• Annie’s and Susan’s shoes

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Pronouns

Pronouns replace the noun in a sentence. These words include I, you, him, her, it, us, them, us and them.

For example, “Mary and Joe spent the day climbing,” would change to, “They spent the day climbing.”

Another example, Annie goes to work at nine in the morning,” can be altered to, “She goes to work at nine in the morning” using the pronoun she.

Be verbs and Action verbs

In a sentence, verbs are used to indicate an action, state, or occurrence. Be verbs demonstrate a state of being. Action verbs, as the name implies, express action. Verbs can also indicate the past, present, or future tense, allowing you to understand when the action or occurrence occurred.

Add the word not in front of a ‘be verb’ to make it negative, or shorten it to aren’t for are not, isn’t for is not, or hasn’t for has not.

For example:

• I am a writer
• She likes to drink coffee
• They are very cooperative

Here are some examples of action verbs:

• I ate an apple
• Annie swims in the pool every morning

Adjectives

Adjectives are describing or modify words for nouns. In English, adjectives are typically placed in front of the noun. It is essential for you to learn English adjective order in order to be a fluent English- speaker.

Some examples of English adjectives are:

• Beautiful baby
• Pretty flower
• Colorful garden

Comparative and superlative adjectives

Use a comparative adjective when comparing two things. When comparing two or more things, use superlative adjectives. Add a -er and -est to form superlative adjectives at the end of one-syllable words to form comparative adjectives. For example:

• Old – Older- Oldest

For words ending in a -y, change the -y to an -i then add an -er for the comparative adjective and an -est for superlative adjectives. For example:

• Happy – Happier – Happiest

For adjectives with more than one syllable, the spelling does not change. To make a comparative adjective, add the word more in front of these words, and most for superlative adjectives. For example:

• Peaceful –More peaceful- Most peaceful

Some adjectives have different forms when turning them into comparatives and superlatives. For example:

• Good –Better – Best

Adverbs

Adverbs in a sentence provide additional information about the verb, adjective, or another adverb. For example:

• Verb: The car is fast.
• Adjective: It is one of the most beautiful sunsets ever.
• Adverb: The cover is unfolding very slowly.

Irregular verbs

When using regular verbs, simply add a -ed to the end of the original form to indicate both simple past and past principles. When used in the past tense, irregular verbs do not follow a standard formula; however, some patterns can be seen.

Some regular verbs are as follows:

• Walk, walked, walked
• Listen, listened, listened

Some irregular verbs are as follows:

• Bite, bit, bitten
• Rise, rose, risen

Coordinating conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions are one of the most fundamental ways to combine words, phrases, or clauses into a single sentence. The words for, and, not/nor, but, or, yet, and so are examples of coordinating conjunctions. For example:

• We went on hiking, for we love to explore.
• I want to eat ice cream and cake.
• I want apples, not cherries.
• John went to the market but couldn’t find milk.
• Do you want a yellow bag or a purple bag?

Simple tense

Verb tense adds time information into a sentence. Tense is broken down into the past, present, and future. The simple tense used in the present form is the original verb form. For example:

• I eat chicken for lunch.
• I read a book every weekend.

Frequently asked questions about English grammar

Q. How to start learning English grammar?

A. Begin by taking Basic English lessons online, at home, or in a classroom setting. Jumping ahead too quickly is an easy way to become overwhelmed when learning a new language. Start with the fundamentals to avoid becoming overwhelmed.

Q. How to retain the English grammar rules?

A. Practice English grammar with real-life examples. Watch videos online and try to incorporate them into your daily conversations. It will help you retain English grammar rules.

Q. Is it any fun way to learn English grammar?

A. Trying to remember all of the grammar rules and tenses can be tedious. Make learning Basic English grammar fun by using language-learning quizzes and games. It will help you Learn Basic English grammar in a fun-filled way.

Conclusion

Learning Basic English grammar will help you speak to native speakers with confidence and grace. There are plenty of online channels and mediums available to learn English vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure.

Learning a second language takes time. Stick to your learning goals and allocate some time on a daily basis to learn Basic English grammar rules. By doing so, you will find drastic progress in your English speaking skills.