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Tips & Techniques in English For competitive Exams – Grammar – Modals

Tips & Techniques in EnglishQuantitative AptitudeReasoning

MODALS

The verbs like can, could, may, might, would, shall, should and ought are called modal verbs or modals. They are used with ordinary verbs to express meanings such as possibility, permission, certainly, etc.

1.  Can usually expresses ability or capacity

• I can swim across the river.
• Can you lift this table?

2. Can is also used to express permission

• You can go now.

3. May is a more formal modal used to express permission

• You may come in.
• May I leave the room now?

4.  May is also used to suggest possibility in an affirmative sentence.

• He may be at home
• It may rain tomorrow.

5. Can is used to suggest possibility in negative/interrogative sentence.

• Can this be true ?
• It cannot be so.

6.  May when used in a negative sentence suggests an improbability whereas can suggests impossibility.

• He may not come today.
• She cannot sing.

7.  Could and might are used as past tense forms of can and ‘may’.

• I could swim across the river when I was young.
• I thought he might be at home.

8.  Might suggests less possibility or probability than may.

• I might go to Bangalore next week suggests the probability of going is less than a sentence with ‘may’ will suggest.

9. Could is used as a polite form of seeking permission or making a request.

• Could you pass me the plate ?
• Could I please talk to Mr. Grover?

10.  Shall is used with first person and will in all the persons to denote future action.

• I shall need the money tomorrow.
• When will you come next?

11.  Shall is used with the second and third person to express command, promise or threat.

• You shall never come near my child.
• You shall be punished for this.
• We shall go for a picnic this Sunday.

12. Will You? indicates an invitation or request.

• Will you dine with us tonight ?
• Will you lend me your car for a week ?

13.  Should and would are used as past forms of shall and will.

• I expected that I would get a first class.
• She would sit for hours listening to the radio.

14.  Should is used to express duty or obligation.

• We should obey the laws.
• You should keep your promise.

15.  Should is used to express a supposition.

• If it should rain, they will not come.

Should can also be used to express probability.

• He should be in the library.

17.  Must is used to express necessity.

• You must improve your spelling.

18.  Must is also need to express obligation, and is a stronger word than should.

• We must follow the law.

19.  Must is also used to express logical certainty.

• Living alone in such a big city must be difficult.

20.  Ought is used to express moral obligation and is stronger than both should and must.

• We ought to love our parents.

21. Ought is also used to express probability sometimes when the probability is very strong.

• The book ought to be very useful.

Tips & Techniques in English For competitive Exams – Grammar – Question Tags

Tips & Techniques in EnglishQuantitative AptitudeReasoning

QUESTION TAGS

Consider the following examples

• You wanted that, didn’t you?
• He is coming tonight, isn’t he?
• You wouldn’t report me, would you?

Now, look at the last part of all the above sentences preceded by the comma. These are very small questions added to the sentence and are called question Tags. Remember only the question tag is a question and not the entire sentence. So, one can say that a Question Tag is an added brief question to a statement. Usually a question tag consists of two words- an auxiliary verb in the positive or negative form and a pronoun.

How to form question tags?

Three things are to be kept in mind while making a question tag :

• The right auxiliary Verb to be used in the question.
• The right pronouns to be used in the tag. Both (a) and (b) should be in agreement with the verb and noun in the main statement.
• Whether the verb in the question tag should be positive or negative.

Rules to form Question Tags

I. If the main statement is positive, the auxiliary verb will be negative and vice versa e.g.

• He saw that, didn’t he?
• But he isn’t going to England, is he?

II.If there is a single subject/noun/pronoun in the main sentence, the corresponding pronorm/the same pronoun will be used in the question tag. e.g.,

• You are coming with us, aren ’t you?
• Reena is leaving tonight, isn’t she?

III. If there is more than one noun/pronoun in the main sentence then the corresponding pronoun to the active subject will be used in the Question tag. e.g.

• After all this time you’d think he’d have forgotten, wouldn ’t you?
• You wouldn’t refuse me, would you ?
• IV. If the verb in the main sentence is an active verb without any auxiliary verb, then the verb used in the Question tag will be the form of verb ‘do’ that corresponds with the tense in the main sentence.
• He knows it’s true, doesn’t he ?
• You wanted to come with me, didn’t you ?
• I told you so, didn’t I ?
• She never informed us, did she ?
• If the main sentence has an auxiliary then it is used in the question tag, but with opposite affirmation, i.e., a positive auxiliary in the main sentence transforms to a negative auxiliary in the question tag and vice versa e.g.
• He will be coming, won’t he ?
• You were there at the party, weren’t you ?
• You would appear for this exam, wouldn’t you?
• He didn’t call us, did he ?
• She doesn’t live here anymore, does she ?

Tips & Techniques in English For competitive Exams – Grammar – Phrasal Verbs

Tips & Techniques in EnglishQuantitative AptitudeReasoning

PHRASAL VERBS

Phrasal Verbs are a particular kind of expression, wherein the verb is made of two or more components. Mostly the combining components are verbs and prepositions. When divided these components will have a meaning of their own but would not suggest anything about the meaning of the phrasal verb. Consider the following sentences.

1. This sword has been handed down from father to son in the family for many generations.
2. I have been looking forward to meeting you since long now.
3. The patient came out of the delirium only when given tranquilizers.
4. We had almost decided to give up on the search when we made the discovery.

Phrasal verbs are idiomatic expressions and have a particular meaning different from that of the combining verbs and prepositions. Following are some phrasal verbs with their meanings.

• sit in – to attend or take part as a visitor
• sit out – to stay till the end of
• come round – to accept circumstances and adjust yourself to them
• get on – to manage one’s life
• turn out – to have a particular result
• turn up – to arrive unexpectedly
• show off- to brag or boast
• sort out – to successfully deal with a problem
• hand in – to give something to someone in authority
• sit down – to take a seat
• sit up – to rise from a supine position
• give in – to yield to some pressure
• come forth – to find something
• switch on – to start something
• turn down – to refuse or reject an offer
• turn in – to expose
• look into – probe, or investigate a matter
• look after – take care of
• take off – to remove something
• put out – to extinguish
• try on – to wear some clothes for first time
• turn down – lower the volume
• turn on – to start a machine
• put in – to invest something (matter or abstract)
• look out – be careful of some danger

Following are some sentences using Phrasal Verbs

• Don’t throw away your opportunity to enter this University.
• Many people believe in astrology and tarot cards now-a-days.
• Quickly get in the car, we’re getting late.
• You can put forward your point in today’s meeting,
• To sit through his speech was very difficult.
• I don’t understand why you put up with his insolent behaviour.
• I could see through his intentions the first time I met, but kept quiet to give him a chance to reform.
• Please, fill in all the necessary information in this form.
• I am sure you will not let me down; I’ve full faith in your capacities.
• Why are you taking it out on me? I’m not the one responsible for the mishap.

Tips & Techniques in English For competitive Exams – Grammar – Conjunctions

Tips & Techniques in EnglishQuantitative AptitudeReasoning

CONJUNCTIONS

1. Since as conjunction means

(A) From and after the time when.
For example :

• Many things have happened since I left the school.
• I have never seen him since that unfortunate event happened.

(B) Seeing that,
For example :

• Since you wish it, it shall be done.
• Since that is the case, I shall excuse you.

2. Or is used
(A) To introduce an alternative.
For example :

• You must work or starve.
• You may take this book or that one.
• He may study law or medicine or engineering or he may enter into trade.

(B) To introduce an alternative name or synonym.
For example : The violin or fiddle has become the leading instrument of the modem orchestra.
(C) To mean otherwise.
For example : We must hasten or night will overtake us.

3. If is used to mean
(A) On the condition or supposition that.
For example :

• If he is here, I shall see him.
• If that is so, I am content.

(B) Admitting that.
For example : If I am blunt, I am at least honest.
(C) Whether
For example : I asked him if he would help me.
(D) Whenever.
For example : If I feel any doubt I enquire.

4. That is used
(A) To express a reason or cause.
For example :

• Not that I loved Caesar less but that I loved Rome more.
• He was annoyed that he was contradicted.

(B) To express a purpose and is equivalent to in order that.
For example : He kept quiet that the dispute might cease.
(C) To express a consequence, result or effect.
For example : He bled so profusely that he died.

5. Lest is used to express a negative purpose and is equivalent to ‘in order that… not’, ‘for fear that’.
For example :
(a) He lied lest he should be killed.
(b) I was alarmed lest we should be wrecked.

6. While is used to mean
(A) During that time, as long as.
For example : while there is life there is hope.
(B) At the same time that.
For example : While he found fault, he also praised.

7. Only means except that, but, were it not that.
For example :
(a) A very pretty woman, only she squints a little.
(b) The day is pleasant, only rather cold.

8. The conjunctions after, before, as soon as, until are not followed by clause in the future tense. Present simple or present perfect tense is used to express a future event.
For example :
(a) I will phone you after I arrive here.
(b) I will phone you after I have arrived here.

9. As if used in the sense of as it would be is generally followed by a subject + were + complement.
For example :
(a) He loves you as if you were his own child.
(b) Sometimes she weeps and sometimes she laughs as if she were mad.

10.The clause that begins with as if should be put into the simple past tense, if the preceding clause expresses a past action. But if it. expresses a past action it should be followed by the past perfect tense.
For example :
(a) He behaves as if he were a lord.
(b) He behaved as if he had been a lord

11. While as long as is used to express time in sense of how long, Until is used to express time in sense of before.
For example :
(a) Until you work hard you will improve. (Wrong)
(b) As long as you work hard you will improve. (Right)
(c) He learnt little as long as he was 15 years old. (Wrong)
(d) He learnt little until he was 15 years old. (Right)

12. No sooner should be followed by verb + subject and than should begin another clause.
For example :
(a) No sooner had I reached the station than the train left.
(b) No sooner did the bell ring than all the students rushed in.

13. When as well as is used, finite verb should agree in number and person with the first subject.
For example : He as well as us is innocent.

14. As well as should never be used in place of and if the first subject is preceded by the word ‘both’.
For example :
(a) Both Rani as well as Kajol came. (Wrong)
(b) Both Rani and Kajol came. (Right)

15. Because is generally used when the reason is the most important part of a sentence.
For example : Some people like him because he is honest and hard working.
Since is used when the reason is already known or is less important than the chief statement.
For example : Since you refuse to cooperate, I shall have to take legal steps.
For is used when reason is given is an afterthought.
For example : The servant must have opened the box, for no one else had the key. For never comes at the beginning of the sentence and for is always preceded by a comma.

16. Scarcely should be followed by when and not by than.
(a) Scarcely had he arrived than he had to leave again. (Wrong)
(b) Scarcely had he arrived when he had to leave again. (Right)

17. Conjunctions such as either..or, neither., nor, not only..but also, both..and, whether, or etc. always join two words or phrases belonging to the same parts of speech.
For example :
(a) Either he will ask me or you. (Wrong)
(b) He will ask either me or you. (Right)
(c) Neither he reads nor write English (Wrong)
(d) He neither reads nor writes English. (Right)
(e) Either you shall have to go home or stay here. (Wrong)
(f) You shall have either to go home or stay here. (Right)

18. Conjunctions like neither…nor, either..or, should be followed by the same part of speech.
For example :
(a) He neither agreed to my proposal nor to his. (Wrong)
(b) He agreed neither to my proposal nor to his. (Right)

19. Conjunction is not used before an interrogative adverb or interrogative pronoun in the indirect narration.
For example :
(a) He asked me that where I stayed. (Wrong)
(b) He asked me where I stayed, (right)

20.Although goes with yet or a comma in the other clause.
For example :
(a) Although Manohar is hardworking but he does not get a job. (Wrong)
(b) Although Manohar is hard working, yet he does not get a job. (Right)

21. Nothing else should be followed by ‘but’ not by ‘than’,
For example :
(a) Mr. Bureaucrat ! This is nothing else than red-tapism. (Wrong)
(b) Mr. Bureaucrat! This is nothing else but red-tapism. (Right)

22. The correlative conjunctions indeed… but are used to emphasise the contrast between the first and the second parts of the statement.
For example :
(a) I am indeed happy with my school but it produces famous men. (Wrong)
(b) I am indeed happy with my school but it does not produce famous men. (Right)
(c) I am indeed happy with my school that it produces famous men. (Right)

23. In a “not only… but also…” sentence, the verb should agree with the noun or pronoun mentioned second, that is; the one after ‘but also’, because this is the part being emphasised.
For example :
(a) Not only the students but also the teacher were responsible for what happened in the class. (Wrong)
(b) Not only the students but also the teacher was responsible for what happened in the class. (Right)

24. Such … as is used to denote a category whereas such …that emphasises the degree of something by mentioning its consequence. For example :
(a) Each member of the alliance agrees to take such action that it deems necessary. (Wrong)
(b) Each member of the alliance agrees to take such action as it deems necessary. (Right)

Here “it seems necessary” is not a consequence of “such action”. The sentence wants to imply that the action belongs to the category “as it deems necessary” In other words, what kind of action? Such action as it deems necessary.
(a) She looked at him in such distress as he had to look away. (Wrong)
(b) She looked at him in such distress that he had to look away. (Right)

Here, “he had to look away” is a consequence of “she looked at him in such distress.” In other words, the degree of the distress of looking at him was such that (not as) he had to look away.