120 Grammar Rules – Part 3: Prepositions, Articles & Common Confusions (Rules 49–72)

Rule 49: Common vs Split Possession

Common Possession (one item shared): Possessive sign on the last noun only.

Split Possession (each owns separately): Possessive sign on each noun + plural noun.

• ✅ Ram and Shyam's car is being decorated. (one shared car)
• ✅ Ram's and Shyam's cars are being decorated. (separate cars — plural "cars")
• ❌ Ram's and Shyam's car is being decorated. (split possession needs plural noun)

Rule 50: "It's" vs "Its"

• "It's" = It is
• "Its" = Possession (no apostrophe)

• ❌ The child is carrying it's book.
• ✅ The child is carrying its book.
• ❌ Its called a miracle.
• ✅ It's called a miracle.

Rule 51: "A Number of" vs "The Number of"

• A number of + plural noun + plural verb
• The number of + plural noun + singular verb

• ✅ A number of students are waiting here.
• ✅ The number of students is fifty.
• ✅ A number of tickets were sold almost immediately.

Rule 52: "It is Time" / "It is High Time"

No subject: followed by "to + V1". With subject: followed by V2 (past tense).

• ✅ It is time to work hard. (no subject)
• ✅ It is time he worked hard. (subject "he" → past tense)
• ✅ It is time we went home. (subject "we" → past tense)

Rule 53: "Angry with" (person) vs "Angry at" (thing)

• "Angry with" → for a person or living thing
• "Angry at" → for a thing or situation

• ✅ I am angry with Shyam because he did not go to class.
• ✅ The residents were angry at the lack of parking spaces.

Rule 54: "Know" Needs How/When/Where/Why Before "To"

"Know" is NOT directly followed by "to". Use how, when, where, why, what first.

• ❌ I don't know to make tea.
• ✅ I don't know how to make tea.
• ✅ Do you know where the Post Office is?

Rule 55: "Else…But" & "Other/Rather…Than"

• "Else" → always followed by "but"
• "Other" / "Rather" → always followed by "than"

• ✅ It is nothing else but mere foolishness.
• ✅ He met no other person than Ram.
• ✅ I would rather stay at home than go out.

Rule 56: "Sort/Type/Kind" Always Followed by Singular Verb

• ✅ This type of articles is sold in the market.
• ✅ This sort of camera is very expensive.
• ✅ Any kind of racism is abhorrent to me.

Rule 57: Prepositions — "In" vs "Inside" vs "Into"

• ✅ He threw the letter into the fire.
• ✅ The fruit can be made into jam. (change of state)
• ✅ I know my husband inside out. (= completely)

Rule 58: "With" (non-living) vs "By" (living)

• ✅ We write with a pen. (pen = non-living)
• ✅ He hit the dog with a stick. (stick = non-living)
• ✅ The book was translated by a well-known author. (author = living)
• ✅ What is the time by your watch? (exception — "by" with watch for time)

Rule 59: Don't Use "From" with "Start"

• ❌ My exams start from Monday.
• ✅ My exams start on Monday.
• ✅ He will prepare for the exams from Monday. (no "start" — OK)

Rule 60: Special Gerund Forms — "To + V1+ing"

These phrases always take "to + V1+ing" (not "to + V1"):

• be + used + to + V1+ing
• accustomed to + V1+ing
• addicted to + V1+ing
• with a view to + V1+ing
• look forward to + V1+ing
• prone to + V1+ing
• devoted to + V1+ing
• in addition to + V1+ing

• ✅ I look forward to hearing from you.
• ✅ I am not accustomed to being treated like this.
• ✅ Measures taken with a view to increasing profits.

Rule 61: Articles "A" vs "An" — Based on Sound, Not Spelling

Consonant sound → "a". Vowel sound → "an".

• ✅ An NCC cadet. (N = vowel sound "en")
• ✅ A university. (U = consonant sound "yu")
• ✅ An umbrella. (U = vowel sound)
• ✅ A European university. (E = consonant sound "yu")
• ✅ A one-rupee note. (O = consonant sound "wa")
• ✅ A year. (Y/W always take "a")

Rules 62 & 63: When to Use & Omit Article "The"

USE "The" before:

• Mountain ranges (The Himalayas), Deserts (The Sahara), Rivers (The Nile)
• Oceans/Seas (The Pacific), Newspapers (The Times of India)
• Abbreviated countries (The USA, The UK, The UAE)
• Superlative degree (The best book), Musical instruments (The Guitar)
• Unique things (The moon, The sun, The earth)
• Government organizations

DO NOT use "The" before:

• Cities (Delhi, Sydney), Countries (India, France)
• Continents (Asia, Europe), Streets (George Street)
• Mountain peaks (Mount Everest — NOT "The Mount Everest")
• Single lakes (Lake Eyre), Single islands (Easter Island)
• Languages (English, Spanish), Sports (cricket, football)

Rule 64: "The + Adjective" = Whole Group

When "the" is used before an adjective, it means the entire group (plural noun).

• ✅ The poor are not always dishonest. (= poor people)
• ✅ The honest are respected. (= honest people)
• ✅ The brave deserve the fair. (= brave people)

Rule 65: Same Noun Connected by Preposition — Singular Form

• ❌ Villages after villages were destroyed.
• ✅ Village after village was destroyed.
• ✅ Book after book had been read by him.
• ✅ Page after page was reviewed.

Rule 66: Important Irregular Plurals

Compound noun possession: Use apostrophe ('s) at the end:

• ✅ Sister-in-law's car.

Rule 67: "Male/Female" (characteristics) vs "Man/Woman" (profession)

• "Female doctor" = doctor for females
• "Woman doctor" = the doctor is a woman

• ✅ She went to a female doctor. (for females)
• ❌ Raj went to a female doctor to get himself treated.
• ✅ Raj went to a woman doctor to get himself treated.

Rule 68: Antecedent Rule

The noun/pronoun before a relative pronoun = Antecedent. Without antecedent, use whoever/whomever.

• ✅ Ram met him who they say has helped us. (antecedent = "him")
• ✅ Ram met whoever they say has helped us. (no antecedent)
• ✅ He saw her whom everyone admires. (antecedent = "her")
• ✅ He saw whomever everyone admires. (no antecedent)

Rules 69–72: Question Tags

Rule 69: Positive statement → negative tag. Negative statement → positive tag.

• ✅ He has worked hard, hasn't he?
• ✅ He has not worked hard, has he?

Rule 70: "I am" → tag is "aren't I" (not "amn't I").

• ❌ I am working hard, amn't I?
• ✅ I am working hard, aren't I?

Rule 71: Words like seldom, barely, hardly, scarcely, never have negative meaning → use positive tag.

• ✅ He seldom comes, does he?
• ✅ I never realized that, did I?

Rule 72: Question tag must be in the same tense as the main statement.

• ❌ I am doing the work, don't I? (tense mismatch)
• ✅ I am doing the work, aren't I?