120 Grammar Rules – Part 4: Question Tags, Parallelism & Advanced Usage (Rules 73–96)

Rule 73: "Each/Every" in Question Tags — Use Plural

In the main sentence "each/every" takes singular noun, but in the question tag we use plural (they/haven't they).

• ❌ Every girl is very talented, isn't she?
• ✅ Every girl is very talented, aren't they?
• ❌ Each one has to work hard, hasn't he?
• ✅ Each one has to work hard, haven't they?

Rule 74: Collective Noun in Question Tags

Working together → singular tag (it). Working separately → plural tag (they).

• ✅ The jury has taken the decision, hasn't it? (one decision together)
• ✅ The audience took their seats, didn't they? (separate seats)
• ✅ The army changed their uniforms, didn't they? (separate uniforms)

Rule 75: "Let Us" → Tag = "Shall We"

For proposals with "Let us", the question tag is always "shall we".

• ❌ Let us go for a walk, don't we?
• ✅ Let us go for a walk, shall we?
• ✅ Let us go out to dinner, shall we?

Rule 76: Prepositions "In", "On", "At"

Note: No preposition before: last Monday, coming Monday, today, tomorrow, yesterday

• ✅ I am having dinner tomorrow night. (no preposition)
• ✅ I saw her yesterday afternoon. (no preposition)

Rule 77: "Both…And" (Never "Both…As Well As")

• ❌ Both Ram as well as Shyam are good at English.
• ✅ Both Ram and Shyam are good at English.
• ❌ I felt both happy as well as sad.
• ✅ I felt both happy and sad at the same time.

Rule 78: "Lest" — Followed by "Should" or No Helping Verb

• ❌ Work hard, lest you would fail.
• ✅ Work hard, lest you fail.
• ✅ Work hard, lest you should fail.

Rule 79: "Until" (Time) vs "Unless" (Action/Condition)

• Until = Time-oriented (up to a certain time)
• Unless = Action/Condition-oriented (if not)

• ✅ Wait for me until sunset. (time)
• ✅ Unless the government reduces tax, the base will not increase. (condition)
• ✅ I was up until three o'clock trying to finish! (time)

Note: "Till" and "Until" mean the same, but "till" cannot start a sentence.

Rule 80: Error of Parallelism

Sentence elements alike in function must be alike in grammatical form.

• ❌ I like singing, dancing, and to walk.
• ✅ I like singing, dancing, and walking.
• ❌ He asked his mother to cook, to rest and prepare the dish.
• ✅ He asked his mother to cook, to rest and to prepare the dish.
• ❌ Tom is known for his honesty and original ideas.
• ✅ Tom is known for his honesty and originality.
• ❌ To learn is understanding the world.
• ✅ To learn is to understand the world.

Rule 81: Use of Proper Prepositions

Each word requires its correct preposition. Don't drop any:

• ✅ He is superior to and older than me.
• ✅ This book is different from and better than that book.
• ✅ Responsibility for | Reason for | Changes in | Increase in
• ✅ Reaction to | Response to | Attempt at | Inquiry into
• ✅ Example of | Awareness of | Congratulations on

Rule 82: "Too Much" (Adjective + Noun) vs "Much Too" (Adverb + Adjective)

• "Too much" + noun (adjective function)
• "Much too" + adjective (adverb function)

• ❌ He is too much strong. → ✅ He is much too strong.
• ❌ There is much too sugar. → ✅ There is too much sugar.
• ✅ He drank too much alcohol last night. (noun)
• ✅ This car is much too expensive. (adjective)

Rule 83: Possessive Case Always Followed by a Noun

• ✅ His belongings were lost. (noun follows possessive)
• ✅ His earnings are not enough.
• ✅ His surroundings are not clean.

Always-plural nouns: belongings, earnings, surroundings, spectacles, scissors, trousers, goods, wages, riches, premises, alms, proceeds

Rules 84 & 85: "Politics", "Mathematics", "Statistics" — Singular or Plural?

As a subject/field → Singular verb. As beliefs/calculations/data → Plural verb.

• ✅ Politics is a very dirty game. (field)
• ✅ His politics have become more liberal. (political beliefs)
• ✅ Mathematics is an interesting subject. (field)
• ✅ Mathematics are telling that he made money. (= calculations)
• ✅ Statistics is difficult to understand. (field)
• ✅ Statistics tell us it will rain today. (= data)

Note: "Data" is plural (singular = "Datum"). "Summons" is singular (plural = "Summonses").

Rule 86: "A" = One of Many; "The" = Only One

• ✅ The brother of me is a scientist. (only one brother)
• ✅ A brother of mine is a scientist. (one among many brothers)
• "A" with possessive case | "The" with objective case

Rule 87: "Too", "As Well", "Also" — Placement Rules

"Also" cannot be used at the end. "Too" and "As well" can be used at the end.

• ✅ I have brought a bag too.
• ✅ I have brought a bag as well.
• ❌ I have brought a bag also.
• ✅ I have also brought a bag.

Note: "Too" with high intensity meaning needs a complement:

• ❌ She is too beautiful. (incomplete)
• ✅ She is very beautiful.
• ✅ It is too hot to go outside. (complete)

Rule 88: Optative Sentences — Use Base Form (V1)

Sentences expressing prayer, wish, or curse use base form of verb (V1) regardless of singular/plural subject.

• ✅ May God bless you!
• ✅ Long live the king.
• ✅ May the almighty help in this tragedy!

Rule 89: Pseudo Subjects — Use "It" When Needed

When the participial phrase does NOT relate to the main subject, add "It" as a pseudo subject.

• ❌ Being a rainy day, I did not go to school.
• ✅ It being a rainy day, I did not go to school.
• ✅ Being ill, he did not come to class. (no pseudo needed — "ill" relates to "he")
• ❌ Being vacant, I did not enter the room.
• ✅ It being vacant, I did not enter the room.

Rule 90: Infinitive Talking About a Noun — Add Preposition

• ✅ The child has no bed to sleep in.
• ✅ I have a pen to write with.
• ✅ The child wanted a toy to play with.

Rule 91: Two Different Helping Verbs — Use Main Verb in Both

• ❌ I have never and will never watch this movie.
• ✅ I have never watched and will never watch this movie.

Rules 92 & 93: Always-Plural & Always-Singular Words

Always PLURAL (take plural verb): belongings, savings, congratulations, scissors, proceeds, surroundings, regards, pliers, tongs, jeans, pyjamas, shorts, contents, outskirts, glasses, clothes, thanks, goggles, premises, earnings

• ✅ These scissors are for cutting paper.
• ✅ Your clothes are dirty.
• ✅ His regards were conveyed.

Always SINGULAR (take singular verb): Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, News, Economics, Innings, Politics, Athletics, Gymnastics, Gallows, Mechanics, Summons

• ❌ These news were broadcast.
• ✅ This news was broadcast.

Rule 94: Uncountable Nouns — No Plural Form

equipment, furniture, jewellery, luggage, machinery, poetry, scenery, information, advice, baggage, hair — do NOT have plural forms.

• ❌ His luggages was booked. → ✅ His luggage was booked.
• ❌ The poetries Society... → ✅ The Poetry Society...
• ❌ Furnitures set off... → ✅ Furniture sets off the beauty.

Rule 95: Conditional Sentences (Complete Chart)

• ✅ As soon as he comes, I will ask him this question.
• ✅ If he studied, he would pass the exam.
• ✅ Had he come earlier, I would have asked him.

Rule 96: Possessive Case After "All" and "Both"

• ❌ My all students are very talented.
• ✅ All my students are very talented.
• ❌ My both friends are talented.
• ✅ Both my friends are talented.