120 Grammar Rules – Part 5: Superfluous Errors, Verb Forms & Comparisons (Rules 97–120)

Rule 97: More Superfluous Sentence Errors

• ❌ As soon as I complete the work than I will go. → ✅ As soon as I complete the work, I will go.
• ✅ No sooner had I started mowing than it started raining. ("than" goes with "No sooner")
• ❌ As he was unwell, so he didn't come. → ✅ As he was unwell, he didn't come.
• ❌ Due to the reason that he is not well... → ✅ He did not come due to sickness.

Rule 98: "Quantity" — Use "Small" (Not "Little" or "Few")

• ❌ Little quantity of food was wasted.
• ❌ Few quantity of food was wasted.
• ✅ Small quantity of food was wasted.

Rule 99: Confusing Verb Forms

• ❌ The water overflown from the banks. → ✅ The water overflowed.
• ❌ He has found this organization. → ✅ He has founded this organization.
• ✅ The prisoner was hanged till death.
• ✅ The clock was hung on the wall.

Rule 100: Three Forms of "Lie"

• ✅ She lied to her parents about her new car. (told untruth)
• ✅ She laid the baby on the bed. (put down)
• ✅ A pen lay on the desk. (was in horizontal position)

Rule 101: "Die of" (Disease) vs "Die from" (Reason)

• ✅ He died of cancer. (disease)
• ✅ He died of tuberculosis. (disease)
• ✅ She died from overwork. (reason)
• ✅ Trees are dying from acid rain. (reason)

Rule 102: "Beside" (Next to) vs "Besides" (In Addition)

• Beside = preposition = at the side of, next to
• Besides = linking adverb = in addition to, also

• ✅ Come and sit here beside me. (next to)
• ✅ Do you play any other sports besides basketball? (in addition to)
• ✅ Besides being a doctor, he is also an actor.

Rule 103: Words Like "Friendly", "Monthly" — Adjectives Only

Words like friendly, miserly, cowardly, monthly, yearly, weekly, manly, orderly are adjectives. They CANNOT be used as adverbs.

• ❌ He behaved friendly. (used as adverb — wrong)
• ✅ He behaved in a friendly manner. (adjective — correct)
• ✅ There was a weekly dance on Wednesdays. (adjective)

Rules 104 & 105: Position of Adverbs

Rule 104: An adverb can NEVER be placed between the main verb and its object.

• ❌ He comes often to my house. → ✅ He often comes to my house.
• ❌ He tells always the truth. → ✅ He always tells the truth.

Rule 105: Multiple adverbs follow the MPT order: Manner → Place → Time

• ❌ I walked yesterday slowly.
• ✅ I walked slowly (manner) yesterday (time).
• ✅ I have to run quickly (M) down the street (P) each morning (T).

Rule 106: "Very" vs "Much"

• "Very" → with positive degree & present participle
• "Much" → with comparative degree & past participle

• ✅ It is very interesting. (positive degree)
• ✅ He is much weaker than Shyam. (comparative)
• ✅ He is much interested in the project. (past participle)
• ✅ The girl is very beautiful.

Rule 107: "Between…And" (Not "Between…To")

• ❌ He will distribute sweets between 4 pm to 5 pm.
• ✅ He will distribute sweets between 4 pm and 5 pm.
• ✅ He will distribute sweets from 4 pm to 5 pm. (alternative)

Rule 108: Uncountable Nouns with "s" — Different Meaning

Some uncountable nouns gain a different meaning when "s/es" is added:

Rule 109: Common Naming Errors

• ❌ I am an English teacher. → ✅ I am a teacher of English.
• ❌ Family members. → ✅ Members of the family.
• ❌ Mathematics teacher. → ✅ Teacher of Mathematics.

Important notes:

• ❌ "pickpocketer" → ✅ "pickpocket"
• ❌ "cousin brother/sister" → ✅ "cousin"
• ❌ "passing marks" → ✅ "pass marks"
• ❌ "dressing sense" → ✅ "dress sense"
• "Innings" is always singular (no "inning")
• "Goodnight" = parting; "Good evening" = meeting salutation

Rule 110: Possessive Adjectives — "One's" vs "His/Her"

Use "one's" when the subject is "One". Use "his/her" when subject is "Every/Each".

• ❌ Everyone should do one's duty. → ✅ Everyone should do his duty.
• ❌ One should do his duty. → ✅ One should do one's duty.
• ✅ Every girl should do her duty. (gender clear → her)

Rule 111: "Fewer" (Countable) vs "Less" (Uncountable)

• ❌ No less than 50 students completed the work.
• ✅ No fewer than 50 students completed the work. (students = countable)
• ✅ There is no less than five litres of water in the vessel. (water = uncountable)

Rule 112: "Elder" (Family) vs "Older" (Non-Family)

• Elder → used for family members
• Older → used for non-family

• ❌ My friend is elder than me. → ✅ My friend is older than me.
• ✅ The elder son of King John was nine.

Related Differences:

• Later = time ("call me later") | Latter = second of two ("the latter option")
• Farther = more distant | Further = additional
• Nearest = space/distance | Next = order/position
• Latest = most recent (time) | Last = final (order)
• Less = smaller in size/amount | Lesser = not as great

Rule 113: Comparisons Must Be on Common Grounds

• ❌ The weather of Delhi is far better than Mumbai. (comparing weather with city!)
• ✅ The weather of Delhi is far better than that of Mumbai.
• ❌ The apples of Shimla are tastier than Ooty.
• ✅ The apples of Shimla are tastier than those of Ooty.

Rule 114: "One of the / Either of / Neither of / Each of" + Plural Noun

• ❌ One of the student was selected. → ✅ One of the students was selected.
• ❌ Either of the light bulb. → ✅ Either of the light bulbs.
• ✅ Do you go to each of the meetings?

Rule 115: "But/Except/Between" as Preposition → Objective Case

• ❌ There is friendship between you and I.
• ✅ There is friendship between you and me.
• ❌ All but he are going. → ✅ All but him are going.
• ❌ Let he do the work. → ✅ Let him do the work.

Rule 116: Pseudo Subject → Pronoun in Subjective Case

After pseudo subject "It", use subjective case (I, he, she, we, they) — NOT objective case.

• ❌ It is him who should be blamed. → ✅ It is he who should be blamed.
• ❌ It is us who have defeated the champion. → ✅ It is we who have defeated the champion.
• ❌ It is me who am guilty. → ✅ It is I who am guilty.

Rule 117: "Such…As" (Not "Such…That")

When "such" is a determiner, use "as" as connector. "Else" → "but". "Other" → "than".

• ❌ He is such a person that you mentioned.
• ✅ He is such a person as you mentioned.
• ✅ They want nothing else but their honor and dignity.

Rule 118: Apostrophe with Plural Nouns — Avoid Hissing Sound

Don't add 's after plurals ending in "s" — use only apostrophe (') to avoid hissing sound.

• ❌ Government girls's school.
• ✅ Government girls' school.
• ✅ Jesus' sake | For peace' sake
• ✅ Pythagoras' theorem

Exception: "else's" is correct despite the hissing sound.

Rule 119: No Apostrophe ('s) with Pronouns

Pronouns already show possession — they DON'T need apostrophe.

• ❌ Your's friendly. → ✅ Yours friendly.
• ✅ The kids are yours and mine.
• ✅ The ring is hers.
• ✅ The bag is theirs.
• ✅ We shall finally have what is rightfully ours.

Rule 120: Words Never Followed by a Noun

These words are NEVER directly followed by a noun: afraid, asleep, due, ready, unable, alike, aware, glad, sorry, well, alone, ill, sure, worth

• ✅ We were unable to contact him at the time.
• ✅ The army is said to be ready for action.
• ✅ I am glad to know the parcel arrived safely.
• ✅ He likes being alone in the house.
• ✅ Your painting has come out really well.

🎉 Congratulations! You've covered all 120 Grammar Rules!

You've now completed the entire 120 Grammar Rules series — all 5 parts. These rules cover the most commonly tested grammar concepts in Bank (IBPS, SBI), SSC, and other competitive exams.

Quick Links to All Parts:

• Part 1: Rules 1–24 — Pronouns, Nouns & Subject-Verb Agreement
• Part 2: Rules 25–48 — Tenses, Narration & Degree of Comparison
• Part 3: Rules 49–72 — Prepositions, Articles & Common Confusions
• Part 4: Rules 73–96 — Question Tags, Parallelism & Advanced Usage
• Part 5: Rules 97–120 — Superfluous Errors, Verb Forms & Comparisons

Practice these rules daily on Ikkish Prep to build speed and accuracy!