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If you've started learning English recently, you've probably noticed that the language has several grammar rules, haven't you?
In this article, we're going to list some of the main rules, explaining how to use them correctly. If you want to get your grammar right, read on and check out the best tips for progressing in your studies. Let's go!
What are the basic grammar rules for your daily life?
Here are the 5 most important English grammar rules so that you can read, write and use basic English expressions on a daily basis.
1. Sentences with a hidden subject
In English, there is no possibility of omitting the subject from the sentence, as we do in other languages. This means that the subject must always be present, even if it is a personal pronoun, such as I, you, he, she, it, we, they.
2. Regular and irregular verbs
If you want to master some of the main grammar rules in English, you need to be aware of this one: irregular and regular verbs don't follow the same logic in the past tense and participle.
Regular verbs in English have -ed added to the end of the verb in the infinitive. So "walk" becomes "walked" in the past tense and participle, for example. Irregular verbs, however, don't follow this rule and must be memorized, as they change form according to the tense.
There are many irregular verbs in English and it's important to know them in order to use verb tenses correctly. For example: "go" becomes "went" in the past tense and "gone" in the participle.
3. The nouns and adjectives place on a sentence
Another important English rule for mastering the language is the place that nouns and adjectives occupy in a sentence.
In English, adjectives usually come before the nouns they modify. In this context, we don't say "a car blue", but "a blue car". This rule also applies to possessive adjectives, such as my, your, his, her etc. For example, we don't say "a book my", we say "my book".
4. Plural nouns
Another important rule concerns the formation of the plural of nouns. The general rule says that to form the plural of nouns in English you need to add -s to the end of the noun. For example, "cat" becomes "cats".
But as every rule has its exception, there are a few things to watch out for:
Nouns ending in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x or -z, must have -es at the end. For example, "bus" becomes "buses".
When the noun ends in -y preceded by a consonant, we change the -y to -ies. For example, "baby" becomes "babies", while "city" becomes "cities".
If the noun ends in -f or -fe, we should replace the -f or -fe with -ves. For example, "knife" becomes "knives".
In addition to the examples mentioned above, knowing the rules of English also includes understanding that some nouns have irregular plural forms and must be memorized. This is the case, for example, with the nouns "man" becomes "men", "woman" becomes "women” and "child "children".
5. Difference between "its" and "it's"
To finish off our basic list of the most important English rules for everyday life, we have the difference between "its" and "it's". This is a rule that confuses even the most experienced speakers, but it needs to be understood and even memorized in order to form correct sentences that are understandable by other people.
It works like this: "it's" is the contraction of the pronoun "it" with "is" (from the verb to be) or "has" (from present perfect). In other words, if we want to abbreviate "it is" or "it has" we can use "it's" without any problems. Practical, isn't it?
Its" is the possessive form of the pronoun it and can be translated as "his" or "hers". Here are some examples:
"The dog's tail is wagging". In this case, we use 's to indicate that the tail belongs to the dog.
"The dog lost its collar". In this case, we use “its” to indicate that the collar belonged to the dog.
Bonus round: 5 more English rules to master grammar once and for all
Did you like learning more about these English rules? Then you'll be pleased to know that in addition to the one above, there are others that you must also master in order to become fluent in the language. Here are some of them:
1. “to” vs “too”
"To" is used to indicate destination, purpose or the infinitive of verbs. For example:
"I'm going to the mall"
"I need to study"
"Too", on the other hand, is used to indicate also or excess:
"I like pizza too"
"It's too hot today"
2. When to use "will" or "going to"
Knowing when to use "will" and "going to" is one of the most common questions we receive from our students. "Will" is used to express a decision or promise made at the time of speaking, a prediction based on opinion or a request. See the examples below:
"I will help you with your homework"
"I think it will rain tomorrow"
“Going to" is used to express an intention or plan already made, a prediction based on evidence or a threat. For example:
"I'm going to travel next week"
"Look at those clouds. It's going to rain"
3. The use of the prepositions "in", "on", "at" (time)
One of the most common uses of the prepositions "in", "on" and "at" is to indicate time in English, but each of them has a different use. Let's get to them!
"In" is used to indicate months, years, seasons, centuries and parts of the day. For example:
"I was born in July"
"She graduated in 2010"
"It's cold in winter"
"He lived in the 19th century"
The preposition "on" is used to indicate days of the week, dates and holidays, for example:
"I have a meeting on Monday"
"My birthday is on June 15th
"We celebrate Christmas on December 25th"
The preposition "at", on the other hand, is used to indicate times, specific periods of the day and holidays without a fixed date. See:
"The class starts at 9 a.m."
"We have lunch at noon."
She travels at Easter"
4. Idioms in English
If you're interested in learning what the rules of English are, then you need to know about idioms, phrases with a different meaning from the literal one and which are widely used by native speakers of the language.
The expression "it's raining cats and dogs", for example, doesn't mean that it's literally raining cats and dogs, but that it's raining very hard. In addition to these, there are many other idiomatic expressions in English and it's important to know them in order to understand what people mean and to express yourself more naturally.
5. Difference between "your" and "you're"
"Your" and "you're" are words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings. "Your" is a possessive pronoun meaning. For example:
"This is your book"
"Your brother is late"
However, "you're" is a contraction of "you are". Let's look at some examples:
"You're my best friend"
"You're late for class"
The importance of having a good school by your side when learning English
As you can see, knowing the rules of English is essential if you want to communicate and be understood in the language. That's why it's important to have a good school by your side when learning English, especially when it comes to grammar rules, which can be more complex.
EF English Live is the world's largest online English school, with over 50 years' experience and millions of satisfied students. With us, you can study English wherever and whenever you want, with live classes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and access to hundreds of contents and activities. You also have the support of certified, native-speaking teachers who will guide and motivate you throughout your course.
Don't waste time and start learning English with EF English Live today. Take a free level test, choose the plan that best suits your needs and learn the rules of English with a practical, modern and interactive methodology. You'll be amazed at the results!
