15+ ENGLISH GRAMMAR RULES   




Rule #1


A noun is a person, place, thing or idea. A verb is an action word.

  • The bird flew.


Rule #2


A complete sentence must include a subject and a predicate.

  • The angry bird flew quickly across the sky.


Rule #3

The only exception to the above rules is the imperative sentence.

  • Go away!


Rule #4


Adjectives can go directly before the noun they describe, or after it, if separated

by a verb.

• The angry bird flew.

• The bird is angry.


Rule #5


A compound subject includes two or more simple subjects.

  • The bird and the plane flew.


Rule #6


A compound predicate includes two or more predicates.

  • The bird flew and sang.


Rule #7


A compound sentence includes more than one subject or predicate.

  • The bird sang and the plane flew.


Rule #8


An independent clause consists of a subject and a predicate, like a complete sentence.

  • The plane flew.


Rule #9


A dependent clause cannot form a complete sentence without additional words.

  • The plane flew when the bird sang.


Rule #10


The direct object is the noun being acted on by the verb.

  • The bird ate seeds.


Rule #11


The indirect object is the noun which receives the direct object.

  • The bird gave the seeds to me.


Rule #12


When written in passive voice, the object of the verb becomes the subject of the 

sentence.

  • The bird ate seeds.

-->The seeds were eaten by the bird.


Rule #13


Conjugations of the verb "to be" are essential to passive voice.

  • The seeds are being eaten by the bird.


Rule #14


Sentences written in passive voice can omit the subject of the acting verb.

  • The seeds were eaten.


Rule #15


In passive voice, the subject of the acting verb is connected by a prepositional phrase.

  • The bird ate seeds after lunchtime.


Rule #16


Prepositional phrases are sometimes separated by commas.

  • The bird, which belonged to my mother, ate seeds.


Rule #17


Adverbs function like prepositions.

  • The bird ate seeds quickly.


Rule #18


A subject complement describes the subject of the sentence.

  • The bird is green.