Grammar Rules

1. 1.Subject Verb Agreement: Learners often get confused with using the appropriate form of the verb with the subject of the sentence. For example, ‘I live in India’ and ‘He lives in India’ is the correct subject verb agreement of the verb ‘to live’.

2. 2.Possessive Nouns: Non-native speakers of the English are unsure about showing possession while writing or speaking in English. For example, ‘The book belonging to the girl’ can also be referred to as ‘The girl’s book’
Possessive nouns are those nouns that show possession. Possessive Nouns are used to show ownership.
A noun is possessive only when a phrase can be modified to say that an idea or commodity belongs to something or someone. Possessive nouns are an integral part of learning English, use them as often as you can to gain confidence.
Here are some rules to help you use possessive nouns
Rule 1: In singular nouns (person, place, thing or idea), we add apostrophe and ‘s’ after the noun. For example:
Ron’s car is in the garage. (Car belonging to Ron is in the garage)
Note that the possessive noun always comes before what the person or a thing owns or has. In this case, the car belongs to Ron and hence the singular noun ‘Ron’ is placed before ‘car’ that he owns.
Rule 2: In singular nouns ending with ‘s’, we add an apostrophe and ‘s’ to the noun. For example:
Tejas’s notebook is lying on the table. (Notebook of Tejas is lying on the table)
Suhas’s wife is a doctor. (Wife of Suhas is a doctor)

Will other uses

Older textbooks often refer to 'will' as 'the future tense' and this has confused a lot of learners.

It is important to remember that when we talk about the future we cannot always use 'will' and that when we use 'will' we are not always talking about the future.

Here 'will' is clearly referring to the future.

• If I speak to her, I'll tell her about it.
• I'll probably visit Sue when I go to Oxford.
• Next birthday she'll be 32. Or so she says.

In these examples, however, 'will' is referring to events happening at the present.

• The car won't start.
• If that's the phone, I'll get it.
• Will you have another cup of coffee?

When we use 'will' referring to the present, the idea being expressed is usually one of 'showing willingness' or 'will power'.

• My baby won't stop crying. I've tried everything and I'm really exhausted.
• I am the boss. You will do as I say.
• I need quiet to write this but he will keep on talking to me. I wish he would leave me alone.

We use 'will' for requests, orders, invitations and offers.

• Will you give me a hand?
• Will you please take a seat?
• Will you have some cake?
• I'll help you.
  

Present Forms for the Future

We use the present continuous to talk about things that we have already arranged to do in the future.

• I've got my ticket. I'm leaving on Thursday.
• I'm seeing Julie at 5 and then I'm having dinner with Simon.
• He's picking me up at the airport.
• The company is giving everyone a bonus for Christmas.

In many situations when we talk about future plans we can use either the present continuous or the 'going to' future. However, when we use the present continuous, there is more of a suggestion that an arrangement has already been made.

• I'm going to see him./I'm seeing him.
• I'm going to do it./I'm doing it.

We use the present simple to talk about events in the future which are 'timetabled'. We can also use the present continuous to talk about these.

• My plane leaves at 6 in the morning.
• The shop opens at 9.30.
• The sun rises a minute earlier tomorrow.
• My plane is leaving at 8.30.
• The shop is closing at 7.00.
• The sun is rising at 6.32 tomorrow.

Going to or Will

When we want to talk about future facts or things we believe to be true about the future, we use 'will'.

• The President will serve for four years.
• The boss won't be very happy.
• I'm sure you'll like her.
• I'm certain he'll do a good job.

If we are not so certain about the future, we use 'will' with expressions such as 'probably', 'possibly', 'I think', 'I hope'.

• I hope you'll visit me in my home one day.
• She'll probably be a great success.
• I'll possibly come but I may not get back in time.
• I think we'll get on well.

If you are making a future prediction based on evidence in the present situation, use 'going to'.

• Not a cloud in the sky. It's going to be another warm day.
• Look at the queue. We're not going to get in for hours.
• The traffic is terrible. We're going to miss our flight.
• Be careful! You're going to spill your coffee.

At the moment of making a decision, use 'will'. Once you have made the decision, talk about it using 'going to'.

• I'll call Jenny to let her know. Sarah, I need Jenny's number. I'm going to call her about the meeting.
• I'll come and have a drink with you but I must let Harry know. Harry, I'm going to have a drink with Simon.

The Future - Will future

Some people have been taught that 'will' is 'the future' in English. This is not correct. Sometimes when we talk about the future we cannot use 'will'. Sometimes when we use 'will' we are not talking about the future.

We can use 'will' to talk about future events we believe to be certain.

• The sun will rise over there tomorrow morning.
• Next year, I'll be 50.
• That plane will be late. It always is.
• There won't be any snow. I'm certain. It's too warm.

Often we add 'perhaps', 'maybe', 'probably', 'possibly' to make the belief less certain.

• I'll probably come back later.
• He'll possibly find out when he sees Jenny.
• Maybe it will be OK.
• Perhaps we'll meet again some day.

We often use 'will' with 'I think' or 'I hope'.

• I think I'll go to bed now.
• I think she'll do well in the job.
• I hope you'll enjoy your stay.
• I hope you won't make too much noise.

We use 'will' at the moment we make a new decision or plan. The thought has just come into our head.

• Bye. I'll phone you when I get there.
• I'll answer that.
• I'll go.
• I won't tell him. I promise.