Master English Grammar for Competitive Exams: Complete Guide for IELTS, TOEFL, SAT & All Tests
Preparing for IELTS, TOEFL, SAT, GRE, GMAT, civil services, SSC, or banking exams? English grammar is your secret weapon. This guide covers every essential topic with exam-focused examples, error spotting techniques, and sentence correction strategies that actually work.
Why Grammar Dominates Competitive Exams
Grammar appears everywhere: reading comprehension, error detection, sentence improvement, cloze tests, essay writing, and speaking sections. Master these concepts, and you'll tackle questions faster with higher accuracy.
Let's break down what you need to know.
1. Sentence Structure: Build Strong Foundations
Every sentence needs a subject and a predicate. Understanding sentence types helps you identify errors and improve clarity.
Simple: One independent clause
The candidate studied diligently.
Compound: Two independent clauses with conjunction
She practiced daily, and her scores improved.
Complex: Independent + dependent clause
Because he practiced consistently, he passed the exam.
Compound-Complex: Multiple independent + dependent clauses
She studied hard because exams were near, and she wanted to succeed.
Exam-Oriented Example (Error Spotting)
Incorrect: The manager, along with his team members, are attending the conference.
Error: "are" should be "is" (subject is "manager")
Correct: The manager, along with his team members, is attending the conference.
2. Parts of Speech: Know Your Building Blocks
Understanding parts of speech is crucial for error detection in IELTS writing, TOEFL grammar, and banking exam questions.
| Part of Speech | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | Names person/place/thing | teacher, happiness, Delhi |
| Pronoun | Replaces noun | he, she, who, which |
| Verb | Shows action/state | run, is, think |
| Adjective | Describes noun | intelligent, five, red |
| Adverb | Modifies verb/adjective | quickly, very, often |
| Preposition | Shows relationship | in, on, at, between |
| Conjunction | Connects words/clauses | and, but, because |
| Interjection | Expresses emotion | Wow! Alas! |
Exam-Oriented Example (Sentence Correction)
Incorrect: She speaks English very good.
Error: "good" is an adjective; need adverb "well"
Correct: She speaks English very well.
3. Tenses: Master All 12 Forms
Tense questions appear in every competitive exam. Here's your quick reference guide:
Complete Tense Table
| Tense | Structure | Example | Common Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | V1/V1+s | She works daily | Habits, facts |
| Present Continuous | am/is/are + V-ing | She is working now | Current action |
| Present Perfect | has/have + V3 | She has worked here 5 years | Past → present link |
| Present Perfect Continuous | has/have been + V-ing | She has been working since morning | Duration → present |
| Simple Past | V2 | She worked yesterday | Completed past |
| Past Continuous | was/were + V-ing | She was working then | Past in progress |
| Past Perfect | had + V3 | She had worked before | Past before past |
| Past Perfect Continuous | had been + V-ing | She had been working for hours | Duration before past |
| Simple Future | will + V1 | She will work tomorrow | Future action |
| Future Continuous | will be + V-ing | She will be working at 9 AM | Future in progress |
| Future Perfect | will have + V3 | She will have worked 10 years | Completion by future time |
| Future Perfect Continuous | will have been + V-ing | She will have been working 10 hours | Duration up to future |
Exam-Oriented Example (Error Spotting)
Incorrect: By next month, I will complete my training.
Error: Use future perfect for completion by specific future time
Correct: By next month, I will have completed my training.
4. Subject-Verb Agreement: Avoid Common Traps
This topic appears in 90% of error detection questions in SSC, banking, and civil service exams.
Quick Reference Rules
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Singular subject → singular verb | The book is interesting |
| Plural subject → plural verb | The books are interesting |
| Collective nouns → usually singular | The team is winning |
| Each/Every/Everyone → singular | Everyone has arrived |
| Either...or/Neither...nor → agrees with nearest | Neither she nor they are ready |
| Phrase between subject-verb → ignore | The box of chocolates is here |
| Uncountable nouns → singular | The information is correct |
| Some nouns look plural → singular | Mathematics is difficult |
Exam-Oriented Examples
Error Spotting:
Incorrect: The committee have made their decision.
Correct: The committee has made its decision.
Sentence Correction (SAT/GMAT Style):
Incorrect: Neither the students nor the teacher were present.
Correct: Neither the students nor the teacher was present.
Rule: Verb agrees with "teacher" (nearest subject)
5. Modifiers: Position Matters
Misplaced and dangling modifiers create confusion—common errors in GRE and GMAT sentence correction.
Exam-Oriented Examples
Misplaced Modifier:
Incorrect: I only scored 80% in the test. (suggests you did nothing else but score)
Correct: I scored only 80% in the test.
Dangling Modifier:
Incorrect: After studying all night, the exam was easy.
Error: Who studied? The exam didn't study!
Correct: After studying all night, I found the exam easy.
6. Active and Passive Voice: When to Use Each
Voice conversion appears in TOEFL, SSC CGL, and banking exams regularly.
Active: Subject performs action → The scientist conducted the experiment.
Passive: Subject receives action → The experiment was conducted by the scientist.
Quick Conversion Formula:
Object + be (appropriate tense) + V3 + by + Subject
Exam-Oriented Example (Voice Conversion)
Active: The teacher explains the lesson clearly.
Passive: The lesson is explained clearly by the teacher.
Active: They have completed the project.
Passive: The project has been completed (by them).
Common Error:
Incorrect: The letter has been write by her.
Correct: The letter has been written by her.
7. Reported Speech: Master Tense Shifts
Direct to indirect conversion is tested in IELTS writing task 2, TOEFL integrated tasks, and descriptive papers.
Key Conversion Rules
Tense Backshift:
- Present → Past
- Past → Past Perfect
- Will → Would
- Can → Could
Pronoun Changes: I → he/she, you → I/we
Time Changes: today → that day, tomorrow → the next day
Exam-Oriented Examples
Statement:
Direct: He said, "I am preparing for UPSC."
Indirect: He said that he was preparing for UPSC.
Question:
Direct: She asked, "Have you finished the assignment?"
Indirect: She asked if/whether I had finished the assignment.
Command:
Direct: The teacher said, "Submit your papers."
Indirect: The teacher ordered/told us to submit our papers.
8. Conditionals: If-Then Scenarios
Conditional sentences test logical reasoning—crucial for GMAT, GRE, and civil services exams.
| Type | Structure | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zero | If + present, present | General truths | If you heat ice, it melts |
| First | If + present, will + V1 | Real future | If it rains, we will cancel |
| Second | If + past, would + V1 | Unreal present | If I were rich, I would travel |
| Third | If + past perfect, would have + V3 | Unreal past | If she had studied, she would have passed |
Exam-Oriented Example (Error Spotting)
Incorrect: If I would have time, I will help you.
Correct: If I have time, I will help you. (First conditional)
9. Punctuation: Small Marks, Big Impact
Punctuation errors cost marks in IELTS writing, TOEFL essays, and descriptive papers.
Comma (,) Separates items, clauses: I need pens, paper, and folders.
Semicolon (;) Joins related clauses: She studied hard; she passed.
Colon (:) Introduces lists: Bring three items: pen, paper, calculator.
Apostrophe (') Possession/contraction: Sarah's book, don't
Quotation Marks (" ") Direct speech: He said, "I'll attend."
Exam-Oriented Example
Incorrect: Its a beautiful day and its raining.
Correct: It's a beautiful day, and it's raining.
10. Common Error Patterns: High-Frequency Mistakes
These errors appear repeatedly in competitive exams. Memorize them.
Error Spotting Champions
1. Its vs. It's
❌ The dog wagged it's tail.
✅ The dog wagged its tail. (possessive)
✅ It's raining. (it is)
2. Their/There/They're
❌ Their going to the store over their.
✅ They're going to the store over there.
3. Fewer vs. Less
❌ Less students attended today.
✅ Fewer students attended today. (countable)
✅ Less water is needed. (uncountable)
4. Who vs. Whom
Use who for subject: Who called?
Use whom for object: To whom did you speak?
5. Affect vs. Effect
Affect = verb: Weather affects mood.
Effect = noun: The effect was positive.
6. Between vs. Among
Between = two items: between you and me
Among = more than two: among the candidates
7. Double Negatives
❌ I don't have no money.
✅ I don't have any money.
Sentence Correction Practice
Question: The number of students appearing for competitive exams are increasing every year.
Error: "are" should be "is" (the number = singular)
Correct: The number of students appearing for competitive exams is increasing every year.
Exam-Smart Preparation Strategy
For IELTS & TOEFL
Focus on tenses, article usage, and sentence variety for writing tasks. Practice identifying grammatical range for higher band scores.
For SAT & GRE
Master sentence correction, modifier placement, and parallelism. Speed matters—practice eliminating obviously wrong options first.
For GMAT
Prioritize subject-verb agreement, idioms, and logical meaning. GMAT tests thinking skills through grammar.
For Banking & SSC Exams
Error spotting and phrase replacement dominate. Create an error log of commonly tested patterns.
For Civil Services
Focus on precise, formal grammar for essay writing and precis. Clarity trumps complexity.
Universal Tips (All Exams)
- Daily Practice: 30 minutes minimum—consistency beats cramming
- Error Log: Document mistakes and review weekly
- Quality Reading: Newspapers (The Hindu, The Guardian) expose you to correct usage
- Mock Tests: Simulate exam conditions to build speed and accuracy
- Pattern Recognition: Most exams repeat similar error types—learn them
- Eliminate First: In MCQs, eliminate clearly wrong options to improve odds
- Trust Your Ear: If it sounds wrong, it probably is (but verify the rule)
- Review Basics Weekly: Revisit fundamentals—they're tested most frequently
Quick FAQ
Q: How long to master grammar for competitive exams?
With focused daily practice, expect significant improvement in 2-3 months. However, mastery requires consistent exposure.
Q: Which topics matter most?
Subject-verb agreement and tenses appear in 60%+ of grammar questions across all exams. Start there.
Q: Best resources for practice?
Official exam practice papers, Wren & Martin for basics, exam-specific prep books, and apps like Grammarly for writing feedback.
Q: Should I memorize rules?
Understand first, then reinforce through practice until application becomes automatic.
Q: How to improve error spotting speed?
Practice daily with timed exercises. Learn high-frequency error patterns. Your brain will start recognizing them instantly.
Final Word
Grammar mastery isn't about memorizing every rule—it's about recognizing patterns and applying them accurately under exam pressure. Start with high-frequency topics (subject-verb agreement, tenses), build your error log, and practice consistently.
Every error you spot in practice is one you won't make in the exam. Every rule you understand today strengthens your score tomorrow.
Your competition might skip grammar preparation, thinking they "know English." You won't. That's your advantage.
Begin today. Practice daily. Score higher.
Bookmark this guide. Return regularly during your preparation. Success is built on repetition.
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