English grammar is a crucial section in almost every competitive exam, including SSC, BCS, Bank, Railway, UPSC, and university admission tests. Mastering the grammar portion not only boosts your confidence but also significantly increases your chances of scoring higher.
In this post, we’ll break down the 152 most essential grammar rules you need to know to ace your next competitive exam.
🔰 Why Grammar Is Important in Competitive Exams
- It forms the core of the English Language section.
- It’s tested through error correction, sentence improvement, fill-in-the-blanks, and comprehension.
- A solid understanding helps in both objective and descriptive writing.
📚 Grammar Topics Covered
We’ve grouped the 152 rules under the most important grammar topics for easy learning:
✅ 1. Parts of Speech (Noun, Pronoun, Verb, Adjective, etc.)
- Rule 1: A collective noun is singular when the group is considered as a whole.
- Rule 2: A plural verb is used when members of the group are considered individually.
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✅ 2. Tenses
- Rule 15: Use the simple present for general truths.
- Rule 16: Present perfect is used for actions that occurred at an unspecified time.
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✅ 3. Subject-Verb Agreement
- Rule 30: A singular subject takes a singular verb.
- Rule 31: With “either/or” and “neither/nor”, the verb agrees with the nearest subject.
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✅ 4. Articles (A, An, The)
- Rule 50: Use “an” before a word that starts with a vowel sound.
- Rule 51: “The” is used before unique nouns (e.g., the sun, the moon).
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✅ 5. Prepositions
- Rule 70: Use “at” for exact time, “on” for days, “in” for months/years.
- Rule 71: “Of” is used for possession, origin, and material.
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✅ 6. Voice (Active/Passive)
- Rule 90: In passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject.
- Rule 91: Only transitive verbs can be used in passive voice.
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✅ 7. Narration (Direct/Indirect Speech)
- Rule 110: Change tense according to the reporting verb (if it’s past).
- Rule 111: Pronouns and time expressions also change.
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✅ 8. Modifiers and Parallelism
- Rule 130: Modifiers should be placed next to the word they modify.
- Rule 131: Items in a list should be in the same grammatical form.
✅ 9. Commonly Confused Words
- Rule 140: Its (possessive) vs. It’s (it is)
- Rule 141: Who vs. Whom
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🎯 Tips to Master These Rules
- Practice MCQs daily based on each grammar topic.
- Maintain a grammar notebook for revision.
- Take mock tests and analyze your mistakes.
- Use apps like Grammarly or Quillbot for writing help.
📥 Download the Full PDF of 152 Grammar Rules
Click below to get a neatly organized PDF version of these rules for offline study.
💬 Final Thoughts
Whether you’re preparing for SSC, Bank, or university admission exams, these 152 grammar rules will give you the edge you need. Consistent practice and smart study can make grammar your strongest section.
🔖 Bookmark this page and refer to it regularly during your exam preparation.