The Most Confusing English Grammar Rules Explained

English grammar rules can be complex and tricky, making mistakes easy to make. From misusing apostrophes to using the wrong tense, there are numerous opportunities for errors!

Subject-verb agreement is one of the most frequently encountered grammar errors, requiring subjects and verbs to match in terms of number; that is, singular subjects require singular verbs while plural subjects require plural ones.

1. Homonyms

Homonyms, which refer to words with similar sounds and spelling, but different meanings, are called homonyms. Homonyms may also be known by other names such as homophones and homographs; however, the term homonym refers more broadly than either of those terms.

Homonyms can be confusing for English learners, particularly non-native speakers. Homonyms may sound alike or even share identical spelling but differ in pronunciation and meaning like write and right; other times they might both share one spelling but differ in pronunciation, such as bear and bare.

2. False friends

False friends (false cognates) are words in two different languages that look and sound similar, yet have different definitions. This can present difficulty for language learners who have just begun learning foreign words.

This occurs because many words share common linguistic roots; their meaning has evolved over time. For instance, English arrive and French arriver share an ancestry but have different connotations in modern French; therefore if you say in French: “John has arrived at the station”, native French speakers might become confused!

3. Subject-verb agreement

Subject-verb agreement is one of the foundational rules in English grammar. Subject and verb must agree in number (singular or plural).

Prepositional phrases between subjects and verbs do not alter their number; for complex subjects connected by and or nor, verbs must agree with whatever part of the subject they most closely correspond with.

Collective nouns such as team, family, crowd or group take a singular verb unless there is a special significance for using plural verbs; otherwise the plural form must be employed.

4. Subject-predicate agreement

Subject-verb agreement should always match in terms of number (singular or plural). Sometimes this agreement can become obscured by intervening words and phrases between subject and verb, creating confusion over its exact alignment.

Subject and verb should generally be located close together, to help avoid using plural verbs when your subject is singular. When dealing with compound subjects such as this one:

5. Subject-object agreement

Subject-object agreement is a grammar rule that states the subject must agree with its verb. A subject can refer to either someone doing work, like Jason working, or something sleeping – like Nick sleeping.

Subject-verb agreement can become murky due to prepositional phrases between subject and verb that could alter this process. Plural subjects like teams, companies, cities and committees generally take plural verb forms when speaking of them collectively or individually. Contractions like don’t can sometimes be used with singular subjects but not always appropriate as these might interfere with subject-verb agreement.

6. Subject-verb agreement with adverbs

Subject-verb agreement is a grammatical rule which states that subjects and verbs in sentences must agree. Singular subjects typically take on singular verbs while plural subjects call for plural verbs.

One exception to this rule occurs when using adverbs like very, really or totally with adjectives or other adverbs; then the suffix “-ly” must be added before taking on its regular form; examples include He plays very well and the house looks very nice.

7. Subject-verb agreement with nouns

Subject-verb agreement means that a sentence’s subject and verb should match each other precisely; singular subjects need singular verbs while plural subjects require plural ones.

Words like everybody, each of, every, and nobody may contain plural meaning but take on singular verb forms due to being joined with either, neither or both as conjunctions.

Grammar enthusiasts of any kind may become confused when trying to distinguish what and which. By studying these two terms more in-depth, you can avoid common errors.

8. Subject-verb agreement with adjectives

Subject-Verb Agreement refers to the grammatical concept that states the subject and verb must match in each sentence. Singular subjects require singular verbs while plural subjects require plural ones.

Errors often occur when two or more singular nouns or pronouns joined by or (or nor) act as one compound subject and must take one singular verb verb to complete its meaning.

Language can sometimes be an unpredictable environment for writers; irregularities in English grammar may become particularly confusing when dealing with subject-verb agreement issues. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind for writing effectively in English.

9. Subject-verb agreement with adverbs

Subject-verb agreement occurs when an action verb perfectly matches its subject (singular or plural). Singular subjects use singular verbs; plural subjects require plural ones.

Prepositional phrases often get in the way between subjects and verbs. These include clauses beginning with who, that, or which; here- and there-speakin’ sentences should all be eliminated so as to find the true sentence subject. All pronouns such as everyone, every, nobody and none need singular verbs for example.

10. Subject-verb agreement with nouns

Subject-verb agreement is especially crucial when using linking verbs like “is,” “are,” and “was.” For these verbs to work effectively they must agree with their nearest subject – this can include considering whether the subject is singular or plural and selecting an appropriate form of the verb to use with this subject.

Some indefinite pronouns (anyone, every, anything) take on singular forms while others are treated as plural (everybody, everybody, anyone). It may be confusing as to which form of verb to use when using these pronouns; ultimately it depends on whether they refer to an item in its entirety or represent proportion of such items.