20 Fixed Rules of English

2. 20 Fixed Rules of English Craig Wimsett

3. Fixed Rule One If the subject of your sentence is he, she, it or a gerund (‘ing noun), you add an 's' for the verb. Gerund: A word ending in ing.

4. Example: a) Itstink.   Itstinks. b) Playing drums look fun. Playing drums looks fun. Note: This rule applies also if your subject is singular Example: a) The little boy giggle.   b) The little boy giggles.

5. If the subject of your sentence isthey, we , I or you, you use the base form of the verb   Fixed Rule Two

6. Example: a) Itakes the bus to school every day.  Itake the bus to school every day. b) Youlooks like you need a long break. Youlook like you need a long break. Note: This rule applies also if your subject is plural Example: a) Animals in a farm makes a lot of noise b) Animals in a farm make a lot of noise.

7. Fixed Rule Three You use do not, does not, did not, don't, doesn't or didn't to form a negative sentence. Note: Do not use only not.

8. a) Mariah not like eating her vegetables much takes. b) Mariah does not like eating her vegetables much.   c) Mariah doesn't like eating her vegetables much.

9. Fixed Rule Four The verb-to-BE (is, isn't, was, wasn't, are, aren't, were, weren't, be, been, being) is always followed by either a present participle (-ing form) or a past participle (-ed form). Do not use other verb forms.

10. a) Anna isn't pays much attention.   Anna isn't paying much attention. b) Jeanie has been summon to the tribal meeting.   Jeanie has been summoned to the tribal meeting.

11. Fixed Rule Five Words such as concerned, located, situated, married, divorced, allowed, permitted and other forms of adjectives must have a verb-to-BE connecting them to their subjects.

12. a) It is said that the little idyllic hamlet situated in a valley with a thousand sighs.   It is said that the little idyllic hamlet is situated in a valley with a thousand sighs. b) I married to a wonderful caring man.   I am married to a wonderful caring man.

13. Fixed Rule Six Adjectives are always connected to their subjects with a linking verb. You use the verb-to-BE. Do not use other auxiliaries. Auxiliary: Providing supplementary or additional help and support.

14. A linking verb implies state of being or condition for the subject, not action. It links the subject to an equivalent word in the sentence. The Verb TO BE is always Linking. To BE: I am You are He/she/it is We are You are They are Note: was, were are past tense of to BE.

15. a) Norma does pretty. Norma is pretty. b) Babs could cruel when he wants to be.  Babs could be cruel when he wants to be.

16. Fixed Rule Seven In a compound verb phrase, the next verb form always follows the one previously.

17. a) Edna wants to sit and contemplates about her future with Don Mark. Edna wants to sit and contemplate about her future with Don Mark. b) He can only look but not touches.   He can only look but not touch. c) First, he sneezed and then coughs out the bitter medicine.   First, he sneezed and then coughed out the bitter medicine.

18. Fixed Rule Eight Use the base form of the verb after the auxiliary-DO (do, does, did, don't, doesn't, didn't)

19. a) Does that gremlin liked munching on rotten wood?   Does that gremlin like munching on rotten wood? b) Morgan did evokes the spirits of the darkened vale.   Morgan did evoke the spirits of the darkened vale.

20. Fixed Rule Nine Use the base form of verb after modal auxiliaries: (can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must) Modal Auxiliaries: They are verbs which 'help' other verbs to express a meaning: it is important to realize that "modal verbs" have no meaning by themselves.

21. a) What should he does when they come calling?   What should he do when they come calling? b) Newter might digging up old skeletons if he pries further into this affair.   Newter might dig up old skeletons if he pries further into this affair.

22. Fixed Rule Ten Use the base form of the verb after the infinitive 'to' Infinitive: the basic form of a verb, without an inflection binding it to a particular subject or tense (normally occurring in English with the word to, as in to see, to ask).

23. a) The mage went into a meditative state to exploring the astral world of dreams.   The mage went into a meditative state to explore the astral world of dreams. b) To bought or not to buys is a dilemma most shoppers suffer.  To buy or not to buy is a dilemma most shoppers suffer.

24. Fixed Rule Eleven Use past participle (-ed verb form) after verb-to-Have (have, haven't, has, hasn't, had, hadn't)

25. a) Melina has already ate. Melina has already eaten her dinner. • Have Billy and Ada collect their food?  Have Billy and Ada collected their food?

26. Fixed Rule Twelve Use the base form of the verb after causative verbs (let/make/have) Causative Verbs: The action of causing something.

27. a) Our mother used to make us cleaned our huge basement.   Our mother used to make us clean our huge basement. b) Delaney had me prepares a full course dinner for twenty guests today. Delaney had me prepare a full course dinner for twenty guests today.

28. Fixed Rule Thirteen After prepositions, use the -ing form of the verb. This form is called a gerund Prepositions: A word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element, as in ‘she arrived after dinner’ and ‘what did you do it for?’.

29. a) Petra was grounded for tried to steal some of her mother's money.   Petra was grounded for trying to steal some of her mother's money. b) Before goes to sleep, Ken always says his prayers.  Before going to sleep, Ken always says his prayers.

30. Fixed Rule Fourteen Do not use: very, extremely, exceedingly, extraordinarily, terribly ' right before or after a verb.

31. a) I very love my little canary.   I love my little canary very much. b) The still mourning widow terribly misses her husband.   The still mourning widow misses her husband terribly.

32. Fixed Rule Fifteen In a compound noun, the first noun is always singular. Compound noun: Starts with one noun (i.e. room). You add another noun (i.e. service) to make a compound noun (room service).

33. a) The kitchens walls are adorned with pictures.   The kitchen walls are adorned with pictures. b) We are all movies maniacs  We are all movie maniacs.

34. Fixed Rule Sixteen When more than 1 nouns are combined to form an adjective, you put the hyphen [-] in between the words and the noun should be singular.

35. a) There is a three years old toddler wandering about.  There is a three-year-old toddler wandering about.

36. Fixed Rule Seventeen An adverb gives more information when put together with a verb. Do not put an adjective Adverb: a word or phrase that modifies the meaning of an adjective, verb, or other adverb, or of a sentence (e.g gently, very, fortunately). Verb: a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, and forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence, such as hear, become, or happen. Adjective: a word naming an attribute of a noun, such as sweet, red, or technical.

37. a) My ever talented sister can play the harp beautiful.   My ever talented sister can play the harp beautifully. b) The fair maiden spun the flaxen thread careful.  The fair maiden spun the flaxen thread carefully.

38. Fixed Rule Eighteen An adjective gives more information to the noun when put together. Note: Do not put an adverb right before a noun.

39. One of those slowly creatures seems to be trapped in a mysteriously freeze.   One of those slow creatures seems to be trapped in a mysterious freeze.

40. Fixed Rule Nineteen An adjective is used after linking verbs. Do not use an adverb.(appear, be, become, come, feel, get, go, grow, keep, look, pass, prove, remain, seem, smell, sound, stay, taste, turn)

41. a) The magic of this land kept the settlement cleanly.   The magic of this land kept the settlement clean. b) Her visage became miserably when he told her the news.  Her visage became miserable when he told her the news.

42. Fixed Rule Twenty Redundancy- 'More' cannot be paired with comparatives. 'Most' cannot be paired with superlatives Redundant: no longer needed or useful; superfluous. (of words) able to be omitted without loss of meaning or function. Comparatives: expressing a higher degree of a quality, but not the highest possible (e.g. braver; more fiercely Superlatives: expressing the highest or a very high degree of a quality (e.g. bravest, most fiercely).

43. a) Even though they are more younger compared to the other participants, they can play the game more better than the rest.   Even though they are younger compared to the other participants, they can play the game better than the rest. b) She is the most prettiest girl in my class.   She is the prettiest girl in my class

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