What Is Subject-Verb Agreement?

If you are interested in subject-verb agreement, you've come to the right place.
However, before diving headfirst into the rules, it's good to have a little explanation.
The subject and verb within a sentence need to agree with each other in number in
order for a sentence to make sense.

For example, if you use the plural subject they, you would use the plural are in the
sentence, "They are fun." Additionally, if you use the singular she, you would use the
singular is in the sentence, "She is fun." It wouldn't make sense to say "They is fun"
or "She are fun" because those subjects and verbs don't agree.

What Are the Rules of Subject-Verb

Agreement?
It might seem like subject-verb agreement has many rules, but you'll quickly notice
that one ties into the next. In the end, it'll all make sense. To help clarify the examples
of each rule, the subjects are in bold and verbs are in italics.

Rule 1. Number Agreement

Subjects and verbs must agree in number. This is the cornerstone rule that forms the
background of the concept. And, only the subject affects the verb! Nothing else
matters.
 The dog growls when he is angry.
 The dogs growl when they are angry.

Rule 2. Words Between Subject and Verb

Subordinate clauses and prepositional phrases that come between the subject and verb

don't affect their agreement.
 The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually very good.
 The colors of the rainbow are beautiful.
 Rule 3. There or Here

When sentences start with "there" or "here," the subject will always be placed after
the verb. Some care needs to be taken to identify each part correctly.

 There is a problem with the balance sheet.

 Here are the papers you requested.

Rule 4. Subject After Verb in Questions

Subjects don't always come before verbs in questions. Make sure you accurately
identify the subject before deciding on the proper verb form to use.
 Where are the pieces of this puzzle?
 Where is the key I left on the desk?
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Rule 5. Joined by And

If two subjects are joined by "and," they typically require a plural verb form.

 The cow and the pig are jumping over the moon.

 Billy and Jake are going to the movies.

Rule 6. Two Subjects Separated by And

The verb is singular if the two subjects separated by "and" refer to the same person or
thing as a whole.

 Red beans and rice is my mom's favorite dish.

 Spaghetti and meatballs is a great meal.

Rule 7. Each, Every and No

If the word "each," "every" or "no" comes before the subject, the verb is singular.

 No smoking or drinking is allowed.
 Every man and woman is required to check in.

Rule 8. Multiple Subjects Connected With

Conjunction
 If the subjects are both singular and are connected by the words "or," "nor,"
"neither/nor," "either/or," or "not only/but also," the verb is singular. If the subjects
are both plural and are connected by the words "or," "nor," "neither/nor," "either/or,"
or "not only/but also," the verb is plural.

 Either Jessica or Christian is to blame for the accident

 Not only dogs but also cats are available at the animal shelter.

Rule 9. Singular and Plural Subjects Connected

by Conjunction

If one subject is singular and the other is plural and the words are connected by the
words "or," "nor," "neither/nor," "either/or," or "not only/but also," use the verb form
of the subject that is nearest the verb.

 Either the bears or the lion has  escaped from the zoo.

 Neither the lion nor the bears have escaped from the zoo.
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Rule 10. Units of Measure

The singular verb form is usually reserved for units of measurement or time.

 Four quarts of oil was required to get the car running.

 Ten minutes is enough time to get there.

Rule 11. Object of the Preposition

The only time the object of the preposition decides plural or singular verb forms is
when noun and pronoun subjects like "some," "half," "none," "more," or "all" are
followed by a prepositional phrase. Then the object of the preposition determines the
form of the verb.
 All of the chicken is gone.
 All of the chickens are gone.

Rule 12. Infinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns typically take singular verbs. The exceptions to the rule include
the pronouns "few," "many," "several," and "both." These always take the plural form.
 Everybody wants to be loved.
 Few were left alive after the flood.

Rule 13. Gerunds

When gerunds are used as the subject of a sentence, they take the singular form of the
verb. However, when they are linked by "and," they take the plural form.
 Standing in the water was a bad idea.
 Swimming in the ocean and playing drums are my hobbies.

Rule 14. Collective Nouns

A collective noun, such as "team" or "staff," can be either singular or plural

depending upon the rest of the sentence. Typically, they take the singular form, as the
collective noun is treated as a cohesive single unit.
 The herd is stampeding.
 The flock is flying south.

Rule 15. Titles of Books

Titles of books, movies, novels, and other similar works are treated as singular and
take a singular verb.

 The Burbs is a movie starring Tom Hanks.

 Gone With the Wind is my favorite movie of all time.
 Six Preposition Rules
Prepositions form a small but very important word class. We use
prepositions very frequently. In fact, the prepositions to, of, in, for, on,
with, at, by, from are all in the top 25 words in English. If you can
understand and correctly use prepositions, it will greatly improve your
fluency. And remember, there are not very many prepositions. There are
only 150 prepositions and we only use about 70 of these commonly. The
following rules will help you understand and use prepositions correctly.

1. A preposition must have an object

All prepositions have objects. If a "preposition" does not have an object it is
not a preposition—it's probably an adverb. A preposition always has
an object. An adverb never has an object. Look at these example sentences:

 They are in the kitchen. (preposition in has object the kitchen)

Please come in. (adverb in has no object; it qualifies come)
 There was a doorway before me. (preposition before has object me)
I had never seen it before. (adverb before has no object; it
qualifies seen)
 I will call after work. (preposition after has object work)
He called soon after. (adverb after has no object; it qualifies called)

2. pre-position means place before
The name “preposition” indicates that a preposition (usually)
comes before something (its object):

 I put it in the box.

But even when a preposition does not come before its object, it is still

closely related to its object:

 Who did you talk to? / I talked to Jane.

3. A pronoun following a preposition should be in

object form
The noun or pronoun that follows a preposition forms a
‘prepositional object’. If it is a pronoun, it should therefore be in
the objective form (me, her, them), not subjective form (I, she, they):

 This is from my wife and me.
  That’s between him and her.
 Mary gave it to them.

4. Preposition forms
Prepositions have no particular form. The majority of prepositions are one-
word prepositions, but some are two- or three-word phrases known as
complex-prepositions:

 one-word prepositions (before, into, on)

 complex prepositions (according to, but for, in spite of, on account
of)

5. to preposition and to infinitive are not the same

Do not confuse the infinitive particle “to” (to sing, to live) with
the preposition “to” (to London, to me).

to as preposition

 I look forward to lunch
I look forward to seeing you
I look forward to see you
 They are committed to the project.
They are committed to keeping the price down.
They are committed to keep the price down.
 I am used to cars.
I am used to driving.
I am used to drive.

to as infinitive particle

 They used to live in Moscow.

 They love to sing.

6. The golden preposition rule

A preposition is followed by a "noun". It is NEVER followed by a verb.
 MOST COMMON ENGLISH
IDIOMS
These English idioms are extremely common in everyday
conversation in the United States. You will hear them in movies
and TV shows and can use them to make your English sound
more like that of a native speaker. 

Idiom Meaning Usage

A blessing in a good thing that seemed bad at as part of a

disguise first sentence

A dime a dozen Something common as part of a

sentence

Beat around the bush Avoid saying what you mean, as part of a
usually because it is sentence
uncomfortable

Better late than never Better to arrive late than not to by itself
come at all

Bite the bullet To get something over with as part of a

because it is inevitable sentence

Break a leg Good luck by itself

Call it a day Stop working on something as part of a

 Idiom Meaning Usage

sentence

Cut somebody some Don't be so critical as part of a

slack sentence

Cutting corners Doing something poorly in as part of a

order to save time or money sentence

Easy does it Slow down by itself

Get out of hand Get out of control as part of a

sentence

Get something out of Do the thing you've been as part of a

your system wanting to do so you can move sentence
on

Get your act together Work better or leave by itself

Give someone the Trust what someone says as part of a

benefit of the doubt sentence

Go back to the Start over as part of a

drawing board sentence
 Idiom Meaning Usage

Hang in there Don't give up by itself

Hit the sack Go to sleep as part of a

sentence

It's not rocket science It's not complicated by itself

Let someone off the To not hold someone as part of a

hook responsible for something sentence

Make a long story Tell something briefly as part of a

short sentence

Miss the boat It's too late as part of a

sentence

No pain, no gain You have to work for what you by itself

want

On the ball Doing a good job as part of a

sentence

Pull someone's leg To joke with someone as part of a

sentence
 Idiom Meaning Usage

Pull yourself together Calm down by itself

So far so good Things are going well so far by itself

Speak of the devil The person we were just talking by itself

about showed up!

That's the last straw My patience has run out by itself

The best of both An ideal situation as part of a

worlds sentence

Time flies when You don't notice how long by itself

you're having fun something lasts when it's fun

To get bent out of To get upset as part of a

shape sentence

To make matters Make a problem worse as part of a

worse sentence

Under the weather Sick as part of a

sentence

We'll cross that Let's not talk about that by itself

 Idiom Meaning Usage

bridge when we problem right now

come to it

Wrap your head Understand something as part of a

around something complicated sentence

You can say that That's true, I agree by itself

again

Your guess is as I have no idea by itself

good as mine

Common English idioms &

expressions
These English idioms are used quite regularly in the United
States. You may not hear them every day, but they will be very
familiar to any native English speaker. You can be confident
using any of them when the context is appropriate.

Idiom Meaning Usage

A bird in the hand is What you have is worth more by itself

worth two in the bush than what you might have later

A penny for your Tell me what you're thinking by itself

thoughts

A penny saved is a Money you save today you can by itself

penny earned spend later

A perfect storm the worst possible situation as part of a

sentence

A picture is worth Better to show than tell by itself

1000 words

Actions speak louder Believe what people do and by itself

than words not what they say

Add insult to injury To make a bad situation worse as part of a

sentence

Barking up the wrong To be mistaken, to be looking as part of a

tree for solutions in the wrong sentence
 Idiom Meaning Usage

place

Birds of a feather People who are alike are often by itself

flock together friends (usually used
negatively)

Bite off more than you Take on a project that you as part of a
can chew cannot finish sentence

Break the ice Make people feel more as part of a

comfortable sentence

By the skin of your Just barely as part of a

teeth sentence

Comparing apples to Comparing two things that as part of a

oranges cannot be compared sentence

Costs an arm and a leg Very expensive as part of a

sentence

Do something at the Do something without having as part of a

drop of a hat planned beforehand sentence

Do unto others as you Treat people fairly. Also by itself

would have them do
 Idiom Meaning Usage

unto you known as "The Golden Rule"

Don't count your Don't count on something good by itself

chickens before they happening until it's happened.
hatch

Don't cry over spilt There's no reason to complain by itself

milk about something that can't be
fixed

Don't give up your day You're not very good at this by itself
job

Don't put all your eggs What you're doing is too risky by itself
in one basket

Every cloud has a Good things come after bad by itself

silver lining things

Get a taste of your Get treated the way you've as part of a

own medicine been treating others (negative) sentence

Give someone the cold Ignore someone as part of a

shoulder sentence

Go on a wild goose To do something pointless as part of a

 Idiom Meaning Usage

chase sentence

Good things come to Be patient by itself

those who wait

He has bigger fish to He has bigger things to take by itself

fry care of than what we are
talking about now

He's a chip off the old The son is like the father by itself
block

Hit the nail on the Get something exactly right by itself

head

Ignorance is bliss You're better off not knowing by itself

It ain't over till the fat This isn't over yet by itself
lady sings

It takes one to know You're just as bad as I am by itself

one

It's a piece of cake It's easy by itself

 Idiom Meaning Usage

It's raining cats and It's raining hard by itself

dogs

Kill two birds with Get two things done with a by itself
one stone single action

Let the cat out of the Give away a secret as part of a

bag sentence

Live and learn I made a mistake by itself

Look before you leap Take only calculated risks by itself

On thin ice On probation. If you make as part of a

another mistake, there will be sentence
trouble.

Once in a blue moon Rarely as part of a

sentence

Play devil's advocate To argue the opposite, just for as part of a

the sake of argument sentence

Put something on ice Put a projet on hold as part of a

sentence
 Idiom Meaning Usage

Rain on someone's To spoil something as part of a

parade sentence

Saving for a rainy day Saving money for later as part of a

sentence

Slow and steady wins Reliability is more important by itself

the race than speed

Spill the beans Give away a secret as part of a

sentence

Take a rain check Postpone a plan as part of a

sentence

Take it with a grain of Don’t take it too seriously as part of a

salt sentence

The ball is in your It's your decision by itself

court

The best thing since A really good invention as part of a

sliced bread sentence

The devil is in the It looks good from a distance, by itself

details but when you look closer,
 Idiom Meaning Usage

there are problems

The early bird gets the The first people who arrive by itself
worm will get the best stuff

The elephant in the The big issue, the problem as part of a

room people are avoiding sentence

The whole nine yards Everything, all the way. as part of a

sentence

There are other fish in It's ok to miss this opportunity. by itself

the sea Others will arise.

There's a method to He seems crazy but actually by itself

his madness he's clever

There's no such thing Nothing is entirely free by itself

as a free lunch

Throw caution to the Take a risk as part of a

wind sentence

You can't have your You can't have everything by itself

cake and eat it too
 Idiom Meaning Usage

You can't judge a This person or thing may look by itself

book by its cover bad, but it's good inside

Familiar English idioms & proverbs

These English idioms and proverbs are familiar and easily
understood by native English speakers, but they are not usually
used in everyday conversation. If you haven't mastered the more
frequent idioms yet, they are a better place to start, but if you're
already familiar with those expressions, the idioms below will
further spice up your English.
Idiom Meaning Usage

A little learning is a People who don't understand by itself

dangerous thing something fully are
dangerous

A snowball effect Events have momentum and as part of a

build upon each other sentence

A snowball's chance in No chance at all as part of a

hell sentence

A stitch in time saves Fix the problem now by itself

nine because it will get worse
later

A storm in a teacup A big fuss about a small as part of a

problem sentence

An apple a day keeps the Apples are good for you by itself
doctor away

An ounce of prevention You can prevent a problem by itself

is worth a pound of cure with little effort. Fixing it
later is harder.

As right as rain Perfect as part of a

sentence
Idiom Meaning Usage

Bolt from the blue Something that happened as part of a

without warning sentence

Burn bridges Destroy relationships as part of a

sentence

Calm before the storm Something bad is coming, as part of a

but right now it's calm sentence

Come rain or shine No matter what as part of a

sentence

Curiosity killed the cat Stop asking questions by itself

Cut the mustard Do a good job as part of a

sentence

Don't beat a dead horse Move on, this subject is over by itself

Every dog has his day Everyone gets a chance at by itself

least once

Familiarity breeds The better you know by itself

contempt someone the less you like
him
Idiom Meaning Usage

Fit as a fiddle In good health as part of a

sentence

Fortune favours the bold Take risks by itself

Get a second wind Have more energy after as part of a

having been tired sentence

Get wind of something Hear news of something as part of a

secret sentence

Go down in flames Fail spectacularly as part of a

sentence

Haste makes waste You'll make mistakes if you by itself

rush through something

Have your head in the Not be concentrating as part of a

clouds sentence

He who laughs last I'll get you back for what by itself
laughs loudest you did

Hear something straight Hear something from the as part of a

from the horse's mouth person involved sentence
Idiom Meaning Usage

He's not playing with a He's dumb by itself

full deck

He's off his rocker He's crazy by itself

He's sitting on the fence He can't make up his mind by itself

It is a poor workman If you can't do the job, don't by itself

who blames his tools blame it on others

It is always darkest Things are going to get by itself

before the dawn better

It takes two to tango One person alone isn't by itself

responsible. Both people are
involved.

Jump on the bandwagon Follow a trend, do what as part of a

everyone else is doing sentence

Know which way the Understand the situation as part of a

wind is blowing (usually negative) sentence

Leave no stone unturned Look everywhere as part of a

sentence
Idiom Meaning Usage

Let sleeping dogs lie Stop discussing an issue as part of a

sentence

Like riding a bicycle Something you never forget as part of a

how to do sentence

Like two peas in a pod They're always together as part of a

sentence

Make hay while the sun Take advantage of a good as part of a

shines situation sentence

On cloud nine Very happy as part of a

sentence

Once bitten, twice shy You're more cautious when by itself

you've been hurt before

Out of the frying pan Things are going from bad to by itself
and into the fire worse

Run like the wind Run fast as part of a

sentence

Shape up or ship out Work better or leave by itself

Idiom Meaning Usage

Snowed under Busy as part of a

sentence

That ship has sailed It's too late by itself

The pot calling the kettle Someone criticizing as part of a

black someone else he is just as sentence
bad

There are clouds on the Trouble is coming by itself

horizon

Those who live in glass People who are morally by itself

houses shouldn't throw questionable shouldn't
stones criticize others

Through thick and thin In good times and in bad as part of a

times sentence

Time is money Work quickly by itself

Waste not, want not Don't waste things and you'll by itself
always have enough

We see eye to eye We agree by itself

Idiom Meaning Usage

Weather the storm Go through something as part of a

difficult sentence

Well begun is half done Getting a good start is by itself

important

When it rains it pours Everything is going wrong at by itself

once

You can catch more flies You'll get what you want by by itself
with honey than you can being nice
with vinegar

You can lead a horse to You can't force someone to by itself

water, but you can't make the right decision
make him drink

You can't make an There's always a cost to by itself

omelet without breaking doing something
some eggs
 Top 100 common idioms with their
meanings and sentence examples:
Idiom Idioms Meaning

Beat around the bush To avoid talking about what’s important

Get your act together Get organized and do things effectively

Hit the sack Go to sleep

Your guess is as good as mine I do not know

Good things come to those who wait To have patience

Back against the wall Stuck in a difficult circumstance with no escape

Up in arms Being grumpy or angry about something

Scrape the barrel Making the most of the worst situation or things
because you can’t do anything about it

Burn your boats/bridges Doing something that makes it impossible to go back to the
original state.

Break fresh/ new ground Doing something that has never been done before

Sell like hot cakes Quick sellout

Run around in circles Putting efforts into something that is not worthwhile result

On cloud nine Being very happy

Left out in the cold Being ignored

Blow hot and cold Alternate inconsistently between moods and actions

Cut corners Doing something in an easier and least expensive manner

Boil the ocean Taking up an almost impossible or overly ambitious project

Keep an ear to the ground Staying informed and updated about everything

Eat like a horse Eating too excessively

A snowball effect The aspect of momentum in every event and how they build
upon each other

Important Tip to Learn Idioms with Examples and their meanings:

It is comparatively easier to remember words unlike idioms because idioms
(phrases) contain 3 or more words. And, remembering a chain of words and
then speaking them in the correct sequence is not easy. But, one thing you can
do is to repeat the idiom and their meaning a few times loudly and then use it
in 2 to 3 different sentences.

Now check out 80 idioms with examples and their meanings:

21.  In for a penny, in for a pound

Meaning: That someone is intentionally investing his time or money for a
particular project or task.
Example: When Athlead was booming, Jim was in for a penny and in for a
pound, that’s how much dedicated he was. 

22. A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush

Meaning: An opportunity in hand, currently, is better than a prospect in the
future, because time never repeats itself.
Example: The detective apprehended 3 criminals and saw other one running
but didn’t chase him, because she knew a bird in one hand is better than two
in the bush.

23. Chip off the old block

Meaning: That a person is similar in behaviour or actions like his parents.
Example: When grandmother saw her grandson collecting coins like her son
used to do, she knew he was a Chip off the old block.

24. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

Meaning: Treat people the same way you want to be treated.
Example: I felt Peter was a little cold today towards that homeless man, he
should do unto others as he would have them do unto him, because who
knows about time.

25. Don’t cry over spilt milk

Meaning: Don’t cry over what has happened as it can not be fixed.
Example: Walter failed his examination but his dad came and said just one
thing, “Son, Don’t cry over spilt milk.”
26. Every cloud has a silver lining
Meaning: Bad things one day eventually lead to good things.
Example: See, yesterday you were so morose as your phone was stolen but
look at you today, you got a promotion. Is it rightly said that every cloud has a
silver lining.

27. Beside yourself with joy

Meaning: To be extremely happy.
Example: I can see that you are beside yourself with joy on being selected for
the job, congratulations. 

28. Fair and square

Meaning: Being direct or fair.
Example: To tell you fair and square, I did everything that I was meant to do,
but I still feel unfulfilled. 

29. Having an Ace up the sleeve

Meaning: Have an advantage that is currently being withheld for future
purposes. 
Example: Brian kept quiet at the board meeting, who knew he had an Ace
hidden up his sleeve the whole time.

30.  A black sheep

Meaning: Being a disgrace for the family.
Example: They don’t talk about Olive anymore, turns out he was the Black
sheep for the family, he married someone else while he was still arranged to
his fiancé. 

31.  Hook, line and sinker

Meaning: Doing something or trying to achieve something with thoroughness
and passion.
Example: I have set my mind to go through the spreadsheets by Monday and I
am working for it Hook, line and sinker.

32.  Looking to your laurels

Meaning: Not be lost in your achievements and losing the sight of what is
supposed to happen.
Example: Look to your laurels but do not rest on it. 

33.  Bear a grudge

Meaning: To continue to feel angry or unfriendly for someone or something
because of a particular past incident.
Example: I Bear a grudge against him for not taking me into confidence.

34.  By the skin of your teeth

Meaning: To just barely get by or make it.
Example: Lester made the dance team By the skin of his teeth, you see the
audition gates were about to get closed.
35.  Down for the count
Meaning: Tired; giving up.
Example: My pet dog is down for the count after playing the whole day with
the frisbee.

36.  Draw the line

Meaning: To stop before a point where something okay gets not okay.
Example: Hey buddy, that’s enough, Draw the line before someone comes and
beats you to a pulp.

37.  Easier said than done

Meaning: Not as easy as it appears to be.
Example: Listen, losing weight is easier said than done, many people lack
commitment. 

38.  Break a leg

Meaning: Saying good luck to someone.
Example: Hey Barry, it’s time for you to get on the stage and present your
monologue, break a leg.

39.  Up a creek without a paddle

Meaning: In an unlucky situation.
Example: Dan tried to dine and dash yesterday at a Chinese place but he was
stopped by the waiters, guess he was up a creek without a paddle yesterday.

40.  Give it a whirl

Meaning: To give something a try.
Example: I am absolutely terrified of skydiving, but I think once in my life, I
will give it a whirl.

41.  Fish out of water

Meaning: To be out of your comfort zone.
Example: Tom felt like a fish out of water when his girlfriend took him to a
Star Wars convention in LA.

42.  In the fast lane

Meaning: A life filled with excitement.
Example: When Chris turned forty, he decided to live his life in the fast
lane and quit his job for his hobbies.

43.  Go the extra mile

Meaning: To make an extra effort.
Example: He was willing to go the extra mile for the love of his life, Mia.

44.  Snug as a bug in a rug

Meaning: Warm and cosy.
Meaning: The baby looks as snug as a bug in a rug next to her mother.

45.  Step up your game

Meaning: To start performing better
Example: Jennifer better step up her game if she wants to make big in
Basketball.
Idioms are used as a figurative language, i.e. the use of words in an imaginative
and unusual manner. Take a look at more idioms with examples.

46.  To not see the wood for the trees

Meaning: To be so involved in trivial matters that you don’t get the important
facts.
Example: He always argues on the silliest topics, it’s like he can’t see wood for
the trees.

47.  Lose your marbles

Meaning: To go insane.
Example: Our mailman has lost his marbles, every day he drops Mr. Smith’s
mail on our door. 

48.  Straight from the Horse’s mouth

Meaning: Directly from the person involved.
Example: Listen to the news straight from the horse’s mouth, his factory
burned down right in front of his eyes. 

49.  Crying Wolf

Meaning: To ask for help when you don’t need it.
Example: You have cried Wolf so many times that no one believes you now.

50.  Palm off

Meaning: Pass off something as genuine when it is spurious.
Example: This shopkeeper always palms off old stock to the customers.

51.  Has bigger fish to fry

Meaning: Has more important work to do.
Example: Please don’t bother me today with any calls, I have bigger fish to fry.

52.  Look before you leap

Meaning: Calculate the risks before advancing towards a possibility.
Example: You can’t just sell all of your shares when the market is low, look
before you leap, Trump is coming tomorrow, it is possible the shares will grow.

53.  On thin ice

Meaning: In a precarious or risky situation.
Example: Andy played hooky from work for a week saying he was sick, now his
boss said that he is on very thin ice.

54.  Play devil’s advocate

Meaning: To argue, just for the sake of it.
Example: He was not agreeing to back off, as if he was playing devil’s
advocate.

55.  Rain on someone’s parade

Meaning: To spoil a moment.
Example: He told his wife that he doesn’t want to rain on her parade, but they
had to shift their vacation dates.
56.  Take a rain check
Meaning: Postpone a plan.
Example: He asked me whether I would like to have dinner with his family, but
I had a thing so I said, rain check.

57.  Take it with a grain of salt

Meaning: Don’t take it too seriously.
Example: She tells great tales but we take whatever she says with a grain of
salt. 

58.  Like a cakewalk

Meaning: So easy task.
Example: Everyone took hours to write the code but Adam did it like a
cakewalk.

59.  Throw caution to the wind

Meaning: Take a risk.
Example: The caretaker threw caution to the wind by taking a sick baby
outside. 

60.  Penny wise and Pound foolish

Meaning: Careful in trivial matters but wasteful or extravagant in large matters.
Example: That man eats Ramen noodles daily for dinner but for his dog, he
threw a big party. He is indeed penny wise and pound foolish.

61.  The whole nine yards

Meaning: Everything, all the way.
Example: I want to know everything there is to know about this merger, the
whole nine yards of the deal.

62.  The best thing since sliced bread

Meaning: A really good invention.
Example: Bluetooth is officially the best thing since sliced bread. 

It is important to note that idioms itself do not create complete sentences and they
require additional context to give them a sense. Take a look at some more idioms
with examples and their meanings:

63.  Bite off more than you can chew

Meaning: Take on a difficult work that is beyond your capabilities. 
Example: Andrew told his boss that he will triple the sales but in reality, he bit
off more than he can chew and now all of us are in trouble.

64.  Play by the ear

Meaning: To improvise.
Example: I just went to Canada and did everything by the ear, no itinerary, no
schedules.

65.  Ignorance is bliss

Meaning: You are better off not knowing some things.
Example: His wife always asked him what it was he did late at night, turned
out, he was insider trading. But she knew nothing about this so she won’t be
convicted, sometimes ignorance is bliss. 
66.  Put something on ice
Meaning: To put something on hold.
Example: As per the boss’ order, Michael has put his personal matters on ice.

67.  You can say that again

Meaning: That’s absolutely true.
Example: “The Earth is bleeding”, you can say that again, pal.

68.  Bite the bullet

Meaning: To get something over with because it is inevitable.
Example: Vik was diagnosed with second stage cancer but he didn’t want to
get chemotherapy. By the will of his wife, he bit the bullet.

69.  Go back to the drawing board

Meaning: Start over.
Example: It is not too late to go back to the drawing board and assess your
mistakes.

70.  Call it a day

Meaning: Stop working on something.
Example: Ah! So what we didn’t complete the puzzle today, let’s call it a
day and come back again tomorrow.

71. Beating Around the Bush

Meaning: To talk about unnecessary things.
Example: When I asked my secretary about the missing file and documents,
she was beating around the bush.

72. Be in a Tight Corner.

Meaning: Being in a difficult situation.
Example: Radha’s low grades despite her constant efforts has put her in a
very tight corner.

73. At the 11th Hour

Meaning: At the last moment.
Example: While leaving for Shimla, Harshit kept his mobile phone charger in
the bag at the 11th hour.

74. Swan Song

Meaning: The last piece of work of an artist before his/her death.
Example: This painting was M.F Hussain’s swan song.

75. Wild Goose Chase

Meaning: Futile Chase
Example: Catching the two thieves together on a jam-packed road was no less
than a wild goose chase for the policeman.

76. Bury the Hatchet

Meaning: Ending a quarrel to make peace.
Example: My father buried the hatchet by equally diving the pasta between
me and my sister.
77. To Bell the Cat
Meaning: To face a risk.
Example: He belled the cat when he was trying to escape the prison.

78. Turn a deaf ear

Meaning: To ignore what someone is saying.
Example: Whenever her mother complained of her excessive use of mobile
phone, Anu turned a deaf ear.

79. At Sea
Meaning: Confused
Example: I was at sea while choosing a lehenga for my sister’s wedding at
Manish Malhotra’s store.

80. To be in the doldrums

Meaning: To be in a low spirit
Example: When I got to know about the increasing cases of COVID 19 in my
area, I was in the doldrums.

81. Hit the books

Meaning: Going to study
Example: I won’t be able to come for dinner as I have to hit the books for my
half-yearly examinations. 

82. Twist someone’s arm

Meaning: To convince someone
Example: I was not planning to come to the party but by remaining me of all
the good food you twisted my arm!

83. Stab someone in the back

Meaning: To betray a close person
Example: My uncle trusted his driver so much but he stabbed him at the
back when he saw all the money bags.

84. Go cold turkey

Meaning: To quit or stop addictive or dangerous behaviour
Example: No one could believe that my father left eating sweets! He went cold
turkey when the doctors told him that he has diabetes. 

85. Ring a bell

Meaning: Sounds familiar
Example: Why does this name ring a bell in my head? Was this girl in my
school? 

86. Cut to the chase

Meaning: Getting to the important point
Example: As the submissions were to be made tonight, boss cut to the
chase and asked us to start working. 
87. Blow off steam
Meaning: Experiencing strong feelings like anger or stress
Example: Shina went running to blow off steam as she had a huge fight with
mother. 

88. Face the music

Meaning: Face the reality
Example: Shikha asked her husband to not run away from the problem and
just face the music once!

89. To have sticky fingers

Meaning: Thief
Example: The cashier had a sticky finger, he stole around $2000 and ran away
from the bank. 

90. Break the bank

Meaning: To be very expensive
Example: I had to break the bank to but these shoes!

91. Face the music

Meaning: Confront the unpleasant consequences of one’s actions.
Example: We have done it and now it’s time to face the music!

92. It is always darkest before the dawn

Meaning: Things will get better
Example: I know you have gone through the worst, but remember it is always
darkest before the dawn.

93. Jump the gun

Meaning: To act on something promptly before the right time
Example: I think I jumped the gun by sending the e-mail before they tell the
time.

94. Wear your heart on your sleeve

Meaning: Expressing yourself too openly
Example: She wears her heart on her sleeve and often gets hurt.

95. Cut no ice

Meaning: Fail to make an impact
Example: Your poetry cuts no ice with me.

96. Light at the end of tunnel

Meaning: Seeing signs of improvement in the future
Example: I see the light at the end of the tunnel for my relationship with her.

97. Through thick and thin

Meaning: Through good and bad times
Example: Books and music stay by your side through thick and thin.

98. Cry for the moon

Meaning: To ask for something that is rather difficult
Example: You are crying for the moon for this concert’s tickets!
99. Read between the lines
Meaning: Understanding the real message behind something
Example: If you try to read between the lines, her song is actually about me.

100. Pour out one’s heart

Meaning: To express openly
Example: I can’t pour my heart out to you if you are too distracted by
everything around yourself.

a. SUBJECT-
VERB
 AGREEMEN
T

b. PREPOSITI
ON RULES

c. IDIOMATI
C
EXPRESSIO
NS
 d. Parts of
Speech
VOLUME 1

1. Noun
Any naming word (person, place, thing, or idea) is called a Noun.
Sometimes many students think a noun is the name of a person or place
only, but it can be a thing, idea, feeling, etc.

Let us see some examples of nouns; John, boy, country, United Kingdom,
New York City, cow, army, iron, honesty, etc. Nouns are underlined in the
below sentences for easy identification:

 John is a good boy.
 The United Kingdom is my favorite country.
 My brother lives in New York City.
 The Cow is roaming in the field.
 The army protects its homeland.
 Iron is beneficial for human life.
 Honesty is a good virtue.
There are five types of nouns in English. They are:

1. Proper noun
2. Common noun
3. Collective
4. Material noun
5. Abstract noun

2. Pronoun
A word that is placed instead of a noun is called a Pronoun. If we use a
single noun for every sentence, it doesn’t look good. For
example, James goes to meet with his friends, and James is enjoying the
party, and James recollects his old memories.

Here we use a single noun for every sentence, and that’s why it looks weird.
But if we use the pronoun ‘he’ for the last two sentences instead of ‘James,’
it seems pretty good.

That’s why we need to use a pronoun instead of a noun. Let us see examples
of pronouns; he, she, they, I, we, it, etc. Pronouns are underlined in the
below sentences for easy identification:

 He is going to the market to buy a t-shirt.

 She plays with her classmate.
 I am the only man who understands the matter.
 We are going to arrange a free campaign.
 It was considered that he would be won the trophy.
There are nine types of pronouns. They are:

1. Personal pronoun
2. Possessive pronoun
3. Reflexive pronoun
4. Demonstrative pronoun
5. Indefinite pronoun
6. Relative pronoun
7. Interrogative pronoun
8. Distributive pronoun
9. Reciprocal pronoun.

3. Adjective
A word used to describe a noun or pronoun is called an Adjective. In other
words, we can say an adjective usually modifies a noun or a pronoun.

For example, happy, good, clever, intelligent, lazy, large, etc. Adjectives are
underlined in the below sentences for easy identification:

 He looks like he is happy now.

 They had been playing good cricket at a time.
 Don’t try to be more clever.
 Undoubtedly he is an intelligent person.
 This animal is so lazy.
 I saw a large building.
There are nine types of adjectives. They are:

1. Proper Adjectives
2. Adjectives of Quality
3. Adjectives of Quantity
4. Numeral Adjectives
 5. Demonstrative Adjectives
6. Distributive Adjectives
7. Interrogative Adjectives
8. Possessive Adjectives
9. Articles

4. Verb
A word that expresses an action or doing something is called a Verb. For
example, am, is, are, was, were, have, has had, can, could, should, will, go,
play, read, want, sing, etc.

Verbs are underlined in the below sentences for easy identification:

 I am good at English.
 He is a good boy.
 They are playing in the field.
 She was suffering from a fever.
 These two boys were going to catch fish.
 I have a beautiful doll.
 They have gone to this place.
 He has done his job successfully.
 My sister had a sweet dog.
 He can do this work.
 You could attend this meeting.
 His father shall go to the field.
 You should be attentive to your study.
 She will go to meet her friends.
 He would claim a better job.
 Read the book carefully.
 The boy wants to sing a song.
There are four types of verbs. They are:

1. Auxiliary verb
2. Principal verb
3. Transitive verb
4. Intransitive verb

5. Adverb
A word that is used to add something to the meaning or modify a verb, an
adjective, or another adverb is called an Adverb.

For example, about, after, before, fast, slow, etc. Adverbs are underlined in
the below sentences for easy identification:

 Tell me something about you.
 Pass the book after him.
  He has done his task before the boy.
 They want to run fast.
 The tortoise walks slowly.
There are three types of Adverbs. They are:

1. Simple adverb
2. Relative adverb
3. Interrogative adverb

6. Preposition
A word that is placed before a noun or a pronoun or a noun-equivalent to
show its relation to any other term of the sentence is called a Preposition.

For example, on, in, to, for, with, within, above over, etc. Prepositions are
underlined in the below sentences for easy identification:

 He stores his books on his bookshelf.

 They have been playing football on the field since morning.
 He goes to the market to buy some clothes.
 She is dancing with her mates.
 The plane was flying above my head.
 He couldn’t succeed in this plan over the years.
There are three types of prepositions. They are:

1. Simple preposition
2. Double preposition
3. Compound preposition

7. Conjunction
A word that is usually used to join one word to another, one word to a
clause, or one sentence to another is called a Conjunction.

Conjunctions are of three types. They are:

1. Coordinating Conjunctions
2. Subordinating Conjunctions
3. Correlative Conjunctions
For example; and, but, or, if, though, than, since, so–that, as soon as, either–
or, neither–nor, etc. Conjunctions are underlined in the below sentences for
easy identification:
  Janny and Jammy are good friends.
 He is rich but cheap-minded.
 Please read more, or you will fail the exam.
 They will be good doctors if they work hard.
 He could attend the meeting though he had enough time.
 The boy is tall than the girl.
 It has been raining since morning.
 The older man is so poor that he can’t buy enough food.
 He left the place as soon as they came.
 Either Jack or John will do the task.
 She will neither come here nor her friend.

8. Interjection
A word used to express a short sudden emotion or excitement is called an
Interjection. For example, hurrah! alas! oops! Etc. Interjections are
underlined in the below sentences for easy identification:

 Hurrah! We won the match.

 Alas! She is no more.
 Oops! They can’t do this job correctly.
There are three kinds of Interjections. They are:

1. Volitive Interjection
2. Emotive Interjection
3. Cognitive Interjection.

Conclusion

To sum up, we may say without parts of speech; we can’t make a sentence.
These eight parts of speech are the fundamental parts of English grammar.
What are the parts of speech?
In English grammar, parts of speech are the category of words intended to reflect their
functions in grammatical context or have similar grammatical properties.
Words are considered the smallest ingredients. Based on their use and functions, these
are categorized into different parts of speech.

There are eight parts of speech in the English language. Parts of speech list is as
under:

1. Noun (Naming word)

2. Pronoun (Replaces a noun)
3. Verb (Action Word)
4. Adjective (Qualifies noun) 
5. Adverb (Describe a word)
6. Preposition (Shows relationship)
7. Conjunction (Joining word)
8. Interjection (Expressive word)

What is a noun?
Name of person, place, thing or idea

Examples: Shahid, Pakistan, table, wish

Example sentences: Shahid lives in Karachi. Pervaiz uses pen and paper to
write letters.
What are the types of nouns?

Proper Noun: Starts with a capital letter and refers to specific names of a person,
place or thing.
Examples: Akmal, Karachi, Suzuki Car

Common Noun:  These are the opposite of proper nouns and are just generic names
of persons, places or things.
Examples: cycle, playground, ice cream parlor.

Concrete Noun: It can be perceived by your senses.

Examples: paper, sand.
Abstract Noun: These cannot be perceived through your five senses.
Examples: sadness, bravery.

Count Noun: Anything that is countable, and has a singular and plural form.
Examples:  kids, book, bike.

Mass Noun:  It is the opposite of count nouns. Mass nouns are also called non-
countable nouns. They need to have “counters” to quantify them.
Examples of Counters: gallon, kilo, cup, meter
Examples of Mass Nouns: water, flour, distance

Collective Noun: It refers to a group of persons, animals, or things.

Example: faculty (group of teachers), pride (group of lions)

What is a Pronoun?
A pronoun is used in place of a noun or noun phrase to avoid repetition.

Examples: I, he, she, you, we, they, it, me, us, them, him, her, this, those
Example sentences: Shahid is going to school. He wants to drink water.

What is a verb?  
A verb shows an action or state of being. A verb shows what someone or something
is doing.
Examples: go, play, live, walk, have, like, are, is, speak, run
Example sentences: I like English book. I study their stories.

What is an adjective?
An adjective describes, modifies or gives more information about a noun or pronoun.
Examples: young, fun, crazy, big, happy, green.
Example sentences: The little boy had a red hat.

What is an adverb?
An adverb describes/modifies a verb, an adjective or another adverb. It tells how,
where, when, how often or to what extent.
Examples: slowly, quietly, very, tomorrow, here, always, never.
Example sentences: I am usually busy. Yesterday, I ate my breakfast quickly.

What are the types of adverbs?

Adverb of Time: It states “when” something happens or “when” it is done.
Example: He went yesterday.

Adverb of Place: It tells something about “where” something happens or”where”

something is done.
Example: He looked everywhere.

Adverb of Manner: It refers to how something happens or how an action is done.

Example: He completed his task amicably.
Adverb of Degree: States intensity or degree to which a specific thing happens or is
done.
Example: The child is very talented.

What is a preposition?
A preposition shows the relationship of a noun or pronoun to another word. They can
indicate time, place, or relationship.
Examples: at, on, in, from, between, about, under, with.
Example sentences: I left my pen on the table for you.

What is a conjunction?
A conjunction joins two words, ideas, phrases or clauses together in a sentence and
shows how they are connected.
Examples: and, or, but, because, since, if, so, yet.
Example sentences: I was hot and exhausted but I still finished the race
successfully.

What is an interjection?
An interjection is a word or phrase that expresses a strong feeling or emotion. It is a
short exclamation.
Examples: Wow! Oh! Hey! Hi! Great! Help!
Example sentences: Wow! I passed my Chemistry test with good marks.