Grammar Essentials (Handbook)
🔒 Log in to trackA complete working grammar for SSC: parts of speech, tenses, subject-verb agreement, articles, prepositions, conjunctions, modals, conditionals, comparison, question tags, non-finites and inversion. It is rarely asked by name, but it decides roughly 7 Tier 1 questions (error spotting, sentence improvement, fill in the blanks, voice and narration) and about 10 in Tier 2.
One page per subtopic: detailed notes, every question type, formulas, tricks and practice sets.
Every formula on one printable page, grouped by subtopic.
5 exam-level questions worked step by step.
98 questions — untimed practice or a timed test with analysis.
Track record in the exam
Test difficulty mix (98 questions)
Question patterns exams keep repeating
Taken from previous-year papers. If a pattern is marked "very common", expect to see it in your exam.
Spot the error in a sentence
very commonA sentence is split into four parts by slashes, and one part has a mistake.
Check each part for verb agreement, tense, article, preposition and verb form.
Cover phrases like 'as well as' when finding the subject.
Find the error: 'The principal, as well as the teachers, / were present / at the annual function / held last Friday.'
Cover 'as well as the teachers'
The subject is 'the principal' (singular)
So 'were' is wrong
Answer: it should be was present
Verb form and tense blank
very commonOne blank, and all the options are forms of one verb.
Look for clue words (since, ago, tomorrow, as soon as).
Decide if the action is finished, continuing, or before another action.
My uncle ___ in Canada since 2019. Options: lives / lived / has been living / will live
'since 2019' links the past to now
He is still living there
This needs the present perfect continuous
Answer: has been living
Improve the highlighted part
very commonA part is highlighted and the options try to replace it, often with 'No improvement'.
Work out the correct form yourself, then find it in the options.
If the bold part is already right, choose 'No improvement'.
Improve the part 'would have told': If you would have told me earlier, I would have helped you.
This is a past condition that did not happen
The if-part takes 'had + V3'
'would have' is only for the main part
Answer: had told
Question tags
commonA sentence ends with a comma and a blank for the tag.
Use the same helping verb and flip positive/negative.
Nobody, nothing, never make the sentence negative; use 'they' for nobody.
Nobody called while I was out, ___? Options: didn't they / did they / did he / didn't he
'Nobody' makes the sentence negative
So the tag is positive
'Nobody' takes the pronoun 'they'
Answer: did they
Pick the correct sentence
commonFour full sentences are given and each has a different grammar point.
Name the rule being tested in each one.
The sentence that follows every rule is the answer.
Choose the correct sentence: (a) Everest is highest peak in the world. (b) Everest is higher than any other peak in the world. (c) Everest is more high than any other peak in the world. (d) Everest is the most higher peak in the world.
(a) is missing 'the'
(c) 'more high' is wrong
(d) 'most higher' uses two markers
Answer: (b)
Fixed preposition blank
very commonThe blank follows an adjective or verb like fond, good, capable, insist.
Learn each word with its partner: fond of, good at, capable of.
Do not choose by meaning alone.
She is not capable ___ handling the project alone. Options: of / in / for / to
The fixed pair is 'capable of'
The verb after it takes -ing
The other prepositions are not used with 'capable'
Answer: of
Article blank (a / an / the)
commonThe blank is before a noun and the options are a, an, the.
Say the next word aloud.
Vowel sound: an. Consonant sound: a.
He waited for ___ hour at the bus stop. Options: a / an / the / no article
'hour' starts with a silent h
So it starts with a vowel sound
Vowel sound needs 'an'
Answer: an
Word form (noun / adjective / adverb)
commonAll the options come from one word, like succeed / success / successful / successfully.
Decide what kind of word the blank needs.
After 'the' or 'of': noun. Before a noun: adjective. After a verb: adverb.
Hard work is the key to ___. Options: succeed / success / successful / successfully
After 'the key to' we need a noun
'succeed' is a verb
'successful' is an adjective
Answer: success
Inversion and -ing / to forms
commonThe sentence starts with 'No sooner', 'Hardly' or 'Never', or a verb like avoid / enjoy is followed by another verb.
After a negative opener, put the helping verb before the subject.
After enjoy, avoid, prepositions use -ing; after decide, promise use to + verb.
Find the error: 'No sooner the bell rang / than the students / rushed out / of the classroom.'
'No sooner' at the start needs the helping verb first
So 'the bell rang' is wrong
The error is in part 1
Answer: it should be No sooner had the bell rung