Chapter 5: Grammar in Context (Applied from Passages)
📖 PSTET English Language - Paper I & II
🎯 Chapter Overview
Welcome to the most comprehensive grammar chapter in your PSTET preparation journey! Grammar questions in PSTET are never asked in isolation—they are always context-based, drawn directly from the comprehension passages. This means you need to understand not just the rules, but how grammar functions in real texts.
In this extensive chapter, you will learn:
✅ Parts of Speech with detailed explanations and passage-based examples
✅ Tenses and Subject-Verb Agreement—how to identify and correct errors
✅ Sentence Structure—clauses, and types of sentences (simple, compound, complex)
✅ Transformation of Sentences—degrees of comparison, active/passive voice, direct/indirect speech
💡 PSTET Connection: Grammar questions account for 3-4 questions per passage, making up a significant portion of your English score . Mastery of this chapter can help you secure full marks in this section!
📚 5.1 Parts of Speech Refresher
🔑 What Are Parts of Speech?
Every word in English belongs to a category based on its function in a sentence. Understanding these categories is fundamental to analyzing any passage.
| Part of Speech | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | Names a person, place, thing, or idea | teacher, Punjab, book, happiness |
| Pronoun | Replaces a noun | he, she, it, they, we |
| Adjective | Describes a noun | brilliant, difficult, green, several |
| Verb | Shows action or state | teach, learn, is, become |
| Adverb | Describes a verb, adjective, or other adverb | quickly, very, well, carefully |
| Preposition | Shows relationship between words | in, on, at, under, between |
| Conjunction | Connects words or sentences | and, but, or, because, although |
| Interjection | Expresses emotion | Wow! Oh! Alas! Hurray! |
🏷️ 1. Nouns: Naming Words
Types of Nouns with PSTET-Relevant Examples
| Noun Type | Definition | Classroom Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Proper Noun | Specific name (always capitalized) | Punjab, India, Mrs. Sharma, Delhi |
| Common Noun | General name | teacher, student, school, book |
| Collective Noun | Group of things | class, team, committee, audience |
| Abstract Noun | Idea or concept | education, knowledge, happiness, freedom |
| Concrete Noun | Physical object | desk, chalk, blackboard, textbook |
📝 Passage-Based Example
"The students in Mrs. Sharma's class showed remarkable enthusiasm for mathematics."
| Noun | Type | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| students | Common Noun | General term for learners |
| Mrs. Sharma's | Proper Noun | Specific person's name |
| class | Collective Noun | Group of students |
| enthusiasm | Abstract Noun | Feeling/emotion |
| mathematics | Abstract Noun | Subject/discipline |
👤 2. Pronouns: Replacing Nouns
Personal Pronouns Table
| Person | Subject | Object | Possessive Adjective | Possessive Pronoun | Reflexive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Singular | I | me | my | mine | myself |
| 2nd Singular | you | you | your | yours | yourself |
| 3rd Singular (M) | he | him | his | his | himself |
| 3rd Singular (F) | she | her | her | hers | herself |
| 3rd Singular (N) | it | it | its | - | itself |
| 1st Plural | we | us | our | ours | ourselves |
| 2nd Plural | you | you | your | yours | yourselves |
| 3rd Plural | they | them | their | theirs | themselves |
📝 Passage-Based Example
"Ravi loved his school. He went there every day, and his teachers appreciated him. They said he was a model student."
| Pronoun | Refers To | Type |
|---|---|---|
| his | Ravi | Possessive Adjective |
| He | Ravi | Subject Pronoun |
| him | Ravi | Object Pronoun |
| They | teachers | Subject Pronoun |
🎨 3. Adjectives: Describing Words
Adjectives modify nouns by answering: What kind? Which one? How many?
Types of Adjectives
| Type | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | Describes characteristic | brilliant student, difficult exam |
| Quantity | How much | some knowledge, enough time |
| Number | How many | three books, several students |
| Demonstrative | Points out | this school, that child |
| Possessive | Shows ownership | my class, their homework |
| Interrogative | Asks question | which book? whose pen? |
📝 Passage-Based Example
"The dedicated teacher prepared interesting lessons for her young students. Every child in her crowded classroom felt special."
| Adjective | Type | Noun Modified |
|---|---|---|
| dedicated | Quality | teacher |
| interesting | Quality | lessons |
| young | Quality | students |
| Every | Distributive | child |
| crowded | Quality | classroom |
| special | Quality | (implied: child) |
⚡ 4. Verbs: Action and Being Words
Types of Verbs
| Verb Type | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Action Verb | Shows physical/mental action | run, think, teach, learn |
| Linking Verb | Connects subject to description | is, am, are, was, were, become, seem |
| Helping Verb | Helps main verb show tense/mood | have, do, will, can, must, should |
| Transitive | Needs an object | She teaches students. |
| Intransitive | No object needed | The sun rises. |
📝 Passage-Based Example
"The children were playing in the playground when the bell rang. Their teacher called them inside, but they did not want to leave."
| Verb | Type | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| were playing | Action + Helping | Past continuous tense |
| rang | Action | Simple past, intransitive |
| called | Action | Simple past, transitive (called them) |
| did not want | Action + Helping | Past tense with negative |
🏃 5. Adverbs: Modifying Verbs, Adjectives, and Other Adverbs
Adverbs answer: How? When? Where? How often? To what extent?
Types of Adverbs
| Type | Question Answered | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Manner | How? | carefully, quickly, well, loudly |
| Time | When? | now, then, yesterday, soon |
| Place | Where? | here, there, inside, everywhere |
| Frequency | How often? | always, never, sometimes, daily |
| Degree | To what extent? | very, quite, almost, too |
📝 Passage-Based Example
"The students listened attentively to the teacher. They almost never missed homework and always submitted it on time."
| Adverb | Type | Modifies |
|---|---|---|
| attentively | Manner | listened (verb) |
| almost | Degree | never (adverb) |
| never | Frequency | missed (verb) |
| always | Frequency | submitted (verb) |
🔗 6. Prepositions: Relationship Words
Prepositions show relationships of time, place, direction, and manner.
Common Prepositions by Category
| Category | Prepositions |
|---|---|
| Place | in, on, at, under, above, between, behind, near |
| Time | at, on, in, before, after, during, since, for |
| Direction | to, toward, into, onto, through, across |
| Manner/Other | with, without, by, about, like, except |
📝 Passage-Based Example
"The exam will be held on Monday at 10 AM in the main hall. Students must arrive before 9:30 AM with their admit cards."
| Preposition | Type | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| on | Time | specific day |
| at | Time | specific time |
| in | Place | location |
| before | Time | earlier than |
| with | Manner | accompaniment |
🔌 7. Conjunctions: Connecting Words
Types of Conjunctions
| Type | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Coordinating | Joins equal elements | and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so |
| Subordinating | Joins dependent to independent | because, although, if, when, while, since |
| Correlative | Pairs of connectors | either...or, neither...nor, both...and |
FANBOYS: Coordinating Conjunctions Memory Aid
| F | A | N | B | O | Y | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For | And | Nor | But | Or | Yet | So |
📝 Passage-Based Example
"The students studied hard because they wanted to pass, but some found the exam difficult. Although they were tired, they kept trying, so they eventually succeeded."
| Conjunction | Type | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| because | Subordinating | Shows reason |
| but | Coordinating | Shows contrast |
| Although | Subordinating | Shows concession |
| so | Coordinating | Shows result |
😲 8. Interjections: Emotion Words
Interjections express sudden emotion and are usually followed by an exclamation mark.
| Interjection | Emotion |
|---|---|
| Wow! | Surprise/admiration |
| Oh! | Realization/surprise |
| Alas! | Sorrow/grief |
| Hurray! | Joy/celebration |
| Oh no! | Dismay/fear |
📝 Passage-Based Example
"Wow! The students had all passed the exam. Hurray! they shouted together. Alas! one student was missing due to illness."
⏰ 5.2 Tenses and Subject-Verb Agreement
🔑 Understanding Tenses
Tense indicates the time of an action or state of being. English has three main tenses, each with four aspects.
The 12 Tense Structures
| Tense | Simple | Continuous | Perfect | Perfect Continuous |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present | I teach | I am teaching | I have taught | I have been teaching |
| Past | I taught | I was teaching | I had taught | I had been teaching |
| Future | I will teach | I will be teaching | I will have taught | I will have been teaching |
📝 Tense Identification in Passages
Present Tenses
| Tense | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | Facts, habits, routines | "Teachers prepare lessons daily." |
| Present Continuous | Ongoing now | "The students are writing an exam." |
| Present Perfect | Past with present relevance | "She has taught for ten years." |
| Present Perfect Continuous | Started past, continuing | "They have been studying since morning." |
Past Tenses
| Tense | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Past | Completed past action | "The bell rang at 4 PM." |
| Past Continuous | Ongoing in the past | "The children were playing when it rained." |
| Past Perfect | Before another past action | "They had finished before the teacher arrived." |
| Past Perfect Continuous | Duration before past event | "She had been teaching for 20 years by then." |
Future Tenses
| Tense | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Future | Prediction, intention | "The results will be announced tomorrow." |
| Future Continuous | Ongoing in future | "This time next week, we will be celebrating." |
| Future Perfect | Completed by future time | "By March, she will have completed her training." |
| Future Perfect Continuous | Duration up to future time | "By 2025, he will have been teaching for 20 years." |
⚖️ Subject-Verb Agreement: The Golden Rules
Subject-verb agreement means the subject and verb must match in number (singular/plural) and person (first/second/third).
Rule 1: Basic Agreement
| Subject | Verb Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | Verb + s/es | "The teacher teaches well." |
| Plural | Base verb | "The teachers teach well." |
| I | Base verb | "I teach every day." |
| You | Base verb | "You teach beautifully." |
Rule 2: Intervening Phrases Don't Matter
The verb agrees with the subject, not with words in between.
❌ Incorrect: "The group of students are excited."
✅ Correct: "The group of students is excited." (Subject = group)
Rule 3: Compound Subjects
| Type | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Joined by 'and' | Usually plural | "Ravi and Meera are studying." |
| Joined by 'or/nor' | Agree with closer subject | "Neither the teacher nor the students were present." |
Rule 4: Indefinite Pronouns
| Always Singular | Always Plural | Depends on Context |
|---|---|---|
| everyone, somebody, nobody, each, either, neither | both, few, many, several | all, some, none, most |
"Everyone is welcome." (singular)
"Few understand the concept." (plural)
"All is lost." / "All are invited." (context matters)
Rule 5: Collective Nouns
Collective nouns (team, class, family) can be singular or plural based on meaning.
"The class is studying." (as a unit → singular)
"The class are discussing among themselves." (as individuals → plural)
Rule 6: Titles and Names
Titles, even if plural in form, take singular verbs.
"The Chronicles of Narnia is a famous book series."
🔍 Error Detection in Passages
Common Subject-Verb Agreement Errors
| Error Type | Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|---|
| Intervening phrase | "The collection of poems were published." | "The collection of poems was published." |
| Indefinite pronoun | "Everybody are welcome." | "Everybody is welcome." |
| Compound subject | "Ravi and Meera is coming." | "Ravi and Meera are coming." |
| Collective noun | "The committee have decided." (as unit) | "The committee has decided." |
📝 Practice Passage: Tenses and Subject-Verb Agreement
Read this passage and identify the errors:
(1) The importance of education in a child's life cannot be overstated. It provide the foundation for future success and personal growth. (2) Every child, regardless of their background, deserve access to quality education. (3) The government has implement several schemes to improve enrollment rates, but challenges remains. (4) In rural areas, a shortage of teachers have been a persistent problem. (5) However, community involvement and innovative teaching methods is helping to address these issues.
✅ Corrected Version
| Line | Error | Correction | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | provide | provides | Education (singular) needs singular verb |
| 2 | deserve | deserves | Every child (singular) needs singular verb |
| 3 | implement | implemented | Present perfect needs past participle |
| 3 | remains | remain | Challenges (plural) needs plural verb |
| 4 | have | has | Shortage (singular) needs singular verb |
| 5 | is | are | Involvement and methods (plural) need plural verb |
📐 5.3 Sentence Structure: Clauses and Sentence Types
🔑 What is a Clause?
A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb.
| Clause Type | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Independent Clause | Can stand alone as a complete sentence | "The teacher entered the classroom." |
| Dependent Clause | Cannot stand alone; needs an independent clause | "When the teacher entered the classroom..." |
🔗 Types of Dependent Clauses
1. Noun Clause (Functions as a noun)
| Function | Example |
|---|---|
| Subject | "What she taught was interesting." |
| Object | "I know that she is a teacher." |
| Complement | "This is what I learned." |
2. Adjective Clause (Modifies a noun) - Also called Relative Clause
| Relative Pronoun | Example |
|---|---|
| who (for people) | "The teacher who inspires me is Mrs. Sharma." |
| which (for things) | "The book which I read was helpful." |
| that (for people/things) | "The lesson that we studied was difficult." |
| whose (possession) | "The student whose parents came was happy." |
3. Adverb Clause (Modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb)
| Subordinating Conjunction | Example |
|---|---|
| Time (when, while, after) | "When the bell rang, the students left." |
| Reason (because, since) | "They studied hard because they wanted to pass." |
| Condition (if, unless) | "If you practice, you will improve." |
| Contrast (although, though) | "Although it was difficult, she succeeded." |
📊 Types of Sentences
1. Simple Sentence
One independent clause, no dependent clauses.
"The students studied for the exam."
| Subject | Verb | Object/Complement |
|---|---|---|
| The students | studied | for the exam |
2. Compound Sentence
Two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS).
"The students studied for the exam, but they were still nervous."
| Independent Clause 1 | Conjunction | Independent Clause 2 |
|---|---|---|
| The students studied for the exam | but | they were still nervous |
3. Complex Sentence
One independent clause + one or more dependent clauses.
"Although they studied hard, the students found the exam challenging."
| Dependent Clause | Independent Clause |
|---|---|
| Although they studied hard | the students found the exam challenging |
4. Compound-Complex Sentence
Two or more independent clauses + one or more dependent clauses.
"Although they studied hard, the students found the exam challenging, so they asked for extra help."
| Dependent Clause | Independent Clause 1 | Conjunction | Independent Clause 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Although they studied hard | the students found the exam challenging | so | they asked for extra help |
📝 Sentence Type Identification Practice
Identify the sentence type for each:
"Education is the most powerful weapon to change the world." → Simple
"Teachers inspire students, and students inspire teachers." → Compound
"Because education transforms lives, every child deserves access to it." → Complex
"When children learn to read, they open doors to knowledge, and their future becomes brighter." → Compound-Complex
🔄 5.4 Transformation of Sentences
📊 Degrees of Comparison
Adjectives have three degrees to show comparison.
| Degree | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | Describes one thing | "Ravi is intelligent." |
| Comparative | Compares two things | "Meera is more intelligent than Ravi." |
| Superlative | Compares three or more | "Anjali is the most intelligent student." |
Rules for Forming Comparisons
| Adjective Type | Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|---|
| One syllable | tall | taller | tallest |
| Two syllables ending in -y | happy | happier | happiest |
| Two+ syllables | beautiful | more beautiful | most beautiful |
| Irregular | good | better | best |
| Irregular | bad | worse | worst |
Transformation Examples
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| No other student is as bright as Ravi. | Ravi is brighter than any other student. | Ravi is the brightest student. |
| Very few cities are as large as Delhi. | Delhi is larger than most cities. | Delhi is one of the largest cities. |
🗣️ Active and Passive Voice
Active Voice
Subject performs the action: Subject + Verb + Object
"The teacher explained the lesson."
| Subject (doer) | Verb | Object (receiver) |
|---|---|---|
| The teacher | explained | the lesson |
Passive Voice
Subject receives the action: Object + be + past participle + by + subject
"The lesson was explained by the teacher."
| Object (receiver) | be + past participle | by + doer |
|---|---|---|
| The lesson | was explained | by the teacher |
Tense-wise Passive Formation
| Tense | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | teaches | is taught |
| Present Continuous | is teaching | is being taught |
| Present Perfect | has taught | has been taught |
| Simple Past | taught | was taught |
| Past Continuous | was teaching | was being taught |
| Past Perfect | had taught | had been taught |
| Simple Future | will teach | will be taught |
| Future Perfect | will have taught | will have been taught |
When to Use Passive Voice
| Use Passive When... | Example |
|---|---|
| Doer is unknown | "The school was built in 1950." |
| Doer is obvious/unimportant | "The students were taught well." |
| Focus is on the action/receiver | "A new policy has been announced." |
💬 Direct and Indirect Speech
Direct Speech
Reports exact words with quotation marks.
The teacher said, "You must complete your homework."
Indirect Speech (Reported Speech)
Reports the meaning without exact words.
The teacher said that we had to complete our homework.
Rules for Conversion
| Change | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|
| Tense backshift | "I teach here." | He said he taught there. |
| Pronouns | "You are late." | He told me that I was late. |
| Time words | "I will do it tomorrow." | He said he would do it the next day. |
| Place words | "I live here." | He said he lived there. |
Tense Changes in Indirect Speech
| Direct Speech Tense | Indirect Speech Tense |
|---|---|
| Simple Present | Simple Past |
| Present Continuous | Past Continuous |
| Present Perfect | Past Perfect |
| Simple Past | Past Perfect |
| Past Continuous | Past Perfect Continuous |
| Will | Would |
| Can | Could |
| May | Might |
Questions in Indirect Speech
| Question Type | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|
| Wh- question | "Where do you live?" | He asked where I lived. |
| Yes/No question | "Do you understand?" | He asked if/whether I understood. |
Commands and Requests
| Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|
| "Sit down," said the teacher. | The teacher told them to sit down. |
| "Please help me," she said. | She requested me to help her. |
📝 Transformation Practice Questions
Degrees of Comparison
Q1. Transform: "No other student is as intelligent as Ravi." (into Superlative)
✅ Ravi is the most intelligent student.
Q2. Transform: "Delhi is larger than most Indian cities." (into Positive)
✅ Very few Indian cities are as large as Delhi.
Active-Passive Voice
Q3. Transform: "The teacher praised the students." (into Passive)
✅ The students were praised by the teacher.
Q4. Transform: "A new library will be built in our school." (into Active)
✅ The authorities will build a new library in our school.
Direct-Indirect Speech
Q5. Transform: "I am studying for the exam," said Ravi. (into Indirect)
✅ Ravi said that he was studying for the exam.
Q6. Transform: "Where is the library?" the student asked. (into Indirect)
✅ The student asked where the library was.
Q7. Transform: "Please open your books," the teacher said. (into Indirect)
✅ The teacher requested the students to open their books.
Q8. Transform: "Don't make noise," the principal ordered. (into Indirect)
✅ The principal ordered them not to make noise.
📝 Chapter Summary: Quick Reference Guide
📊 Grammar at a Glance
| Topic | Key Points | Common PSTET Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Parts of Speech | 8 categories based on function | Identify word class in context |
| Tenses | 12 tenses across past/present/future | Identify tense, correct errors |
| Subject-Verb Agreement | Subject and verb must match in number | Error correction in passages |
| Sentence Structure | Simple, Compound, Complex, Compound-Complex | Identify sentence type |
| Clauses | Independent (main) and Dependent (subordinate) | Identify clause type |
| Degrees of Comparison | Positive, Comparative, Superlative | Transform sentences |
| Active-Passive Voice | Focus on doer vs. action | Transform voice |
| Direct-Indirect Speech | Reporting words vs. exact words | Convert speech |
📚 Practice Corner: Mixed Grammar Questions
🔰 Section A: Parts of Speech Identification
Identify the part of speech of the underlined word:
"The students worked diligently on their projects."
Answer: Adverb (modifies verb "worked")
"Education is the key to success."
Answer: Noun (abstract)
"She is a brilliant teacher."
Answer: Adjective (describes teacher)
"They completed the assignment on time."
Answer: Pronoun (subject pronoun)
🔰 Section B: Tense and Agreement
Correct the errors:
"The group of students are going on a trip."
✅ "The group of students is going on a trip."
"Everyone have completed their homework."
✅ "Everyone has completed their homework."
"She teach at the government school."
✅ "She teaches at the government school."
"The committee were unanimous in their decision."
✅ "The committee was unanimous in its decision." (as a unit)
🔰 Section C: Sentence Types
Identify the sentence type:
"Because the exam was difficult, many students stayed up late studying."
Answer: Complex sentence
"The teacher explained the concept, and the students took notes."
Answer: Compound sentence
"Education transforms lives."
Answer: Simple sentence
"When the results were announced, everyone celebrated, and the principal congratulated the students."
Answer: Compound-complex sentence
🔰 Section D: Transformations
Change to superlative: "No other student is as bright as Anjali."
✅ "Anjali is the brightest student."
Change to passive: "The government has announced new education policies."
✅ "New education policies have been announced by the government."
Change to indirect speech: "I will help you with your homework," said Meera.
✅ "Meera said that she would help me with my homework."
Change to active voice: "The lesson was explained clearly by the teacher."
✅ "The teacher explained the lesson clearly."
🌟 Final Words of Encouragement
Dear future teacher,
Grammar is not about memorizing endless rules—it's about understanding how language works. As a teacher, you'll need to explain these concepts to young learners, so mastering them now serves a double purpose: clearing PSTET and becoming an effective educator.
Your Grammar Success Mantra:
"In context, I see the function. With practice, I master the rules."
Remember these key principles:
Context is everything—grammar questions in PSTET are always passage-based
Practice identification before correction—know what you're looking at
Learn the patterns—English grammar follows consistent rules
Teach as you learn—explaining concepts to yourself strengthens understanding
📖 Preview of Chapter 6
In Chapter 6, we'll explore Comprehension Practice Tests with 10 fully solved passages covering all four types—discursive, literary, narrative, and scientific. You'll apply everything you've learned in Chapters 1-5!
📘 Proceed to Chapter 6: Comprehension Practice Tests
