How to Improve English Grammar for Objective Exams
06 Oct 2026 · TestMint Team
The short answer: learn a small set of rules well, practise them on short sentences daily and write the rule behind every answer. Most objective grammar questions test the same ten or so rules in different disguises.
Why a rule-first approach works
Grammar questions in objective exams, such as error spotting, sentence correction and fill in the blanks, are not random. The same rules recur: subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, prepositions, articles, pronouns and parallel structure. Candidates who rely on "it sounds right" do well when the error is obvious and badly when it is subtle. Candidates who know the rule can explain, and therefore find, even subtle errors.
Ten rules behind most errors
| Rule | Wrong | Right |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Subject-verb agreement: the verb agrees with the true subject | The list of items are on the desk. | The list of items is on the desk. |
| 2. "Each", "every", "either", "neither" take singular verbs | Each of the boys have a book. | Each of the boys has a book. |
| 3. Neither/nor and either/or: the verb agrees with the nearer subject | Neither the manager nor the clerks was present. | Neither the manager nor the clerks were present. |
| 4. Tense consistency | He said that he will come. | He said that he would come. |
| 5. Prepositions with fixed pairings | She is good in mathematics. | She is good at mathematics. |
| 6. Articles: a/an before first mention; the for specific | He is an university student. | He is a university student. |
| 7. Pronoun agreement and case | Between you and I, it is true. | Between you and me, it is true. |
| 8. Parallel structure | She likes swimming, to run and cycling. | She likes swimming, running and cycling. |
| 9. Comparatives and superlatives | He is more taller than his brother. | He is taller than his brother. |
| 10. Modifiers placed next to what they modify | Walking down the road, the trees looked lovely. | Walking down the road, I thought the trees looked lovely. |
A note on rule 3: usage varies, and examinations often follow the "nearer subject" rule. Where two forms are both used, choose the one your exam's preparation material teaches, and check your answer against recent papers.
A method for error spotting
- Read the sentence once for meaning.
- Find the subject and the verb; check agreement and tense.
- Check each preposition against its fixed pairings.
- Check articles and pronouns.
- Check parallelism and modifiers.
- If nothing is wrong, choose "no error", but only after steps 2 to 5.
A worked example
"The committee, which consists of seven members, (A) have decided (B) to postpone the meeting (C) until next week. (D) No error."
Step 2: the subject is "committee", which is singular here (a single body acting together). The verb "have" does not agree: it should be "has". The error is in (A). The sentence also has a relative clause between the subject and the verb, which is the usual disguise for rule 1.
A daily routine (15 minutes)
- Five sentences from a practice set, answered before you check.
- For each, write the rule in a few words ("subject-verb, with the plural noun in the clause").
- Keep a rule-error tally: which rule you broke most this week.
- Write one sentence of your own using the rule you missed most.
After two weeks, the tally shows which two or three rules to spend your time on; do not study all ten equally.
Grammar through reading
Reading well-edited writing builds an ear for correct usage. Combine daily rule practice with a reading habit: see a daily reading comprehension routine. When you meet a sentence that surprises you with its structure, note the rule it follows.
Where grammar appears
Grammar-based questions appear in banking English, SSC CGL English, MAT Language Comprehension and CUET language papers, often in the form of error spotting, sentence correction and fill in the blanks. CAT, XAT and CLAT test grammar less directly. Check the pattern of your exam.
Common mistakes
- Memorising rules without practice.
- Relying on "sounds right".
- Studying all rules equally.
- Skipping the reason for each answer.
- Guessing "no error" without checking.
Strengthen your vocabulary alongside, using vocabulary building and vocabulary practice.
Frequently asked questions
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