English Grammar Rules You Need to Know for CLAT

English Grammar serves as the foundation for effective and clear communication. The usage of proper grammar not only enhances your clarity of message but also adds professionalism to your written as well as spoken communication. Most candidates struggle with grammar because of its complexities, such as irregular verb conjugations, confusing tenses, and usage of correct subject-verb agreement. Whether you are a candidate appearing for competitive examinations like the CLAT Examination or simply want to improve your writing skills, understanding the basic grammar rules is very essential.

Problems faced while comprehending CLAT Passages 

Candidates can go through multiple problems while comprehending the CLAT Passages therefore it is essential to have a deep insight of the paper before attempting it. A detailed analysis of the problems that a candidate might face during the examination has been discussed below:

• Subject-Verb Agreement: This is one of the most common areas where a candidate makes mistakes. Candidates can easily get confused while comprehending complex sentences where there are lengthy phrases and clauses also wrong identification of singular and plural subjects may lead to confusion while comprehending the passages.
   
• Dangling Modifiers: Modifiers are generally verbs or adverbs holding the description of some other words. It is very essential to know the right use of a modifier at the right place a misplaced modifier can completely change the meaning of a sentence.
  
• Active and Passive Voice: Although both might seem to operate similarly there’s a lot of difference between the both. Commonly the large passages often use passive voice making it difficult for the candidate to identify the subject performing the action. Converting the passive voice into the active voice can help comprehend the passages easily.
  
• Parallelism: Parallelism is a writing technique that involves the usage of similar words, phrases and clauses. Lack of parallel structure while comprehending long sentences shall lead to confusion.
  
• Ambiguous or Incorrect Use of Pronouns: It is often seen that many candidates struggle with the correct use of conjunctions leading to a change of logical relationships between ideas. 

Parallelism 

Parallelism stands for a writing technique involving consistent grammatical structures. This is done to improve the readability and clarity of the sentences. The lack of parallelism can infer a wrong idea from a sentence. It is extremely important to maintain a balance in the structure of the sentence for a smoother reading experience and to avoid misinterpretation. Given below are examples of correct and incorrect use of Parallelism:

Correct Usage: The Lawyer argued that the new law was fairer than the old one was unfair.

Incorrect Usage: The Lawyer argued that the new law was fairer than the old was unjust. 

Ambiguous Pronouns Reference 

Ambiguous Pronouns Reference occurs when a pronoun does not infer the clear meaning of a specific noun in the sentence, making it unclear to what are who it is being discussed. Ambiguous Pronoun References create problems, particularly in legal as well as academic writing where precision is extremely important. For instance, misinterpretation of a pronoun in a legal document could lead to heavy disputes or miscommunication. Check out the example given to gain a better understanding:

Correct Usage: After speaking to the judge, the lawyer told him that he should reconsider the verdict.

Incorrect Usage: After speaking to the judge, the lawyer told him, “You should reconsider the verdict.”

Modifiers 

Modifiers are generally phrases or clauses that are used to provide additional information about a noun or a verb. The use of a wrong modifier can completely change the meaning of the sentence leading to confusion. Check the example given below to understand the usage of Modifiers:

Correct Usage: Walking into the courtroom, the arguments seemed convincing.

Incorrect Usage: ​​Walking into the courtroom, the lawyer found the arguments convincing.

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