A Remedial English
Grammar
CHAPTERS
ARTICLES
AGREEMENT OF VERB AND SUBJECT
CONCORD OF NOUNS, PRONOUNS AND
POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES
CONFUSION OF ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS
DIFFICULTIES WITH COMPARATIVE AND
SUPERLATIVES
CONFUSION OF PARTICIPLES: ACTIVE &
PASSIVE
PREPOSITIONS
NEGATIVE VERBS
TENSES 1, 2 & 3
THE INFINITIVE
Negative verbs
Changing a verb into negative
Statements
Do and did, with infinitive without to,
inserting not between them
E.g. I like chocolates
I do not like chocolates
They came for the dinner
They did not come for the dinner
Negative verbs
Exceptions
a) For to be put not after the positive
verb
E.g. This room is very warm
This room is not very warm
b) For have (showing possession) put not
after the positive form
E.g. I have not seen him recently
Negative verbs
When have expresses some other idea other than
possession, do is used in the negative
E.g. I didn’t have indigestion any longer
In compound tense forms, not is placed after the
first auxiliary
E.g. Those exercises have not been marked
Auxiliary verbs such as can, may, must, ought and
need take not immediately after them.
E.g. You ought not to waste your time
Negative verbs
Questions
In question forms, the subject is placed after
not and the contracted form of the negative
verbs are used.
E.g. Doesn’t he eat meat?
Haven’t you seen him?
Imperatives
The do form is used, with not following do.
E.g. Do not open the window
In the infinitive negative form not must be
placed before the to.
E.g. I told him not to laugh