English Vinglish

Rule 2:
Use of else and other. 
‘Else’ should be followed by ‘but’.
‘Other’ and ‘Otherwise’ are followed by ‘than’.
For example – 
1. It is nothing else than sheer madness. (Incorrect)
It is nothing else but sheer madness. (Correct)

2. She had no other alternative but stay here. (Incorrect)
She had no other alternative than stay here. (Correct)

3. She has no one to look after her except me. (Incorrect)
She has no one to look after her but me. (Correct)

Rule 3:
When the sentence is introduced by an adverb, we use the inverted form of the verb for the sake of emphasis. 
For example – 
1. Seldom she visits her brother. (Incorrect)
Seldom does she visits her brother. (Correct)

2. Never I’ll see her again. (Incorrect)
Never will I  see her again. (Correct)

3. So quickly he ran that he overtook his rivals. (Incorrect)
So quickly did he run that he overtook his rivals. (Correct)

Rule 4:
Negative adverbs should not be used with the words negative in meaning. So, two negatives should be avoided.
‘Seldom, nowhere, never, nothing, hardly, scarcely, neither, barely, rarely are some of the adverbs expressing negative meaning.
For example – 
1. I hardly know somebody in school. (Incorrect)
I hardly know anybody in school. (Correct)

2. This will not help her, Nothing never does. (Incorrect)
This will not help her, Nothing ever does. (Correct)

3. He does not write well and I do not write neither. (Incorrect)
 He does not write well and I do not write either. (Correct)

Note: Use of negative, with words like deny, forbid and both.
For example – 
Both of us are not going there. (Incorrect)
Neither of us is going there. (Correct)

He denied that he had not given her money. (Incorrect)
He denied that he had given her money. (Correct)

Rule 5:
The use of very, too,  much, enough, so, rather’.
 (i) Very – It modifies present participle used as an adjective, adverb, and adjective in the positive degree. ‘much’ is used with a comparative degree and past participle.


Note: ‘Very’ and ‘much’
For example – 
He gave a much innovative idea for the problem in the system. (Incorrect)
He gave a very innovative idea for the problem in the system. (Correct)

She is the very best dancer in the school. – the use of ‘very’ means ‘really’.
He is by far the best singer I have ever heard singing. – ‘by far’ means to a large extent’.

(ii) ‘So’ is not supposed to be used without ‘that’ (adverb clause) and ‘too’ should always be followed by ‘to’ (infinitive).


Note: Very and much may be used in the place of so and too.
For example – 
I was studying so that I can clear the examination this year.
You have too much ignorance in you to realize your mistakes.

(iii) ‘Enough’ is both an adjective and an adverb. 
If used as an adverb it is placed after the adjective it modifies.
For example – She is wise enough wise to allow her daughter to travel alone.

And as an adjective, it is placed before a noun.
For example –  He has enough money to spend so recklessly.

(iv) The use of ‘rather’
(a) rather is an adverb of degree like quite, pretty, fairly (to some extent).
For example – We ere walking rather slowly.

(b) Rather can also be used as a noun.
For example – 
1. It is a rather good step to take against the current issue. (Correct)
2. It is rather a good step to take against the current issue. (Correct)

Explanation – Article a, an should always be placed before the noun. If there is an adjective with a noun, article ‘a’, ‘an’ may be placed either before or after rather.