CSS English Precis and Composition Grammar and Usage Syllabus

Grammar and Usage syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Grammar and Usage in CSS English Precis and Composition, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Tenses

   4 topics

   • Present, Past and Future Tenses
   • Perfect and Continuous Forms
   • Sequence of Tenses
   • Common Tense Errors
2. 2

   Parts of Speech and Agreement

   5 topics

   • Subject-Verb Agreement
   • Articles (A, An, The)
   • Prepositions and Their Correct Usage
   • Conjunctions and Connectors
   • Pronoun Agreement
3. 3

   Phrasal Verbs

   3 topics

   • Common Phrasal Verbs and Meanings
   • Usage in Sentences
   • Idiomatic Phrasal Constructions
4. 4

   Punctuation

   4 topics

   • Comma, Semicolon and Colon
   • Apostrophe and Quotation Marks
   • Capitalization Rules
   • Full Stop, Question and Exclamation Marks
5. 5

   Sentence Correction

   4 topics

   • Identifying Structural Flaws
   • Correcting Grammatical Errors
   • Correcting Punctuation Errors
   • Rewriting Without Unnecessary Alteration

Grammar and Usage flashcards for CSS English Precis and Composition

18 of 50 cards from the Grammar and Usage deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the three basic tenses in English, and what time does each refer to?

   Present (current/habitual actions), Past (completed actions before now), and Future (actions yet to happen).

2. What is the structure of the Simple Present tense, and what is it used for?

   Subject + base verb (+ -s/-es for third-person singular). Used for habits, general truths, and permanent situations, e.g., 'She writes daily.'

3. What is the structure of the Simple Past tense?

   Subject + past form of verb (regular: verb + -ed; irregular: special form), e.g., 'He walked' / 'He went.' Used for completed actions at a definite past time.

4. How is the Simple Future tense formed in English?

   Subject + 'will' (or 'shall') + base verb, e.g., 'They will arrive tomorrow.' Used for predictions, promises, and spontaneous decisions.

5. What is the difference between the Present Continuous and the Present Simple?

   Present Continuous (am/is/are + verb-ing) describes actions happening now or temporary actions; Present Simple describes habits and general truths.

6. How is the Present Perfect tense formed, and when is it used?

   have/has + past participle. Used for past actions with present relevance or unfinished time, e.g., 'I have finished the report.'

7. How is the Past Perfect tense formed, and what does it express?

   had + past participle. Expresses an action completed before another past action, e.g., 'She had left before he arrived.'

8. How is the Future Perfect tense formed?

   will have + past participle, e.g., 'By 2027 I will have graduated.' It marks an action that will be completed before a specific future point.

9. What is the structure and use of the Present Perfect Continuous tense?

   have/has been + verb-ing. Emphasizes the duration of an action continuing up to now, e.g., 'I have been studying for three hours.'

10. How is the Past Continuous tense formed, and what does it describe?

    was/were + verb-ing. Describes an ongoing action in the past, often interrupted, e.g., 'I was reading when he called.'

11. How is the Future Continuous tense formed?

    will be + verb-ing, e.g., 'This time tomorrow I will be flying.' It describes an action in progress at a future moment.

12. What is the difference between the Past Simple and the Present Perfect?

    Past Simple refers to a finished action at a definite past time ('I saw him yesterday'); Present Perfect links a past action to now with no definite time ('I have seen him').

13. What is the 'Sequence of Tenses' rule?

    The tense of a subordinate clause is governed by the tense of the main clause; if the main verb is past, the subordinate verb is usually also past.

14. In the sequence of tenses, what exception applies to universal or permanent truths?

    A universal truth in a subordinate clause stays in the present tense even after a past main verb, e.g., 'The teacher said that the earth revolves around the sun.'

15. When the main clause is in the past, how do present and future tenses in the subordinate clause change?

    Present becomes past, and 'will/shall' become 'would/should', e.g., 'He said he would come.'

16. Identify the tense error: 'I have seen him yesterday.' What is correct?

    Error: Present Perfect with a definite past time. Correct: 'I saw him yesterday' (Simple Past).

17. Identify the tense error: 'When I will reach home, I will call you.' What is correct?

    Error: 'will' in a time clause. Correct: 'When I reach home, I will call you' (present after 'when/if').

18. Identify the tense error: 'He is having two cars.' What is correct?

    Error: stative verb 'have' (possession) used in continuous form. Correct: 'He has two cars.'

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