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English Grammar Rules for the CSE: Civil Service Exam Guide

Civil Service Exam

Contents

English Grammar Rules for the CSE: Civil Service Exam Guide

Preparing for the Civil Service Exam (CSE) requires a strong grasp of English grammar. Whether you are taking the Professional or Sub-Professional level, grammar mastery boosts your performance in the Verbal Ability portion—especially in questions involving sentence correction, error identification, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.
This guide explains essential English grammar rules commonly tested in the CSE, with clear examples and easy-to-remember principles. (Approx. 1500+ words)

Understanding the Grammar Component of the CSE

The Civil Service Exam measures how well you understand and apply English grammar in real-life contexts. You are not just memorizing rules—you are being tested on your ability to identify the best sentence structure, correct errors, and recognize proper word usage.

CSE grammar questions typically fall under:

  • Sentence improvement

  • Error recognition

  • Correct usage (verbs, pronouns, modifiers)

  • Subject–verb agreement

  • Parallelism

  • Sentence structure and logic

  • Vocabulary and idiomatic expressions

A strong foundation in English grammar allows you to answer quickly and accurately, even under time pressure.

Subject–Verb Agreement

One of the most frequently tested grammar rules is ensuring that the subject and verb match in number.

Basic Rules

  1. Singular subject → singular verb

    • The student studies every night.

  2. Plural subject → plural verb

    • The students study every night.

Special Rules to Remember

Collective nouns

Words like team, committee, family, group are singular when acting as a unit.

  • The committee decides today.

Subjects joined by “and”

Usually plural:

  • Maria and Juan are coming.

But if referring to a single idea:

  • Rice and fish is my favorite breakfast.

Subjects joined by “or / nor”

Verb agrees with the nearest subject:

  • Neither the managers nor the employee is responsible.

  • Either the teacher or the students are joining us.

Indefinite pronouns

Some are always singular: each, everyone, anybody, neither.

  • Everyone is ready.

Some are always plural: few, many, several.

  • Many are chosen.

Some can be singular or plural depending on the noun they refer to: all, most, some.

  • Some of the cake is left. (singular)

  • Some of the students are absent. (plural)

Common CSE Trap

Incorrect: The number of applicants are increasing.
Correct: The number of applicants is increasing.

Remember: “The number” = singular, “A number” = plural.

Verb Tenses and Consistency

The CSE often tests whether you can identify incorrect or illogical tense usage.

Common Tenses to Review

Simple Present

Used for facts, routines, general truths.

  • The Earth rotates around the sun.

Simple Past

Completed action.

  • She finished the project yesterday.

Present Perfect

Action that started in the past and continues OR has an effect on the present.

  • He has worked here for ten years.

Past Perfect

Used when two actions happened in the past—one before the other.

  • She had left before the meeting started.

Tense Consistency Rule

Do not mix tenses unnecessarily.
Incorrect: She was cooking when her friends arrive.
Correct: She was cooking when her friends arrived.

Pronoun Usage

Pronoun problems are common in the CSE.

Basic Guidelines

  1. Pronouns must agree in number with the nouns they replace.

    • Incorrect: Each student must submit their paper.

    • Correct: Each student must submit his or her paper.

  2. Pronouns must clearly refer to an antecedent.

    • Incorrect: When Ana met Maria, she was tired. (Who was tired?)

    • Correct: When Ana met Maria, Ana was tired.

  3. Use the correct pronoun case:

    • Subjective: I, he, she, we, they

    • Objective: me, him, her, us, them

    • Possessive: my, his, her, our, their

Typical CSE Trap

Incorrect: Between you and I, this is difficult.
Correct: Between you and me, this is difficult.
(After prepositions → use objective case.)

Adjectives and Adverbs

The CSE often tests correct modifier usage.

Adjectives modify nouns

  • She is a careful worker.

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs

  • She works carefully.

Common Confusions

  • good (adjective) vs. well (adverb)

  • real (adjective) vs. really (adverb)

  • sure (adjective) vs. surely (adverb)

Example:
Incorrect: She sings good.
Correct: She sings well.

Modifier Placement

Misplaced modifiers are a standard source of exam questions.

Misplaced Modifier

Incorrect: She almost drove her kids to school every day.
(This means she “almost” did it, but did not.)
Correct: She drove her kids to school almost every day.

Dangling Modifier

Incorrect: Walking to school, the rain soaked her.
(Makes it sound like the rain was walking.)
Correct: While she was walking to school, the rain soaked her.

Parallelism

Parallel structure is required when listing items or using paired conjunctions (e.g., not only… but also, either… or).

Example Errors

Incorrect: She likes dancing, to swim, and jogging.
Correct: She likes dancing, swimming, and jogging.

Incorrect: The company expects employees to arrive early, work hard, and they should dress properly.
Correct: The company expects employees to arrive early, work hard, and dress properly.

Prepositions

Preposition errors are subtle but frequent.

Common Rules

  1. “Different from” not “different than”

  2. “Interested in”

  3. “Composed of” not “composed by”

  4. “Capable of”

  5. “Responsible for”

Time Prepositions

  • at → specific time (at 7 PM)

  • on → days, dates (on Monday, on May 15)

  • in → months, years, long periods (in April, in 2025)

Articles: A, An, The

Articles are frequently tested because many sentences omit or misuse them.

“A” / “An” for non-specific nouns

  • an apple

  • a university (because “you” sound)

“The” for specific nouns

  • the president of the company

  • the book on the table

Omit articles

  • when talking about things in general: Books are useful.

  • with most proper nouns: Baguio is cold.

  • with academic subjects: Math is difficult.

Commonly Confused Words

CSE often checks vocabulary and word choice.

Homophones

  • affect (verb) vs. effect (noun)

  • accept (receive) vs. except (exclude)

  • complement (complete) vs. compliment (praise)

Commonly Misused Pairs

  • fewer (countable) vs. less (uncountable)

  • much (uncountable) vs. many (countable)

  • bring (toward speaker) vs. take (away from speaker)

Example

Incorrect: There are less students today.
Correct: There are fewer students today.

Sentence Construction Rules

The CSE checks if you can distinguish between grammatically correct and incorrect sentence patterns.

Avoid Run-On Sentences

Incorrect: Maria studied all night she still failed the test.
Correct: Maria studied all night, but she still failed the test.

Avoid Sentence Fragments

Incorrect: Because he was late.
Correct: He missed the bus because he was late.

Use Correct Conjunctions

  • because → gives reason

  • although → contrasts ideas

  • therefore → shows result

Example:
Incorrect: Although it was raining, but we continued.
Correct: Although it was raining, we continued.

Active vs. Passive Voice

The CSE may ask you to identify more effective construction.

Active Voice

Subject performs the action.

  • The teacher explained the lesson.

Passive Voice

Action is done to the subject.

  • The lesson was explained by the teacher.

Guidelines

  • Active voice is clearer and usually preferred.

  • Passive voice is acceptable when doer is unknown or unimportant.

Idiomatic Expressions

These expressions follow fixed patterns.

Common examples in the CSE:

  • in accordance with

  • at risk of

  • in favor of

  • associated with

  • on behalf of

Example:
Incorrect: In accordance to the rules
Correct: In accordance with the rules

Error Identification Strategy for the CSE

To score efficiently, use the following techniques:

1. Identify the core subject and verb

Remove long phrases and focus on the main idea.

2. Look for common error zones

  • SVA

  • Pronoun reference

  • Modifiers

  • Verb consistency

  • Incorrect prepositions

3. Read aloud in your mind

Sentences often sound wrong when grammatically incorrect.

4. Eliminate obviously wrong options

Narrowing choices increases accuracy.

Sentence Improvement Strategy

When choosing the best revised sentence:

  • Prefer clarity over length

  • Choose the grammatically strongest option

  • Avoid unnecessary passive constructions

  • Watch for parallelism

  • Ensure logical sequencing

Practice Examples

Example 1

Each of the employees ___ required to attend the meeting.
A. are
B. were
C. is
D. have been

Correct Answer: C
“Each” is always singular.

Example 2

Neither the students nor the teacher ___ prepared.
A. are
B. were
C. is
D. be

Correct Answer: C
Verb agrees with the noun closest to it → “teacher.”

Example 3

Walking down the street, the flowers caught her attention.
A. Correct
B. Incorrect

Correct Answer: B
Dangling modifier (flowers are not walking).

Final Tips for Mastering Grammar for the CSE

  • Review daily to familiarize yourself with patterns.

  • Practice error identification sets regularly.

  • Read English materials to strengthen instinctive grammar sense.

  • Focus on high-frequency rules: subject–verb agreement, verb tenses, pronouns, modifiers, parallelism.

  • Simulate timed tests to build confidence.

Mastering these grammar rules will significantly improve your performance in the Civil Service Exam. Combine this knowledge with consistent practice, and you will boost your chances of passing with an excellent rating.

English Grammar Problem Sets for the CSE

Part 1: Subject–Verb Agreement (10 Questions)

Choose the correct verb.

  1. Each of the applicants ___ required to submit two IDs.
    A. are
    B. were
    C. is
    D. have

  2. The quality of the products ___ improved over time.
    A. have
    B. has
    C. are
    D. were

  3. Neither the teachers nor the principal ___ attending the seminar.
    A. are
    B. is
    C. were
    D. be

  4. A number of employees ___ requesting overtime.
    A. is
    B. was
    C. are
    D. be

  5. The data ___ not sufficient to create a report.
    A. is
    B. are
    C. was
    D. be

  6. The committee ___ meeting right now.
    A. are
    B. were
    C. is
    D. have been

  7. Most of the information ___ outdated.
    A. is
    B. are
    C. have
    D. were

  8. Either the manager or the staff members ___ responsible for the delay.
    A. is
    B. are
    C. was
    D. be

  9. Ten kilometers ___ a long distance to walk daily.
    A. are
    B. were
    C. is
    D. have

  10. The number of tourists ___ increasing this month.
    A. are
    B. is
    C. were
    D. have been

Part 2: Pronouns & Pronoun Reference (8 Questions)

  1. Everyone must bring ___ own lunch.
    A. his or her
    B. their
    C. his
    D. her

  2. The supervisor, along with his assistants, said that ___ would arrive early.
    A. they
    B. he
    C. she
    D. it

  3. Maria gave Ana and ___ the documents.
    A. I
    B. me
    C. myself
    D. mine

  4. Between you and ___, the project needs improvement.
    A. I
    B. me
    C. myself
    D. mine

  5. The students submitted the paper, but the teacher misplaced ___.
    A. them
    B. it
    C. they
    D. those

  6. When Ana met Joan, she was tired. (Identify the error.)
    A. Pronoun “she” is unclear
    B. “met” should be “meet”
    C. “tired” is incorrect
    D. No error

  7. The team finished ___ tasks ahead of schedule.
    A. its
    B. their
    C. it’s
    D. theirs

  8. Each participant must follow the rules, and ___ should be followed strictly.
    A. he
    B. they
    C. it
    D. these

Part 3: Verb Tenses & Consistency (7 Questions)

  1. By the time the program started, the guests ___ already ___.
    A. have / arrived
    B. had / arrived
    C. were / arriving
    D. will have / arrived

  2. She ___ in Baguio since 2018.
    A. worked
    B. works
    C. has worked
    D. had worked

  3. They were eating dinner when the lights ___.
    A. go out
    B. goes out
    C. went out
    D. gone out

  4. He said he ___ the documents the next day.
    A. submits
    B. will submit
    C. would submit
    D. submitted

  5. I ___ my assignment before the deadline yesterday.
    A. finish
    B. finished
    C. had finished
    D. have finished

  6. She always ___ early for work.
    A. arrive
    B. arrives
    C. arrived
    D. has arrived

  7. If I ___ enough time, I will join the meeting.
    A. have
    B. had
    C. will have
    D. would have

Part 4: Modifiers & Sentence Structure (7 Questions)

  1. Walking to the office, the rain soaked her. (Identify the error.)
    A. Incorrect verb tense
    B. Misplaced modifier
    C. Unclear pronoun
    D. No error

  2. The man bought a car for his daughter called “Silver Bullet.”
    A. Sentence is correct
    B. Misplaced modifier
    C. Wrong pronoun
    D. Incorrect verb

  3. To improve her score, practice was done daily by Anna.
    A. Misplaced modifier
    A. Correct sentence
    C. Incorrect voice
    D. Unclear subject

  4. She almost failed every exam last semester.
    A. Correct
    B. Misplaced modifier
    C. Wrong pronoun
    D. Redundant words

  5. After finishing the report, the computer crashed.
    A. Correct sentence
    B. Misplaced modifier
    C. Wrong verb
    D. Wrong pronoun

  6. Covered in fog, the pilot could not see the runway.
    A. Correct
    B. Misplaced modifier
    C. Wrong preposition
    D. Parallelism error

  7. The teacher explained the lesson clearly to the students using examples.
    A. Misplaced modifier
    B. Wrong tense
    C. Incorrect article
    D. No error

Part 5: Parallelism, Word Choice, & Usage (8 Questions)

  1. The job requires applicants to be punctual, responsible, and ___.
    A. showing respect
    B. respectful
    C. they should respect
    D. respect

  2. She likes reading, writing, and ___.
    A. to paint
    B. paint
    C. painting
    D. painted

  3. The proposal was rejected ___ it lacked important details.
    A. because
    B. although
    C. therefore
    D. but

  4. The class was divided ___ small groups.
    A. at
    B. in
    C. into
    D. of

  5. There are ___ students in the room today.
    A. fewer
    B. less
    C. little
    D. a little

  6. The manager said the report was different ___ the one she submitted earlier.
    A. than
    B. from
    C. with
    D. to

  7. The workers are capable ___ completing the project.
    A. for
    B. in
    C. to
    D. of

  8. He succeeded ___ his determination.
    A. because
    B. due to
    C. although
    D. despite

ANSWER KEY

Part 1
1–C
2–B
3–B
4–C
5–A
6–C
7–A
8–B
9–C
10–B

Part 2
11–A
12–B
13–B
14–B
15–B
16–A
17–A
18–C

Part 3
19–B
20–C
21–C
22–C
23–C
24–B
25–A

Part 4
26–B
27–B
28–D
29–A
30–B
31–A
32–D

Part 5
33–B
34–C
35–A
36–C
37–A
38–B
39–D
40–B

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