Basic Rules of Grammar for Bank Exams 2026, FREE PDF

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Published on 8 January 2026 by
Basic Rules of Grammar for Bank Exams

English grammar is one of the highest-scoring yet most misunderstood sections of bank exams. Questions from grammar appear regularly in error detection, sentence correction, fillers, and sentence improvement, and many aspirants lose marks due to confusion rather than lack of knowledge. In reality, bank exams repeatedly test a limited set of core grammar rules, framed in different ways. If these rules are understood logically and applied correctly, grammar questions become predictable and manageable.

This article focuses on the most important grammar rules for bank exams, explained with clarity, logic, and exam-relevant examples. These rules carry high weightage in SBI, IBPS, RBI, and other banking exams, especially at the mains level.

Why do grammar rules matter in bank exams?

Grammar rules help aspirants go beyond guesswork. Most grammar questions are designed to confuse by placing distracting words between the subject and verb, mixing tenses, or altering sentence structure. When the underlying rule is clear, such distractions lose their effect. Moreover, strong grammar knowledge improves reading comprehension accuracy, descriptive writing, and overall language confidence, making it an essential skill for bank exam success.

The following grammar rules are repeatedly tested and must be mastered:

  • Error of Proximity (Subject–Verb Agreement)
  • Parallelism of Tenses
  • Relative Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement
  • Errors Based on Voice
  • Conjunction vs Preposition Usage
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Error of Proximity (Subject–Verb Agreement)

In bank exam questions, the subject and the verb are often placed far apart, with several words, phrases, or clauses inserted between them. This creates confusion and leads candidates to match the verb with the nearest noun instead of the actual subject. However, grammatical agreement is always determined by the real subject, not by nearby words.

Prepositional phrases, descriptive clauses, and additional information inserted between the subject and the verb do not influence the form of the verb. Identifying the correct subject is the most crucial step in solving such questions.

Rule

The verb must agree with the actual subject of the sentence, not with any noun or phrase placed between the subject and the verb.
If a preposition is present, the noun before the first preposition is the subject.

Examples (Correct Form)

  • Colors of a rainbow look beautiful.
  • Emission of greenhouse gases remains a cause of worry.
  • Learning from mistakes is an important part of life.

Important Points

  • Gerunds (verb + ing acting as a noun) always take singular verbs
  • Words like of, with, along with, in spite of do not change the subject

Parallelism of Tenses

Bank exams frequently test tense consistency within a sentence. When multiple verbs appear in the same sentence, they generally follow the same tense to maintain clarity and logical flow. A mismatch in tense often indicates an error unless the sentence clearly refers to different time frames.

Parallelism of tenses is not a mechanical rule; it is guided by meaning and sense. Understanding what the sentence is trying to convey is essential before making corrections.

Rule

When two or more verbs are connected within a sentence, they should generally be in the same tense, unless the meaning or time reference demands otherwise.

Examples (Correct Form)

  • The government needs to provide regulations that create an environment where trained personnel enjoy freedom.
  • The movement persisted for years and ended only after reforms.

Exceptions

  • Universal truths and facts are always written in present tense, even if the main verb is in the past
    • The teacher said that the earth moves around the sun.
  • If different time periods are clearly implied, tense variation is acceptable
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Relative Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement

Relative pronouns such as who, which, that often mislead candidates into matching the verb with the pronoun instead of the word it refers to. In grammar, the verb following a relative pronoun agrees with its antecedent, not with the relative pronoun itself.

This rule is especially important in sentences beginning with structures like It is you who… or One of the… who…, which are commonly tested in bank exams.

Rule

The verb after a relative pronoun agrees with the antecedent (the noun or pronoun being referred to), not with the relative pronoun.

Examples (Correct Form)

  • It is you who have broken my trust.
  • It is I who am responsible for the delay.
  • She is one of the writers who believe in realism.

Important Note

  • In phrases like one of the + plural noun, the verb after who is plural, because it refers to the plural noun, not “one”.

Errors Based on Voice (Active vs Passive)

Voice-related errors are not limited to sentence transformation. In many cases, the choice of voice changes the meaning of the sentence, making it logically incorrect. Bank exams often test whether the subject is the doer or the receiver of the action.

Blindly converting active sentences into passive (or vice versa) without considering meaning leads to serious errors.

Rule

Use active voice when the subject performs the action and passive voice only when the subject receives the action and the meaning remains logical.

Examples (Correct Form)

  • They hired a taxi to roam around the city.
  • Farmhouse owners who till now paid property tax will now pay more.

Common Logical Errors

  • The sun is moved around the earth.
  • I am cooked.
    These sentences are grammatically structured but logically incorrect.

Conjunction vs Preposition Usage

Many grammar errors arise from confusing conjunctions with prepositions. Although some conjunctions and prepositions express similar meanings (reason, contrast), their grammatical structure is entirely different.

Conjunctions connect two clauses, each having a finite verb. Prepositions connect phrases, allowing only one finite verb in the sentence.

Rule

  • Use a conjunction when there are two finite verbs
  • Use a preposition when there is only one finite verb

Examples (Correct Form)

  • Due to the strike, the airline cannot operate flights.
  • Despite the merger, the airline reported losses.

Incorrect Usage

  • Since the strike, the airline cannot operate flights.
    (Only one finite verb; needs a preposition)
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Practice Questions

Q1.
The quality of the products supplied by these companies have improved significantly.

Solution:
Error in have
Correct sentence:
The quality of the products supplied by these companies has improved significantly.

Q2.
A series of unexpected events were responsible for the delay in the project.

Solution:
Error in were
Correct sentence:
A series of unexpected events was responsible for the delay in the project.

Q3.
Learning new skills along with practical exposure are essential for career growth.

Solution:
Error in are
Correct sentence:
Learning new skills along with practical exposure is essential for career growth.

Q4.
The committee decides the policy and implemented the changes last year.

Solution:
Error in implemented
Correct sentence:
The committee decides the policy and implements the changes last year.

Q5.
The report stated that inflation rose sharply and affects household spending.

Solution:
Error in affects
Correct sentence:
The report stated that inflation rose sharply and affected household spending.

Q6.
The teacher explained that the earth moved around the sun.

Solution:
Error in moved
Correct sentence:
The teacher explained that the earth moves around the sun.

Q7.
It is she who have completed the task ahead of schedule.

Solution:
Error in have
Correct sentence:
It is she who has completed the task ahead of schedule.

Q8.
It is I who is responsible for the delay.

Solution:
Error in is
Correct sentence:
It is I who am responsible for the delay.

Q9.
She is one of the employees who works sincerely for the organization.

Solution:
Error in works
Correct sentence:
She is one of the employees who work sincerely for the organization.

Q10.
This is the scheme which require additional funding from the government.

Solution:
Error in require
Correct sentence:
This is the scheme which requires additional funding from the government.

Q11.
They were hired a consultant to improve operational efficiency.

Solution:
Error in were hired
Correct sentence:
They hired a consultant to improve operational efficiency.

Q12.
The farmhouse owners who till now were paid property tax will now have to pay more.

Solution:
Error in were paid
Correct sentence:
The farmhouse owners who till now paid property tax will now have to pay more.

Q13.
Since the heavy rainfall, the match could not be conducted.

Solution:
Error in since
Correct sentence:
Due to the heavy rainfall, the match could not be conducted.

Q14.
Although the merger, the airline reported heavy losses.

Solution:
Error in although
Correct sentence:
Despite the merger, the airline reported heavy losses.

Q15.
The prerequisites attached to this job makes it more attractive than the salary offered.

Solution:
Error in makes
Correct sentence:
The prerequisites attached to this job make it more attractive than the salary offered.

FAQs

Q1: Which grammar rules are most important for bank exams?
A1: Subject–verb agreement, parallelism of tenses, relative pronoun agreement, voice-based errors, and conjunction vs preposition usage are the most important grammar rules for bank exams.

Q2: How many grammar rules are enough to score well in the English section?
A2: Mastering 4–5 high-weightage grammar rules is usually sufficient to handle most grammar questions asked in bank exams.

Q3: Why do bank exams focus so much on subject–verb agreement?
A3: Subject–verb agreement tests a candidate’s ability to identify the real subject in complex sentences, which is a core language skill required in banking roles.

Q4: Are tense-based questions purely rule-based or logic-based?
A4: Tense-based questions are largely logic-based and depend on the context and meaning of the sentence rather than rigid memorization of rules.

Q5: How can practice questions improve grammar accuracy for bank exams?
A5: Regular practice helps candidates recognize common error patterns, apply rules quickly, and avoid confusion caused by lengthy or misleading sentence structures.

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