Grammar for the Board — Part 2: Concord, Reported Speech, Editing and Omission: visual lesson, CBSE Class 10 English Language and Literature

Lesson

Grammar for the Board — Part 2: Concord, Reported Speech, Editing and Omission

Part 2 of the Class 10 grammar lesson. Editing tasks test concord and tense in disguise, and transformation tasks are usually reported speech. Master these three skills and most of Section B grammar is covered.

In this lesson you will

Make verbs agree with singular, plural, collective and compound subjects
Convert statements, questions, commands and requests into reported speech
Change pronouns, tenses and time words correctly when reporting
Detect and correct errors and omissions in a short passage

Board pattern: 12 one-mark tasks, attempt any 10 (CBSE 2026-27, Section B).
Task type	What you do	Grammar it tests
Gap filling	Write or choose the missing word	determiners, tenses, modals, concord
Editing / omission	Find the wrong or missing word and correct it	concord, tense, articles, prepositions
Transformation	Rewrite a sentence in another form	reported speech

Concept

Concord: find the real subject first

The verb agrees with its subject, not with the noun nearest to it. Cover up the of-phrase and see what is left.

The box of sweets is on the table. (subject: box)
One of my cousins lives in Dubai. (subject: one)
The quality of the roads has improved. (subject: quality)

Concept

Nine concord rules in one table

Most editing errors in board papers come from these rules.

Table of nine concord rules with examples, covering and, each and every, as well as, either or, collective nouns, a number of, amounts, and nouns like physics and news.
Subject	Verb	Example
A and B	plural	Rina and her brother are in Class X.
two nouns naming one thing	singular	Bread and butter is enough for me.
each, every, either, neither, everyone	singular	Everyone has a locker.
A as well as / along with / with B	agrees with A	The captain, with his players, is here.
either A or B; neither A nor B	agrees with B (nearer)	Neither Ravi nor his friends were invited.
collective noun as one unit	singular	The jury has given its verdict.
a number of / the number of	plural / singular	A number of buses are late; the number of buses is small.
a sum of money, time or distance	singular	Ten kilometres is a long walk.
-s nouns with a singular meaning	singular	Physics is tough; the news is good.

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