Our Class 10 English strategy guide made the case that grammar is tested through application, not rule recitation — and that writing marks are lost to format errors as often as to weak language. This is the practice that follows from both: grammar exercises focused on applied practice, and complete model answers with important structural elements clearly highlighted.
How to use this page: Attempt each grammar exercise before revealing the answer — and read the "why" explanation even when you get it right, since the reasoning is what transfers to unfamiliar sentences. For the writing formats, study the highlighted structural elements before reading the content itself.
Grammar Practice — Gap Filling
Tenses, Subject-Verb Agreement, Modals & Determiners
1. Tense
By the time we reached the station, the train _____ (leave).
Reveal Answer
Answer: had left
Why: Two past events, one completed before the other. The past perfect ("had left") marks the earlier action; the simple past ("reached") marks the later one.
2. Subject-Verb Agreement
Neither of the two answers _____ (be) correct.
Reveal Answer
Answer: is
Why: "Neither" is singular, so it takes a singular verb — the plural noun "answers" that follows doesn't change this. A common trap in exam questions.
3. Tense
She _____ (work) at this company since 2019.
Reveal Answer
Answer: has been working
Why: "Since" with an ongoing action starting in the past and continuing to now calls for the present perfect continuous.
4. Modal
You _____ wear a helmet while riding a two-wheeler — it is required by law.
Reveal Answer
Answer: must
Why: "Must" expresses strong obligation, which fits a legal requirement. "Should" would express advice rather than obligation, and "may" would express permission — neither matches the context clue "required by law."
5. Determiner
There isn't _____ sugar left in the jar.
Reveal Answer
Answer: much
Why: "Sugar" is an uncountable noun, so it takes "much" rather than "many." In a negative sentence, "much" is the natural choice.
6. Subject-Verb Agreement
The list of participants _____ (have) been displayed on the notice board.
Reveal Answer
Answer: has
Why: The subject is "the list" (singular), not "participants." The prepositional phrase "of participants" doesn't change the subject — a very frequently tested trap.
Editing & Omission
7. Error Correction
Identify and correct the error: "She don't like travelling by bus."
Reveal Answer
Answer: don't → doesn't
Why: "She" is third person singular, requiring "doesn't" rather than "don't."
8. Error Correction
Identify and correct the error: "He is one of the best player in the team."
Reveal Answer
Answer: player → players
Why: "One of the" is always followed by a plural noun — he is one among several players.
9. Error Correction
Identify and correct the error: "The teacher explained us the lesson clearly."
Reveal Answer
Answer: explained us → explained to us
Why: "Explain" takes the preposition "to" before the person receiving the explanation. Unlike verbs such as "tell," it cannot take an indirect object directly.
10. Omission
A word has been omitted. Identify where and what: "She has been living here ^ the last five years."
Reveal Answer
Answer: Insert "for" → "living here for the last five years"
Why: "For" is used with a duration of time ("five years"), while "since" is used with a starting point ("2019"). This distinction is tested frequently.
11. Error Correction
Identify and correct the error: "If I would have known, I would have come earlier."
Reveal Answer
Answer: If I would have known → If I had known
Why: In a third conditional sentence, the "if" clause uses the past perfect ("had known"), while only the main clause uses "would have." Using "would have" in both clauses is a very common error.
12. Error Correction
Identify and correct the error: "Each of the students were given a certificate."
Reveal Answer
Answer: were → was
Why: "Each" is singular and governs the verb, regardless of the plural noun that follows it.
Sentence Transformation
13. Reported Speech — Statement
Report: She said, "I am feeling unwell today."
Reveal Answer
Answer: She said that she was feeling unwell that day.
Why: Three changes happen together — the pronoun shifts (I→she), the tense backshifts (am→was), and the time reference changes (today→that day).
14. Reported Speech — Question
Report: He asked me, "Where do you live?"
Reveal Answer
Answer: He asked me where I lived.
Why: The reporting verb becomes "asked," the auxiliary "do" is dropped as word order reverts to statement form, the tense backshifts (live→lived), and the question mark disappears.
15. Reported Speech — Yes/No Question
Report: She asked, "Have you finished your homework?"
Reveal Answer
Answer: She asked whether I had finished my homework.
Why: With no question word present, "whether" (or "if") is needed to connect the clause. The tense backshifts from present perfect to past perfect.
16. Reported Speech — Command
Report: The teacher said to the students, "Submit your assignments by Friday."
Reveal Answer
Answer: The teacher told the students to submit their assignments by Friday.
Why: Commands use "told...to" with the infinitive, replacing the imperative form entirely. Note the pronoun change (your→their).
17. Active to Passive
Change to passive voice: The committee has approved the new proposal.
Reveal Answer
Answer: The new proposal has been approved by the committee.
Why: The object becomes the subject, the verb takes the "has been + past participle" form (matching the original present perfect tense), and the original subject moves to a "by" phrase.
18. Active to Passive
Change to passive voice: Someone is repairing the road.
Reveal Answer
Answer: The road is being repaired.
Why: Present continuous passive uses "is/are being + past participle." Since "someone" is an unknown, unspecified agent, the "by" phrase is dropped entirely.
19. Passive to Active
Change to active voice: The letter was written by Meera yesterday.
Reveal Answer
Answer: Meera wrote the letter yesterday.
Why: The agent in the "by" phrase becomes the subject, and the verb reverts to simple past active form.
20. Reported Speech — Request
Report: He said to her, "Please help me with this problem."
Reveal Answer
Answer: He requested her to help him with that problem.
Why: "Please" signals a request rather than a command, so the reporting verb becomes "requested" instead of "told." The demonstrative also shifts (this→that).
Writing Formats — Annotated Model Answers
Formal Letter · Format + Content + Language
Letter to the Editor
Model Answer
42, Green Park
New Delhi – 110016
15 August 2026
The Editor
The National Daily
New Delhi
Subject: Increasing traffic congestion in Green Park locality
Sir/Madam,
Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw the attention of the concerned authorities to the worsening traffic congestion in the Green Park area.
Over the past year, the volume of vehicles passing through our main road has increased considerably, while the road width has remained unchanged. During peak hours, commuters routinely spend thirty minutes covering a distance that should take five. The absence of designated parking has worsened matters, as vehicles parked along both sides of the road reduce the usable width even further.
I would urge the authorities to consider introducing designated parking zones and reviewing the traffic signal timings at the main intersection. Prompt action would bring considerable relief to the residents of this locality.
Yours faithfully,
Rohan Sharma
Structure to Notice
- Sender's address — top left, no name above it
- Date — below sender's address
- Receiver's designation and address — "The Editor" comes before the publication name
- Subject line — one line, states the issue directly
- Salutation — "Sir/Madam," for an unnamed recipient
- Closing — "Yours faithfully" pairs with "Sir/Madam"; use "Yours sincerely" only when you've addressed a named person
Analytical Paragraph · Data Interpretation
Analytical Paragraph — Based on a Chart or Data
Data for Analysis
| Activity | Share of Students' Free Time |
|---|---|
| Digital Entertainment | 40% |
| Reading | 25% |
| Outdoor Games | 20% |
| Creative Hobbies | 15% |
Model Answer
The given data illustrates how students in the school spend their free time across four activities.
The most striking feature is that digital entertainment accounts for the largest share, considerably ahead of every other category. Reading and outdoor games occupy intermediate positions, with a noticeable gap between them, while creative hobbies account for the smallest proportion of students' free time.
Overall, the data suggests a clear preference for screen-based leisure over physical and creative activities, which may warrant attention from both parents and school authorities.
Structure to Notice
- Opening — states what the data shows, without copying the task wording verbatim
- Body — describes the most significant feature first, then compares the remaining categories using comparative language
- Conclusion — draws an overall inference; never simply restates the numbers again
Informal Letter · Personal Tone
Informal Letter
Model Answer
42, Green Park
New Delhi – 110016
15 August 2026
Dear Aarav,
I was delighted to hear about your first place in the inter-school science competition. Congratulations! Your mother told me about the working model you built, and it sounds genuinely impressive — especially given how little time you had to prepare.
What pleases me most is that you chose a difficult topic rather than an easy one. That willingness to take on a challenge will serve you far better in the long run than any single prize.
Do write back and tell me what you plan to work on next. I'm looking forward to hearing about it.
With love,
Rohan
Structure to Notice
- Address and date — still required, same as a formal letter
- Salutation — "Dear [first name]," rather than "Sir/Madam"
- Closing — personal closings like "With love" or "Yours affectionately" — never "Yours faithfully"
Knowing a Rule and Applying It Under Time Pressure Are Different Things
A student who can explain what past perfect tense means may still miss it in an editing exercise, or forget the subject-verb trap in "the list of participants." Grammar marks can be lost to application errors even when the underlying rule is already understood.
What a Genelis weak area map looks like after English grammar and writing practice
Next session: writing format compliance (31%) — the marks lost silently, regardless of how well the content itself is written. Genelis tracks format errors separately from language quality.
Genelis is an AI-powered personalized learning platform built on Adaptive Personalized Intelligence. The Genelis learning system tracks your accuracy separately across grammar application, writing format compliance, and language expression — so a strong vocabulary never hides a recurring format error that's quietly costing you marks. Every wrong answer is logged to your wrong-question notebook for reattempt.
Learn smarter. Practice deeper. Improve continuously.
Genelis combines Adaptive Personalized Intelligence, AI-generated notes, targeted practice, mock tests, analytics, and personalised revision to help students improve every study session.
Questions Students Commonly Ask
Quick answers to the most common questions related to this guide.
What grammar topics does CBSE Class 10 English actually test?
The core grammar topics include determiners, tenses, modals, subject-verb concord, and reported speech covering commands and requests, statements, and questions. These are tested through applied questions in context rather than by asking students simply to define or explain grammar rules.
What is the correct way to convert a question into reported speech?
Three things change together. First, the reporting verb becomes asked or enquired rather than said. Second, the question word order reverts to normal statement order, so the auxiliary verb no longer comes before the subject. Third, if the original question has no question word, you introduce whether or if to connect the clause. The question mark is also dropped, since a reported question is no longer a direct question.
Why do students lose marks in writing tasks even when the content is good?
Writing is assessed on more than content alone. In a formal letter, format, content, organisation of ideas, and language accuracy are assessed separately, so missing required structural elements can cost marks even when the message is strong. Analytical paragraphs similarly require relevant content, logical organisation, and accurate language rather than simply listing the information provided.