Grammar Interview Questions for English Teachers

Being an English teacher at an Indian private school means you need to really know your grammar to teach students well. When you’re interviewed, you might get asked some grammar questions to see how much you know. Here are a few common grammar interview questions for English teachers along with the model and crisp answers to get you ready.

This is a special post related to grammar interview questions. You can check out the general questions asked to a teacher during an interview here.

Common Grammar Interview Questions for English Teachers

Here are some frequently asked grammar questions in interviews to check the proficiency of English teachers.

• What is a verb? Can you give examples of different types of verbs?

A verb is a word that shows an action, event or state. There are three types of verbs:

1. Action verbs (e.g., swim, dance, sing)

2. Helping verbs (e.g., is, am, are, was, were)

3. Modal verbs (e.g., can, could, may, might)

• What is the difference between a phrase and a clause?

A phrase is a group of words that does not contain a subject and a verb. e.g. The boy in red shirt. On the other hand, a clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. e.g. Anuj works as an engineer. It can be an independent clause or a subordinate clause.

• What are the different types of pronouns?

Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns. There are several types of pronouns, including personal pronouns (e.g., I, you, he, she, it), possessive pronouns (e.g., mine, yours, his, hers, its), demonstrative pronouns (e.g., this, that, these, those), and relative pronouns (e.g., who, whom, whose, which, that).

(note: You can skip giving examples for making your answer crisp. Give examples only when asked for.)

• Explain the difference between ‘its’ and ‘it’s’.

‘Its’ is a possessive pronoun, used to show that something belongs to or is associated with something previously mentioned (e.g., The dog wagged its tail).

‘It’s’ is a contraction of ‘it is’ or ‘it has’ (e.g., It’s raining today).

• What are the basic parts of speech in English grammar?

There are eight parts of speech:

1. Nouns (e.g., book, table, happiness)
2. Pronouns (e.g., he, she, it, they)
3. Verbs (e.g., run, eat, sleep)
4. Adjectives (e.g., beautiful, tall, happy)
5. Adverbs (e.g., quickly, happily, slowly)
6. Prepositions (e.g., in, on, at, by)
7. Conjunctions (e.g., and, but, or)
8. Interjections (e.g., wow, hey, ouch)

(You can even skip giving examples of each part of speech to avoid lengthy answers.)

• Can you explain the concept of subject-verb agreement?

Subject-verb agreement means that the subject and the verb in a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural). For example, “He walks” (for singular subject) and “They walk” (for plural subject).

• What are the different types of sentences based on structure?/ What are four basic sentence structures?

The different types of sentences based on structure are:

1. Simple sentences (having one independent clause) e.g. Reena can sing very well.
2. Compound sentences (having two or more independent clauses joined by conjunctions) e.g. Reena sings well and has performed at various events.
3. Complex sentences (having one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses) e.g. Although Reena sings well, she is shy on stage.
4. Compound-complex sentences (having two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses) e.g. Reena sings well, but she is shy when performing in public.

• Explain the use of articles ‘a’, ‘an’, and ‘the’.

‘A’ and ‘an’ are indefinite articles used before singular nouns to indicate that the noun is nonspecific (e.g., I saw a cat in the street.)

‘The’ is a definite article used before singular or plural nouns to indicate that the noun is specific (e.g. The cat in the street was chasing a mouse.)

Also visit: When to Use Articles A, An, The in English

• What is the difference between active voice and passive voice?

In active voice, the subject acts as the verb (e.g., The police caught the thief).

In passive voice, the subject receives the action of the verb (e.g., The thief was caught by the police).

• Explain the concept of tense in English grammar. / What is Tense?

Tense indicates the time at which an action or event takes place. There are three main tenses: past, present, and future. Each tense can be further divided into four aspects: simple, continuous (progressive), perfect, and perfect continuous.

• Can you give examples of common grammatical errors that students make?

Common grammatical errors that students make include:

1. Confusing ‘their’, ‘there’, and ‘they’re’
2. Misusing apostrophes (e.g., its vs. it’s)
3. Incorrect subject-verb agreement
4. Confusing ‘affect’ and ‘effect’
5. Misplacing modifiers

 

• What is the difference between ‘affect’ and ‘effect’?

(Sometimes new questions are spinned from the previous ones. :-0

1. Affect is a verb. For example: “The new policy will affect all employees.”
2. Effect is a noun. For example: “The new policy significantly affected the company’s profits.”

 

• Give examples of misplacing modifiers.

Misplacing modifiers can lead to confusion or ambiguity in a sentence. Here is an example:

Misplaced Modifier: “I only ate cookies for breakfast.”

This suggests that the speaker only consumed cookies, excluding other possible actions.

Corrected: “I ate only cookies for breakfast.”

Here, “only” properly modifies “cookies,” indicating that no other food was eaten for breakfast.

• What is a dangling modifier? Can you provide an example?

A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that does not clearly modify another word or phrase in a sentence. For example, “Running down the street, the bus was missed.” Here, “running down the street” does not logically modify “the bus,” leading to confusion.

Also read:

Common Grammar Mistakes People Make During Interviews

Advanced English Grammar Questions Asked in Interviews

---

Aptitude-Based Interview Questions 

 

Here are some aptitude-based grammar interview questions asked to English teachers in order to check their perspective on teaching grammar in a classroom.

• Why is it important to teach Grammar to students?

Teaching grammar is crucial because it gives language a clear structure and helps students communicate effectively. Moreover, mastering grammar improves both reading and writing abilities.

• What is the best method to teach Grammar?

The best method to teach grammar is by emphasizing its use in practical contexts rather than focusing on memorizing rules. This approach allows students to learn grammar naturally, similar to how they learned their native language, making it more meaningful and easier to remember.

• Can you give one example to prove this?

Yes, sure. Instead of teaching the rule for the simple past tense, students can learn by using past tense verbs to describe their daily activities, like “Yesterday, I walked to the park.”  Hence, they will create their own sentences using past tense verbs to describe their past activities. This approach helps students understand and remember grammar more effectively.    It definitely requires more drilling, but the students will never forget and make mistakes.

• How would you teach grammar to students who are struggling with the concepts?

When teaching grammar to struggling students, I use a variety of methods such as:

• • • Providing clear explanations and examples
    • Using visual aids and real-life examples
    • Engaging students in interactive activities and games
    • Offering additional practice exercises
    • Providing constructive feedback and encouragement

---

Additional Grammar Interview Questions and Detailed Answers

 

1. What is the difference between the past perfect and the past perfect continuous tense?

The past perfect tense describes an action that was completed before another past action. For example, “She had finished her homework before dinner.” The past perfect continuous tense emphasizes the duration of an action that was ongoing in the past up until another past action. For example, “She had been studying for hours before the exam.”

2. Can you provide examples of common grammar mistakes made by English learners and how to address them?

Common mistakes include incorrect verb tenses, misuse of articles, and subject-verb disagreement. For instance, saying “He go to school” instead of “He goes to school.” To address these, I use targeted exercises that focus on each error type, provide clear explanations, and offer plenty of practice opportunities.

3. How do you explain the use of modal verbs to students?

I explain that modal verbs (can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would) are used to express ability, possibility, permission, or obligation. For example, “She can swim” indicates ability, while “You must finish your homework” indicates obligation. I provide context-based examples and engage students in role-playing scenarios to practice using modals appropriately.

---

If They Ask Questions about Strategies for Teaching Grammar Effectively

 

1. Incorporate real-life contexts:

Teaching grammar in isolation can be abstract. I integrate grammar lessons into real-life contexts, such as writing emails, storytelling, or discussing current events, to make the learning process more meaningful and engaging.

2. Use visual aids and interactive tools:

I utilize charts, diagrams, and interactive whiteboards to visually represent grammatical structures. Tools like sentence trees or color-coded parts of speech help students visualize and understand complex grammar rules.

3. Encourage collaborative learning:

Pairing students for peer editing or group grammar games fosters collaborative learning. This approach allows students to learn from each other and reinforces their understanding through teaching.

4. Provide immediate feedback:

Timely correction of errors helps students recognize and learn from their mistakes. I ensure to provide constructive feedback during exercises and discussions to reinforce correct grammar usage.

---

Additional Resources for Grammar Mastery

 

For more in-depth exploration of grammar topics and teaching strategies, consider the following resources:

• Advanced Grammar Interview Questions for English Teachers

• Common Mistakes to Avoid in English Grammar Interviews

• Best Self-Introduction for Interview: Pro Tips 2025

These resources offer comprehensive insights and practical tips to enhance your grammar teaching skills and prepare effectively for interviews.

To sum up, being an English teacher requires a strong hold on grammar. By preparing for these commonly asked grammar interview questions for English teachers, you can show that you know your stuff and are perfect for the job. If you like these interview questions and answers and find them useful for your job, please comment below. It is a great motivation to see the responses from our readers. You can also post your queries here. Good luck with your interview!

Check out:

Common Interview Questions for Freshers.