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• Badminton uses rally-point scoring to 21 points; a side must win by 2 points, with a maximum of 30, and a point is scored on every rally.
• The server's score determines the service side: even scores serve from the right service court and odd scores from the left; the score is always called server's score first (e.g., "11–9").
• A legal badminton serve is struck with the racket pointing downwards and the whole shuttle below 1.15 m at contact, with both of the server's feet stationary in the service court; it must travel diagonally towards the opponent's correct service court, but it may touch the net and remain legal if it crosses and would land in that court.
• In singles the service court is long-and-narrow (inside the inner side lines and up to the back boundary line); in doubles it is short-and-wide (inside the outer side lines and up to the doubles long service line).
• Any shuttle that lands on a boundary line is "in"; a serve or shot landing outside the relevant lines for that discipline (singles/doubles) is "out."
• Common service faults include striking the shuttle above the legal height, the racket head not pointing down, feet moving or on the lines at contact, serving to the wrong service court, and double action or undue delay after starting the service.
• Low (short) serves are aimed just over the net to land near the short service line (to the T or wide corner) to deny the receiver an easy attack.
• High (long) serves are used mainly in singles to send the shuttle deep and high towards the back tramlines, pushing the opponent to the rear court.
• A tight net shot travels just over the tape and tumbles steeply so that it lands close to the net, often forcing a lift that can be attacked.
• A drop shot travels from the rear court to land just beyond the net on the opponent's forecourt; a slow drop prioritises placement while a fast drop uses pace to jam the receiver.
• A clear travels high and deep to the back court to gain time or move the opponent away from the net; an attacking clear is flatter and faster to pressure the rear court.
• A smash is a fast, steep, downward stroke used to finish rallies or force weak replies, most effective when the shuttle is high and in front of the body.
• A drive is a flat, fast stroke played across mid-court lanes to pressure the opponent and take time away, often used in doubles exchanges.
• In doubles, the attacking formation is front–back (hitter at the rear, partner hunting the net), and the defensive formation is side–by–side to cover angles against smashes.
• After a side wins a rally while serving, the server continues serving from the alternate service court; in doubles, the server and partner swap service courts, but when the receiving side wins a rally, service passes to that side without its players swapping courts, and the player occupying the court that matches the side's even or odd score serves.

• Place low serves accurately to the T and wide corner of the service box, keeping the shuttle just above net tape height and landing within the diagonal service court.
• Execute a high singles serve that reaches deep back court with sufficient height and length to push the receiver behind their base.
• Perform a flick serve with identical preparation to a low serve, adding late wrist acceleration to send the shuttle over an anticipating receiver.
• Select an appropriate third shot after the serve (e.g., net kill after a weak lift, push/drive into open space, or smash if the shuttle sits up), making contact in front of the body.
• Play tight net shots and forecourt drops that land within a racket-length of the net tape, using late racket head adjustments to disguise direction and depth.
• Choose clears, drops, drives, or smashes based on shuttle height, opponent position, and risk, prioritising shots that move the opponent away from their base and expose space.
• Attack space decisively by hitting to open corners or into the opponent's backhand side, then recover quickly to an effective base with a split step.
• Adopt the correct doubles formation: rotate to front–back after creating a lift and revert to side–by–side under sustained smash pressure, communicating who takes straight and cross-court shots.
• Umpire a game by calling the score clearly (server's score first), checking even/odd service sides, judging service legality and court boundaries, and stopping play to explain faults consistently.
• Adjust serving and rally tactics mid-game by reading opponent tendencies (e.g., stepping in on the low serve or struggling with backhand rear-court) and varying pace, angle, and placement accordingly.