Concept

The sentence is split into parts and you must identify the part containing a grammatical error (or mark 'No error'). It tests core grammar: subject–verb agreement, tense, prepositions, articles and modifiers.

Read the whole sentence first, then test each part against a grammar rule.

Key Points & Formulas

• Subject–verb agreement: 'one of the …' takes a singular verb.
• Comparatives senior/junior/superior/inferior take 'to', not 'than'.
• Uncountable nouns (advice, information, furniture, news) take no 'a/an' and a singular verb.
• After 'did/does/do', use the base form of the verb.

Worked Example

Q. Spot the error: 'Each of the students (A) / have submitted (B) / their assignment. (C) / No error (D)'

'Each of the students' is singular, so the verb must agree.

'have submitted' should be 'has submitted'.

Error is in part (B).

Practice MCQs

Q1. Spot the error: 'He is junior (A)/ than me (B)/ in service. (C)/ No error (D)'

(A) A (B) B (C) C (D) D

Answer: B. 'Junior' is followed by 'to', so it should be 'junior to me'.

Q2. Spot the error: 'The news (A)/ are very (B)/ encouraging. (C)/ No error (D)'

(A) A (B) B (C) C (D) D

Answer: B. 'News' is singular; 'are' should be 'is'.

Concept

A word is given (often underlined in a sentence) and you select the option nearest (synonym) or most opposite (antonym) in meaning. This is the single largest English sub-section.

Building word power through roots, prefixes and suffixes lets you decode unfamiliar words.

Key Points & Formulas

• Learn words in synonym–antonym pairs (e.g., benevolent ↔ cruel).
• Use roots/affixes: 'bene-' = good, 'mal-' = bad, '-phobia' = fear.
• Read the sentence for context before choosing.
• Eliminate options that are the wrong part of speech.

Worked Example

Q. Choose the synonym of 'PRUDENT': (a) reckless (b) wise (c) wealthy (d) shy.

'Prudent' means showing care and good judgement.

The closest synonym is 'wise' — option (b).

Practice MCQs

Q1. Synonym of 'METICULOUS'

(A) Careless (B) Careful (C) Cruel (D) Cheerful

Answer: B. Meticulous = very careful and precise.

Q2. Antonym of 'SCARCE'

(A) Rare (B) Plentiful (C) Costly (D) Hidden

Answer: B. Scarce = in short supply; its opposite is plentiful.

Concept

A phrase or definition is given and you choose the single word that means the same. It rewards a wide, precise vocabulary.

Group such words by theme (people, fears, government, places) to memorise them efficiently.

Key Points & Formulas

• Group by theme: '-cracy' = rule (autocracy, theocracy).
• People: one who studies X (biologist, geologist).
• Learn from past papers — the same words recur.
• Beware near-synonyms with subtle differences.

Worked Example

Q. One word for 'a government run by religious leaders'.

Rule by religious authority = theocracy.

(Compare: autocracy = rule by one; democracy = rule by people.)

Practice MCQs

Q1. A person who knows many languages is a

(A) Linguist / polyglot (B) Novice (C) Orator (D) Cynic

Answer: A. A polyglot (or linguist) knows and uses several languages.

Q2. One word for 'something that cannot be corrected'

(A) Incorrigible (B) Illegible (C) Invincible (D) Inevitable

Answer: A. Incorrigible = not able to be corrected or reformed.

Concept

An idiom is given (often underlined in a sentence) and you choose its figurative meaning, not the literal one. The exam reuses common idioms year after year.

Learn a handful daily with an example sentence so the meaning sticks.

Key Points & Formulas

• Idioms are non-literal — judge by usage, not word-by-word.
• Context in the sentence usually hints at the meaning.
• Maintain a personal idiom list with example sentences.
• Common ones: 'a wild goose chase', 'in hot water', 'turn a blind eye'.

Worked Example

Q. Meaning of 'to turn a blind eye' in: 'The manager turned a blind eye to the lapses.'

The idiom means to deliberately ignore something wrong.

So it means 'to ignore / pretend not to notice'.

Practice MCQs

Q1. 'To be in hot water' means

(A) To be in trouble (B) To take a bath (C) To be very busy (D) To feel angry

Answer: A. Being 'in hot water' means being in a difficult or troublesome situation.

Q2. 'A wild goose chase' means

(A) A hopeless, fruitless pursuit (B) A hunting trip (C) A fast race (D) A clever plan

Answer: A. It refers to a pointless search that wastes time.

Concept

A part of the sentence is underlined and you choose the best replacement (or 'No improvement'). It tests grammar, idiom and concise expression.

Prefer the simplest grammatically-correct, idiomatic option.

Key Points & Formulas

• Check tense consistency and subject–verb agreement.
• Watch for wrong prepositions and redundant words.
• 'One of the + superlative + plural noun' (one of the best players).
• Conditionals: 'If I were you …' (subjunctive).

Worked Example

Q. Improve: 'He is more cleverer than his brother.'

'More' and '-er' is a double comparative — incorrect.

Correct form: 'He is cleverer than his brother.'

Practice MCQs

Q1. Improve the underlined: 'If I __ rich, I would travel the world.' (was)

(A) were (B) am (C) had (D) No improvement

Answer: A. Hypothetical 'if' clauses take the subjunctive 'were'.

Q2. Improve: 'She is one of the best singer in the country.'

(A) best singers (B) best singer (C) a best singer (D) No improvement

Answer: A. 'One of the best' requires the plural noun 'singers'.

Concept

In the active voice the subject performs the action; in the passive the subject receives it. Questions ask you to convert a sentence from one voice to the other.

Identify the subject, verb and object, then swap subject and object and adjust the verb.

Key Points & Formulas

• Passive structure: object + correct form of 'be' + past participle + by + subject.
• Keep the tense of the original verb.
• Only transitive verbs (with an object) can be made passive.
• Pronoun changes: I→me, he→him, they→them after 'by'.

Worked Example

Q. Change to passive: 'The teacher praised the student.'

Object 'the student' becomes the subject.

Verb 'praised' (past) → 'was praised'.

Passive: 'The student was praised by the teacher.'

Practice MCQs

Q1. Passive of 'They are building a bridge.'

(A) A bridge is being built by them (B) A bridge was built by them (C) A bridge is built by them (D) They built a bridge

Answer: A. Present continuous active → 'is being built' in the passive.

Q2. Active of 'The letter was written by Rama.'

(A) Rama wrote the letter (B) Rama writes the letter (C) Rama has written the letter (D) Rama is writing the letter

Answer: A. Simple past passive → simple past active 'wrote'.

Concept

Direct speech quotes the exact words; indirect (reported) speech reports them without quotation marks, with changes to tense, pronouns and time/place words.

Follow the standard backshift and pronoun rules.

Key Points & Formulas

• Reporting verb in past ⇒ backshift tense (is→was, will→would, can→could).
• Time/place: now→then, today→that day, here→there, tomorrow→the next day.
• Questions: use 'asked' + if/whether (yes-no) or the question word.
• Commands/requests: use 'told/requested + to + verb'.

Worked Example

Q. Report: He said, 'I am busy today.'

Backshift 'am' → 'was'; 'today' → 'that day'; pronoun 'I' → 'he'.

Indirect: He said that he was busy that day.

Practice MCQs

Q1. Indirect of: She said, 'I will come tomorrow.'

(A) She said that she would come the next day (B) She said she will come tomorrow (C) She says she would come tomorrow (D) She told she comes the next day

Answer: A. 'will'→'would' and 'tomorrow'→'the next day'.

Q2. Indirect of: He said to me, 'Please help me.'

(A) He requested me to help him (B) He said me to help (C) He told that help me (D) He asked that I helped him

Answer: A. Requests use 'requested + to + base verb'.

Concept

Jumbled parts/words of a sentence are given and you arrange them into a grammatically correct, meaningful sentence.

Find the subject and verb first, then attach phrases of place, time and manner.

Key Points & Formulas

• Usual order: Subject + Verb + Object + place + time.
• Look for the natural opening word (capital/article) and the ending.
• Keep prepositional phrases together as units.
• Test the final order by reading it aloud.

Worked Example

Q. Arrange: (P) every evening (Q) in the park (R) the children (S) play

Subject (R) + verb (S) + place (Q) + time (P).

'The children play in the park every evening.' Order: R S Q P.

Practice MCQs

Q1. Arrange: (P) to school (Q) by bus (R) goes (S) she

(A) S R P Q (B) P Q R S (C) S R Q P (D) R S P Q

Answer: A. 'She goes to school by bus' = S-R-P-Q.

Q2. Arrange: (P) a letter (Q) wrote (R) he (S) to his friend

(A) R Q P S (B) P Q R S (C) R Q S P (D) Q R P S

Answer: A. 'He wrote a letter to his friend' = R-Q-P-S.

Concept

A passage is followed by questions on facts, inference, vocabulary-in-context and the main idea. It tests understanding rather than memory.

Skim for the gist, then scan back for the specific detail each question needs.

Key Points & Formulas

• Read the questions first so you know what to look for.
• Fact questions: answer is stated directly; locate it.
• Inference questions: choose what logically follows, not what is merely possible.
• Vocabulary questions: use the surrounding sentence for context.

Worked Example

Q. Strategy: how should you tackle a vocabulary-in-context question such as 'the word X most nearly means…'?

Re-read the sentence containing the word.

Substitute each option into the sentence.

Choose the one that preserves the intended meaning — not just a dictionary synonym.

Practice MCQs

Q1. In RC, an 'inference' question asks you to identify what is

(A) Logically implied by the passage (B) Stated word-for-word (C) Your personal opinion (D) Outside the passage

Answer: A. Inference = a conclusion that follows logically from the text.

Q2. The best first step in tackling an RC passage is to

(A) Skim for the main idea (B) Memorise every line (C) Answer without reading (D) Read footnotes only

Answer: A. A quick skim for the gist makes targeted scanning efficient.

Concept

Several sentences are given out of order and you must arrange them into a coherent paragraph. It tests logical sequencing and cohesion.

Identify the opening sentence and follow the chain of pronouns and connectors.

Key Points & Formulas

• The opening sentence introduces the topic and rarely begins with a pronoun or connector.
• Track referents: a pronoun must follow the noun it refers to.
• Connectors (however, therefore, then) signal the link to the previous sentence.
• The closing sentence often concludes or summarises.

Worked Example

Q. Order S1..S4: (S1) A farmer had four sons. (S2) They always quarrelled. (S3) One day he called them. (S4) He showed them a bundle of sticks.

Introduce (S1), state the problem (S2), the action (S3), and what he did (S4).

Logical order: S1 – S2 – S3 – S4.

Practice MCQs

Q1. In a para jumble, the opening sentence usually

(A) Introduces the topic (B) Begins with 'however' (C) Contains a pronoun like 'it' (D) Concludes the idea

Answer: A. The first sentence sets up the topic and avoids back-references.

Q2. A sentence starting with 'Therefore' most likely

(A) Follows a cause/reason sentence (B) Opens the paragraph (C) Stands alone (D) Is the title

Answer: A. 'Therefore' signals a conclusion drawn from a preceding statement.

Concept

A short passage has several blanks; for each you pick the word that best fits grammatically and contextually. It tests vocabulary, grammar and the flow of ideas together.

Read the whole passage once to grasp the theme before filling blanks.

Key Points & Formulas

• Use collocations (e.g., 'make a decision', 'heavy rain').
• Maintain tense and subject–verb agreement across the passage.
• Watch contrast/addition signals (but, although, moreover).
• After filling all blanks, re-read for overall sense.

Worked Example

Q. Fill the blank: 'Despite the heavy rain, the team ____ to finish the match.'

'Despite' signals contrast; a positive outcome is expected.

The natural collocation is 'managed to finish'. → 'managed'.

Practice MCQs

Q1. Education plays a vital ____ in development.

(A) role (B) roll (C) rule (D) row

Answer: A. The collocation is 'play a role'.

Q2. He was praised ____ his honesty.

(A) for (B) of (C) with (D) by

Answer: A. The correct preposition is 'praised for'.

Concept

A single sentence has one (or two) blanks and you choose the most appropriate word(s). It tests vocabulary, prepositions and grammar.

Decide first what part of speech the blank needs.

Key Points & Formulas

• Identify the required part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, adverb).
• Prepositions follow fixed patterns (interested in, good at, afraid of).
• For two-blank items, an option must fit both blanks.
• Eliminate clearly wrong options to narrow the choice.

Worked Example

Q. Fill the blank: 'She is very good ____ mathematics.'

The fixed preposition after 'good' (skill) is 'at'.

Answer: 'good at mathematics'.

Practice MCQs

Q1. The soldiers fought ____ for their country.

(A) bravely (B) brave (C) bravery (D) braver

Answer: A. An adverb modifies 'fought'; 'bravely' is correct.

Q2. He is afraid ____ the dark.

(A) of (B) from (C) with (D) for

Answer: A. The fixed pattern is 'afraid of'.

Concept

A paragraph is given with its last (or a middle) sentence missing, and you choose the option that best completes it coherently.

The right sentence continues the tone, topic and logical flow.

Key Points & Formulas

• Identify the paragraph's main idea and direction.
• The completing sentence should not introduce an unrelated idea.
• Match connectors and pronoun references with the rest.
• A concluding sentence often summarises or gives a consequence.

Worked Example

Q. Approach: how do you choose the sentence that completes a paragraph?

Read the paragraph to fix its theme and tone.

Reject options that contradict it or change the subject.

Pick the option that logically follows the last stated idea.

Practice MCQs

Q1. The completing sentence of a paragraph should mainly

(A) Continue the same idea logically (B) Start a new topic (C) Repeat the first line (D) Contradict the passage

Answer: A. Coherence requires continuing the established idea.

Q2. A concluding sentence typically

(A) Summarises or states a consequence (B) Introduces new data (C) Asks an unrelated question (D) Defines a new term

Answer: A. Conclusions wrap up or draw out the implication of the paragraph.

Concept

Connectors (conjunctions/linkers) join ideas and show their relationship — addition, contrast, cause, condition. Questions ask you to pick the connector that correctly links two clauses.

Identify the logical relationship first, then choose the matching connector.

Key Points & Formulas

• Contrast: but, however, although, whereas.
• Cause/result: because, since, therefore, so.
• Addition: and, moreover, besides, furthermore.
• Condition: if, unless, provided that.

Worked Example

Q. Choose the connector: 'He worked hard ____ he failed the exam.'

The two clauses are in contrast (effort vs failure).

A contrast connector is needed: 'yet' / 'but'. → 'He worked hard, yet he failed.'

Practice MCQs

Q1. '____ it was raining, we went out.'

(A) Although (B) Because (C) So (D) Therefore

Answer: A. Contrast between rain and going out needs 'Although'.

Q2. 'He was tired, ____ he kept working.'

(A) but (B) because (C) so (D) and

Answer: A. Contrast between tiredness and continuing needs 'but'.