Telugu Language
What is tested
The Telugu Language section checks script recognition, grammar, vocabulary, idioms, sentence correction, and comprehension. Questions often test sandhi, samasa, vibhakti, opposites, synonyms, and correct spelling. A candidate should be able to identify a grammatical label, not merely read the sentence.
Core grammar
- Telugu has achchulu (vowels) and hallulu (consonants). A vowel sign attached to a consonant is a gunintam.
- Sandhi is the joining of sounds at word boundaries. Savarna deerga sandhi joins a similar short and long vowel into a long vowel.
- Samasa is compounding; the compound word functions as one unit and may need expansion to identify its type.
- Vibhakti is case inflection. The eighth vibhakti is sambodhana, used for address.
- Paryayapadalu are synonyms; viruddha padalu are opposites.
Worked example
Join రామ + ఆలయం. Reason: the final అ of రామ and the initial ఆ of ఆలయం are savarna vowels; they combine into the long ఆ. The result is రామాలయం. This is savarna deerga sandhi. A wrong answer often keeps both vowels as రామఆలయం, which is not standard written Telugu.
Traps that cost marks
Do not confuse sandhi with samasa: sandhi is sound junction, samasa is compounding. Do not treat every long vowel as a sandhi change. In comprehension, do not import outside facts about the passage. For idiom questions, give the figurative meaning, not the literal word-by-word meaning. Check spelling of gunintam signs carefully.