English Language and Comprehension: Rule Recognition
What this section tests
English Language and Comprehension checks functional grammar and reading: error spotting, sentence improvement, fill in the blanks, synonyms and antonyms, idioms and phrases, one-word substitution, spelling, para jumbles, cloze tests and a comprehension passage. Most questions reward rule recognition rather than vocabulary depth.
Core rules
- Subject–verb agreement: 'one of + plural noun' takes a singular verb; each, every, either and neither are singular; with 'neither…nor' the verb agrees with the nearer subject.
- Prepositions: comprise, discuss and resemble take no 'of'; we complain about, consist of and comply with.
- Tense: in a present-perfect sentence with since or for, the subordinate clause uses the past simple - 'He has lived here since he was ten.'
- Articles: 'a' before consonant sounds, 'an' before vowel sounds - an hour, a university, an MLA.
- Para jumbles: find the opening sentence (no pronoun or connector) and lock the mandatory pairs.
Worked example
Spot the error: 'One of the boys were absent from the parade.' Reasoning: the subject is 'one', which is singular; 'of the boys' is a prepositional phrase and does not change the number of the verb. The plural 'were' becomes 'was'. Correct sentence: 'One of the boys was absent from the parade.'
Traps that cost marks
- Reading the comprehension passage first; skim the questions so you know what to hunt for.
- Choosing a synonym that belongs to a different part of speech.
- Taking idioms literally - 'to burn the midnight oil' means to study late, not to waste oil.
- Spelling slips in accommodation, occurrence, definitely and separate.