Maharashtra SSC Punjabi L2/L3 (MSBSHSE) key terms

Punjabi prose. In this exam it means the non-poetic passages, both the unseen comprehension passage and the lessons printed in the textbook, written in ordinary running sentences rather than verse.

Punjabi verse or poetry. It covers the prescribed poems in the textbook, which are read for theme, emotion, imagery and the poet's message rather than for plot.

A prose passage a candidate has not studied before, printed in the question paper. Questions test main idea, specific detail, word meaning and inference, so answers must come from the passage itself.

The sentence or situation around a word or line. In comprehension and poetry answers, meaning must fit the context, not just the dictionary meaning of the word.

The central point a passage or poem makes. A good summary answer states this in one or two sentences, then supports it with a detail from the text.

A short restatement of a passage in your own words. It keeps the order of ideas, drops repetition and examples, and stays within the word limit given in the question.

A compressed version of a longer piece, usually about one third of the original length. It must not add opinion or new facts and is written in the third person.

The underlying message or feeling of a poem or lesson, such as patriotism, love of nature, social reform or devotion. Theme questions ask what the writer wishes to convey.

A person presented in a story or lesson. Character questions ask about qualities shown by actions and words, so answers should cite evidence from the text.

A single event in a lesson or story. Questions often ask for the sequence of incidents or for the turning point that changes the situation.

The connected chain of events in a story, from beginning through complication to resolution. A plot answer follows time order and names the cause of each main turn.

The writer of a prose lesson, essay or story. The exam expects the correct name of the prescribed author along with a line or two about the work's subject.

The writer of a poem. Questions may ask for the poet's name, the poem's central feeling, or the meaning of a particular line in the poem.

A deliberate pattern of language that adds effect, such as simile, metaphor or personification. In poetry answers, name the figure and quote the words that create it.

A comparison using words such as 'ਵਾਂਗ', 'ਜਿਵੇਂ' or 'ਵਰਗਾ', for example comparing a face to the moon. Both things compared must belong to different kinds.

A comparison stated as identity, without 'like' or 'as'. The poet says one thing is another, and the reader supplies the resemblance between them.

A word that names a person, place, thing or idea, such as 'ਮੁੰਬਈ', 'ਕਿਤਾਬ' or 'ਸੱਚ'. Grammar questions ask you to identify nouns and their type in a sentence.

A word used in place of a noun, such as 'ਉਹ', 'ਮੈਂ' or 'ਕੋਈ'. It must agree in number and gender with the noun it replaces.

A word that shows an action or state, such as 'ਪੜ੍ਹਨਾ', 'ਜਾਣਾ' or 'ਹੋਣਾ'. It changes form for tense, person, number and gender to match the subject.

The time a verb refers to: past, present or future. Punjabi also marks continuous and perfect aspect, so 'ਪੜ੍ਹਦਾ ਹੈ', 'ਪੜ੍ਹ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ' and 'ਪੜ੍ਹ ਚੁੱਕਾ ਹੈ' differ in form.

The grammatical class of a Punjabi noun, masculine or feminine. It controls verb and adjective endings, so 'ਚੰਗਾ ਮੁੰਡਾ' but 'ਚੰਗੀ ਕੁੜੀ'.

Whether a word is singular or plural. Punjabi marks plural mainly on nouns and on agreeing verbs and adjectives, and irregular forms must be learned, such as 'ਘਰ' to 'ਘਰ'.

A complete unit of meaning with a subject and a predicate. Grammar tasks ask you to identify sentence type, correct word order, or join two sentences into one.

Two or more words joined into one, sometimes with a sound change, such as 'ਰਾਜ' plus 'ਕੁਮਾਰ' giving 'ਰਾਜਕੁਮਾਰ'. Questions ask you to split a compound or join two words.

A single noun formed by combining words whose grammatical relationship is dropped, as in 'ਚੌਕੀਧਰ' or 'ਪਾਠਸ਼ਾਲਾ'. Recognising the hidden case helps explain the compound's meaning.

A fixed phrase whose meaning is not the sum of its words, such as 'ਅੱਖਾਂ ਦਾ ਤਾਰਾ' meaning a beloved person. Idiom questions ask for meaning or for a sentence using it.

A short traditional saying that carries folk wisdom, such as 'ਜਿਹਾ ਬੀਜੇਗਾ ਤਿਹਾ ਖਾਵੇਗਾ'. Answers explain the saying's lesson and often give a matching situation.

What a word, phrase or line conveys. In this exam, meaning questions may ask for a synonym, the sense in context, or the sense of a whole verse, so check which is wanted.

A word with nearly the same meaning as another, such as 'ਸੁੰਦਰ' and 'ਸੋਹਣਾ'. Synonym items test vocabulary breadth, and the substitute must fit the sentence grammatically.

A word with the opposite meaning, such as 'ਉੱਚਾ' and 'ਨੀਵਾਂ'. Antonym items are common in the vocabulary section and require attention to the exact sense used.

Rendering a sentence or short passage from Punjabi into English, or the reverse, while keeping the meaning and natural word order of the target language rather than translating word for word.

A written message in the formal layout used in the exam: sender's address, date, receiver's address, salutation, body, closing and signature. Formal and informal letters follow different openings.

A structured piece of writing on a given topic, with an introduction, two or three developed paragraphs and a conclusion. Marks depend on relevance, organisation and correct Punjabi.

A factual account of an event written for a newspaper or authority, answering what, when, where, who and why in a plain, impersonal style with a heading and date line.

A written conversation between two or more speakers on a set situation, with each turn on a new line and a dash or the speaker's name before it. It should sound natural and stay on topic.

The writing section of the paper as a whole, covering letter, essay, report and dialogue. It is marked for content, layout, sequence of ideas and accuracy of spelling and grammar.

The correct written form of a Punjabi word using the right letters and vowel signs. Spelling errors lose marks across every section, so common pairs such as 'ਵਿੱਦਿਆ' and 'ਵਿਦਿਆ' should be checked.

A mark placed with a consonant to show which vowel follows it, such as the signs for 'ਾ', 'ਿ' or 'ੁ'. Correct placement changes both pronunciation and meaning of the written word.