English Language
This domain tests practical English: grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, error detection, sentence improvement and idiom. The paper expects standard written English, not conversational usage.
Core rules
- Subject–verb agreement: singular subjects take singular verbs; ignore parenthetical phrases.
- Tense consistency: do not shift tense without a time signal; use past perfect for the earlier of two past actions.
- Articles and prepositions: a/an by sound, the for specific or unique nouns; learn fixed collocations.
- Voice and reported speech: change pronouns, tense and time words systematically.
- Parallelism and modifiers: items in a list share form; a modifier must sit next to what it describes.
- Vocabulary: distinguish affect/effect, principal/principle, lie/lay, fewer/less and similar pairs.
Worked example
Sentence: “Each of the officers have submitted their report.” The subject is “Each”, which is singular; “of the officers” is a prepositional phrase and does not control the verb. Correct: “Each of the officers has submitted his or her report.” “Their” is avoided in strict formal style when the antecedent is singular, though modern usage varies; exam keys usually prefer singular.
Traps
- “One of the + plural noun” takes a singular verb: “One of the boys is absent.”
- Collective nouns take a singular verb when acting as one unit.
- Dangling modifiers: “Walking down the road, the tower was seen” wrongly makes the tower walk.
- Double negatives and redundant comparatives (“more better”) are common errors.
- Comprehension answers must be supported by the passage, not by general knowledge.