English Language
What the domain tests
English Language tests grammar, vocabulary and comprehension through error spotting, fill in the blanks, sentence improvement, synonyms and antonyms, idioms, one-word substitution, spelling and short passages. Accuracy with basic rules matters more than advanced vocabulary.
Core rules and concepts
- Subject-verb agreement: singular subjects take singular verbs; neither, either, each and everyone are singular.
- Prepositions follow fixed patterns: depend on, insist on, married to, superior to.
- Articles: a before consonant sounds, an before vowel sounds, the for definite or unique references.
- Tense consistency: do not shift tense without a time marker.
- Idioms are fixed; do not translate them literally.
- In comprehension, answer from the passage, not from general knowledge.
Worked example
Question: Neither of the boys ___ present. Options: was, were, have, are. Reason: neither is a singular indefinite pronoun, so it takes a singular verb. The phrase of the boys does not change the subject. Answer: was.
Traps that cost marks
- Being misled by a plural noun after of in subject-verb questions.
- Choosing a synonym that fits only one context.
- Ignoring the tone of a passage when answering inference questions.
- Using a wrong preposition because it sounds natural in Hindi.
- Misspelling words such as separate, receive and accommodate.
Exam habit
Revise 20 common idioms and 50 confused word pairs; practise error spotting by identifying the exact rule broken.