General English and Communication
General English and Communication tests error-free writing and the etiquette of office correspondence, not literary knowledge. Expect grammar correction, synonyms and antonyms, idioms, one-word substitution, and questions on drafting a formal letter or email.
Grammar points that recur
- Subject-verb agreement: 'the number of applicants is rising' but 'a number of applicants are waiting'. Neither, either and each take a singular verb.
- Modifiers should sit next to what they modify: 'Having checked the ledger, she found the error' - not 'Having checked the ledger, the error was found'.
- Business writing prefers the active voice: 'The accountant filed the return' over 'The return was filed by the accountant'.
- Formal email: specific subject line, proper salutation, one purpose per message, a clear request, and a closing with name and designation. No SMS abbreviations.
Worked example
Choose the correct sentence: 'Neither of the two cashiers was present at the counter.' The subject 'neither' is singular, so 'was' is correct and 'were' is the common error. Likewise, 'Each of the vouchers bears the manager's signature', not 'bear'.
Traps that cost marks
- Double negatives, as in 'did not receive no payment'.
- Confusing affect/effect, principal/principle, its/it's.
- Writing a long, unstructured email where the action required is buried in the final line.