Hindi and English
Hindi and English tests grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, and translation. Hindi items cover वर्णमाला, शब्द भेद, संधि-समास, पर्यायवाची, विलोम, and मुहावरे; English items cover parts of speech, articles, tense, subject-verb agreement, prepositions, voice, and direct-indirect speech.
Hindi core
- वर्णमाला: 11 मूल स्वर and 33 व्यंजन; अनुस्वार and विसर्ग are additional marks.
- शब्द भेद: संज्ञा, सर्वनाम, विशेषण, क्रिया, क्रिया-विशेषण; लिंग, वचन, and कारक.
- संधि: विद्या + आलय = विद्यालय (आ + आ = आ); सूर्य + उदय = सूर्योदय.
- समास, पर्यायवाची, विलोम, अनेकार्थी, and मुहावरे are recurring vocabulary areas.
English core
- Parts of speech; countable and uncountable nouns; articles a/an/the; tense consistency; subject-verb agreement; prepositions; active/passive; direct/indirect.
Worked example
One of my friends ___ (is/are) coming. The head subject is one, singular, so use is. The phrase of my friends is a prepositional modifier and does not change agreement. The same test applies to Each of the boys has a book and Neither of the answers is correct. Reasoning: find the head noun before the verb, then match number and person.
Traps
Use an before a vowel sound, not a vowel letter: an hour, a university. Information, furniture, and advice are uncountable, so no plural -s and singular verbs. In Hindi, ऋ is a स्वर, and अनुस्वार is not a full स्वर. Do not translate idioms word for word.