Hindi and English Language Proficiency
Hindi and English Language Proficiency tests grammar, vocabulary and sentence correction in both languages. Hindi questions usually cover संधि, समास, उपसर्ग-प्रत्यय, मुहावरे and वाक्य शुद्धि; English questions cover tense, articles, prepositions, voice, narration, synonyms and idioms.
Core rules
- संधि joins two sounds: स्वर संधि, व्यंजन संधि and विसर्ग संधि. समास joins words to form a compound; main types include अव्ययीभाव, तत्पुरुष, कर्मधारय, द्विगु, द्वंद्व and बहुव्रीहि.
- उपसर्ग precedes a root; प्रत्यय follows it. तत्सम words retain Sanskrit form; तद्भव words are changed forms.
- English: subject-verb agreement, correct tense sequence, articles a/an/the, prepositions of time and place, active-passive conversion and direct-indirect speech.
Worked example
संधि विच्छेद of विद्यालय is विद्या + आलय. The final आ of विद्या and initial आ of आलय combine into आ, so this is दीर्घ संधि. If the result were ए or ओ, it would be गुण संधि. The test is the actual vowel combination, not the meaning of the compound.
Traps
Do not confuse संधि with समास: संधि changes sounds, समास combines words into a compound. In English, use since with a point of time and for with a duration. Use an before a vowel sound, as in an hour. In indirect speech, change pronouns and time words consistently.