WBBSE Madhyamik English First Language cheat sheet

Skim the passage once for global meaning; read the questions next; then scan for specific lines, names, dates, and cause-effect connectors (because, therefore, as a result).

For 'What does the writer mean by X?' questions, locate X in context, paraphrase the surrounding sentence, and answer in one complete sentence without lifting the whole clause.

Inference questions: reject options that are true in real life but unsupported by the passage; the correct option must be derivable from a stated detail.

Tone and attitude are signalled by adjectives, adverbs, and punctuation (dashes, exclamation marks, rhetorical questions); list two or three such words before choosing the tone label.

For 'Give a suitable title' items, the title must be short (3-8 words), capture the central idea, and avoid being either too broad or too narrow.

Vocabulary-in-context: substitute each option into the original sentence and test grammatical fit and meaning; the literal dictionary sense is often a trap.

Summary or 'main idea' answers must cover the whole passage, not one paragraph; check that the option does not merely repeat an example.

For 'Why does the author mention X?' the answer is usually a function (to illustrate, to contrast, to support a claim), not a restatement of X.

Identify the speaker (poet, persona, object) and the addressee before interpreting; many errors come from assuming the poet speaks in first person.

Mark the rhyme scheme by labelling end sounds (abab, aabb, abba) and note whether the scheme breaks at a key line; a break often marks a turn in thought.

Scan for figurative language: simile (like/as), metaphor (direct identification), personification (human attributes to non-human), hyperbole, oxymoron, and symbol.

Sound devices: alliteration (same initial consonant), assonance (same vowel sound), onomatopoeia (word imitates sound), and repetition for emphasis.

Tone is conveyed by diction and rhythm; list three emotive words from the poem and derive the tone (melancholic, defiant, nostalgic, ironic) from them.

For 'What is the central idea?' answers, state the theme in an abstract noun phrase (e.g., the transience of beauty) and support it with one quoted image.

Line-level questions: quote the exact words in inverted commas, then explain the effect in one sentence; do not merely paraphrase the line.

When asked about form, distinguish lyric, sonnet, ballad, ode, and free verse by structural features (14 lines, quatrains, refrain, irregular line lengths).

Tense sequencing: after a past-tense main verb, the reported clause usually shifts back one step (present → past, past → past perfect, will → would).

Voice change: active object becomes subject; verb becomes be + past participle; the original subject moves to a by-phrase or is dropped if unknown.

Narration change: change pronouns according to the speaker-listener relationship (first person to speaker, second to listener, third unchanged); change time and place words (now → then, here → there, today → that day).

Transformation rules: 'too … to' ↔ 'so … that … not'; 'unless' ↔ 'if … not'; 'no sooner … than' ↔ 'as soon as'; 'hardly … when' for near-simultaneous past events.

Clause joining: use 'who/which/that' for adjective clauses, 'because/since/as' for reason, 'although/though' for concession, 'so that' for purpose; never join two independent clauses with only a comma.

Subject-verb agreement: indefinite pronouns (everyone, each, neither) take singular verbs; 'either … or' and 'neither … nor' agree with the nearer subject.

Conditionals: zero (present + present) for general truths; first (present + will) for real future; second (past + would) for unreal present; third (past perfect + would have) for unreal past.

Modals: 'must' for strong obligation, 'should' for advice, 'can' for ability, 'may' for permission/possibility; 'need not' vs 'must not' differ in meaning (absence of necessity vs prohibition).

Synonyms: match part of speech and register first; a noun synonym cannot replace a verb, and a formal synonym may distort an informal sentence.

Antonyms: watch for prefix-based opposites (un-, in-, im-, il-, ir-, dis-, non-) and for gradable pairs (hot/cold) versus complementary pairs (alive/dead).

Phrasal verbs: meaning changes with the particle - give up (surrender), give in (yield), give away (donate), give off (emit); learn them in sentence frames.

Idioms are non-compositional: 'a blessing in disguise' means an apparent misfortune that turns out well; 'to let the cat out of the bag' means to reveal a secret.

Word formation: noun suffixes (-ment, -ness, -tion, -ity, -ance), adjective suffixes (-ful, -less, -ous, -ive, -able), verb suffixes (-ise/-ize, -ify, -en), and negative prefixes.

Spelling rules: double the final consonant before -ing/-ed when the word is one syllable with a single vowel and single final consonant (run → running); drop silent -e before a vowel suffix (make → making).

Collocation decides correctness: 'make a decision', 'do homework', 'take part', 'pay attention'; prepositions after adjectives and verbs must be memorised (interested in, depend on, capable of).

Confusable pairs: affect (verb) / effect (noun); principal (main/head) / principle (rule); stationary (not moving) / stationery (writing materials); lie (recline) / lay (put down).

Paragraph structure: topic sentence, two to four supporting sentences with examples or reasons, and a concluding sentence that echoes the topic without repeating it verbatim.

Cohesion devices: use pronouns (this, these, it), conjunctions (moreover, however, therefore), and lexical chains (repeat key nouns or use synonyms) to link sentences.

A report is factual and impersonal: use past tense for completed events, passive voice where the doer is unimportant, and third person (avoid 'I think').

Report format: heading (what, where, when), byline (reporter's name/designation), opening paragraph stating the event, body with details and quotations, closing with outcome or follow-up.

Keep reported speech in reports: 'The headmaster said that …' with tense shift; attribute quotations to named speakers.

Word limits matter: a 100-word paragraph should not exceed about 110 words; a report of 120 words should stay within 110-130.

Avoid first-person narration in reports unless the question explicitly asks for an eyewitness account; prefer 'It was learnt that …' or 'According to sources …'.

Edit for unity: delete any sentence that does not support the topic sentence, even if it is well written.

Formal letter format: sender's address, date, receiver's address and designation, subject line, salutation (Dear Sir/Madam), body in three paragraphs, subscription (Yours faithfully), and signature.

Informal letter format: sender's address, date, salutation (Dear [Name]), body, subscription (Yours affectionately/Yours lovingly), and first name only.

Subject line is mandatory in formal letters and must be a noun phrase of 5-10 words (e.g., 'Application for the post of Assistant Teacher').

Formal body: paragraph 1 states purpose, paragraph 2 gives details/qualifications, paragraph 3 requests action and closes politely.

Use 'Yours faithfully' with 'Dear Sir/Madam' and 'Yours sincerely' with a named recipient (Dear Mr Das); do not mix them.

Avoid contractions (I'm, don't) and slang in formal letters; use full forms and a polite, restrained tone.

Letter to the editor: begin 'Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw the attention of the authorities to …' and end with a request for publication.

Complaint letters must state the problem, its impact, and a specific remedy requested; avoid emotional exaggeration.

Notice format: the word NOTICE at the top, name of the institution, heading (short and bold), date, body of 40-50 words answering what/when/where/who/contact, and name and designation of the issuer.

Notices are impersonal and in third person; use passive voice and simple future ('will be held', 'are requested to') and avoid decorative language.

Advertisement format: catchy headline, sub-headline, body with product features and benefits, price/offer, and contact details; use persuasive adjectives and imperative verbs.

Classified advertisements are brief (25-50 words) and omit articles and pronouns where possible; display ads use slogans, boxes, and varied type.

Story composition: opening that sets scene and character, a complication, a climax, and a resolution; keep to one tense (usually past) and one point of view.

Use dialogue sparingly and punctuate it correctly (inverted commas, comma before the closing quote, new paragraph for a new speaker).

A 200-word story needs roughly 4-6 paragraphs; avoid excessive description at the cost of plot movement.

End with a twist or a reflective final line; avoid moralising explicitly unless the prompt asks for a moral.

Identify the text, author, and genre before answering; a question on a poem requires reference to line, image, and form, not plot summary.

Character questions: support each trait with a specific incident or quotation; avoid unsupported adjectives like 'kind' without evidence.

Theme questions: state the theme, then show how two or three episodes or images develop it across the text.

Poetic devices: name the device, quote the line, and explain its effect on meaning or mood in the same sentence.

For 'Justify the title' answers, link each key word of the title to a character, event, or symbol in the text.

Context questions: identify the speaker, the addressee, and the situation before interpreting the quoted lines.

Comparison questions: organise by point of similarity or difference, not by text; use linking words (similarly, in contrast, whereas).

Avoid retelling the story; every paragraph must contain an analytical claim supported by textual evidence.