English Language Proficiency
The English Language Proficiency section tests control of English grammar, punctuation, spelling and sentence construction rather than reading comprehension. Items are short: choose the correct verb form, pronoun, preposition or article, join sentences, punctuate direct speech, or select the correctly spelled word.
Rules to know cold
- Subject–verb agreement: each, every, either, neither and everyone take a singular verb. 'The number of X is' but 'a number of X are'.
- Neither…nor and either…or agree with the nearer subject.
- Tenses: present simple for facts and habits; present perfect for a past action that still matters now.
- Articles: 'a' before a consonant sound, 'an' before a vowel sound; uncountable nouns used generally take no article.
- its = possession; it's = it is. Apostrophes mark possession or missing letters, never plurals.
- Avoid fragments (no main verb) and run-ons (two sentences joined by a comma alone).
- Capitalise proper nouns: Kiribati, Tarawa, i-Kiribati, Te Taetae ni Kiribati.
Worked example
'Each of the kainga ___ its own boti in the maneaba.' (have / has) Reasoning: The subject is 'Each', which is singular. 'Of the kainga' is only a prepositional phrase and does not change the verb. So the verb is 'has', and the possessive pronoun is 'its', not 'it's'. Answer: has.
Traps that cost marks
Making the verb agree with the nearest noun instead of the true subject; writing 'would of' for 'would have'; joining two complete sentences with a comma; writing 'a' before a vowel sound or 'an' before a consonant sound.