English Language: Grammar, Vocabulary, and Reading
Overview
The English Language domain tests grammar in context, vocabulary and collocation, reading comprehension, and sentence-level accuracy. Questions often ask you to choose the form that fits the whole sentence, identify the main idea or inference, or spot the error, so isolated word knowledge is not enough.
Core rules
- Subject–verb agreement: singular subjects take singular verbs; compound subjects joined by and are plural, while neither...nor and either...or agree with the nearer subject. Inverted sentences still require agreement with the true subject.
- Tense and aspect: use present perfect for past actions with present relevance; past perfect for the earlier of two past actions; future forms for predictions, promises, and arrangements.
- Articles and prepositions: use a/an for indefinite singular count nouns, the for specified or unique referents, and no article for generic plurals. Learn dependent prepositions as collocations.
- Conditionals: first conditional (if + present, will), second (if + past, would), third (if + past perfect, would have).
- Reading: locate the main idea in the opening or closing sentence, trace pronoun reference, and separate stated fact from inference.
Worked example
“Neither the supervisor nor the technicians ___ aware of the change.” The correct form is “were,” not “was.” With neither...nor, the verb agrees with the nearer subject, “technicians,” which is plural. The plural past “were” also matches the past-time context. If the sentence were “Neither the technicians nor the supervisor ___ aware,” the singular “was” would be correct.
Traps
Do not let a phrase between subject and verb change agreement; do not shift tense without a time signal; do not choose a word by meaning alone when the collocation is fixed; and do not treat a plausible inference as explicitly stated. Watch false friends, missing articles, and misplaced modifiers.