English Language: Comprehension, Vocabulary and Grammar
Reading comprehension
Read the question stems first, then the passage. Separate main idea from supporting detail, and treat inference as a small, safe step from the text rather than a guess. For tone questions, look at word choice. For vocabulary-in-context, substitute each option back into the sentence and keep the one that preserves meaning.
Vocabulary
Use roots and affixes: bene (good), mal (bad), chron (time), bio (life), pre (before), anti (against), -ology (study of). Learn synonym and antonym pairs, and watch for words with similar spellings but different meanings (affect/effect, complement/compliment).
Grammar
Subject-verb agreement: find the head noun and ignore intervening phrases, as in 'The box of pens is on the desk.' Keep tenses consistent, make pronouns agree with clear antecedents, and keep lists parallel. Place modifiers next to the word they describe; a dangling modifier describes nothing in the sentence.
Traps to expect
Extreme options in inference questions ('always', 'never') that overstate the passage; 'EXCEPT' and 'NOT' questions; collective nouns treated as plural; misplaced 'only'; confusing 'between you and me' with 'between you and I'.
Worked example
'Walking to the laboratory, the rain soaked her coat.' The modifier 'walking' has nothing to attach to, since the rain was not walking. Repair it: 'Walking to the laboratory, she was soaked by the rain.'
Rule of thumb
For any modifier question, ask who or what is performing the action, and place that subject immediately after the comma. For agreement, cover the prepositional phrase with your finger and read the sentence again.