Second Foreign Language (English)
Core concepts
The English paper assesses reading comprehension (main idea, inference, reference, vocabulary in context), language (tenses, conditionals, passive voice, reported speech, connectors, word formation), and written expression (paragraph structure, formal register, linking devices).
Traps
- Conditional types: If + present, will (real); If + past, would (hypothetical); If + had + past participle, would have (unreal past). Mixing clauses is the commonest error.
- Reported speech backshift: "I am tired" → He said he was tired; pronouns and time markers shift too.
- Distinguishing inference from stated fact - the answer may be true in the world yet unsupported by the passage.
- Reference questions (what does "it" refer to?) require the nearest grammatically compatible antecedent, not the most recent noun automatically.
- Register: contractions and slang are inappropriate in formal writing tasks.
Rule of thumb
Answer every comprehension question with evidence from the text; if you cannot point to a line, the answer is probably inference or a distractor. For grammar, test the verb form in a full clause, never in isolation.
Worked example
If she had studied, she (pass) the exam. The first clause is unreal past, so the result takes would have: she would have passed the exam. Contrast If she studies, she will pass (real future).