Compulsory English (अनिवार्य अङ्ग्रेजी): Reading, Grammar and Writing for SEE
Compulsory English (अनिवार्य अङ्ग्रेजी)
The SEE Compulsory English paper tests reading comprehension, grammar in context, and controlled writing. Questions are set in English, and the writing tasks carry prescribed formats and word limits, so accuracy and format matter as much as ideas.
Reading and grammar rules
- Read the passage once for gist; then scan for names, dates, numbers and discourse markers such as however, therefore and although.
- Answer in your own words when the question says so; do not lift a whole sentence unless quoting is asked.
- Match tense and subject: singular subjects take singular verbs; after each/every, use a singular noun.
- In reported speech, backshift the verb (will → would, can → could) and change time/place words (tomorrow → the next day, here → there).
- Use the passive when the doer is unknown or unimportant: The road was repaired last week.
- Articles: a before consonant sounds, an before vowel sounds, the for specific or previously mentioned nouns.
Worked example
Direct: “I will finish the project tomorrow,” she said. Reported: She said that she would finish the project the next day. Reasoning: the reporting verb is past (said), so will becomes would; tomorrow becomes the next day; the pronoun I changes to she; the comma and quotation marks are removed.
Traps
- Writing a letter without sender’s address, date, salutation and closing.
- Exceeding the word limit in an essay or notice and losing format marks.
- Copying the passage instead of answering the question.
- Forgetting inversion in question tags and conditionals: She is late, isn’t she?