English: Grammar, Vocabulary, and Reading Precision
English
The English section tests grammar and usage, vocabulary in context, reading comprehension, and verbal analogy. It is a precision test: the best answer is grammatical and exactly answers the prompt.
Core rules
- Subject–verb agreement: singular subjects take singular verbs. Phrases between subject and verb do not change the verb: 'The list of names is long.'
- Indefinite pronouns such as each, everyone, nobody, and either are singular.
- Pronoun reference must be clear and agree in number and gender.
- Parallel structure: items in a list or comparison must share grammatical form.
- Modifiers should sit next to the word they describe; misplaced 'only' changes meaning.
- For reading, separate main idea from supporting detail; for analogies, name the relationship before choosing.
Worked example
Choose the correct sentence: 'Each of the cadets have submitted a report' or 'Each of the cadets has submitted a report.' 'Each' is singular. The prepositional phrase 'of the cadets' does not change the subject. Correct: 'Each of the cadets has submitted a report.'
Traps
- Sound-alike words: affect/effect, principal/principle, complement/compliment.
- Comma splices: two complete sentences joined only by a comma.
- Choosing an answer because it repeats a passage word, not because it matches the idea.
- Ignoring EXCEPT, NOT, or 'best' in the question stem.