Part IV — English Language

Chapter 4: Grammar, Vocabulary & Reading Comprehension

4.1 Grammar Fundamentals

Common error-spotting areas include subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, article and preposition usage, and pronoun-antecedent agreement. Sentence correction and sentence improvement questions test the same underlying rules within a rewriting format.

4.2 Vocabulary

Synonyms and antonyms, one-word substitutions, and idioms/phrases form the core vocabulary component. Building word familiarity through daily reading of editorials/banking-related English content is a commonly recommended strategy given the exam's banking-sector focus.

4.3 Cloze Test and Para Jumbling

A Cloze Test presents a passage with blanks, testing contextual vocabulary and grammar together. Para jumbling presents sentences out of order, requiring the candidate to identify logical/pronoun-reference connections to reconstruct the original sequence.

4.4 Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension (RC) passages, often on banking, economy, or general interest topics, test direct-fact recall, inference, vocabulary-in-context, and the main idea/theme of the passage.

4.5 Practice Set — English Language (16 MCQs)

1. Identify the error: "Neither of the answers are correct." The error is in:
   (a) "are" should be "is" (b) "answers" should be "answer" (c) "Neither" should be "Either" (d) No error
2. Choose the correct form: "By this time next year, I ___ my degree."
   (a) will complete (b) will have completed (c) complete (d) completed
3. Fill in the blank: "The bank manager insisted ___ verifying every document."
   (a) on (b) at (c) for (d) with
4. One-word substitution for "One who cannot be corrected" is:
   (a) Incorrigible (b) Incurable (c) Indelible (d) Inevitable
5. Choose the synonym of "Prudent":
   (a) Careless (b) Wise and cautious (c) Wealthy (d) Arrogant
6. Choose the antonym of "Frugal":
   (a) Thrifty (b) Extravagant (c) Careful (d) Economical
7. Identify the error: "He has less friends than his brother." The error is in:
   (a) "less" should be "fewer" (b) "has" should be "have" (c) "friends" should be "friend" (d) No error
8. Choose the correctly formed passive voice of "The RBI regulates the banks.":
   (a) The banks are regulated by the RBI (b) The banks regulate the RBI (c) The banks were regulated by the RBI (d) The RBI is regulated by the banks
9. Idiom meaning "to face a difficult situation directly":
   (a) Beat around the bush (b) Face the music (c) Once in a blue moon (d) Let the cat out of the bag
10. Fill in the blank: "The account was credited ___ ₹5,000."
    (a) with (b) by (c) for (d) of
11. Choose the correct plural form of "Crisis":
    (a) Crisises (b) Crises (c) Crisis's (d) Crisi
12. In a Cloze Test on a banking-related passage, which skill is primarily assessed?
    (a) Only spelling (b) Vocabulary, grammar, and contextual comprehension together (c) Only handwriting (d) Only punctuation
13. Choose the antonym of "Transparent" (as used in "transparent banking policy"):
    (a) Clear (b) Opaque (c) Honest (d) Open
14. Para jumbling questions are best approached by first identifying:
    (a) The opening/topic sentence and pronoun/logical links (b) The shortest sentence (c) The sentence with a number in it (d) The last sentence randomly
15. Reading Comprehension questions test all of the following EXCEPT:
    (a) Direct facts (b) Inference (c) Vocabulary in context (d) The candidate's unrelated personal opinion
16. Choose the correct sentence:
    (a) The data indicates a rise in NPAs. (b) The data indicate a rise in NPAs (treating "data" as plural, also acceptable formally) (c) Both (a) and (b) are grammatically defensible depending on style convention (d) Neither is correct

Answer Key

1.(a)

2.(b)

3.(a)

4.(a)

5.(b)

6.(b)

7.(a)

8.(a)

9.(b)

10.(a)

11.(b)

12.(b)

13.(b)

14.(a)

15.(d) 16.(c)