Most Scoring Topics For IBPS Clerk Mains 2024 English Section

The English Language section in the IBPS Clerk Mains 2024 exam is an important section that can significantly boost your overall score if prepared well. Candidates can start their preparation properly and score good marks in the IBPS Clerk Mains English section. This section covers more topics like reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary and text analysis and though it is not as lengthy as areas like quantitative aptitude and reasoning, it still requires a good command over the language along with a proper strategic approach. Here we are providing a detailed strategy to help you prepare for the English Language section of the IBPS Clerk Mains 2024 exam.

Understand the IBPS Clerk Mains Exam Pattern and Syllabus

Even before attempting to prepare, know what the English Language section for the IBPS Clerk Mains 2024 exam entails

No of Questions: 40
Marks: 40
Duration: 35 minutes
Marking Scheme: 1 mark will be given for each correct answer but a penalty of 0.25 marks will be deducted for each incorrect answer.

The section comprises:

• Reading Comprehension (RC)
• Cloze Test
• Para Jumbles
• Spot the Error/ Sentence Correction
• Fill in the Blanks
• Sentence Improvement
• Word Usage/ Vocabulary-based Questions

2. Reading Comprehension (RC)

Reading Comprehension is one of the score-maximizing topics of the English Language. Typically, two RC passages are given with six to eight questions each. The questions can be fact-based, inference-based, or synonym/antonym-based.

How to Prepare for Reading Comprehension:

Daily Practice: Regularly read The Hindu or Economic Times for editorials and magazines to increase your reading speed and understanding.
Focus on Important Areas: Passages relate to finance, economy, politics, and social issues. Concentrate on the central idea or theme and the tone of the passage.

3. Cloze Test

A cloze test is a passage where certain words are missing. The correct word would have to be selected from the choices provided. It tests the vocabulary, understanding of grammar, and capability for the overall theme of the passage.

Preparing for Cloze Test

Know Context: While doing the Cloze Test, read the whole passage first. This will help you know the right words for the blanks.
Grammar and Vocabulary Practice: Like most other Cloze Tests, grammar rules and word meanings contribute enormously, so you should enlarge your knowledge of both areas.
Daily Practice: Do 1-2 Cloze questions daily and take topic tests.

4. Para Jumbles

Para Jumbles, also called Sentence Rearrangement, are rearranging a set of jumbled sentences to form a meaningful paragraph. This tests your ability to logically arrange sentences.

Para Jumble Preparation

Identify Connectors: Start with the opener sentence, and look for words or phrases like however, therefore, meanwhile etc., which would connect the sentences.
Practice Logical Flow: Bring home the arrangement of sentences in a coherent flow based on a narrative or cause-effect structure.
Constant practice: Solve at least 10 Para Jumble sets in a week. Emphasize how different sentences connect and flow together.

5. Error Spotting and Sentence Correction

The error spotting tests your grammar skills. It requires you to find the grammatical errors in a sentence. Sentence correction asks you to choose the correct option from a set of sentences.

How to Prepare for Grammar-based Questions:

Revising Grammar Rules: Refresh basic grammar rules, especially those regarding tenses, subject-verb agreement, prepositions, articles, and conjunctions.

Practice: Solve at least 10-15 error-spotting and sentence-correction questions daily.

6. Fill in the Blanks

It involves filling one or two blanks in a sentence using the most appropriate word from the given options.

How to prepare for Fill in the Blanks:

Vocabulary Focus A robust vocabulary is necessary to solve such question. Read a word and its use in sentences.

Idioms and Phrases: Sometimes the word blanks are idioms and phrases. Study the most common idiomatic expressions.

Grammar Knowledge: It is clear that a strong vocabulary with knowledge of grammar helps to pick the correct choice while filling up the blanks.

7. Sentence Improvement and Word Usage

Sentence improvement entails choosing the best alternative that makes the sentence better, while word usage checks your knowledge of vocabulary and the use of words in various contexts.

How to Prepare:

Sentence Improvement Questions: For the grammar-based sentence improvement questions you need to learn all rules of sentence formation, tenses and conjunctions.

Vocabulary Building: For word usage questions, always do vocabulary exercises regularly to enhance your word power.

Reading for Context Clues: Learn to read the meaning of words in the sentence, primarily for word usage questions.

8. Improving Vocab

Vocabulary works to solve most questions in the part of the English Language. Rich vocabulary helps in Reading Comprehension, Cloze Tests, and Sentence Improvement.

9. Controlling Time/Time To Practice

Since the time taken for the English Language section is less time-consuming, timely management will help get the maximum score.

Manage Your Time

Do Easy Questions First: Do Fill in the Blanks or Spotting Errors first. Doing Reading Comprehension and Para Jumbles at the end.

Time Distribution: For the entire section of English, you should spend around 25-30 minutes. Use 10 minutes for RC, 7-8 minutes for Cloze Test and Para Jumbles, and the rest of the time for grammar-based questions.

Practice Material

Mock Tests: Take full-length mock tests continuously under competitive conditions so that you get accustomed to the time management aspect.

Sectional Tests: Focus on sectional tests in English so that you are very accurate and fast in this section.

Also Read

Most Scoring Topics For IBPS Clerk Mains 2024 English Section FAQ

• Sign Up on Practicemock for Updated Current Affairs, Free Topic Tests and Free Mini Mocks
• Sign Up Here to Download Free Study Material