For many candidates, the English section of the SBI PO exam feels like chewing iron nails. Especially for those who either don’t prepare properly or are weak in English. In this section, they are required to answer 30 questions in 20 minutes, which carry a total of 30 marks. So, the candidates who manage to score 20+ marks in this section increase their chances of clearing the exam. If you also want to score as many marks as possible and clear the exam, just do one thing. Start preparing right now. Sign up, take a free mock test, and find out how to prepare to achieve maximum scores. And then, start preparing accordingly. If you start preparing now, studying a little every day will get the job done. But if you, like many other candidates, sit waiting for the notification, your chances will keep decreasing. Remember, drop by drop fills the ocean.
Candidates who want to start their preparation for free should go for the latest free mock tests, mini mock tests, previous years’ papers, and topic tests. We’ve provided you with the direct link below. You just need to Sign Up and start your preparation right away. Keep in mind that the earliest you start the best result you’ll get.
SBI PO Prelims Free Preparation Material | |
Mock Test | SBI PO Free Mock Test 2024 |
Mini Mock Test | SBI PO Section-wise mini Mock Test |
Previous Year Paper | SBI PO Free Previous Year Paper |
Topic Tests | SBI PO Prelims section-wise Topic Test |
Candidates must keep in mind which are the most scoring English topics and what their weightage is, from the very start of preparation. And accordingly, they will have to prepare. The topics that have higher weightage appear repeatedly in the exam. Meaning, questions related to them. So, you need to spend more time on these topics and practice them as much as possible. Pay attention to the table given below and see which topics appear repeatedly in the form of questions in the SBI PO Prelims and Mains exams.
SBI PO Prelims – English Language | |
Topic | Weightage (Approx.) |
Reading Comprehension | 7-10 questions |
Cloze Test | 5-7 questions |
Error Spotting | 5-7 questions |
Fill in the Blanks | 5-7 questions |
Para Jumbles | 5-7 questions |
Sentence Improvement | 5-7 questions |
SBI PO Mains – English Language | |
Topic | Weightage (Approx.) |
Reading Comprehension | 7-10 questions |
Cloze Test | 5-7 questions |
Error Spotting | 5-7 questions |
Fill in the Blanks | 5-7 questions |
Para Jumbles | 5-7 questions |
Sentence Improvement | 5-7 questions |
Essay Writing | 1-2 questions |
Letter Writing | 1-2 questions |
Here are strategies for the most important SBI PO English Language topics:
Importance: Reading Comprehension (RC) is one of the major sections of the English portion and is normally of utmost significance. It involves comprehension, interpretation, and deducing information from the passage read to arrive at the correct answer.
Preparation Strategy: Get more practice in reading, especially, and work on the speed and effectiveness of how you comprehend materials. Spend some time on reading comprehension such as finance, economics, social issues, and general interest. Notice the attitudes, keywords, and references to the context when using words.
Best Tip: Try to read the passage first to get an overview, then read the questions about it and answer them directly. Vocabulary problems should be done first because mathematical questions usually follow them.
Importance: Cloze Tests check how well you comprehensively understand the context and the specific use of the vocabulary being used. They are important because they tell us how well you understand what you read and what words are appropriate to fill in the blanks.
Preparation Strategy: It is therefore advisable to practice with various passages to become conversant with different types of passages. In learning the concept, it is important to concentrate more on the context as well as the progression of the passage. Use correct English so that you pick the correct words depending on your vocabulary and sentence construction.
Best Tip: First, read the passage through, to be able to fill in the gaps. Therefore, read other words neighboring the question mark to find out which word completes the sentence or the idea in the text.
Importance: Error Spotting will determine your understanding of grammar rules and how to structure sentences. This is very important for searching for grammatical mistakes within sentences that need to be corrected.
Preparation Strategy: Revisit simple rules of grammar that you studied back in school: agreement of subject and verb, tenses, and cases of using prepositions and conjunctions. To find mistakes, it is useful to practice with sentences of various sorts.
Best Tip: Read the sentence several times and try to identify any grammatical errors or inconsistencies. The most typical error types that can be fixed are forms of verbs, use of pronouns, and punctuation marks.
Importance: The topic tests your word knowledge and sentence formation level. The case is used for the completion of sentences with the help of adequate words.
Preparation Strategy: Build your vocabulary by reading widely and making an effort to capture new words that you can use when conversing. Expand your writing ideas and patterns by practicing with different types of sentences so that you’ll understand the necessary context to use the right word.
Best Tip: Choose the word depending on the meaning of the sentence and the context to which the word belongs. Employ the process of elimination in the selection process.
Importance: Para Jumbles help you understand how different sentences fit together in the construction of one paragraph. It is necessary to analyze the flow and construction of a passage.
Preparation Strategy: Use various sets of mixed sentences in a simulated manner. The most important thing here, and what should be the key point of attention, are the words that either initiate the line or are closest to the first one, and the second words in a line that is not an extension of the first word.
Best Tip: Analyze conjunctions that will help you understand the flow of the sequence by showing the order of the sentences. Find out choices related to a main idea and details to sequence the sentences properly.
Importance: Sentence Improvement measures the extent to which you can improve the clarity and grammar of the sentences used in academic writing. It helps strengthen sentence formation and grammar.
Preparation Strategy: Review the basics and revise grammar rules. On the same note, work on different types of sentences. Focus on error finding and sentence construction improvement.
Best Tip: When analyzing the sentence, try to find ways to enhance it. Select the choice that makes the sentence grammatically correct and easy to understand.
Given below are some sample questions with solutions. Candidates will get a good idea about the types of questions that come in the English section of the SBI PO 2024 exam:
Sample 1
Q1. Directions: In the following question, one part of the sentence may have an error. Find out which part of the sentence has an error and select the appropriate option. If the sentence is free from error, select ‘No Error’.
(1) Recycling plastic is not
(2) a long-term solution, as
(3) less then 10 percent of
(4) plastic waste is recycled annually.
(5) No error
Ans: 3
Solution: In 3, replace THEN (used to talk about time) with THAN (used in comparisons) to compare the amounts of recycled plastic waste.
(1) The U.N. pledged to cut by
(2) half the proportion of
(3) people living in worst
(4) conditions around the world.
(5) No error
Ans: 3
Solution: In 3, add definite article THE before the superlative degree adjective WORST. Superlative degrees of adjectives are always preceded by the article THE.
Sample 2
Directions: In the question below, a sentence is given, four words have been highlighted in bold. Find out if the words are appropriate (grammatically and contextually). Only one word will be inappropriate, mark that as your answer. If all are appropriate, mark “all are correct”.
Often in our culture, instead of being considered a valuable emotion, guilt is viewed as an emotion that instinct us from feeling good about ourselves and life.
(1) instead
(2) considered
(3) instinct
(4) ourselves
(5) All are correct
Ans: 3
Solution: The sentence seeks to convey how, instead of (in place of) being considered (thought about) a valuable emotion, guilt is viewed as an emotion that stops us from feeling good about ourselves and life. INSTINCT (natural tendency to do something) is inappropriate in this context. It should be replaced with INHIBITS (prevents).
Global recession risks and covid curbs imposter in China will impact exports in coming months, dashing hopes for an economic rebound.
(1) risks
(2) imposter
(3) impact
(4) rebound
(5) All are correct
Ans: 2
Solution: The sentence tells us that global recession risks (possibilities of harm) and covid curbs forced in China will impact (affect) exports in coming months, crushing hopes for an economic rebound (revival). We need to replace IMPOSTER (a person who pretends to be someone else) with IMPOSED (forced an unwelcome decision on someone).
Sample 3
Directions: In the given question, a sentence has been broken into four parts, and the parts are jumbled. Choose the option that provides the correct way to re-arrange the parts to form a grammatically and contextually meaningful sentence. If all the parts are correctly placed, mark E as your answer.
countries due to natural disasters have (A)/ economic losses incurred by Asian (B)/ increased manifold as climate change has made (C)/ these events more frequent (D)
(1) CDAB
(2) BCDA
(3) BACD
(4) CBAD
(5) No rearrangement required
Ans: 3
Solution: BACD is the correct sequence. B begins the sentence by establishing the subject – ECONOMIC LOSSES. A follows by providing the noun COUNTRIES being modified by the adjective ASIAN, and tells us how the losses have increased due to natural disasters. CD ends the sentence as a pair by telling us how climate change has made natural disasters more frequent.
evolved, is the villain’s den (A)/ have vanished from Hindi films, (B)/ as our tastes have become more (C)/ among the many things that (D)
(1) DCBA
(2) DBCA
(3) BCDA
(4) BDCA
(5) No rearrangement required
Ans: 2
Solution: DBCA is the correct sequence. DB begins the sentence by telling us that many things have vanished from Hindi films. C follows by telling us more – our tastes have evolved. A concludes the sentence by mentioning what has vanished – the villain’s den.
Sample 4
Directions: In the following sentence, an incorrect phrase has been highlighted. Replace the phrase in bold with the correct option(s) given below to make it a meaningful sentence.
People who talks loudly on their phones during meetings show little respect for their colleagues.
I. rise their voice
II. have been talking
III. lash out
(1) Only I
(2) Only II
(3) Only III
(4) Only I and II
(5) Only II and III
Ans: 5
Solution: The sentence seeks to convey that people who talk loudly on their phones during meetings show little respect for their colleagues. II and III are correct as they agree with the plural subject and can replace the highlighted phrase to convey the requisite meaning.
The highlighted phrase is incorrect because the singular verb TALKS should be replaced with the plural verb TALK as the subject PEOPLE is plural.
I is incorrect as the noun RISE should be replaced with the verb RAISE as we need a noun here to agree with the subject PEOPLE.
While been a child, he worked in a bookstore to earn his pocket money.
I. As a child
II. As being a child
III. While he was in childhood
(1) Only I
(2) Only I and II
(3) Only III
(4) Only II
(5) Only II and III
Ans: 1
Solution: The sentence seeks to convey that when he was a child, he worked in a bookstore to earn his pocket money. The highlighted phrase is incorrect as WHILE BEING is usually used in passive voice to indicate the duration of time when something is happening to something else.
I is correct because AS A CHILD indicates the state of being a child; the sentence conveys the meaning that in his childhood stage, he worked in a bookstore. Thus, A is the right answer.
II is incorrect as the sentence conveys the meaning that because he was a child, he worked in the bookstore. AS should be replaced with WHILE.
III is incorrect as WHILE BEING IN CHILDHOOD conveys the meaning that he lived in childhood. WHILE is usually succeeded by a past continuous verb when referring to background events. WHILE BEING A CHILD would be the correct phrase.
The highlighted phrase is incorrect as the past participle form verb BEEN should be replaced with the present participle form verb BEING.
Sample 5
Directions: In the following question, three sentences are given, revolving around the same theme or idea. Decide which of the sentences are grammatically and meaningfully correct and mark the answer accordingly.
1. A new study examined the evolution of a unicellular algae species over 500 generations.
2. The researchers subjected one of the two algae groups to a predator.
3. The results showed that the algae exposed to a predator were far most likely to acquire adaptations toward multicellularity.
a) Only 1
b) Only 2
c) Only 1 and 2
d) Only 2 and 3
e) All of 1, 2 and 3
Ans: (c)
Solution: Only 1 and 2 are grammatically and meaningfully correct.
3 – replace the superlative MOST with comparative form MORE as the sentence is comparing the likelihood of algae exposed to a predator acquiring adaptations to the group of algae that was not exposed to a predator.
1. Schools and colleges in the United States are adapt at teaching students how to write by the numbers.
2. The idea is to make writing easy by eliminating the messy part and focusing effort on reproducing a formal structure.
3. As a result, the act of writing turns from moulding a lump of clay into a unique form to filling a set of jars.
a) Only 3
b) Only 1 and 2
c) Only 2 and 3
d) Only 1 and 3
e) All of 1, 2 and 3
Ans: (c)
Solution: Only 2 and 3 are grammatically and meaningfully correct.
1 – replace the verb ADAPT (to change according to the situation) with the adjective ADEPT (good at doing something) as we need an adjective to modify the noun phrase SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.
SBI PO Exam Pattern 2024 | SBI PO Syllabus 2024 |
SBI PO Salary 2024 | SBI PO Cut Off 2024 |
SBI PO Study Plan 2024 | SBI PO Preparation Strategy 2024 |
The SBI PO English section has 30 questions.
Candidates are given 20 minutes for the English section.
Reading Comprehension carries the highest weightage with 7-10 questions.
Practice different types of passages and focus on context to choose the correct words.
Focus on revisiting basic grammar rules and practicing sentence correction.
Analyze sentence flow, look for conjunctions, and sequence sentences based on context.
Review grammar rules and choose options that enhance sentence clarity and correctness.
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