AKU MBBS Admission Test English Syllabus

English syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for English in AKU MBBS Admission Test, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Reading Comprehension

   3 topics

   • Main Idea and Author's Purpose
   • Inference and Detail
   • Vocabulary in Context
2. 2

   Grammar and Usage

   4 topics

   • Parts of Speech
   • Tenses and Subject-Verb Agreement
   • Prepositions and Articles
   • Pronouns and Modifiers
3. 3

   Error Detection

   3 topics

   • Identifying Grammatical Errors
   • Sentence Structure Errors
   • Punctuation Errors
4. 4

   Sentence Completion

   3 topics

   • Contextual Word Choice
   • Logical Connectors and Transitions
   • Sentence Correction
5. 5

   Vocabulary

   2 topics

   • Synonyms and Antonyms
   • Academic and Contextual Vocabulary

English flashcards for AKU MBBS Admission Test

23 of 50 cards from the English deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is the 'main idea' of a passage, and where in the text is it most often located?

   The main idea is the central point or overall message the author wants the reader to take away. It is most often stated in the topic sentence at the beginning of a paragraph or in the introduction/conclusion of a passage; the rest of the text supports it with details.

2. How do you distinguish the 'main idea' from the 'topic' of a passage?

   The topic is the general subject in a few words (e.g., 'pollution'). The main idea is the complete point the author makes about that topic (e.g., 'industrial pollution is the leading cause of urban respiratory disease').

3. What is meant by 'author's purpose,' and what are its three broad categories?

   Author's purpose is the writer's reason for writing. The three broad categories are: to inform (explain facts), to persuade (convince of an opinion), and to entertain (amuse or tell a story). Some add 'to describe' as a fourth.

4. In a reading passage, what clues signal that the author's purpose is to PERSUADE?

   Opinion words, emotionally charged language, calls to action, one-sided arguments, rhetorical questions, and words like 'should,' 'must,' or 'ought' signal a persuasive purpose.

5. What is the difference between a 'stated detail' question and an 'inference' question in reading comprehension?

   A stated (detail) question has its answer written explicitly in the passage. An inference question requires you to draw a logical conclusion that is implied but not directly stated, using evidence from the text.

6. What is the safest strategy for answering an inference question correctly?

   Choose the option that must be true based on textual evidence, requiring the smallest logical leap. Avoid answers that go beyond the passage, contradict it, or rely on outside knowledge.

7. What does 'vocabulary in context' mean, and how should you determine a word's meaning in such questions?

   It means figuring out the meaning of a word as it is used in a specific sentence. Use surrounding context clues (definition, example, contrast, or tone) rather than the word's most common dictionary meaning, since many words have multiple senses.

8. Name four types of context clues that help determine a word's meaning.

   1) Definition/restatement clues, 2) Synonym clues, 3) Antonym/contrast clues (signaled by 'but,' 'however,' 'unlike'), and 4) Example/inference clues.

9. List the eight traditional parts of speech in English.

   Noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection.

10. What is the function of an adjective versus an adverb?

    An adjective modifies (describes) a noun or pronoun (e.g., 'a quick runner'). An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, often telling how/when/where/to what extent (e.g., 'runs quickly').

11. What is the difference between a common noun and a proper noun?

    A common noun names a general person, place, or thing and is not capitalized (city, doctor). A proper noun names a specific one and is always capitalized (Karachi, Dr. Khan).

12. What is a conjunction, and what are the three main types?

    A conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses. The three types are: coordinating (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), subordinating (because, although, while), and correlative (either…or, neither…nor, both…and).

13. Name the three simple tenses in English and what each expresses.

    Simple present (habitual/general truth: 'She walks'), simple past (completed action: 'She walked'), and simple future (action yet to happen: 'She will walk').

14. What is the structure and use of the present perfect tense?

    Structure: have/has + past participle (e.g., 'has finished'). It links a past action to the present, expressing an action completed at an unspecified time or one continuing up to now (e.g., 'I have lived here for ten years').

15. What is the basic rule of subject-verb agreement?

    A verb must agree with its subject in number and person: a singular subject takes a singular verb ('The boy runs'), and a plural subject takes a plural verb ('The boys run').

16. In subject-verb agreement, do subjects joined by 'and' take a singular or plural verb? What about subjects joined by 'or'/'nor'?

    Two subjects joined by 'and' usually take a plural verb. With 'or'/'nor,' the verb agrees with the subject nearer to it (e.g., 'Neither the teacher nor the students were present').

17. What verb form do indefinite pronouns like 'everyone,' 'each,' 'neither,' and 'somebody' take?

    They are singular and take a singular verb (e.g., 'Everyone is here,' 'Each of the boys has a book').

18. When a phrase such as 'along with,' 'as well as,' or 'in addition to' separates the subject and verb, what determines the verb number?

    These phrases do not change the subject's number; the verb agrees with the original subject only (e.g., 'The captain, as well as the players, is tired').

19. What is a preposition, and what does it show?

    A preposition is a word placed before a noun or pronoun to show its relationship (of time, place, direction, or manner) to another word in the sentence (e.g., in, on, at, between, under).

20. State the basic rule for using the prepositions 'in,' 'on,' and 'at' for time.

    'In' is for longer periods (in 2025, in May, in the morning); 'on' is for days and dates (on Monday, on June 5); 'at' is for precise times (at 6 o'clock, at noon).

21. What is the difference between the definite article 'the' and the indefinite articles 'a/an'?

    'The' refers to a specific, known noun ('the book on my desk'). 'A/an' refers to a non-specific, singular countable noun ('a book'). 'A' precedes a consonant sound, 'an' precedes a vowel sound.

22. Why do we say 'an hour' but 'a university'?

    Article choice depends on sound, not spelling. 'Hour' begins with a vowel sound (the 'h' is silent), so it takes 'an.' 'University' begins with a consonant 'y' sound (/juː/), so it takes 'a.'

23. What is a pronoun, and what is its 'antecedent'?

    A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun (he, she, it, they, who). Its antecedent is the noun it refers back to. A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number, gender, and person.

See more English flashcards →

Planning English for AKU MBBS Admission Test

English (AKU MBBS Admission Test) FAQ