ECAT English Syllabus

Which prepositions of time go with points, days, and longer periods (in/on/at)?

"At" for clock times (at 5 pm); "on" for days/dates (on Monday); "in" for months, years, longer periods (in June, in 2026).

Identify the correct preposition: "different ___" and "comply ___."

"Different from" and "comply with." (Common fixed-preposition collocations.)

Correct the sentence: "One of my friend is a doctor."

"One of my friends is a doctor." After "one of," the noun must be plural while the verb stays singular.

Correct: "He is more taller than his brother."

"He is taller than his brother." Avoid double comparatives; "more" and "-er" cannot be used together.

Correct: "I have went to the market."

"I have gone to the market." The present perfect requires the past participle (gone), not the past form (went).

What is a dangling modifier? Give a corrected example.

A modifier with no clear word to describe. Wrong: "Walking home, the rain started." Correct: "Walking home, I was caught in the rain."

What grammatical error is in "Neither of them are coming"?

Subject-verb agreement error. "Neither" is singular: "Neither of them is coming."

Distinguish the misuse in "less books" vs. "fewer books."

Use "fewer" for countable nouns (fewer books) and "less" for uncountable nouns (less water).

What is the error in "Each of the students have a book"?

"Each" is singular, so the verb must be singular: "Each of the students has a book."

When is a semicolon (;) used?

To join two closely related independent clauses without a conjunction ("It rained; we stayed in"), or to separate list items that contain commas.

What is the function of a colon (:)?

It introduces a list, explanation, quotation, or example after a complete clause. Example: "He bought three things: bread, milk, and eggs."

How is the apostrophe used for possession with singular and plural nouns?

Singular: add 's (the boy's book). Plural ending in -s: add only an apostrophe (the boys' books). Irregular plural: add 's (children's).

Where do commas go with a non-restrictive (extra-information) clause?

Such clauses are set off by commas: "My brother, who lives in Karachi, is a doctor." Restrictive clauses take no commas.

Give a synonym and an antonym for "abundant."

Synonym: plentiful / ample. Antonym: scarce / sparse.

Give a synonym and an antonym for "benevolent."

Synonym: kind / generous. Antonym: malevolent / cruel.

Give a synonym and an antonym for "candid."

Synonym: frank / honest. Antonym: secretive / evasive.

Give a synonym and an antonym for "diligent."

Synonym: hardworking / industrious. Antonym: lazy / negligent.

Give a synonym and an antonym for "transparent."

Synonym: clear / see-through. Antonym: opaque / murky.

How do you solve a verbal analogy? Illustrate with "Hand : Glove :: Foot : ?"

Identify the relationship in the first pair and apply it. A glove covers a hand; what covers a foot is a sock (or shoe). Answer: Sock/Shoe.

Complete the analogy and name the relationship: "Doctor : Hospital :: Teacher : ?"

School. Relationship: worker to workplace.

Complete the analogy: "Hot : Cold :: Light : ?" and name the relationship.

Dark. Relationship: antonyms (opposites).

Complete the analogy: "Puppy : Dog :: Kitten : ?" Name the relationship.

Cat. Relationship: young one to adult animal.

What does the idiom "to bite the bullet" mean?

To face a difficult or unpleasant situation bravely and decisively.

What does the idiom "once in a blue moon" mean?

Something that happens very rarely.

What does the idiom "a piece of cake" mean?

Something very easy to do.

What does the idiom "to let the cat out of the bag" mean?

To reveal a secret, often accidentally.

What does the idiom "to burn the midnight oil" mean?

To work or study late into the night.

Distinguish the confusing pair "affect" vs. "effect."

"Affect" is usually a verb meaning to influence (The weather affects mood). "Effect" is usually a noun meaning result (The effect was clear).

Distinguish "its" vs. "it's."

"Its" is a possessive (The dog wagged its tail). "It's" is a contraction of "it is" or "it has" (It's raining).

Distinguish "stationary" vs. "stationery."

"Stationary" means not moving (a stationary car). "Stationery" means writing materials (paper, pens).

Distinguish "principal" vs. "principle."

"Principal" means chief/head (school principal) or main sum of money. "Principle" means a rule or fundamental truth (moral principles).

In passage analysis, how do you find the main idea of a paragraph?

Identify the topic sentence (often first or last) and ask what point all supporting details share. The main idea is the central message, not a single detail.

When answering an inference question in passage analysis, what is the key rule?

Base the answer only on evidence implied by the text, not on outside knowledge or assumptions. A valid inference logically follows from what the passage states.

How do you determine the meaning of an unknown word in a reading passage?

Use context clues: surrounding words, examples, contrasts, or the overall sentence sense to deduce the meaning rather than relying on memory alone.