FPSC Lecturer Test English (Part I) Syllabus

English (Part I) syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for English (Part I) in FPSC Lecturer Test, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Vocabulary

   5 topics

   • Synonyms and Antonyms
   • One Word Substitution
   • Idioms and Phrases
   • Commonly Confused Words
   • Foreign Words and Borrowed Terms
2. 2

   Grammar Usage

   6 topics

   • Parts of Speech
   • Tenses
   • Subject-Verb Agreement
   • Articles and Determiners
   • Active and Passive Voice
   • Direct and Indirect Narration
3. 3

   Sentence Structuring

   5 topics

   • Sentence Correction
   • Sentence Completion
   • Punctuation
   • Sentence Types and Clauses
   • Spotting Errors
4. 4

   Comprehension and Composition

   4 topics

   • Reading Comprehension Passages
   • Precis and Summary Skills
   • Paragraph Coherence and Cohesion
   • Spelling Rules

English (Part I) flashcards for FPSC Lecturer Test

19 of 51 cards from the English (Part I) deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is a synonym, and give a synonym for the word "benevolent"?

   A synonym is a word with the same or nearly the same meaning as another word. A synonym for "benevolent" is "kind" (or generous, charitable).

2. What is an antonym, and give the antonym of "abundant"?

   An antonym is a word opposite in meaning to another. The antonym of "abundant" (plentiful) is "scarce" (or sparse).

3. Give the antonyms of these common test words: candid, frugal, and obscure.

   Candid (frank) - evasive/deceitful; Frugal (thrifty) - extravagant/lavish; Obscure (unclear/unknown) - clear/famous.

4. One-word substitution: A person who knows many languages.

   A polyglot (or linguist). One fluent in many languages.

5. One-word substitution: A government run by the wealthy; and a government by the few.

   Government by the wealthy = Plutocracy. Government by a few = Oligarchy.

6. One-word substitution: One who eats everything / one who eats human flesh / one who eats only vegetables.

   Eats everything = Omnivore; Eats human flesh = Cannibal; Eats only vegetables/plants = Herbivore (or vegetarian for a person).

7. One-word substitution: A speech made without prior preparation, and a place where dead bodies are kept.

   Speech without preparation = Extempore (impromptu). Place where dead bodies are kept = Mortuary (or morgue).

8. What is an idiom? Give the meaning of "to bury the hatchet."

   An idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning is not deducible from its individual words. "To bury the hatchet" means to make peace / end a quarrel.

9. Give the meaning of the idioms "a blessing in disguise" and "once in a blue moon."

   "A blessing in disguise" = something seemingly bad that turns out to be good. "Once in a blue moon" = very rarely.

10. What do the idioms "to let the cat out of the bag" and "to add fuel to the fire" mean?

    "Let the cat out of the bag" = to reveal a secret. "Add fuel to the fire" = to make a bad situation worse.

11. Explain the idioms "to call a spade a spade" and "to make a mountain out of a molehill."

    "Call a spade a spade" = to speak frankly/plainly. "Make a mountain out of a molehill" = to exaggerate a trivial problem.

12. Commonly confused words: What is the difference between "affect" and "effect"?

    "Affect" is usually a verb meaning to influence (The weather affects mood). "Effect" is usually a noun meaning result (The effect was clear); as a verb it means to bring about.

13. Commonly confused words: Distinguish "stationary" from "stationery."

    "Stationary" (with an 'a') = not moving, fixed. "Stationery" (with an 'e') = writing materials such as paper and pens.

14. Commonly confused words: Differentiate "principal" and "principle."

    "Principal" = head of a school OR main/chief; also a sum of money. "Principle" = a fundamental rule or moral truth.

15. Commonly confused words: When do you use "its" versus "it's"?

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

16. Commonly confused words: Distinguish "complement" from "compliment."

    "Complement" = something that completes or goes well with another. "Compliment" = an expression of praise.

17. Give the meaning of the foreign/borrowed terms "bona fide" and "status quo."

    "Bona fide" (Latin) = genuine, in good faith. "Status quo" (Latin) = the existing state of affairs.

18. What do the borrowed terms "vice versa" and "per se" mean?

    "Vice versa" (Latin) = the other way around / conversely. "Per se" (Latin) = in itself / intrinsically.

19. Explain the foreign phrases "carte blanche" and "faux pas."

    "Carte blanche" (French) = full freedom or authority to act. "Faux pas" (French) = a social blunder or embarrassing mistake.

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