GATE Marine Engineering General Aptitude Syllabus

General Aptitude syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for General Aptitude in GATE Marine Engineering, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Verbal Aptitude

   3 topics

   • Basic English grammar
     • Tenses
     • Articles
     • Adjectives
     • Prepositions
     • Conjunctions
     • Verb-noun agreement
     • Other parts of speech
   • Basic vocabulary
     • Words
     • Idioms
     • Phrases in context
   • Reading and comprehension
     • Narrative sequencing
2. 2

   Quantitative Aptitude

   3 topics

   • Data interpretation
     • Data graphs (bar graphs, pie charts, and other graphs representing the data)
     • 2- and 3-dimensional plots
     • Maps and tables
   • Numerical computation and estimation
     • Ratios
     • Percentages
     • Powers
     • Exponents and logarithms
     • Permutations and combinations
     • Series
   • Mensuration and geometry
     • Elementary statistics and probability
3. 3

   Analytical Aptitude

   1 topic

   • Logic
     • Deduction and induction
     • Analogy
     • Numerical relations and reasoning
4. 4

   Spatial Aptitude

   2 topics

   • Transformation of shapes
     • Translation
     • Rotation
     • Scaling
     • Mirroring
     • Assembling and grouping
   • Paper folding, cutting, and patterns in 2 and 3 dimensions

General Aptitude flashcards for GATE Marine Engineering

22 of 50 cards from the General Aptitude deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In English grammar, what are the eight traditional parts of speech?

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

2. What is the basic structure (word order) of a standard affirmative English sentence?

   Subject + Verb + Object (SVO), e.g., "The engineer (S) repaired (V) the engine (O)."

3. Define a finite verb versus a non-finite verb.

   A finite verb shows tense, number, and person and agrees with the subject (e.g., "runs"). A non-finite verb does not (infinitives, gerunds, participles, e.g., "to run," "running," "run").

4. What are the three main tenses in English, and what does each express?

   Present (action now or habitual), Past (action completed before now), and Future (action yet to occur).

5. Name the four aspects each tense can take in English.

   Simple (indefinite), Continuous (progressive), Perfect, and Perfect Continuous.

6. How is the present perfect tense formed, and what does it express?

   Formed with has/have + past participle (e.g., "has finished"). It links a past action to the present or expresses an action completed at an unspecified time before now.

7. How is the past continuous tense formed, and when is it used?

   Formed with was/were + present participle (-ing). It describes an ongoing action in the past, often interrupted by another action (e.g., "I was studying when he called").

8. What is the difference between the future simple and the "going to" future?

   Future simple (will + verb) expresses spontaneous decisions, predictions, or promises; "going to" + verb expresses prior intention or predictions based on present evidence.

9. What are the definite and indefinite articles in English?

   The definite article is "the"; the indefinite articles are "a" and "an."

10. State the rule for choosing between "a" and "an."

    Use "a" before a word beginning with a consonant sound and "an" before a word beginning with a vowel sound (sound, not letter): "a university," "an hour."

11. When is the definite article "the" used rather than an indefinite article?

    "The" is used for specific or previously mentioned nouns, unique things (the sun), superlatives (the best), and when both speaker and listener know the referent.

12. What is an adjective, and where does it typically appear in a sentence?

    An adjective modifies (describes) a noun or pronoun. It typically appears before the noun (attributive: "a fast ship") or after a linking verb (predicative: "the ship is fast").

13. State the standard order of cumulative adjectives before a noun.

    Opinion, size, age, shape, colour, origin, material, purpose, then the noun (e.g., "a lovely small old round brown wooden box").

14. How are the comparative and superlative degrees of short adjectives formed?

    Add -er for comparative and -est for superlative (e.g., tall, taller, tallest); for longer adjectives use "more" and "most" (more beautiful, most beautiful).

15. What is a preposition, and what does it typically express?

    A preposition links a noun/pronoun to other words, showing relationships of place, time, direction, or manner (e.g., in, on, at, by, with, between).

16. Give the standard rule for using the prepositions "in," "on," and "at" for time.

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

17. What is the difference between "between" and "among"?

    Use "between" for two distinct items or when items are considered individually; use "among" for three or more items considered as a group.

18. What is a conjunction, and what are its two main types?

    A conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses. The two main types are coordinating conjunctions (joining equal elements) and subordinating conjunctions (joining a dependent clause to a main clause).

19. List the seven coordinating conjunctions (the FANBOYS).

    For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.

20. What are correlative conjunctions? Give two examples.

    Conjunctions that work in pairs to join balanced elements, e.g., "either...or," "neither...nor," "both...and," "not only...but also."

21. State the basic rule of subject-verb agreement.

    A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb (e.g., "The engine runs," "The engines run").

22. In subject-verb agreement, which subject controls the verb when two subjects are joined by "or"/"nor"?

    The verb agrees with the subject nearest to it (the proximity rule), e.g., "Neither the captain nor the sailors were ready."

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