IBPS PO (Probationary Officer) English Language Syllabus

English Language syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for English Language in IBPS PO (Probationary Officer), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Reading Comprehension

   3 topics

   • Passage Analysis
     • Central idea and tone
     • Inference-based questions
     • Economy and banking themed passages
   • Vocabulary in Context
     • Synonyms and antonyms from passage
     • Word usage in context
   • Question Types
     • Fact-based and detail questions
     • Title and theme identification
2. 2

   Grammar and Error Spotting

   3 topics

   • Error Detection
     • Subject-verb agreement
     • Tenses and prepositions
     • Articles and modifiers
   • Sentence Improvement
     • Phrase replacement
     • Grammatically correct sentence selection
   • Spotting Errors and Correction
     • Multiple-error sentences
     • Error-free part identification
3. 3

   Verbal Ability

   3 topics

   • Para Jumbles
     • Sentence rearrangement
     • Para completion
   • Cloze Test
     • Single and double fillers
     • Contextual word selection
   • Sentence Connectors and Starters
     • Sentence connector usage
     • Word swap and word usage
4. 4

   Vocabulary and Word Power

   3 topics

   • Fillers
     • Single, double and triple fillers
   • Synonyms, Antonyms and Idioms
     • Idioms and phrases
     • One-word substitution
   • Spelling and Word Usage
     • Misspelt words
     • Phrasal verbs

English Language flashcards for IBPS PO (Probationary Officer)

18 of 51 cards from the English Language deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In IBPS PO Reading Comprehension, what is the recommended reading strategy for tackling the passage efficiently?

   Skim the passage first for the central idea and structure, then read the questions, and finally scan back to the relevant lines for detail-based answers rather than reading every word in depth.

2. What is meant by the 'central idea' or main theme of a Reading Comprehension passage?

   It is the single dominant point or argument the author conveys throughout the passage, distinct from supporting details or examples; it is usually inferable from the opening and closing paragraphs.

3. In Passage Analysis, what is the difference between a 'fact-based' and an 'inference-based' question?

   A fact-based question can be answered by directly locating a stated line in the passage, while an inference-based question requires drawing a logical conclusion not explicitly stated but supported by the text.

4. What does the 'tone' of a passage refer to, and name common tone types tested in IBPS PO.

   Tone is the author's attitude toward the subject. Common types: critical, optimistic, pessimistic, analytical, sarcastic/satirical, neutral/objective, persuasive, and humorous.

5. How should you approach 'title of the passage' questions in Reading Comprehension?

   Choose the option that captures the overall central theme—neither too broad nor too narrow—covering the entire passage rather than just one paragraph or detail.

6. What is 'Vocabulary in Context' as a question type in IBPS PO English?

   It asks for the meaning of a word or phrase as used in the passage, where the contextual sense may differ from the word's common dictionary meaning; the surrounding sentence determines the correct answer.

7. Why can the contextual meaning of a word differ from its dictionary meaning in RC?

   Because words can be polysemous (have multiple meanings) and authors use them figuratively or in specialized senses; the context (sentence and surrounding lines) signals which shade of meaning applies.

8. When finding a synonym/antonym 'as used in the passage', what is the key rule?

   Match the word's meaning in that specific context, not its most common meaning—substitute each option into the sentence to check which preserves the intended sense.

9. List the major question types asked in IBPS PO Reading Comprehension.

   Central idea/theme, title, inference, fact/detail, tone/attitude, synonym/antonym (vocabulary in context), purpose of the author, and true/false (which statement is correct/incorrect).

10. In Error Detection ('Spotting Errors'), how is a typical question structured?

    A sentence is divided into parts (e.g., A, B, C, D) and the candidate must identify the part containing a grammatical error, or mark 'No error' if the sentence is correct.

11. State the subject-verb agreement rule for two singular subjects joined by 'and'.

    Two singular subjects joined by 'and' usually take a plural verb (e.g., 'Ram and Shyam are friends'), unless they refer to one single person/idea, in which case a singular verb is used.

12. What verb agreement rule applies to subjects joined by 'either...or' / 'neither...nor'?

    The verb agrees with the subject nearer to it (proximity rule). E.g., 'Neither the teacher nor the students were present.'

13. Which collective nouns and indefinite pronouns commonly trigger subject-verb agreement errors?

    Collective nouns (team, government, jury) usually take a singular verb when acting as one unit; indefinite pronouns like each, every, everyone, neither, either, none, anybody take a singular verb.

14. In error detection, what is the rule for 'one of the + plural noun + singular verb'?

    In 'one of the' constructions, the plural noun follows but the main verb is singular because the subject is 'one'. E.g., 'One of the boys is absent.'

15. What is the difference between 'fewer' and 'less', commonly tested in error detection?

    'Fewer' is used with countable nouns (fewer books), while 'less' is used with uncountable nouns (less water/time).

16. When are the articles 'a' and 'an' chosen, including the tricky sound-based rule?

    Use 'a' before a consonant SOUND and 'an' before a vowel SOUND, based on pronunciation, not spelling. E.g., 'an hour' (silent h), 'a university' (yoo sound), 'an MBA' (em sound).

17. What is the common preposition error rule for 'different from' vs 'different than'?

    Standard usage prefers 'different from' (e.g., 'This is different from that'); 'different than' is generally considered incorrect in formal/competitive English.

18. Which words are followed by a bare infinitive (without 'to') and are commonly tested?

    Modal verbs (can, may, must, should) and verbs like let, make, see, hear, watch, bid take the bare infinitive. E.g., 'She made him go' (not 'to go').

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