IBPS PO / SBI PO 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 / SBI PO, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Reading Comprehension

   3 topics

   • Passage Based Questions
     • Central idea, theme and title
     • Inference and tone of the author
   • Vocabulary in Context
     • Synonyms and antonyms from passage
     • Meaning of phrases in context
   • Economy and Banking Themed Passages
     • Editorials on finance and policy
     • Social and current affairs passages
2. 2

   Grammar

   4 topics

   • Error Detection and Spotting
     • Subject-verb agreement errors
     • Tense, article and preposition errors
   • Sentence Improvement
     • Phrase replacement
     • No-error and best alternative selection
   • Parts of Speech and Usage
     • Nouns, pronouns and modifiers
     • Conjunctions and connectors
   • Active-Passive and Direct-Indirect
     • Voice conversion
     • Narration change
3. 3

   Verbal Ability

   5 topics

   • Para Jumbles
     • Sentence rearrangement
     • Fixed first and last sentence jumbles
   • Cloze Test
     • Single blank cloze
     • Double blank and contextual cloze
   • Fillers and Sentence Connectors
     • Single and double fillers
     • Connector based sentence joining
   • Word Usage and Vocabulary
     • Idioms and phrases
     • One word substitution and spelling
   • Sentence and Paragraph Completion
     • Paragraph completion
     • Coherent paragraph and odd sentence out
4. 4

   Descriptive English

   3 topics

   • Essay Writing
     • Banking, economy and social topics
     • Structure, coherence and word limit
   • Letter Writing
     • Formal and official letters
     • Informal letters
   • Precis and Paragraph Writing
     • Summarising a given passage
     • Report and paragraph writing

English Language flashcards for IBPS PO / SBI PO

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

1. In Reading Comprehension (Passage Based Questions), what is the difference between an 'inference' question and a 'fact/detail' question?

   A fact/detail question asks for information stated directly in the passage. An inference question asks for a logical conclusion that is implied but NOT directly stated; the answer must follow from the text without going beyond it.

2. In RC, what is the recommended strategy for tackling 'tone of the passage' questions?

   Identify the author's attitude from word choice and adjectives. Common tones: critical, optimistic, sarcastic, analytical, objective/neutral, persuasive. Look for emotionally charged or evaluative words; if none, the tone is usually neutral/objective.

3. In RC, where is the 'main idea' or central theme of a passage usually found?

   Most often in the first or last paragraph (topic sentence and conclusion). The main idea is the single overarching point, broader than any one detail but narrower than the general subject.

4. What does it mean to determine the meaning of a word 'in context' in vocabulary questions?

   It means selecting the meaning the word carries in that specific sentence, which may differ from its most common dictionary meaning. You judge by the surrounding words, tone, and logic of the sentence, not the isolated word.

5. In Vocabulary in Context, what are the three main types of context clues?

   1) Synonym/restatement clues (a nearby word means the same), 2) Antonym/contrast clues (signalled by but, however, unlike), and 3) Inference clues (the overall sense of the sentence reveals the meaning).

6. In banking-themed passages, what is the difference between 'fiscal policy' and 'monetary policy'?

   Fiscal policy is managed by the government and deals with taxation and public spending. Monetary policy is managed by the central bank (RBI) and controls money supply and interest rates.

7. In economy passages, what does 'inflation' mean and which body controls it in India?

   Inflation is a sustained rise in the general price level, reducing purchasing power. In India it is primarily controlled by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) through monetary policy tools like the repo rate.

8. In banking passages, what do the terms 'NPA' and 'liquidity' refer to?

   NPA (Non-Performing Asset) is a loan on which the borrower has not paid principal or interest for 90 days or more. Liquidity is the ease with which an asset can be converted into cash without loss of value.

9. In Error Detection, what is the subject-verb agreement rule for 'either...or' and 'neither...nor'?

   The verb agrees with the subject nearer to it (the second subject). e.g., 'Neither the manager nor the clerks ARE present'; 'Neither the clerks nor the manager IS present.'

10. In Error Detection, how should collective nouns (team, jury, committee, government) be treated?

    They take a singular verb when acting as one unit ('The committee HAS decided') and a plural verb when members act individually ('The committee ARE divided in their opinions').

11. In Error Detection, what is the agreement rule for 'each', 'every', 'everyone', 'anyone', 'none', 'one of'?

    Each, every, everyone, anyone, nobody, and 'one of' are singular and take a singular verb. e.g., 'Each of the boys WAS rewarded'; 'One of the books IS missing.'

12. In Error Detection, what error does this contain: 'He is more cleverer than his brother'?

    Double comparative. 'More' and the '-er' suffix cannot be used together. Correct: 'He is cleverer than his brother' or 'more clever than his brother'.

13. In Sentence Improvement, which prepositions correctly follow 'differ', and how do their meanings change?

    'Differ from' = to be unlike something. 'Differ with' = to disagree with a person. 'Differ on/about' = to disagree about an issue.

14. In Sentence Improvement, what is the correct usage of 'comprise' versus 'compose'?

    'Comprise' means to include and is NOT followed by 'of' (The team comprises five members). 'Be composed of' or 'consist of' takes 'of' (The team is composed of / consists of five members).

15. In Sentence Improvement, what is wrong with 'I am used to walk daily' and how is it corrected?

    'Used to' (habit/accustomed) must be followed by a gerund: 'I am used to walking daily.' By contrast, 'used to' for a past habit takes the base verb: 'I used to walk daily.'

16. What are the eight parts of speech in English?

    Noun, Pronoun, Verb, Adjective, Adverb, Preposition, Conjunction, and Interjection.

17. In Parts of Speech, what is the difference between an adjective and an adverb, and how are most adverbs formed?

    An adjective modifies a noun/pronoun (a quick runner); an adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb (runs quickly). Most adverbs are formed by adding '-ly' to an adjective.

18. In Parts of Speech, what is a gerund and how does it differ from a present participle?

    Both end in '-ing'. A gerund functions as a NOUN ('Swimming is healthy'). A present participle functions as an ADJECTIVE or part of a continuous verb ('the swimming pool', 'she is swimming').

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