SBOTS English Language & Verbal Ability Syllabus

In subject-verb agreement, which verb form is used with "each," "every," "everyone," and "none"?

They are treated as singular and take a singular verb (e.g., "Everyone is present," "Each of the boys was tired").

When two subjects are joined by "either...or" / "neither...nor," how is verb agreement decided?

The verb agrees with the subject nearer to it (the second/closer subject). E.g., "Neither the manager nor the clerks are here."

Name the three main tenses and what each expresses.

Present (action happening now or habitually), Past (action completed earlier), and Future (action that will happen later).

What is the structure of the present perfect tense and when is it used?

has/have + past participle (e.g., "She has finished"). Used for an action completed at an unspecified past time with relevance to the present, or one continuing up to now.

What is the structure and use of the past continuous tense?

was/were + verb-ing (e.g., "They were studying"). Used for an ongoing action at a specific point in the past.

What is the difference between the simple past and present perfect tense?

Simple past refers to a finished action at a definite past time ("I saw him yesterday"); present perfect refers to a past action with present relevance or no specified time ("I have seen him").

Which preposition is correct: "good at," "good in," or "good on" (skill)?

"Good at" (e.g., "She is good at mathematics").

Choose the correct preposition: "He is married ___ a doctor."

"to" — "He is married to a doctor."

State the rule for using the article "a" versus "an."

Use "a" before a consonant sound and "an" before a vowel sound. It depends on sound, not spelling (e.g., "an hour," "a university").

When is the definite article "the" used?

Before a specific or previously mentioned noun, unique things (the sun), superlatives (the best), rivers/oceans, and names of certain countries (the USA).

Fix the preposition error: "She is suffering from fever since Monday." Is anything else wrong?

The sentence needs present perfect continuous: "She has been suffering from fever since Monday." "Suffering from" is correct; "is" must become "has been."

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 (friends), but the verb stays singular (is).

Correct the sentence: "He did not went to school."

"He did not go to school." After the auxiliary "did," use the base form (go), not the past form (went).

Correct the sentence: "The news are very disturbing."

"The news is very disturbing." "News" is an uncountable singular noun and takes a singular verb.

Identify and correct the error: "Each of the students have submitted their work."

"Each of the students has submitted his/her work." "Each" is singular, requiring "has."

Common usage error: difference between "its" and "it's."

"Its" is a possessive pronoun (belonging to it); "it's" is a contraction of "it is" or "it has."

Common usage error: when to use "fewer" versus "less."

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

Common usage error: difference between "affect" and "effect."

"Affect" is usually a verb meaning to influence; "effect" is usually a noun meaning the result. (E.g., "The change affected sales; the effect was huge.")

What strategy is used for a single-blank fill-in question?

Read for context clues and tone, determine the meaning required by the sentence, then choose the word that fits grammatically and logically; eliminate options of wrong meaning or contradictory tone.

Single blank fill-in: "Despite his wealth, he led a very ___ life." Best word from: lavish, simple, luxurious?

"simple." The contrast signal "Despite his wealth" demands a word opposite to wealth's expected lifestyle.

What is the key to solving double-blank fill-in questions?

Identify the logical relationship between the two blanks (contrast, cause-effect, similarity) using connecting words, and ensure BOTH words fit; if either word is wrong, reject the whole option.

Double blank: "___ the heavy rain, the match was ___." Choose: (Because of / postponed).

"Because of the heavy rain, the match was postponed." Cause-and-effect relationship between the two blanks.

What is contextual word choice, and how is the right word selected?

It is selecting the word whose precise meaning, connotation, and tone fit the surrounding context, not just a dictionary synonym; judge by how the word functions in that specific sentence.

Contextual word choice: which fits "The lawyer gave a ___ argument that convinced the jury": cogent, vague, or weak?

"cogent" (clear, logical, convincing). The context ("convinced the jury") requires a positive, persuasive word.

In reading comprehension, what is the "main idea" or central theme of a passage?

The single, overarching point the author wants to convey — the umbrella statement that the whole passage supports; it is general, not a minor detail.

How do you identify the main idea of a passage?

Look at the topic sentence (often first/last), find the point repeated or supported throughout, and ask "What is the author mainly trying to say?" Choose the option broad enough to cover the whole passage but not too broad.

What is an inference question in reading comprehension?

A question whose answer is not stated directly but must be logically deduced from the information and implications in the passage ("reading between the lines").

What is "tone" in a passage, and name three common tone words.

Tone is the author's attitude or emotional stance toward the subject. Common tones: critical, optimistic, sarcastic (also objective, sympathetic, pessimistic).

How do you determine the author's intent or purpose in a passage?

Ask why the author wrote it — to inform, persuade, describe, entertain, or criticize — by examining word choice, tone, and the overall structure/argument.

What does "vocabulary-in-context" require you to do when a word has multiple meanings?

Choose the meaning that fits the specific sentence and surrounding context, not the most common dictionary definition. Substitute each option into the sentence to test which preserves the intended meaning.