SSC MTS (Multi-Tasking Staff) English Language and Comprehension Syllabus

English Language and Comprehension 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 and Comprehension in SSC MTS (Multi-Tasking Staff), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Vocabulary

   4 topics

   • Synonyms and Antonyms
     • Word meaning in context
     • Opposite words
   • One Word Substitution
     • Common single-word replacements
   • Idioms and Phrases
     • Meaning of common idioms
     • Usage in sentences
   • Spelling and Word Formation
     • Correctly and incorrectly spelt words
     • Prefixes and suffixes
2. 2

   Grammar

   4 topics

   • Parts of Speech
     • Noun, pronoun, verb, adjective and adverb
     • Prepositions and conjunctions
   • Subject-Verb Agreement
     • Concord rules
     • Common agreement errors
   • Tenses and Voice
     • Present, past and future tenses
     • Active and passive voice
   • Narration
     • Direct and indirect speech
3. 3

   Sentence Structure and Error Detection

   4 topics

   • Spotting Errors
     • Grammatical errors in sentence parts
   • Sentence Improvement
     • Improving underlined phrases
   • Fill in the Blanks
     • Single and double blanks
     • Contextual word selection
   • Sentence Rearrangement
     • Para jumbles
4. 4

   Comprehension and Usage

   3 topics

   • Reading Comprehension
     • Passage-based questions
     • Inference and main idea
   • Cloze Test
     • Fill blanks within a passage
   • Sentence Transformation
     • Voice and narration change in context

English Language and Comprehension flashcards for SSC MTS (Multi-Tasking Staff)

19 of 50 cards from the English Language and Comprehension deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is a synonym? Give an example.

   A synonym is a word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word. Example: 'Happy' and 'Joyful'.

2. What is an antonym? Give an example.

   An antonym is a word that has the opposite meaning to another word. Example: 'Hot' and 'Cold'.

3. Give the antonym of 'Benevolent'.

   Malevolent (meaning wishing evil/harm to others). Benevolent means kind and well-meaning.

4. What is the one-word substitution for 'a person who knows many languages'?

   Polyglot.

5. What is the one-word substitution for 'a government run by the wealthy class'?

   Plutocracy.

6. What is the one-word substitution for 'one who eats everything (all kinds of food)'?

   Omnivore (an animal/person eating both plants and animals). 'One who eats everything' = Omnivorous.

7. What is the one-word substitution for 'a place where birds are kept'?

   Aviary.

8. What is the one-word substitution for 'words written on a tomb/grave'?

   Epitaph.

9. What is the one-word substitution for 'a person who does not believe in the existence of God'?

   Atheist.

10. What is an idiom? How does it differ from its literal meaning?

    An idiom is a group of words whose meaning cannot be understood from the literal meanings of the individual words; it carries a figurative meaning. Example: 'Kick the bucket' means 'to die', not literally kicking a bucket.

11. What does the idiom 'To let the cat out of the bag' mean?

    To reveal a secret (usually unintentionally).

12. What does the idiom 'A blessing in disguise' mean?

    Something that seems bad or unlucky at first but results in something good later.

13. What does the idiom 'To burn the midnight oil' mean?

    To work or study late into the night.

14. What does the idiom 'Once in a blue moon' mean?

    Something that happens very rarely.

15. What is the correct spelling: 'Recieve' or 'Receive'? State the rule.

    'Receive' is correct. Rule: 'i' before 'e' except after 'c' (so after 'c' it is 'cei').

16. What is the correct spelling: 'Accommodate' or 'Acommodate'?

    'Accommodate' (double 'c' and double 'm').

17. In word formation, what does adding the prefix 'un-' do? Give an example.

    The prefix 'un-' adds a negative or opposite meaning. Example: 'happy' becomes 'unhappy'.

18. What suffix is commonly added to a verb to form a noun denoting the act/result? Give an example.

    The suffix '-ment'. Example: 'govern' (verb) becomes 'government' (noun). Also '-tion' as in 'create' to 'creation'.

19. What are the eight parts of speech in English grammar?

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

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