How to prepare for English section topics of SSC CGL Exam?

English section is one of the most challenging sections if not prepared thoroughly and practiced extensively. Language needs proficiency and understanding to pick up the right choice for the questions asked. SSC CGL 2018 Exam is going to be held in the month of July-August 2018. Aspirants have very less time left to prepare and most of them must have completed their syllabus by now. There are some who start late for the exam preparation. Let us discuss some tips to prepare effectively for English Section of SSC CGL Exam 2018.

English section comprises of various topics such as :

1. Reading Comprehension
2. Cloze Test
3. Sentence Rearrangement (Para jumbles)
4. Grammar Questions (Error Spotting and Fill in the blanks)

         

1. Reading Comprehension

• Reading Comprehension questions are characteristically easy to moderate difficulty level.
• It has about 20% questions from vocabulary. Read the question carefully. At times question is asked to ‘select the word oppositein meaning rather than similar ‘.  Do not mark the answer without looking carefully into the questions and the options.
• To answer vocabulary based questions you have to read the passage again and find the context in which it has been used. Select the closest meaning as used.
• To get the idea rendered in the passage one should read the first and last paragraph which helps in answering the central idea based questions.
• There is no harm in leaving time consuming questions which requires a detailed reading.

2. Cloze Test

• Cloze Test doesn’t require grammar.
• In order to solve cloze test, read the sentence ignoring the options, fill in the blank. Then glance at the options and opt the word that matches your guess.
• In case you are not 100% sure about any option it is better to leave it. Do not give more time to that question.

3. Sentence Rearrangement (Para jumbles)

• Para jumbles are generally tricky.
• One positive thing about para jumbles is, in case one gets the sequence, one gets 5 questions right with 100% accuracy.
• It is advisable to read the passage carefully.
• Then find out the words like ‘Instead’, ‘Furthermore’ etc. Sentences with such opening words will always appear in the middle. Ignore these sentences and check the others when you are looking for the first or starting sentence.
• Starting sentence gives a concise outline about the issue/problem being discussed in the passage.
• Once you get the opening correct, the rest of the assignment becomes easy.
• Sentences with words like ‘instead’, ‘furthermore’, ‘because’, ‘hence’ etc., one should try and find the previous sentences.
• Once you get a connecting sentence with starting sentence, one or two middle sentences, it is easy to fill up the rest of sentences in reasonable manner. 
• After arranging them in order now read the entire rearranged sentence again and make out if it stands logic.

4. Grammar Questions (Error Spotting and Fill in the blanks)

• Generally candidates find it difficult to solve grammar questions, due to lack of confidence or may be their grammar is weak.
• If you are able to solve the above three topics RC, Parajumbles and Cloze test that would serve the purpose to touch the cut-off.
• Working on grammar will fetch you high rank so practice grammar based questions too.
• Keep practicing fill in the blanks and error spotting questions to develop confidence.

Hope these tips will help you improve English language section and you score well in the exam.

All the best!!!