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1 IBPS PROBATIONARY OFFICERS ENGLISH LANGUAGE Directions (Q. 1-10): Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in it. The error, if any will be in one part of the sentence, the number of that part is the answer. If there is no error, the answer is 5), i.e. No Error. 1. A decision has been taken (1) / to improve (2) / sanitary conditions in the state (3) / at all-partys meeting. (4) / No Error (5) 2. Four and a half year (1) / ago the prices of (2) / essential commodities (3) / soared high. (4) / No Error (5) 3. Ravi has been considered (1) / one of the most (2) / industrious boy (3) / in the class because of his wonderful performance. (4) / No Error (5) 4. Unless all the members (1) / of the organisation work with (2) / devotion and dedication (3) / like brethren we cannot expect of progress. (4) / No Error (5) 5. You, he and I (1) / are held responsible (2) / for the mistakes (3) / committed in preparing the report. (4) / No Error (5) 6. The management has instructed (1) / the clerk and typist (2) / to be neat (3) / and flawless in his work. (4) / No Error (5) 7. On being invited (1) / every student and every teacher (2) / took their seats (3) / and listened to the lecture with great attention. (4) / No Error (5) 8. My uncle who (1) / had brought (2) / clothes from Singapore affectionately said (3) / "These are for you and I". (4) / No Error (5) 9. The board of directors (1) / has now decided (2) / to publish its findings (3) / to bring about changes in the process of manufacture. (4) / No Error (5) 10. It was him (1) / who came forward (2) / voluntarily to extend (3) / all possible help to the victims of floods. (4) / No Error (5) Directions (Q ): Which of the following phrases 1), 2), 3) and 4) given below should replace the phrase given in bold in the following sentences to make the sentences grammatically correct. If the sentence is correct, your answer is 5) i.e. No Correction Required. R

2 11. One should not think too much of himself. 1) too much of oneself 2) too much of one self 3) too more of himself 4) too little of himself 5) No correction required 12. The last to submit the application is Mr. Ravi. 1) The last one to submit 2) The latest one to submit 3) Last one to submitting 4) The last for submitting 5) No correction required 13. This is the same book which I wanted to have. 1) as I want to have 2) that which I wanted to have 3) as that which I want to have 4) and I want to have 5) No correction required. 14. I will take with me whomsoever you choose. 1) whoever you choose 2) that whomsoever you will choose 3) whose ever you choose 4) what so ever you choose 5) No correction required. 15. This is the best of the two options. 1) best of the two options 2) better of the two options 3) good of the two options 4) the better of the two options 5) No correction required Directions (Q ): Rearrange the following sentences A), B), C), D) and E) in the proper sequence to form a meaningful paragraph and then answer the questions given below them. A) The north is bordered by mountain ranges while the remaining sides of Greece are enclosed by the Mediterranean sea. B) The people there were called Greeks. C) Greeks, therefore, became good navigators. D) The typical character of Greek civilisation is due to the geographic conditions prevailing there. E) The name Greece comes from one of the islands to the south-east of Europe known as Graecia.

3 16. Which is the THIRD sentence after rearrangement? 1) C 2) D 3) A 4) B 5) E 17. Which is the FOURTH sentence after rearrangement? 1) B 2) E 3) A 4) D 5) C 18. Which is the SECOND sentence after rearrangement? 1) A 2) E 3) D 4) C 5) B 19. Which the LAST sentence after rearrangement? 1) C 2) D 3) B 4) E 5) A 20. Which is the FIRST sentence after rearrangement? 1) B 2) C 3) A 4) E 5) D Directions (Q ): In each of the following sentences there is a blank space. Below each sentence, there are prepositions denoted by numbers 1), 2) 3), 4) and 5). Find out which preposition can be filled in the blank in the sentence to make the sentence meaningfully correct. 21. Ravi has brought... a new book of essays. 1) out 2) forth 3) on 4) in 5) for 22. Kiran bore... many prizes in the competitions. 1) at 2) away 3) for 4) around 5) on 23. The present situation calls... a drastic change in our policy. 1) at 2) on 3) for 4) over 5) to 24. My teacher called... the names of students. 1) on 2) for 3) at 4) over 5) beside

4 25. He calls... memories of his childhood. 1) over 2) on 3) around 4) at 5) up 26. How did you come... such a beautiful diamond? 1) by 2) at 3) on 4) upon 5) in 27. His marriage comes... on Thursday next. 1) of 2) on 3) upon 4) off 5) around 28. He fainted but soon came... 1) round 2) around 3) across 4) away 5) on 29. He came... a wild bear in the forest. 1) upon 2) on 3) at 4) away 5) up 30. He easily got... these difficulties. 1) on 2) up 3) over 4) into 5) away Directions (Q ): In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each five words are suggested, one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case. Fourteen centuries ago when the world was much younger, the ruler of all India, Rajah Balhait, was...(31)... about his people. A new game of dice called 'Nard' had...(32)... the imagination of his subjects. Teaching them that chance alone - a roll of the dice - guided the...(33)... of men. All who played this game of fortune lost their...(34)... in the virtues of courage, prudence, wisdom and hope. It bred a fatalism that was...(35)... the spirit of the kingdom. Rajah Balhait commissioned Sissa, an intelligent courtier, at his court, to find an answer to this...(36).... After much...(37)... the clever Sissa invented another game, 'Chaturanga', the exact...(38)... of 'Nard', in which the four elements of the Indian army were the key pieces. In the game these pieces- chariots, horses, elephants and foot

5 soldiers - joined with a royal counsellor to defend their king and defeat the enemy. Forceful...(39)... was demanded of the players not luck. 'Chaturanga' soon became more popular than 'Nard', and the...(40)... to the kingdom was over ) concerned 2) confident 3) ignorant 4) indifferent 5) partisan 32. 1) propelled 2) enshrined 3) captured 4) activated 5) enhanced 33. 1) communities 2) ways 3) abnormalities 4) destinies 5) groups 34. 1) bravado 2) interest 3) peace 4) wealth 5) faith 35. 1) appaling 2) crushing 3) moistening 4) promoting 5) overwhelming 36. 1) apprehension 2) risk 3) problem 4) game 5) destiny 37. 1) deliberation 2) thought 3) insight 4) hesitation 5) reluctance 38. 1) nature 2) equivalent 3) picture 4) opposite 5) replica 39. 1) prediction 2) concentration 3) manipulation 4) attack 5) fortune 40. 1) devastation 2) anxiety 3) impeachment 4) nuisance 5) threat ANSWERS 1-4: Replace 'all - partys meeting' with 'an all-party meeting'. Exp: In a construction like numeral + noun + noun, the noun following numeral is always singular. 2-1: It should be 'four and a half years'. Exp: There are two ways in which one can refer to fractions. a) four and a half years ago, b) four years and a half ago. Both the above forms are acceptable in current English usage.

6 3-3: Replace 'boy' with 'boys'. Exp: In the construction one of-the-noun, the noun is always plural. 4-5: No Error. Exp: 'Brothers' means sons of the same mother. 'Brethren' means members of a society. 5-1: It should be 'I, you and he'. Exp: While confessing a fault or expressing a negative idea, the sequence of the pronouns should be First person first, Second person second and Third person last. 6-5: No Error. Exp: When two singular nouns joined by 'and' denote the same person or thing, the pronoun used for them must be singular in number. The definite article 'the' is placed before the first noun. If two different persons act as 'clerk and typist', 'the' is placed before both nouns. 7-3: Replace 'their seats' with 'his or her seat'. Exp: When two singular nouns are joined by 'and' and are preceded by 'each' or 'every', the pronoun must be in singular number. 8-4: Replace 'I' with 'me'. Exp: When a personal pronoun is connected by conjunction with some other word in the objective case, it must be in the objective case. 9-5: No Error. Exp: Collective nouns are singular when they designate a group acting as a unit. They are plural when the members who make up the group are 'acting independently'. 10-1: Replace 'him' with 'he'. Exp: When a personal pronoun is used as a complement of the verb 'to be', the pronoun must be in the nominative case. 11-1: Exp: In British English, the change from indefinite pronoun 'one' to 'he' is considered incorrect. 12-5: No correction required. Exp: 'one / one's' is usually left out after these, those, either, neither, first, last, next.

7 13-1: Exp: The pronoun 'as' should be used in place of 'who/ which/ that' if 'same/ such' comes in the previous clause. 14-5: Exp: No antecedent should be used before compound relative pronouns - whoever, whosoever, whomsoever, whichever, whichsoever, whatever and whatsoever. 'I will take with me the person whomsoever you choose' - incorrect. 15-4: Exp: 'Comparative form + of' is used in the construction the + comparative form + of + the two. (16-20) : E B D A C 16-2; 17-3; 18-5; 19-1; ; 22-2; 23-3; 24-4; 25-5; 26-1; 27-4; 28-1; 29-1; 30-3; 31-1; 32-3; 33-4; 34-5; 35-2; 36-3; 37-2; 38-5; 39-2; Sanitary = pertaining to health Important Meanings Industrious = hardworking Enclosed by = surrounded by Brought out = published Bore away = won Call for = demand, require Call over = read out Call up = recollect Come off = take place Come round = regain, consciousness Come upon = meet suddenly Writer : B. Krishna Kumar

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