The IBPS PO Prelims examination, one of the most revered government examinations in the country. As per the notification, IBPS PO Prelims 2020 exam will be held on 3^rd, 10^th& 11^th October 2020. It provides opportunities for candidates to work in eleven highly regarded Public sector banks.

A vast majority of candidates face difficulties in the English Language section with its grammar plus vocabulary syllabus as well as completing it within the time limit. Thus, in this article, we deal with precisely how to prepare English for IBPS PO pre and much more.

How to Prepare English for IBPS PO Pre: Exam Pattern

The following is a brief presentation of the pattern of the IBPS PO Prelims exam. This gives a general idea of the task at hand and how you can balance your IBPS PO English preparation with other sections.

Note: A negative marking of 0.25 marks applies to every incorrect answer.

How to Prepare English for IBPS PO Pre: Tips & Tricks

Here are the most effective IBPS PO English preparation tips we have carefully curated for you.

• Common Topics in the IBPS PO English Syllabus

The following table summarises the predominant topics in the IBPS PO English Syllabus.

• Reading Comprehension

The basic elements of a reading comprehension question are:

Subject/Main Idea of Passage: Borrowed from fields like arts, technology, innovation or social sciences in general, the subject or theme of the passage is the concept, the narrative is constructed around. It is the primary focus of the author and he presents his ideas as well as relevant other counter-arguments to augment it. Try to be attentive of the shifts in perspectives, new ideas, induction of factual information and like. Practice diverse passage to be fully equipped.

Author’s Point of View & Counter Arguments: The author’s standpoint can either be implanted in subtle phrases or be presented to you right at the start of the passage. Further, the author might agree with the general orientation of the passage or not but in both cases will provide the reasons for it. Your task is to find such pieces of information and connect it.

Conclusion: As a culminating statement, it binds all other elements of the passage and brings it to a close. It may be presented in a few parts or be convoluted a bit.

Supplementary Elements: Features like figurative language, visualisation and imagery, figures of speech act as assistive elements and helps the author to better describe the various components of the passage.

• There are two reading approaches you can utilise for reading passages in RC questions as well as Cloze Tests, Paragraph Correction and Summaries. The top-downapproach entails reading the passage thoroughly and then attempting the questions. It is the conventional route. On the other hand, the bottom-up approach inverts the tactic and involves reading the questions first and then referencing the relevant information in the passage. While both approaches give dividends, choose yours after practising both.

• Cloze Test

In a cloze test, you will be given a paragraph from which a few important words or phrases have been blanked out. After a careful active reading, your task is to find the right word or phrase from the given options. Look out for the tone of the passage, extreme or irrelevant options, synonyms or antonyms of the likely word.

• Sentence Correction/Paragraph Correction/Error Detection/Odd One Out/

Typically, the passage may contain errors in syntax, grammar or usage of particular word/phrases or idiom. Your task is to pick out the word or phrase which contains the error and replace it with the correct one. Build a really strong hold of fundamentals of grammar during your IBPS PO English preparation.

 Jumbled Sentences/Phrase Replacement

Re-arranged of sentences has much to do with how to make it logically flowing, rational and cohesive. It plays around with its context and meaning. Focus on crucial words like ‘but’, ‘however’, ‘and’, ‘or’, ‘however’ etc. to know the direction and orientation of the whole paragraph.

• Paragraph Summaries

A given paragraph will follow options of its summaries. Your task is to make the most appropriate and relevant pick. An ideal paragraph summary will address to the focal theme of the passage, be in chronological order and give all the supporting elements a valid place. It must be accurate, crisp and contextual.

• Vocabulary

Testing of vocabulary is a recurrent theme throughout the IBPS PO English Syllabus. Prepare via making 15-20 word lists depending on your level and learn its synonyms, antonyms, origin, common usage and other forms. This helps in connecting the given words easily.

How to Prepare English for IBPS PO Pre: Key Takeaways

• Important IBPS PO English Preparation Books: Some of the prevalent and trusted names are Wren & Martin’s ‘English Language & Comprehension’, ‘Objective General English’ by S.P. Bakshi and ‘Word Power Made Easy’ by Norman Lewis.
• Core Grammar Portions: Grammar fundamentals such as Active & Passive Voice, Direct & Indirect Speech, Subject-Verb Agreement, Person and Number, Prepositions, Parts of Speech and Figures of Speech must be treated as essentials.
• Time Management: There are 20 minutes for the whole section comprising of 30 questions which leaves you with only 40 seconds per question. Thus, stick to a stern time plan. If you do not arrive at the answer within 40 seconds, move on to the next. Remember, you have to make provisions for the reading as well. Come back to it later. Leave around 3-4 minutes in the end for revision.

What makes all the above tips work is your dedication and perseverance towards completing the IBPS PO English Syllabus in all faithfulness. Further, have trust in yourself and you will sail through with flying colours.