SSC 2015:- ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Pronouns

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Definition

A pronoun (I, me, he, she, herself, you, it, that, they, each, few, many, who, whoever, whose, someone, everybody, etc.) is a word that takes the place of a noun. In the sentence Joe saw Jill, and he waved at her, the pronouns he and her take the place of Joe and Jill, respectively. There are three types of pronouns: subject (for example, he); object (him); or possessive (his).

Rule 1. Subject pronouns are used when the pronoun is the subject of the sentence. You can remember subject pronouns easily by filling in the blank subject space for a simple sentence.

Example: ___ did the job.
I, he, she, we, they, who, whoever, etc., all qualify and are, therefore, subject pronouns.

Rule 2. Subject pronouns are also used if they rename the subject. They will follow to be verbs, such as is, are, was, were, am, will be, had been, etc.

Examples:
It is he.
This is she speaking.
It is we who are responsible for the decision to downsize.

NOTE

In informal English, most people tend to follow to be verbs with object pronouns like me, her, them. Many English scholars tolerate this distinction between formal and casual English.

Example: It could have been them.

Technically correct: It could have been they.

Example: It is just me at the door.

Technically correct: It is just I at the door.

Rule 3. This rule surprises even language watchers: when who refers to a personal pronoun (I, you, he, she, we, they), it takes the verb that agrees with that pronoun.

Correct: It is I who am sorry. (I am)

Incorrect: It is I who is sorry.

Correct: It is you who are mistaken. (you are)

Incorrect: It is you who's mistaken.

Rule 4. Object pronouns are used everywhere else beyond Rules 1 and 2 (direct object, indirect object, object of a preposition). Object pronouns include me, him, herself, us, them, themselves, etc.

Examples:
Jean saw him.
Him is the direct object.

Give her the book.
Her is the indirect object. The direct object is book.

Are you talking to me?
Me is the object of the preposition to.

Rule 5. The pronouns who, that, and which become singular or plural depending on the subject. If the subject is singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use a plural verb.

Example: He is the only one of those men who is always on time.
The word who refers to one. Therefore, use the singular verb is.

Sometimes we must look more closely to find a verb's true subject:

Example: He is one of those men who are always on time.
The word who refers to men. Therefore, use the plural verb are.

In sentences like this last example, many would mistakenly insist that one is the subject, requiring is always on time. But look at it this way: Of those men who are always on time, he is one.

Rule 6. Pronouns that are singular (I, he, she, everyone, everybody, anyone, anybody, no one, nobody, someone, somebody, each, either, neither, etc.) require singular verbs. This rule is frequently overlooked when using the pronouns each, either, and neither, followed by of. Those three pronouns always take singular verbs. Do not be misled by what follows of.

Examples:
Each of the girls sings well.
Either of us is capable of doing the job.
Neither of them is available to speak right now.

Exception: When each follows a noun or pronoun in certain sentences, even experienced writers sometimes get tripped up:

Incorrect: The women each gave her approval.
Correct: The women each gave their approval.
Incorrect: The words are and there each ends with a silent vowel.
Correct: The words are and there each end with a silent vowel.

These examples do not contradict Rule 6, because each is not the subject, but rather an adjunct describing the true subject.

Rule 7. To decide whether to use the subject or object pronoun after the words than or as, mentally complete the sentence.

Examples:
Tranh is as smart as she/her.
If we mentally complete the sentence, we would say Tranh is as smart as she is. Therefore, she is the correct answer.

Zoe is taller than I/me.
Mentally completing the sentence, we have Zoe is taller than I am.

Daniel would rather talk to her than I/me.
We can interpret this sentence in two ways: Daniel would rather talk to her than to me. OR Daniel would rather talk to her than I would. A sentence's meaning can change considerably, depending on the pronoun you choose.

Rule 8. The possessive pronouns yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs, and whose never need apostrophes. Avoid mistakes like her's and your's.

Rule 9. The only time it's has an apostrophe is when it is a contraction for it is or it has. The only time who's has an apostrophe is when it means who is or who has. There is no apostrophe in oneself. Avoid "one's self," a common error.

Examples:
It's been a cold morning.
The thermometer reached its highest reading.
He's the one who's always on time.
He's the one whose wife is always on time.
Keeping oneself ready is important.

Rule 10. Pronouns that end in -self or -selves are called reflexive pronouns. There are nine reflexive pronouns: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, oneself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves.
Reflexive pronouns are used when both the subject and the object of a verb are the same person or thing.

Example: Joe helped himself.

If the object of a preposition refers to a previous noun or pronoun, use a reflexive pronoun:

Example: Joe bought it for himself.

Reflexive pronouns help avoid confusion and nonsense. Without them, we might be stuck with sentences like Joe helped Joe.

Correct: I worked myself to the bone.

The object myself is the same person as the subject I, performing the act of working.

Incorrect: My brother and myself did it.
Correct: My brother and I did it.

Don't use myself unless the pronoun I or me precedes it in the sentence.

Incorrect: Please give it to John or myself.
Correct: Please give it to John or me.
Correct: You saw me being myself.

Myself refers back to me in the act of being.
A sentence like Help yourself looks like an exception to the rule until we realize it's shorthand for You may help yourself.
In certain cases, a reflexive pronoun may come first.

Example: Doubting himself, the man proceeded cautiously.

Reflexive pronouns are also used for emphasis.

Example: He himself finished the whole job.

Rule 11a. Avoid they and their with singular pronouns.

Incorrect: Someone brought their lunch.
Correct: Someone brought her lunch.
OR
Someone brought his lunch.

If the gender is undetermined, you could say Someone brought his or her lunch (more on this option in Rule 11b).

Rule 11b. Singular pronouns must stay singular throughout the sentence.

Incorrect: Someone has to do it—and they have to do it well.

The problem is that someone is singular, but they is plural. If we change they to he or she, we get a rather clumsy sentence, even if it is technically correct.

Technically correct: Someone has to do it—and he or she has to do it well.

Replacing an ungrammatical sentence with a poorly written correction is a bad bargain. The better option is to rewrite.

Rewritten: Someone has to do it—and has to do it well.

Many writers abhor the he or she solution. Following are more examples of why rewriting is a better idea than using he or she or him or her to make sentences grammatical.

Incorrect: No one realizes when their time is up.
Correct but awkward: No one realizes when his or her time is up.
Rewritten: None realize when their time is up.
Incorrect: If you see anyone on the trail, tell them to be careful.
Correct but awkward: If you see anyone on the trail, tell him or her to be careful.
Rewritten: Tell anyone you see on the trail to be careful.

Rule 12. When a pronoun is linked with a noun by and, mentally remove the and + noun phrase to avoid trouble.

Incorrect: Her and her friend came over.

If we remove and her friend, we're left with the ungrammatical Her came over.

Correct: She and her friend came over.

Incorrect: I invited he and his wife.

If we remove and his wife, we're left with the ungrammatical I invited he.

Correct: I invited him and his wife.

Incorrect: Bill asked my sister and I.

If we remove my sister and, we're left with the ungrammatical Bill asked I.

Correct: Bill asked my sister and me.

NOTE

Do not combine a subject pronoun and an object pronoun in phrases like her and I or he and me. Whenever and or or links an object pronoun (her, me) and a subject pronoun (he, I), one of those pronouns will always be wrong.

Incorrect: Her and I went home.
Correct: She and I went home. (She went and I went.)

SSC 2015:- ENGLISH

Prepositions

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Definition

A preposition is a word that indicates location (in, near, beside) or some other relationship (about, after, besides) between a noun or pronoun and other parts of the sentence. A preposition isn't a preposition unless it goes with a related noun or pronoun, called the object of the preposition.

Examples: Let's meet before noon. Before is a preposition; noon is its object.
We've never met before.
There is no object; before is an adverb modifying met.

Rule 1. A preposition generally, but not always, goes before its noun or pronoun. One of the undying myths of English grammar is that you may not end a sentence with a preposition. But look at the first example that follows. No one should feel compelled to say, or even write, That is something with which I cannot agree. Just do not use extra prepositions when the meaning is clear without them.

Correct: That is something I cannot agree with.

Correct: Where did you get this?

Incorrect: Where did you get this at?

Correct: How many of you can I depend on?

Correct: Where did he go?

Incorrect: Where did he go to?

Rule 2a. The preposition like means "similar to" or "similarly to." It should be followed by an object of the preposition (noun, pronoun, noun phrase), not by a subject and verb. Rule of thumb: Avoid like when a verb is involved.

Correct:
You look like your mother.
That is, you look similar to her. (Mother is the object of the preposition like.)

Incorrect:
You look like your mother does.
(Avoid like with noun + verb.)

Rule 2b. Instead of like, use as, as if, as though, or the way when following a comparison with a subject and verb.

Correct: You look the way your mother does.

Incorrect: Do like I ask. (No one would say Do similarly to I ask.)

Correct: Do as I ask.

Incorrect: You look like you're angry.

Correct: You look as if you're angry. (OR as though)

Some speakers and writers, to avoid embarrassment, use as when they mean like. The following incorrect sentence came from a grammar guide:

Incorrect: They are considered as any other English words.

Correct: They are considered as any other English words would be.

Correct: They are considered to be like any other English words.

Remember: like means "similar to" or "similarly to"; as means "in the same manner that." Rule of thumb: Do not use as unless there is a verb involved.

Incorrect: I, as most people, try to use good grammar.

Correct: I, like most people, try to use good grammar.

Correct: I, as most people do, try to use good grammar.

NOTE

The rule distinguishing like from as, as if, as though, and the way is increasingly ignored, but English purists still insist upon it.

Rule 3. The preposition of should never be used in place of the helping verb have.

Correct: I should have done it.

Incorrect: I should of done it.

Rule 4. Follow different with the preposition from. Things differ from other things; avoid different than.

Incorrect: You're different than I am.

Correct: You're different from me.

Rule 5. Use into rather than in to express motion toward something. Use in to tell the location.

Correct: I swam in the pool.

Correct: I walked into the house.

Correct: I looked into the matter.

Incorrect: I dived in the water.

Correct: I dived into the water.

Incorrect: Throw it in the trash.

Correct: Throw it into the trash.

SSC CGL 2015:- ENGLISH

Adjectives and Adverbs

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Definitions

An adjective is a word or set of words that modifies (i.e., describes) a noun or pronoun. Adjectives may come before the word they modify.

Examples: That is a cute puppy.
She likes a high school senior.

Adjectives may also follow the word they modify:

Examples: That puppy looks cute.
The technology is state-of-the-art.

An adverb is a word or set of words that modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.

Examples: He speaks slowly (modifies the verb speaks) He is especially clever (modifies the adjective clever) He speaks all too slowly (modifies the adverb slowly)

An adverb answers how, when, where, or to what extent—how often or how much (e.g., daily, completely).

Examples: He speaks slowly (answers the question how) He speaks very slowly (answers the question how slowly)

Rule 1. Many adverbs end in -ly, but many do not. Generally, if a word can have -ly added to its adjective form, place it there to form an adverb.

Examples: She thinks quick/quickly.
How does she think? Quickly.
She is a quick/quickly thinker. Quick is an adjective describing thinker, so no -ly is attached.
She thinks fast/fastly. Fast answers the question how, so it is an adverb. But fast never has -ly attached to it.
We performed bad/badly. Badly describes how we performed, so -ly is added.

Rule 2. Adverbs that answer the question how sometimes cause grammatical problems. It can be a challenge to determine if -ly should be attached. Avoid the trap of -ly with linking verbs, such as taste, smell, look, feel, etc., that pertain to the senses. Adverbs are often misplaced in such sentences, which require adjectives instead.

Examples: Roses smell sweet/sweetly.
Do the roses actively smell with noses? No; in this case, smell is a linking verb—which requires an adjective to modify roses—so no -ly.
The woman looked angry/angrily to us.
Did the woman look with her eyes, or are we describing her appearance? We are describing her appearance (she appeared angry), so no -ly.
The woman looked angry/angrily at the paint splotches.
Here the woman actively looked (used her eyes), so the -ly is added.
She feels bad/badly about the news.
She is not feeling with fingers, so no -ly.

Rule 3. The word good is an adjective, whose adverb equivalent is well.

Examples: You did a good job. Good describes the job.
You did the job well. Well answers how.
You smell good today. Good describes your fragrance, not how you smell with your nose, so using the adjective is correct.
You smell well for someone with a cold.
You are actively smelling with your nose here, so use the adverb.

Rule 4. The word well can be an adjective, too. When referring to health, we often use well rather than good.

Examples: You do not look well today.
I don't feel well, either.

Rule 5. Adjectives come in three forms, also called degrees. An adjective in its normal or usual form is called a positive degree adjective. There are also the comparative and superlative degrees, which are used for comparison, as in the following examples:

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
sweet	sweeter	sweetest
bad	worse	worst
efficient	more efficient	most efficient

A common error in using adjectives and adverbs arises from using the wrong form of comparison. To compare two things, always use a comparative adjective:

Example: She is the cleverer of the two women (never cleverest)

The word cleverest is what is called the superlative form of clever. Use it only when comparing three or more things:

Example: She is the cleverest of them all.

Incorrect: Chocolate or vanilla: which do you like best?

Correct: Chocolate or vanilla: which do you like better?

Rule 6. There are also three degrees of adverbs. In formal usage, do not drop the -ly from an adverb when using the comparative form.

Incorrect: She spoke quicker than he did.

Correct: She spoke more quickly than he did.

Incorrect: Talk quieter.

Correct: Talk more quietly.

Rule 7. When this, that, these, and those are followed by a noun, they are adjectives. When they appear without a noun following them, they are pronouns.

Examples: This house is for sale. This is an adjective.
This is for sale. This is a pronoun.

IBPS PO CWE-V NOTIFICATION 2015

IBPS RECRUITMENT

CWE PO/MT-V 2015

IBPS CWE PO/MT-V 2015 Eligibility Details:

Age Limit: Candidates age should be between 20-30 years as on 01-07-2015 i

Educational Qualification: Candidate should possess Degree (Graduation) in any discipline.

Selection Process: Candidates will be selected based on Preliminary examination, Main examination & Common Interview.

Application Fee: Candidates have to pay application fee/ intimation charges of Rs. 100/- for SC/ ST/ PWD candidates and Rs. 600/- for all

How to Apply: Eligible candidates may apply online through IBPS official website www.ibps.in

Important Dates:
Starting Date to Apply Online:-10-07-2015.
Last Date to Apply Online:- 01-08-2015.
Download of Call Letter for Online Preliminary Examination: 23-09-2015 onwards.
Date of Online Preliminary Examination: 03-10-2015, 04-10-2015, 10-10-2015, 11-10-2015.
Result of Online Preliminary Examination: October 2015.
Download of Call letter for Online Main Examination: October 2015.
Date of Online Main Examination: 31-10-2015.
Date of Declaration of Main Exam Result: November 2015.
Download of Call letters for Interview: December 2015.
Conduct of Interview: January 2016.
Provisional Allotment: April 2016.

EXAM PATTERN

IBPS CWE – V 

ONLINE EXAMINATIONS

I. The structure of the Examinations which will be conducted online are as follows:

a. Preliminary Examination

S.No.	Name of Test	No. of Question	Max. Marks	Duration
1	English Language	30	30	Composite time of 1 hour
2	Quantitative Aptitude	35	35
3	Reasoning Ability	35	35
	Total	100	100

b. Main Examination

S.No.	Name of Test	No. of Question	Max. Marks	Duration
1	Reasoning	50	50	Composite time of 1 hour
2	English Language	40	40
3	Quantitative Aptitude	50	50
4	General Awareness (with special reference to Banking Industry	40	40
5	Computer Knowledge	20	20
	Total