English and Verbal Ability
Para Jumbles (Sentence Rearrangement); Cloze Test; Confusing Word Pairs; Punctuation Rules
C-CAT
Para Jumbles (Sentence Rearrangement)
23.1 Approach
- Find the opening sentence (no pronoun reference without antecedent; introduces topic)
- Find the closing sentence (conclusion or summary; ends thought)
- Look for connecting words (however, therefore, moreover, in addition)
- Group related sentences together
- Arrange in logical sequence
23.2 Connectors and Their Signals
| Connector | Signal |
|---|---|
| However / But / Yet / Nevertheless | Contrast — connects opposing ideas |
| Therefore / Thus / Hence / So | Conclusion/result |
| Moreover / Furthermore / In addition | Adding information |
| For example / For instance | Example follows |
| First / Initially | Beginning |
| Finally / In conclusion | End |
| Similarly / Likewise | Comparison |
| Although / Despite | Contrast within sentence |
| This / That / These / Those | Refers to previously mentioned item |
Cloze Test
24.1 Approach
In a cloze test, multiple blanks appear in a long passage.
- Read the entire passage first to understand context
- Fill in blanks from easier to harder
- Use surrounding context for each blank
- Maintain consistency in meaning and grammar
- Verify the passage reads logically with your answers
Confusing Word Pairs
25.1 Commonly Confused Pairs
| Word 1 | Meaning | Word 2 | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adapt | To adjust | Adopt | To take as own |
| Allusion | Indirect reference | Illusion | False impression |
| Alternate | Every other | Alternative | Another option |
| Assure | To guarantee | Ensure | To make certain |
| Beside | Next to | Besides | In addition to |
| Complement | Something that completes | Compliment | A praise |
| Continual | Frequently repeated | Continuous | Without interruption |
| Definite | Certain | Definitive | Most authoritative |
| Disinterested | Impartial | Uninterested | Not interested |
| Elicit | To draw out | Illicit | Illegal |
| Eminent | Distinguished/famous | Imminent | About to happen |
| Flout | To disobey | Flaunt | To show off |
| Historical | Relating to history | Historic | Famous in history |
| Imply | To suggest | Infer | To conclude |
| Lay | To place | Lie | To recline |
| Lend | To give | Borrow | To take |
| Loose | Not tight | Lose | To fail to win |
| Moral | Relating to ethics | Morale | Mood/confidence level |
| Oral | Spoken | Aural | Related to hearing |
| Practical | Dealing with reality | Practicable | Able to be done |
| Raise | To lift | Rise | To go up |
| Stationary | Not moving | Stationery | Writing materials |
| Than | Comparison | Then | Time sequence |
| Weather | Atmospheric conditions | Whether | If / choice |
Punctuation Rules
26.1 Key Punctuation Marks
Comma (,)
- Separates items in a list: "I need pens, pencils and paper."
- After introductory clause: "After the rain, we went for a walk."
- Before coordinating conjunctions in compound sentences: "She studied hard, but she failed."
- To set off non-essential clauses: "My brother, who lives in Delhi, is a doctor."
Full Stop/Period (.)
- At end of declarative/imperative sentence
- At end of abbreviations: Dr., etc., Mr.
Question Mark (?)
- At end of interrogative sentences: "Where are you going?"
Exclamation Mark (!)
- Expresses strong emotion: "What a beautiful sunset!"
Colon (:)
- Before a list: "He needs three things: patience, commitment and effort."
- Before explanation: "She had one dream: to be a doctor."
Semicolon (;)
- Connects related independent clauses: "It was raining; we stayed inside."
- Separates items in a complex list: "We visited Paris, France; Rome, Italy; and Berlin, Germany."
Apostrophe (')
- Possessive: "John's book", "children's toys"
- Contraction: "it's" (it is), "can't" (cannot), "won't" (will not)
Quotation Marks (" ")
- For direct speech: She said, "I am tired."
- For titles of short works: "The Road Not Taken"
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