IBPS Clerk english language syllabus
English is the only IBPS Clerk section where a question is worth one mark in both stages, so a wrong answer costs 0.25 throughout and the guessing maths never changes. Prelims gives you 30 questions in 20 minutes. Mains gives you 40 questions for 40 marks in 35 minutes, under the name General English. The IBPS Clerk syllabus hub page covers the other sections.
Pattern
| Stage | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims, as English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Mains, as General English | 40 | 40 | 35 minutes |
Prelims allows about 40 seconds per question and mains about 52. The mains paper is written in English only, while the other three mains sections are set in both English and Hindi. IBPS does not publish topic weightage, and the mix below is drawn from past papers.
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Prelims and mains topics
- Reading comprehension: passages of roughly 300 to 500 words in prelims and longer in mains, with main idea, inference, detail, tone and vocabulary in context questions
- Cloze test: a passage with blanks tested on grammar, collocation and word choice
- Error spotting: subject verb agreement, tenses, prepositions, articles, modifiers and parallel structure
- Sentence improvement and phrase replacement
- Para jumbles: ordering four or five sentences into a paragraph
- Fill in the blanks: single and double blank items
- Vocabulary: synonyms, antonyms and usage drawn from the passage rather than from a word list
- Spelling and word usage errors
Mains only topics
- Para completion: supplying the sentence that closes a paragraph
- Sentence connectors: joining two sentences with the correct linking word
- Word swap: two words in a sentence that need exchanging
- Column based fillers: matching phrase halves across two or three columns
- Idioms and phrases in context
- Paragraph based inference and critical reading questions
- Connector based cloze, where the blanks test logical linking rather than vocabulary
What is not in the syllabus
- No descriptive paper. IBPS Clerk has no essay, letter or precis writing at any stage, unlike IBPS PO
- No separate vocabulary list to memorise. Words are tested in context
- No literature, authors or literary criticism
- No spoken English or listening component
- No formal grammar terminology questions. Grammar is tested through correction rather than naming the rule
How to spend the time
Reading comprehension is the largest block in both stages, usually eight to ten questions in prelims and more in mains. Read the questions before the passage, answer the detail and vocabulary items first, then leave inference and tone for the end.
This is the section that rewards habit over study. Twenty minutes of editorial reading each day builds the speed that no amount of grammar revision will.
Error spotting, fill in the blanks and phrase replacement are the quick marks. Ten of those at 20 seconds each leaves the clock free for comprehension.
The new pattern formats are where mains candidates lose marks, because word swap, column based fillers and connector cloze rarely appear in prelims practice. Sit mains papers rather than prelims papers once the basics hold. Browse the available IBPS Clerk practice papers.
Common mistakes
- Reading the whole passage carefully before looking at a single question
- Memorising vocabulary lists rather than reading, when the words are tested in context
- Preparing grammar rules by name instead of practising corrections
- Meeting word swap and column based fillers for the first time in mains
- Treating English as the throwaway section, when it is 70 questions across the two stages
- Spending the same time on an inference question as on a detail question
Prelims against mains
| Feature | Prelims | Mains |
|---|---|---|
| Section name | English Language | General English |
| Questions | 30 | 40 |
| Marks | 30 | 40 |
| Marks per question | 1 | 1 |
| Time | 20 minutes | 35 minutes |
| Seconds per question | About 40 | About 52 |
| Cost of a wrong answer | 0.25 | 0.25 |
| Passage length | About 300 to 500 words | Longer and denser |
| New pattern formats | Occasional | Regular |
Frequently asked questions
How many English questions are in IBPS Clerk?
30 in prelims and 40 in mains, making 70 across the two stages.
Is the English section available in Hindi?
No. The English paper is set in English only. The other three mains sections are available in both English and Hindi.
What is the negative marking in English?
0.25 in both stages. English questions are worth one mark each in prelims and in mains, so the penalty does not change between them.
Is there a descriptive or essay paper?
No. Every English question in IBPS Clerk is multiple choice. The descriptive paper belongs to IBPS PO.
How many reading comprehension questions are asked?
Usually eight to ten in prelims and more in mains, often as two passages. IBPS does not publish the split.
What are new pattern English questions?
Formats such as word swap, column based fillers, sentence connectors and para completion, which appear mainly in mains.
Do I need to study a vocabulary list?
Vocabulary is tested in context through passages and cloze tests, so reading is a better use of the time than word lists.
Which English topics are quickest to score in?
Error spotting, fill in the blanks, phrase replacement and spelling, each at roughly 20 seconds once practised.
How long are the mains passages?
Longer and denser than prelims, which is why reading speed matters more in mains despite the extra time per question.
Is grammar terminology asked directly?
No. Grammar is tested by correcting sentences rather than by naming rules.