IBPS PO English Language syllabus

Mains English carries 40 questions for 20 marks, the lowest rate per question of any section in the paper. The revised CRP PO/MT-XVI pattern raised the question count from 35 and halved the marks from 40, so a mains English question is worth about half a mark while a reasoning or data interpretation question is worth one and a half. Prelims English is the opposite case, 30 questions for a full 30 marks. You have to clear a sectional cut-off in both. This page sits under the full IBPS PO syllabus.

Pattern

IBPS deducts one fourth of the marks assigned to a question for each wrong answer, so a wrong answer costs 0.25 in prelims and around 0.125 in mains, where questions are worth less. Blank answers carry no penalty and the descriptive paper has no deduction. English is the only section with no Hindi option. Topic-wise question counts are not published by IBPS.

Prelims and mains topics

• Reading comprehension: main idea, inference, tone and the author's attitude, vocabulary in context, and the synonym or antonym of a word as it is used in the passage
• Cloze test: a passage with blanks where the answer depends on the sentence around it rather than on the word alone
• Error spotting: subject-verb agreement, tense sequence, prepositions, articles, parallel structure and misplaced modifiers
• Sentence improvement and phrase replacement: choosing the correct form of an underlined phrase, including the option that no improvement is needed
• Para jumbles: four to six sentences to be ordered, often with the opening sentence fixed or asked separately
• Fill in the blanks: single and double blanks tested on grammar and on which words go together
• Vocabulary: synonyms, antonyms, idioms and phrases, and commonly confused word pairs

Mains-only topics

• Para completion: supplying the sentence that finishes a paragraph
• Connectors: joining two sentences with the right linking word without changing the meaning
• Word swap and word usage: two words in a sentence have been exchanged, or one word appears in three sentences and you judge which uses are correct
• Column-based fillers: phrases from two or three columns combined to make a grammatical sentence
• Odd sentence out: finding the sentence that does not belong in the paragraph
• Inference and conclusion: what follows from a short paragraph rather than what it states directly

Descriptive paper

The descriptive paper changed under CRP PO/MT-XVI. Letter writing has been dropped, and the two tasks are now an essay and a comprehension answer, typed in English, for 25 marks in 30 minutes.

• Essay: banking, the economy, technology and social issues
• Comprehension: a passage with questions you answer in your own writing rather than by choosing an option

IBPS has said the paper may be assessed by an automated scoring mechanism that looks at writing proficiency, so keep the sentences clear and the structure obvious.

What is not in the syllabus

• Letter writing, which the current pattern has dropped from the descriptive paper
• English literature, authors and literary criticism
• Spoken English, listening and pronunciation
• Grammar terminology for its own sake, such as naming a clause type
• Hindi or any regional language. English is the one section with no bilingual option

How to spend the time

Objective English in mains earns the least per minute of any section, so cap the time you give it and aim at the sectional cut-off rather than at marks. Forty questions in 35 minutes leaves just over 50 seconds each for half a mark. Clear the grammar and vocabulary items first, take the reading comprehension set you can follow and leave the one you cannot.

Prelims is the reverse. Thirty questions carry a full 30 marks, a better rate than quantitative aptitude's 35 questions for 30 marks, so English deserves real attempt time inside its 20 minutes.

Reading comprehension takes the largest block at both stages, and the only thing that moves it is reading. An editorial or a financial daily every morning does more over three months than any technique. For the descriptive paper, practise by typing. Candidates who draft on paper all year lose minutes to the keyboard on the day.

Common mistakes

• Preparing letter writing from an older guide, when it is no longer in the descriptive paper
• Giving mains English the same preparation time as prelims English, when it carries half the marks
• Reading the whole passage before looking at the questions
• Memorising vocabulary lists without the usage the questions actually test
• Treating the section as skippable, when a sectional cut-off still applies
• Leaving typing practice until the week before mains

English across the stages of IBPS PO

Frequently asked questions

How many English questions are in IBPS PO prelims?

30 questions for 30 marks in 20 minutes.

How many are in mains?

40 questions for 20 marks in 35 minutes under the revised CRP PO/MT-XVI pattern.

Why does mains English carry only 20 marks?

IBPS cut the marks from 40 while raising the question count from 35. The section is now about a tenth of the 200-mark objective paper.

Is letter writing still asked?

No. The descriptive paper is an essay and a comprehension answer.

Is the English paper available in Hindi?

No. English is the only section with no bilingual option.

Is there negative marking?

Yes. One fourth of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for a wrong answer. Blank answers carry no penalty, and the descriptive paper has no deduction.

Can I skip English if my other sections are strong?

No. You have to clear the sectional cut-off in every section at both stages.

How long are the reading comprehension passages?

Prelims passages usually run 300 to 500 words. Mains passages are longer and denser, with more inference questions.

Is the descriptive paper handwritten?

No. You type it, and IBPS has said it may be assessed by an automated scoring mechanism.

Can unused English time be used in another section?

No. Each section has its own timer.