English section is included in the exam pattern of SSC MTS in order to check candidate’s proficiency in English language. A candidate who is well-versed with the rules of grammar, possess a strong vocabulary, and has good reading skills can crack the General English section without breaking a sweat. It is uncommon to possess all the skills at once unless you do not prepare yourself for it. The paper-1 of SSC MTS examination consists of four sections, each containing 25 questions, to be attempted within the time frame of 90 minutes.
You should set yourself a target of answering at least 20 correct answers out of 25 to stand a chance for qualification. Go through the topic-wise marks weightage, type of questions, best books, and general tips for SSC MTS English section here.
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Topic-wise marks weightage in General English| SSC MTS
As the per the exam pattern, the SSC MTS will contain 25 questions in the General English section.
S.No. | Name of Topic | No. of expected questions |
1 | Reading Comprehension | 5 |
2 | Fill in the blanks | 0-2 |
3 | Sentence correction | 1-2 |
4 | Synonyms & Antonyms | 5-6 |
5 | Error Spotting | 3-4 |
6 | Idioms & Phrases | 2-3 |
7 | One word substitution | 1-3 |
8 | Spelling check | 2 |
Type of questions in General English| SSC MTS
Reading Comprehension
- Reading comprehension, alternatively known as ‘unseen passage’, appeared in almost every single English exam since the school days. If you are not familiar, this section includes a passage and a set of questions framed from it.
- In order to crack this section, you need to develop your reading skills by practicing the comprehensions daily.
- As per previous year question papers, 5 questions are expected to appear from the reading section.
- Considering the time limit, you have to solve each passage in not more than a minute.
Fill in the blanks
- This is another common topic in an English exam. Up to 2 questions are expected to appear from this topic.
- You are required to put the most suitable word in the blank provided to make the sentence meaningful.
- Selection of right word will depend on whether the sentence demands a positive word or a negative word.
- To master this section, you need to enhance your vocabulary.
Sentence correction
- Sentence improvement becomes much easier when you know basic rules of grammar.
- Before you practice this topic, prefer studying tenses, noun, pronoun, verb, adverb, adjective, particles, and gerund for better understanding.
- Practice ‘Editing’ questions from grammar books of class 6, 7 & 8.
- Read the newspaper daily to understand the formation of sentences and try to find its part of speech.
Synonyms & Antonyms
- Create a separate notebook and by heart synonyms and antonyms of at least 10 words daily. This would help you improve your vocabulary.
- Do not miss out on learning the previous year questions as there are chances of repetition of the same questions in the SSC MTS exam.
Error spotting
- Although quite simple to answer, it can be tricky at times.
- At least 4 questions are expected from this topic.
- Studying the topic using the reference book alone is more than sufficient for preparation.
Idioms & phrases
- It is next to impossible to learn all the idioms and phrases. Initially, you should learn the idioms and phrases that appeared in the previous year question papers.
- Work on your vocabulary so that you can try to understand the meaning of the idiom/ phrase in case you do not have a clue about the correct answer.
- Build your confidence by attempting mock tests and previous year questions.
Spell check
- It’s time for dictation practice! Back in school days, every morning class we used to have a quick dictation session. Hence, you are well aware of this topic.
- Practice questions from mock tests and previous year question papers.
One-word substitution
- ‘Anekshabdokeliyeekshabd’ is the Hindi translation of one-word substitution.
- Emphasize on learning unique and rare words.
- Read English newspapers every day to grasp new words.
Best Books for General English section| SSC MTS
Before starting your preparation, you can prefer studying from the following books for respective topics:
S.No. | Book Title | Book Highlights |
1 | Plinth to Paramount (By Wren & Martin) |
Include practice exercises for a thorough revision of basic grammar and vocabulary. |
2 | Word Power Made Easy (By Norman Lewis) |
Recommended book for improving vocabulary and correct usage of similarly spelled words. |
That’s all folks! The secret to score well in General English has been revealed in this article.
Don’t forget to download SSC MTS exam preparation tips. It provides free study material, quizzes, mock test, previous year papers, and all the updates related to all exams.