APSC Mains Exam – General English Question Paper Pattern Analysis
The compulsory English paper is of 300 Marks, which makes it very important part of scoring well in APSC Mains exam. This paper needs comparatively less attention and preparation efforts ( though most candidates make no preparation of at all ), but we should prepare ourselves to the required level, also because almost all questions in this paper is answerable by everyone writing the exam, all the questions we have been writing as a part of English subject of our academic career.
We will try to analyse the question pattern of recent years ( and hope the pattern to remain same this year also), to get an understanding of what types of various questions are gonna come in the paper. Some changes were done since last two years paper, but they were of very minor changes, other than the no. of essay being increased from one topic of 100 marks to 2 topics of 50 marks each.
Total 300 Marks
Precis – 40 Marks
Original Paragraph given is of around 550 words on which candidates are asked to write a Precis, though they have not mentioned the word limit but we have to generalise it as one-third of the original passage.
So we can assume it 1/3 of (550 words) = 170-190 words.
Essays (2 Nos.) – 100 Marks
As we know previously APSC used to ask one essay of 100 marks, but now they ask two shorter essays of two topics from one topic from two group of topics each. Which makes it easier as candidates need to write less about one topic and this has also increased their options of selecting topic.
Each essays are to be written at about 400-500 words.
We have discusses this topics in details separately in these pages below
Comprehension passages – 50 Marks
As in the most exam, this paper to have this reading comprehension passage of 650-700 words, based on which around 8 Questions are asked and one question ask to write a summary of the passage in about (150-200 words). This part should be the easy for most of you.
Amplification – 20 Marks
A no. of one-liner statements are given and you are asked to write an explanation on any one of the given statements in about 150-200 words. Nothing Else.
Paragraph writing – 10 Marks
Asked to write a paragraph in about 150 words. That’s it.
Grammar Section – 50 Marks
This section is very ease for those who knows it and very tough for those who don’t know. So to prepare this section well, go through any basic grammar books that you might have studies in school/college. (which was collecting dust till date, if not eaten by rat)
Main Sections covered under grammar are as follows
- Frame Sentence
- Synonym&antonym
- Rewrite sentences
- correct sentence
- verb usage
Report/Letter Writing – 30 Marks
This is the last section of your English paper. You are mostly asked to write one of the following
- Report in News Paper – How to write Report in News Paper
- Letter to Administration – Format Sample given below
- Details of Destruction/Disaster
- Survey/Field Visit Report
You should only know how to write these items and what to be included and not to be included. That’s it.
Question Pattern of APSC Combined Competitive (Main) Exam
A. Letter to Administration Format Sample
From
(Write your name here)
(Your Address)
(City)
(Zip Code)
To
The District Collector
(Name of the Magazine)
(Address)
(City)
(Zip Code)
Sir/Madam,
Subject: Regarding Loudspeaker Issue in (name of the colony)
This letter is to bring into notice the Loudspeakers that are becoming a bog noise pollution in our colony. It is quite a fact that a colony like ours has old age people and kids who cannot tolerate such nuisance all the time.
Besides the so many requests we put up to the youth committee that is turning on the Loudspeakers every evening, the problems still prevails in our colony.
Please take into consideration the lot many problems like loss of sleep, lack of concentration to study and health hazards that people in our colony are facing due to the Loudspeaker issue. Kindly take necessary actions and help us get rid of the noise pollution as early as possible.
Thanking You,
Yours Sincerely,
(your signature)
(Date)
