SBI Clerks General English

A Preposition shows the relation between a noun or a pronoun and the other part of the sentence.

Kinds of Prepositions
Preposition: On, in, at, by, for, from, of, off, up, to, with, about, above, across, along, among, around, before, behind, beside, between, within, without, beyond, inside, outside etc., Phrasal Prepositions: According to, along with, away from, because of, by means of, by virtue of, by way of, for the sake of, in addition
to, in case of, in course of, in favour of, in front of, in order to, in place of, with reference to, in regard to, inspite of, on account of, on behalf of, owing to, with regard to etc., Position of Prepositions

1. A preposition is usually placed before the noun or noun phrase it governs.
e.g.: Ravi is in the room. They are at the market.

2. A preposition is placed after the infinitive.
e.g.: This is a good pen to write with. This is a good hotel to stay at.

3. A preposition can occur at the end of a relative clause or a question.
e.g.: This is the book that I asked for. What is she looking at?

4. Some prepositions can be placed at the beginning of some questions.
e.g.: With whom did you go to the market? For which bus are you waiting?

5. When the indirect object comes after the direct object, a preposition is placed before the indirect object.
e.g.: I sent a present to my brother. ‘Present’ is the direct object and ‘my brother’ is the indirect object.

6. When the indirect object comes before the direct object, a preposition is not necessary.
e.g.: I sent my brother a present.

Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence. The number of that part is the answer. If there is no error, the answer is 5.

1. Your dress, which is gorgeous, (1)/ is (2)/ different (3)/ and superior to my dress. (4)/ No error (5).

2. The land lord, in his will (1)/ has clearly stated (2)/ that his property should be distributed (3)/ between his four sons. (4)/ No
error (5).

3. Beside being conferred a title, (1)/ the artist is also given a cash reward (2)/ for his exemplary contribution (3)/ to the field of art and literature. (4)/ No error (5).

4. I have been trying to contact the director (1)/ for the last two months, (2)/ but he says that he is busy (3)/ since 5th of
September, 2012. (4)/ No error (5).

5. The batsman deserves appreciation (1)/ as (2)/ he has been batting (3)/ since seven hours. (4)/ No error (5).

6. Kiran, who had handed over his valuables to his close relative (1)/ before leaving for the U.S.A., (2)/ came back in a few days (3)/ and asked his friend to give them back. (4)/ No error (5).

7. The performance was (1)/ so (2)/ superb that all the audience were (3)/ delighted at it. (4)/ No error (5).

8. Though (1)/ I expatiated to the the manager (2)/ on the problem in all earnestness, (3)/ he did not comply on my request for financial help. (4)/ No error (5).

9. As his apparel (1)/ is grotesque, (2)/ Sunil jeered at (3)/ by the on-lookers. (4)/ No error (5).

10. For peaceful co-existence, (1)/ people should develop the trait of (2)/ not (3)/ interfering with others’ affairs. (4)/ No error (5).

11. In view of (1)/ dwindling rate of production, (2)/ the Managing Director has warned all the workers about (3)/ shirking their responsibilities. (4)/ No error (5).

12. In order to (1)/ avoid expulsion from the college, (2)/ all the students are hereby (3)/ instructed to adhere by the rules of
discipline. (4)/ No error (5).

13. Since (1)/ he is (2)/ not able to run the factory, (3)/ he is thinking of disposing it. (4)/ No error (5).

14. Most of the Indian students (1)/ who are blessed with intelligence and diligence, (2)/ long for (3)/ pursuing their studies in other countries. (4)/ No error (5).

15. The audience are (1)/ amazed over (2)/ the stupendous performance of the acrobat, (3)/ who had done a perilous feat. (4)/ No error (5).

16. Those candidates, who display (1)/ exemplary and prodigious qualities (2)/ of head and heart (3)/ will be qualified to the posts
advertised. (4)/ No error (5).

17. He has produced (1)/ a medical certificate issued by registered medical practitioner. (2)/ Hence (3)/ he has been exempted to attending the N.C.C. classes. (4)/ No error (5).

18. If you are keen to approach (1)/ the right person, (2)/ who has an access to the minister concerned, (3)/ you are sure of getting
a job. (4)/ No error (5).

19. It is not enough (1)/ if you have nodding acquaintance to your neighbours. (2)/ You need to develop (3)/ close association with
them. (4)/ No error (5).

20. His fondness to pets (1)/ is decried (2)/ by the residents of the locality (3)/ as he does not domesticate them in a hygienic
environs. (4)/ No error (5).

21. The father has (1)/ a great attachment on his child. (2)/ He pampers (3)/ it profusely. (4)/ No error (5).

22. Since (1)/ Kiran resembles to his brother, (2)/ all his friends mistake him (3)/ for his brother. (4)/ No error (5).

23. Subhash Chandra Bose took pride on (1)/ the cultural heritage of India (2)/ and fought tooth and nail (3)/ for preserving it. (4)/ No
error (5).

24. The Chairman visited all the branches (1)/ on last Monday (2)/ and congratulated all the employees (3)/ on making sincere
efforts for the progress of the institution. (4)/ No error (5).

25. A great honour has been (1)/ bestowed to Sri Jayaprakash Narayan (2)/ for his selfless service (3)/ to the poor and down-trodden
sections of the society. (4)/ No error (5).

26. All the members of staff (1)/ are enthusiastically (2)/ awaiting for the arrival of the Managing Director (3)/ after his successful
tour of the western countries. (4)/ No error (5).

27. The Chairman is (1)/ angry with (2)/ the indifferent and callous behaviour (3)/ of the employees. (4)/ No error (5).

28. When Kiran had raised some objections (1)/ to the implementation of the proposal, (2)/ all the members (3)/ laughed at his face. (4)/ No error (5).

KEY WITH EXPLANATIONS
1-3; It should ‘different from’. If there are two adjectives, which should be followed by different prepositions, both the prepositions must be put in.

2-4; Replace ‘between’ with ‘among’. ‘Between’ is used with two persons or things. ‘Among’ is used with more than two persons or things.

3-1; Replace ‘beside’ with ‘besides’. ‘Beside’ means ‘by the side of’. “Besides’ means ‘in addition to’.

4-4; Replace ‘since’ with ‘from’. ‘Since’ denotes ‘point of time’ and it is used with perfect tense only. ‘From’ also denotes ‘point of time’, but unlike ‘since’, it is used with all tenses, except perfect tense.

5-4; Replace ‘since’, with ‘for’. ‘Since’ is used with ‘point of time’ and ‘for’ is used with ‘period of time’.

6-3; Replace ‘in’ with ‘after’. ‘After’ expresses some period of time in the past, while ‘in’ expresses some period of time in the future.

7-4; It should be ‘delight in’. Verbs like delight, persevere, believe, indulge, excel, fail, succeed, increase and persist are followed by the preposition ‘in’.

8-4; It should be ‘comply with’. Verbs like comply, sympathize, coincide. disagree, meddle, supply, cope, unite, quarrel and threaten are followed by the preposition ‘in’.

9-5; No error. Verbs like smile, wonder, gaze, jeer, laugh, aim, look, stare, and hint are followed by the preposition ‘at’.

10-4; It should be ‘interfering in’. ‘Interfere with’ should be used when we speak of a ‘person’. ‘Interfere in’ should be used when we speak of ‘a certain thing’.

11-3; Replace ‘about’ with against’. Verbs like warn, lean, rebel, guard and offend should be followed by the preposition ‘against’.

12-4; ‘Adhere’, which means ‘obey’, is followed by ‘to’. Verbs like adhere, submit, introduce, belong, adapt, prefer, surrender, add, conform, object, consent and listen are followed by the preposition ‘to’.

13-4; It should ‘disposing of it’. Verbs like dispose, boast, accuse, acquit, dream, suspect, complain and tire are followed
by the preposition ‘of’.

14-5; ‘Long for’ means ‘desire for’. Verbs like long, hope, compensate, apologize, feel, wait, pray and send are followed by
the preposition ‘for’.

15-2; It should be ‘amazed at’. Past Participles like amazed and amused are followed by the preposition ‘at’.

16-4; Replace ‘qualified to’ with ‘qualified for’. Past Participles like ‘qualified’ and ‘prepared’ are followed by ‘for’.

17-4; It should be ‘exempted from’.

18-1; It should be ‘keen on approaching’. Words like intent, dependent and keen are followed by the preposition ‘on’.

19-2; It should be ‘acquaintance with’. Nouns like relationship, peace, comparison, quarrel, and acquaintance are followed by ‘with’.

20-1; It should be ‘fondness for’. Nouns like fondness, apology, liking, affection and reputation are followed by the preposition
‘for’.

21-2; It should be ‘attachment to’. Nouns like attitude, admission, access, attachment, attention, exception, invitation, slave, resemblance, and obedience are followed by the preposition ‘to’.

22-2; Delete ‘to’ after ‘resembles’. No preposition is required after transitive verbs like resemble, approach, ask, advise, give etc.,

23-1; It should be ‘took pride in’. Nouns like pride, delight, skill, pleasure, confidence and difficulty are followed by the
preposition ‘in’.

24-2; Delete ‘on’. When a noun that has a time reference is
preceded by an adjective, no preposition is required. In this sentence, the noun that has the time reference is ‘Monday’ and the adjective that comes before it is ‘last’.

25-2; It should be ‘bestowed on’. Verbs like bestow, compliment, depend, comment, base, insist and congratulate are followed by the preposition ‘on’.

26-3; It should not be ‘awaiting for’. It should be ‘awaiting’.
After the verbs like await, discuss, cope, watch, tell and comprise, use of preposition is not required.

27-2; Replace ‘with’ with ‘at’. Angry with (person). Angry at (something).

28-4; It should be ‘laughed in his face’. Phrases like ‘‘laugh in one’s face’’, ‘‘tell one to one’s face’’ are correct expressions.

Directions (Q.1-10): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions below it. Certain words/ expressions are printed in bold in the passage to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

Child psychology is certainly not a strong point with most Indian schools. Why else would it inflict a double trauma on a student faring badly in the pre-boards by banning her from taking the exams often with fatal results as evidenced by reports of students suicides in the run-up to the board. Now the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has stepped in and put the brakes on. This is good news for parents and students, many of whom have had to live with the threat of the performance – linked department. While schools’ logic is that in order to attract talented students, they
need to maintain their performance records at high levels, the assumption that a student faring poorly in the pre-boards will replicate this at the board is faulty.

Chances are that the student will be spurred to work doubly hard. On the other hand, the threat of the department will almost certainly impact her performance adversely. Of course, linking pre-boards to the boards is only one of the problems with our system.

1. Which is good news for parents according to the passage?
1) Schools will take the responsibility of preparing students for the board.
2) Schools will provide study facilities to the poor students.
3) Schools will enforce discipline to ensure higher attendance of the students
4) No student can be barred from the boards without prior clearance from the CBSE.
5) Teachers will be able to handle students well if they know child psychology.

2. What is the ruling of the CBSE?
1) Students must pass the pre-board exam before appearing for the board exam.
2) Schools should follow the practice of performance – linked department.
3) Schools should maintain performance record of students of high level.
4) Schools must motivate students to work hard.
5) Before barring any student, the board schools must take prior permission of the CBSE.

3. What is the faulty assumption of schools according to the passage?
1) Students who do not do well at pre-boards will be motivated to work hard.
2) Pre-boards are generally easy and therefore students take them lightly.
3) Students who fare poorly at the pre-board will fail at the boards.
4) Learning by rote is a better method of learning.
5) Students perform better in languages than in science subjects.

4. Which of the following according to the passage, is the problem with our school system?
1) Providing study facilities to the students.
2) Linking pre-board performance of the students to the boards.
3) Teachers’ lack of knowledge of child psychology.
4) Attracting talented students.
5) Low percentage of students passing the board exam.

5. According to the passage parents had to live with the threat of
1) falling grades of their wards.
2) not getting their wards admitted in quality schools.
3) Schools not treating their wards with the attitude of counsellor.
4) Linking performance of their wards in preboards to boards.
5) Schools creating traumatic situation for their

6. Schools wanted to enforce performance – linked department in order to
1) get regular grant-in-aid from the education department.
2) improve their public image as a social institution.
3) attract better quality students.
4) make students aware that they would aspire for their all – round development.
5) provide better study material to the students.

7. Choose the word which is similar in meaning to the word ‘replicate’ as used in the passage.
1) enhance 2) repeat 3) perform 4) achieve 5) plunder

8. Choose the word which is similar in meaning to the word ‘assumption’ as used in the passage.
1) estimation 2) interpretation 3) intimidation
4) introduction 5) induction

9. Choose the word which is most opposite in meaning of the word ‘spur’
1) depress 2) enlarge 3) explicate 4) sustain 5) activate

10. Choose the word which is most opposite in meaning of the word ‘fatal’
1) precious 2) safe 3) ponderous 4) perilious 5) harmonious

Directions (11-20): In the following passage there are blanks each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each five words are suggested, one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.
Communicating in (51) is fascinating, some even say (52). There are none of the physical (53) that, for good or bad, provide us with (54) judgement and about the people we meet there. No clothes, no hair, no age, no body (55). No smile to (56) a potentially sarcastic (57) is just a bit of (58). No conspiratorial whisper. Just computer type – face. That’s why the (59) has given rise to a whole new set of
(60) called emotions.

11. 1) computer 2) telephone 3) cyberspace 4) space 5) spot
12. 1) enchanting 2) magical 3) attracting 4) pleasing 5) agonising
13. 1) solutions 2) nature 3) keys 4) symbols 5) clues
14. 1) instant 2) simultaneous 3) total 4) distinct 5) instance
15. 1) dialect 2) symbols 3) symptoms 4) language 5) shape
16. 1) signal 2) testify 3) indicate 4) evidence 5) judge
17. 1) friendship 2) remark 3) ignorance 4) game 5) smile
18. 1) observation 2) notice 3) kidding 4) mention 5) bonding
19. 1) language 2) medium 3) agency 4) computer 5) treatise
20. 1) figures 2) badge 3) letters 4) symbols 5) emotions

Directions (21-25): In each sentence below, four words / group of words which are labelled (1), (2), (3) and (4) have been printed in bold type, one of which may be either inappropriate in the context of the sentence or wrongly spelt. If all the four are appropriate and also correctly spelt, mark (5) ‘All correct’ as the answer.

21. No contry (1)/ can isolate (2)/ itself from international (3)/ politics (4)/ All correct (5).
22. The peculiar (1)/ dress he wear (2)/ gave him a comical (3)/ appearance (4) / All correct (5).
23. To strengthen (1)/ his arguments (2)/ the lawyer showed to the judge some of the experts (3)/ from a magazine (4)/ All are correct (5).
24. The committee (1)/ underestimates (2)/ the efforts involved (3) and hence falls short of suggesting majors to solve the problem.(4)/ All are correct (5).
25. Jems (1)/ and jewellery (2)/ have very low export (3) / value (4) / All are correct (5).

Directions (26-35): Read each of the following sentences to find out whether there is any error in it. The error, if any will be in one part of the sentence. The number of that part is the answer. If there is no error, the answer is (5).

26. He was astonished to find, that (1)/ the gentry of the town (2)/ was not invited (3)/ to the party. (4)/ No error (5).

27. We told him that (1)/ being a fine day (2)/ we wanted to go on a picnic and (3)/ would come back before 6. P.M. (4) / No error (5).

28. It is quarter (1)/ to eight by my watch (2)/ though the clock (3)/ has struck eight.(4) / No error (5).

29. He is one of those (1) / cleverest boys that (2)/ has studied in this school (3) / and we still remember him. (4) / No error (5).

30. As he went through the forest (1)/ Ram marked the trees (2)/ to let the rest of the party knew (3)/ which way he had gone. (4)/ No error (5).

31. He took out his spare shirt (1)/ and was very disappointed (2)/ when he discovered that that (3)/ shirt is also torn. (4)/ No error (5).

32. Before the carpenter came (1)/ she covered the floor (2)/ with polythene sheeting (3)/ to protect the carpet. (4)/ No error (5).
33. If I would have realized (1)/ what a clumsy person you were (2)/ I would not have come (3)/ with you to this place. (4)/ No error (5).

34. While going to the office yesterday (1)/ he not only
found a gold watch (2)/ but also a thousand rupee note
(3)/ and was extremely delighted. (4)/ No error (5).

35. If I were in your position (1)/ I would have respected (2)/ the wishes my parents (3)/ and made them happy (4)/ No error (5).

Directions (Q.36-40): Rearrange the following five sentences A, B, C, D and E in the proper sequence so as to form a meaningful paragraph; then answer the questions given below them.
A) The purpose of this review is to offload public investments from certain low priority areas.
B) The government has decided in principle to throw open to the private sector industries reserved for the public sector.
C) Only those industries are proposed to be reserved for the public sector which fall in the high priority areas.
D) In addition, the government is also engaged in a review of the existing portfolio of public investment.
E) This will enable the government to abolish the monopoly of any sector in the field of manufacture except these priority sectors.

36. Which of the following should come second in the paragraph?
1) A 2) B 3) C 4) D 5) E
37. Which sentence should come last in the paragraph?
1) A 2) B 3) C 4) D 5) E
38. Which sentence should come fourth in the paragraph?
1) A 2) B 3) C 4) D 5) E
39. Which sentence should come first in the paragraph?
1) A 2) B 3) C 4) D 5) E
40. Which sentence should come third in the paragraph?
1) A 2) B 3) C 4) D 5) E

Key : 1-4; 2-5; 3-3; 4-2; 5-4; 6-3; 7-2; 8-1; 9-1; 10-2; 11-3; 12-1; 13-5; 14-1; 15-4; 16-3; 17-2; 18-3; 19-2; 20-4; 21-1; 22-2; 23-3; 24-4; 25-1; 26-3; 27-2; 28-1; 29-3; 230-3; 31-4; 32-2; 33-1; 34-2; 35-1; 36-3; 37-1; 38-4; 39-2; 40-5.