Grammar Rules You Must Know for SBI CBO

When preparing for the SBI CBO (Circle Based Officer) examination, having a solid command of English grammar is crucial. The language section in the exam often tests a candidate’s ability to comprehend and use English correctly in various contexts. Errors in grammar can lead to confusion and misinterpretation, which can affect your overall performance. To tackle this section confidently, understanding key grammar rules is a must.

Grammar Rules You Must Know for SBI CBO

Below are the grammar rules that every SBI CBO aspirant should be well-versed with to perform well in the English language section of the exam.

Subject-Verb Agreement

This rule emphasizes that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number. A singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb. For instance, “She writes daily” is correct, while “She write daily” is incorrect. Understanding this rule helps avoid common sentence formation mistakes.

Tenses

Tenses indicate the time of action in a sentence. SBI CBO exams frequently test your ability to identify and correct tense errors. For example, consistency in tenses within a sentence or passage is essential. Mixing past and present tense without context leads to errors. A strong grasp of past, present, and future forms will help you construct grammatically correct sentences.

Prepositions

Prepositions show relationships between nouns or pronouns and other words in a sentence. Errors often occur with incorrect usage, such as “discuss about” instead of “discuss.” Knowing which preposition fits naturally with particular verbs and phrases is essential to avoid awkward or incorrect constructions.

Articles

Articles like ‘a,’ ‘an,’ and ‘the’ are small but important words that affect sentence meaning. Knowing when to use definite (the) and indefinite (a, an) articles is important for clarity. For example, “He is a doctor” vs. “He is the doctor who treated me yesterday” conveys different information.

Modifiers

Modifiers are words or phrases that describe other elements in a sentence. Misplaced modifiers can lead to confusing or humorous interpretations. For example, “She almost drove her kids to school every day” is incorrect because “almost” seems to modify “drove” rather than the frequency. The correct sentence is “She drove her kids to school almost every day.”

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number and gender. For instance, “Every student must submit their form” is incorrect in strict grammar, as “student” is singular and “their” is plural. A grammatically correct version is “Every student must submit his or her form.”

Conjunctions

Conjunctions join words, phrases, or clauses. Understanding how to use coordinating, subordinating, and correlative conjunctions correctly ensures that your sentences are logically connected. Errors like using “although” and “but” together can make a sentence redundant.

Conditional Sentences

These sentences express situations and their outcomes. There are different types of conditionals (zero, first, second, third), and each has its structure and tense requirements. A clear understanding helps you construct hypothetical or real situation sentences properly, such as “If I had known, I would have helped.”

Active and Passive Voice

Voice determines whether the subject performs or receives the action. SBI CBO questions often test your ability to convert active sentences into passive and vice versa. For example, “The manager approved the leave” (active) becomes “The leave was approved by the manager” (passive). Knowing both forms enhances sentence versatility.

Direct and Indirect Speech

This rule is tested by changing sentences from direct speech (quoted) to indirect speech (reported) and vice versa. It involves changes in tense, pronouns, and time expressions. For example, “She said, I am tired’” becomes “She said that she was tired.”