UPSC-CDS

COMBINED DEFENCE SERVICES

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ENGLISH
 Contents
GRAMMAR PART
1. Part of Speech 1-65
a. Noun 1
b. Pronoun 15
c. Adjective 25
d. Verb 33
e. Adverb 45
f. Preposition 53
g. Conjunction 60

2.Tense 66
3.Articles 76
4.Voice 82
5.Narration 89
6.Conditional Sentences 93
7.Subject Verb Agreement 97
VOCABULARY
1.Synonym & Antonym 106
2.Phrasal Verb 129
3.Idiom & Phrases 143
4.One Word Substitutions 185
OBJECTIVE PART
1.Reading Comprehension 193
2.Close Test 201
3.Rearrangement of Sentence 206
4. Fillers 213
5. Error Detection 219
6. Sentence Improvement 221
 NOUN
A noun is the name of place, person, thing, idea action and quality.

Types:
Proper Noun – Denotes a particular person, place thing.
Ex. – (Akshay, Pooja, Ankita)

Common Noun – Is the name given its common in every person or thing of the same class on
kind. (Ex. – Boy, girl, company etc.)

Collective Noun – Denotes a group or collection of similar individuals considered as

one complete whole.
(Ex. Class, staff, army, parliament etc.)

Material Noun – Denotes matter or substance of which a thing is made.

(Ex. – Iron, silver, gold etc.)

Abstract Noun – Is usually the home of a quality, action or state considered apart
from the object to which it belongs.
(Ex. – Virtue, darkness, kindness, happiness etc.)

Singular Noun – Boy, girl, man, car etc.

Plural Noun – Boys, girls, men, cars etc.

Countable Noun – Are the name of objects, people etc. that we can count
(Ex. – Book, Dr. Horse, Apple)

Uncountable Nouns – Are the names of thing which we can’t count.

They mainly denotes substance and abstract things.

Ex. – Milk, oil, sugar, gold, honesty, etc.

Noun Number
Singular Noun Plural Noun Singular Plural
Ending Ending
1. -s, ss, ch, x, zz - es Man Men
Ex- Focus Focusses Woman Women
Princess Princess Mouse Mice
Church Churches Fish Fishor fishes
Box Boxes A sheep Ten sheep
Buzz Buzzes Child Children
Ox Oxen
2 -O -Sores A woman Several
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 Doctor Women / doctors
Ex. Hero Heroes .a book case Two bookcases
Piano Pianos .An Indian Two Indian
Potato Potatoes Take Away Take – Aways
3. Consonantly -ies A passer by several
Baby babies Passers by
Hobby Hobbies Glassful Glassfuls
4. Vowelty Spoonful Spoonfuls
-Key -Keys
-Ray Rays
5 -F -sor-ves
Ex. Hoof Hoofs or hooves
Dwarf Drarfs or drarves
Theig Theeves
Roof Roofs
6 -fe -ves
Knife Knives
Life Lifes
7. On A
Phenomenon -phenomenon Ex- Since I had never seen a falling stor,
Criterion -criteria seeing, one on my honey moon was
real phenomenon.

As well as know sunrise is a great phenomenon.

Is / es
Singular Plural Ex – during the real Estate
1 Analysis Analyses Crises, homes prices
2 Diagnosis Diagnoses Were extremely low
3 Casis Cases But few people had
4 Thesis Thases Money to buy
5 Crisis Crises Crises – crisis

The widow who lives near his house is passing through money crisis x Crisis Crises
(Sing.) (Plural)
Ans. Correct Crises

US – I:-
Cactus – cacti
Focus – foci
Fungus – fungi
Nucleolus –nuclei
Syllabus –syllabi / syllabuses
Radius – radii

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Ex – (1) We need to improve or textbooks and syllabus in such a way that students do
not need to rey on the cheap hotels.
Ans. – Syllabus – Syllabi correct: Syllabi

(2) All the cactus were in flower, so that the desert was riot of colour.
Cactus xyr gS A D;ksafd All Plural rks Noun Hkh Plural gksxk A
Cacti (correct) gS A

Um – a
Singular Plural
Datum Data
Medium Media
Memorandum Memoranda

Ex – We can solve these problems by using method of floating datum DMO suparaisition (√)

Datum (√) D;ksafd ;g¡k ,d specific method (floating Method) dh ckr gks jgh gS D;ksafd special method
(singular) gS rks (Datum (S + ing) Noun Hkh sign gksxk A

He copied the relevant data out of the encyclopedia.

(plural)

Ans. data (√) – dke dk data collect fd;k eryc cgqr lkjk data collect fd;k gksxk A

Important Rules:
Rule –
 We always use singular verb with uncountable nouns.
 Plural of these words does not exist.

Some Example of uncountable Noun are –

Machinery Scenery Information Leg gage
Advice Poetry Evidence Tieip
Furniture Bread Wood Fuel
Hair Crockery Coth Moves
Backery Behavior Dust Jwellery
Knowledge Wastage Murchief Clothing
cast

Note – These nouns will not take A, An, many, fear number of (plural verb) they take singular
verb.
Unconsent noun Plural/verb

Ex. The sceneries of Kashmir have evcinonate us (x)

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 Ans. The scenery of Kashmir has Enchate us. (√)
(2) She gave two jewelries (correct – Jewelry or a piece of jewelry)
(3) His hairs are black – His hair is black (√)
(4) I ate three breads today – (cored – Bread or three slices of Bread)
(x)
Rule 2
Certain nouns exist in plural forms only.
Thus “S” cannot be removed from such nouns
They take plural verb form

Ex.-
Scissors Jeans Pincers Shorts
Spectacles Remains Congratulation Pilers
Binoculars Pajamas Pants Tweezers
Tongs Earnings Skates Savings
Pincers Trousers Tights
Thanks Socks Wages

Ex. – Where are my pants? Plural

Where are the tongs?

Aims were given to beggers.

She forgot her spac + acle here. (Correct – spectacles)

Rule 3
There are some nouns that indicate – length, measure, money, weight or number, when they
are preceded by a numeral, they remain unchanged in form.

Foot, Meter, pair, score, dozen, head, year, hundred, thousand, million, billion, trillion.

Note: buls igys number gS rks “S” ugh yxsxkA

Ex – three dozens pencil (x)
Three dozen pencils (√)
Number

bles ckn “of” gks rks – “S” yxsxk

Ex: Thousands of people died of cholera last year. (x)

Correct-
Thousands of people died of cholera last year.
 I have seven dozens of shoes (correct – dozen)
 He has five thousands rupees (correct - thousand)
 It is four years degree course (correct – year)
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Rule 5:
Some nouns are singular in meaning but are used as plural nouns and always to plural verb –
[Cattle] gentry, vermin, peasantry, artillery, people, clergy, company, police].

Ex:
(1) The cattle is grazing in the ground.
(x)
Cattle – Are (√)
(Plural) (plural)

(2) Police has controlled the situation. (have)√

(3) The children are playing in the field. (√)
(4) On large forms, cattle are usually market with brand.
Cattle (Noun) plural gS blfy, plural – forms (√)
(form gksrk gS rks xyr gksrk)

Note:
(1) People vkSj People of difference:
- People – of some race (leku tkfr /keZ)
- Peoples of different race (fofHkUu tkfr /keZ)

Q. ------- of world must unit (Peoples √ / People x)

(2) Floor – (the flat surface of the room)
Ground – surface of the Earth.

(3) Envy – A wish to passes that the other person has complete.
Jealousy – A feeling that arises out of fear of losing that yours.

(4) Skill – We acquire it by learning.

Talent – a Natural ability.

Rule 6:
Some nouns like Mathematics, Physics, dynamics, Ethics, linguistic, metal physics, optics,
Economics, News, politics, mumps, measies, Rickets, Athetics, Mechanics etc. are in plural forms
but used as a singular noun.

Ex.:
(1) Mathematic is the science of quantity.
(2) Bad news travels fast.
(3) Mumps has been nearly eradicated in our country. + ing
(4) Billiards is my favorite game.

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Rule 7:
Some nouns are known as common gender nouns. That can be used for either sex- Male or
female
These are called dual gender nouns.

Such Nouns are:

Teacher, student, child, clerk, candidate, advocate, worker, writer author, leader, musician,
politician, enemy, client, president, person, neighbor etc.

When these are used in singular, we third person singular masculine (his) pronoun with them.

Ex.
(a) Every candidate should write his (not her) name.
(b) Every person should perform his (not her) duty.
Each, either, every one, everybody, no one, no body, neither, anybody are also common
gender pronoun.
(c) The student forgot her. Spectacles at home (his) √
(d) Teacher was not present in her office. (his) √
(e) The doctor suggested her patient to take medicines properly. (his) √

Rule – 8:
Some noun are used for especially for feminine gender only.

I.e. blonde, maid, mid wife, coquette, virgin etc.

Now a days nouns ‘bachelor’ and ‘virgin’ are being used for masculine and feminine gender as
well.

Ex- He is coquette (x)

She is coquette (√)

Rule – 9:
If the same noun is repeated after preposition the noun will be singular.

[Noun (s) + preposition + Noun(s)]

Ex.:
(a) Town after town was / were devastated (was)
(N) (N)

(b) Raw upon raw of pink marble look / looks beautiful.

X √
(c) He was reading pages after pages of the books.

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 (d) Trees after trees was / were being cut.
(√) (x)

Rule – 10:
Some nouns like:
[Deer, sheep series, fish, crew, team jury, aircraft counsel etc.] Take the same form both in
singular and plural.

Ex.
(1) This cricket team is best for T-20 matches.
(2) The crew is large
(3) All the crew were saved.
(4) One sheep is grazing.
(5) Two sheep are grazing.

Rule – 11:
If the numeral adjective and a fractions are used with a noun, is used with the numeral and the
noun will be singular.

Ex. –
(a) She gives me one and a half rupees (incorrect)
Numeral
Adj. Fraction noun

(b) He gave rite two and a quarter rupees (incorrect)

He gave me two rupees and a quarter (correct)

If the numeral adjective and the fraction refer the multiplication the noun be placed in the end
(offer the fraction) and it must be plural.

Ex.
(a) Your deposits has grown two and a half times within two years.
(b) My salary has increased three and a quarter times within three years.

Rule – 12:
In case of a very young child, insect or other small creature we use neuter gender.
Ex. – The baby wants his bottle. (Its)
The child has his bottle. (its)

Rules – 13:
When a neuter gender noun is perschified we use. Masculine gender to object remarkable for
their strength.
Ex. – Sun, time, Death, winter etc.

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Sometimes it is treated as feminine:
Feminine gender to objects remarkable for their beauty and gratefulness etc.
Ex. – Earth, Moon, Nature etc.

Ex.
(1) The sun was shining on the sea, shining with all his night.

The sun blfy, his dk use lgh gS A vxj her dk use masculine gksrk gS rks xyr gS

(2) Mother Earth (feminine)

Rule – 14:
Don’t say “family members / cousin brother “cousin sister” but say:
- The members of the family (√)
- He one she is my cousin. (√)

- He is my English teacher (√)

- He is my teacher of English. (√)

- He is my mathematics teacher. (x)

- He is my teacher of Math’s. (√)

Grammar Rules for possessive Nouns

Rule – 1: Makin singular Nouns possessive – Add an apostruive
U+u
S
To most singular

Noun and to plural nouns that don’t end in “s”

Ex: Singular Noun – Kitten’s toy, Joe’s car, James book James Nouns.

Plural Not Ending Women’s’ dresses, sheep’s

Ins: - Pasture

Rule – 2: Making Plural noun Possessive:

Adjust an apostrophe to plural Nouns that already end in “s”

Ex.-
(1) The Composes workers went on stoke together.
(2) You need to clean out the house’s stalls.
(3) The two countries armies massed on the border.

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Rule – 3: Making hyphenated nouns and compound nouns plural:
Ex.- My mother in law’s recipe for meatloaf is my husband’s favorite.
- The United States post office is stamps are available in rolls or packets.

Rule – 4: Possessives: Joint on separate ownership:

Example:
(1) The administrative assistant completed Arvind’s and Rohit’s Report.
The administrative assistant completed Arvind and Rohit’s Report.

We are planning to Attend Som and Teresa’s retirement Party:

(One Party is being held to celebrate both people’s retirement, so the party “belong” so to speak
to than jointly).

We are planning to attend the party honoring sam’s and + eresa’s outstanding sales records.)

(Each of them possesses a separate, individual sales record, the records are not jointly owned)

POSSESSIVITY – Ownership

 We use ‘S’ with living thing:

- Mohit’s car.
- Priya’s watch.
- The boy of Mohan.

 We don’t use ‘S’ with – non-living thing

- Table’s leg (x)
- Leg of the table (√)

 Exceltion
(1) Needle’s Point
(2) Blade’s / Razor Edge
(3) Tarr’s Breadth.

Ex (1) The salesman said that “This blade’s edge is sharper than any other blade’s (No Error)

Table’s legs were broken (x)

Legs of the table were broken (√)

Rules – 5:
When two nouns are in opposition, the possessive sign is (‘s’) is added to the latter as,
 I am going to Ram Lal’s My friend’s, village (incorrect)
 I am going to Ram Lal, My friend’s village (Correct)

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Rules – 6:
Possessive sign (‘s) is also used in the following structure –

 With the homes of dignified objects.

- Heaven’s will – Earth’s gravity
- Country’s call – Sun’s rays.

 With the home of personified object:

- Duty’s call – Death’s doctor
- Foretime’s favor – Nature’s law

 With the noun indicating time weight, distance value pace etc –
- An hour’s Journey
- A Needle’s point
- At Arm’s length
- Ten pound’s weight
- Three lakh’s worth

 Possessive sign ‘S’ also used after initials:

- The cm’s secretary
- The PM’s security guard
- The VIP’s Accept.

Rule – 7:
The double possessive should not be used.
Ex.:
(1) Ram’s sister’s marriage is an 2nd Nov (x)
The marriage of Ram’s sister on 2nd Nov (√)

(2) The president’s brother’s wife died yesterday. (x)

The wife of president’s brother died yesterday. (√)

Rule – 8:
Possessive sign in also used with the following pronoun:
 Anyone
 Anybody
 Nobody
 Somebody
 No one
 Each other
 Everyone
 Everybody
 One another
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  Some one

Ex.: The student should follow the suggestions of their teacher and not somebody else.
Some body, else is (√)

Rule – 9:
When the two nouns are used after one of the possession or ownership, is not shown by
possession sign (‘S’) but it is shown by proposition of as:-

Ex.:
One of my friend’s wives was killed in an accident (x)
The wife of one of my friends was killed in an accident (√)

Rules – 10:
Possessive case of lifeless objects is generally given by, of as:-

Ex.:
(1) The leaves of the tree (Not tree’s leaves)
(2) The windows of the room (Not room’s window)
(3) Ram is my friend (It means Ram is one of my several friends)
(4) I saw president’s reception in Jaipur. (x)
I saw the reception of president in Jaipur. (√)

(Exercise) (Find the Error)

Q. 1. A. Through we have reached at the high

B. Level of progress in the field
C. of Medicines money
D. Millions of people of Malaria.
Ans. (D) use ‘Millions’ instead of ‘million’.

Q. 2. A. We have visited many

B. Firms this year but only one of them is
C. Suitable for our work, which you admired
D. is naman’s / Shivam’s and Rohan’s
Ans. (D) Use ‘Naman’ Shivam, and Rohan’s instead of Naman’s Shivan’s and Rohan’s

Q. 3. A. The employees greeted the

B. Manager and his husband with chamming
C. smile So as to try to make
D. The condition (es) / has able
Ans. (B) her husband

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Q. 4. A. The Economics of the Project Makes it
B. in possible to the experience
C. of great opportunities which can avoided the
D. world class performance in the reported approach.
Ans. (A) Make.

Q. 5. A. When our beloved teachers and seniors

B. Come across to me, we caught one
C. Another hands and talked for
D. Many hours after a very long time
Ans. (C) Another’s hands

Q. 6. A. After a complaint was filed

B. the police teams was given the photograph
C. Log the Accused from
D. The CCTV footage recorded at the hotel
Ans. (B) team

Q. 7. A. This company cannot work properly

B. because it never recruits any talented
C. Sale representative the most
D. important pillar in making profits in the market
Ans. “Sales Representative”

Q. 8. A. My parents stop my brother-in-law

B. going out late at night because
C. the situations are not so
D. much good in this area now a days
Ans. (A) Use ‘brother-in-law’ instead of ‘brother-in-law’

Q. 9. A. My sister
B. has read
C. a number of criterichns for the past
D. no Error
Ans. (C) Page after page

Q. 10. A. The manager put forward

B. a number of criterions
C. for the post
D. No Error
Ans. (B) Criteria is plural of ‘Criterion’

Q. 11. A. I like
B. the poetries
C. of Byron
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 D. and thelley
Ans. (B) Poetry (uncountable noun) Hence it is singular and it does not have any
plural form.

Q. 12. A. The driver showed

B. grate talented in keeping
C. the damaged car under controlled
D. No Error
Ans. (B) talented dh txg “still” use gksxk A

Q. 13. A. When I entered the bedroom

B. I Sawa snake crawling
C. on the ground
D. No Error
Ans. “ground” dh txg “floor” dk use gksxk A

Q. 14. A. It is very difficult

B. to chase
C. a huge scope in the
D. fourth inning / No error.
Ans. Innings

Q. 15. A. It is a big blunder

B. but we had
C. to ignore it
Ans. (A) Blunder means big mistake there big blunder is superheroes.

Q. 16. A. That house

B. is built of
C. Stones
Ans. (C) Stones is incorrect. Use stone here it is being used as material noun. There are no plural
for material noun.

Q. 17. A. He told me that

B. It was
C. his friend’s Rahul’s
Ans. Replace Friend’s Ravi’s have by the house of his friend’s Ravi.

Q. 18. (A) two summons’s have been issued by the court

B. but he has not
C. yet appeared before the court / No errors.
Ans. (A) Summons is smgular in forms. Its plural is summonses (√)

Q. 19. A. The Mehta’s

B. have been living here
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 C. for about a decade
Ans. Remove Apostrophe (mentel)√

Q. 20. A. Children are playing

B. and making mischief’s
C. As their holiday have started.
Ans. Mischief is on uncountable noun. It has no plural form.

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 PRONOUN
A pronoun is a word that is used in place of noun is order to avoid repetition of a noun in a
sentence. Make our language stylistic.

Types of a pronoun –
1) Personal pronoun: It refers two persons I, me, we, us, you, he, she, they etc.
Ex.- I am a boy
They are boys.

2) Demonstrative Pronoun: It points out object this, that, these, the etc.
Ex.: This is a cow.
That is your house.

3) Relative Pronoun: It is related to who, whom, who’s, which, that etc.

Ex.: she is the girls who met me yesterday.

4) Interrogative pronoun: It is used for asking question. Who, what, who’s,

which whom etc.

5) Indefinite Pronoun: It is used for general meaning. Everybody, somebody,

nobody, someone, no one, only one, everything, all,
some, any.
Ex.: Somebody has come to meet you.
I want some water.

6) Reflexive pronoun: It is used to emphasize myself, ourselves, himself,

themselves, and yourself.
EX.: I cook myself.
You do your homework yourselves.

7) Distributive Pronoun: It refers to one at a time. None, any, no one, either,

neither, each.
Ex.: None has come to meet you.
Neither of the two boys has come.

8) Reciprocal pronoun: It is used for mutual relationship. Each other, one

another
Ex.: We respect each other.
They love one another.

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