ACS IBA Engsight

Index

Serial Topics Page

1 Grammar

● Basic Sentence Structure and Formation

● Introduction to Parts of Speech 02-06
● Practice Questions

2 Vocabulary

● 30 High Frequency Words 13-17

● Practice Questions

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Grammar

Subject: A person, animal, location, object, or notion that performs an activity. In an active voice
statement, the subject is generally (but not always) the agent "Omor selected the winners". To
determine the subject in a statement, use the question "Who or what?"
● I like Kacchi.
● He plays football regularly.
● My new phone has been stolen

Verb: Expresses what the person, animal, place, thing, or concept does. Determine the verb in a
sentence by asking the question “What was the action or what happened?”
● I like Kacchi.
● He reads many articles.
● Ronaldo scored another goal in the world cup final.

*The film is good. (The be verb is sometimes known as a copula or linking verb. It connects the
subject, "the movie," with the complement or predicate of the phrase, in this example, "good."). What's
the distinction between linking and action verbs? Action verbs describe acts performed by the subject.
Linking verbs connect a subject noun with a predicate noun or adjective.

1. SUBJECT → ACTION VERB → THE REST OF THE SENTENCE

Tonia accepted my apologies. (The action verb is accepted. It shows what Tonia did)
Ronaldo is kicking the ball now. (The action verb is Kicking. It shows what Ronaldo is doing)

2. SUBJECT → LINKING VERB → INFORMATION ABOUT THE SUBJECT

The cap is red. (” Is” links the subject “cap” to information about that subject that it is red).
The boy seems fine. (“Seems” links “boy” with information about the boy that is fine).

Complement: A complement is a word or phrase added to a noun or pronoun in a sentence, improving

its attractiveness or providing more information about the subject or object. It is an adjective group or
noun group that describes or identifies the subject, and is used to complete predictions, such as
'president' in "They elected him president" and 'beautiful' in "He thought her beautiful". In a sentence,
there can be two types of complements, namely:

(i) Subject Complement and (ii) Object Complement.

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Muaz is a doctor: In the provided sentence, the subject Muaz is described using another term, doctor.
This noun complements the topic. Therefore, the word doctor is the subject complement of the
provided phrase.

● She looks beautiful.

● Philip is a liar.

The Council appointed Tomal Chairman: In the provided statement, the term Chairman provides more
information on the direct object Tomal. That is, it changes the direct object. As a result, the term
Chairman serves as the sentence's object complement.

● The court declared the group guilty.

● Steve gave the dog a biscuit.

Modifier: A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes another word in the same sentence.
Modifiers can be adjectives (words that modify nouns) or adverbs (words that modify verbs): For
example, the student thoroughly proofread her paper. The word "thoroughly is the modifier in this
example; it modifies the verb "proofread," providing essential information about how the proofreading
was done. A modifier can also be a phrase or clause, as in the following example: Sara studied in the
library. Here, the word "in the library" provides more information on the verb "studied."

A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a term that is not explicitly expressed in the
sentence. A modifier discusses, clarifies, or provides more information about an idea.

The following statement has an erroneous usage:

● Having finished the assignment, the TV was turned on.

"Having finished" is a participle that expresses action, but the doer is not the TV set (the main clause's
subject): TVs do not complete tasks. Because the doer of the action conveyed in the participle is not
clearly specified, the participial phrase is referred to as a dangling modifier.

● Having finished the assignment, Jill turned on the TV.

"Having finished" states an action but does not name the doer of that action. In English sentences, the
doer must be the subject of the main clause that follows. In this sentence, it is Jill. She seems logically
to be the one doing the action ("having finished"), and this sentence therefore does not have a dangling
modifier.

Prepositional Phrase: A phrase that begins with a preposition (e.g., in, at for, behind, till, after, of, or
while) and modifies a word in the sentence. A prepositional phrase provides a response to one or more
inquiries. Here are some examples. "Where, when? "In what way?"
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● I prefer spaghetti for supper.

● He reads a lot of books at the library.
Key Concepts To Remember

1) A new sentence begins with a capital letter. (He obtained his degree.)
2) A sentence ends with punctuation. (He obtained his degree.)
3) A sentence contains a subject that is only given once. (Samiul He obtained his degree.)
4) A sentence contains a verb or a verb phrase. (He obtained his degree.)
5) A sentence follows Subject + Verb + Object word order.

Finite and Nonfinite verbs:

Finite and nonfinite verbs are two distinct types of verbs in English. Finite verbs are those that are
conjugated with their subject in a sentence. They specify the person, number, and tense of the subject.
Nonfinite verbs do not conjugate with the subject of a sentence. They are not in a definite tense and do
not specify the person, number, or tense of the subject. Sentences with finite verbs show the subject's
person, number, and tense. Examples of finite verbs in sentences:
Examples of finite verbs in sentences:
● I'm singing alone.
● She was eating Ramen.
● They'll dance tomorrow.
● We've been playing for hours.
● You should go home.
Nonfinite verb forms.
Nonfinite verbs do not convey the subject's identity, number, or tense. They are not conjugated
alongside the subject in a sentence. Nonfinite verbs can have several forms. The forms are:
Infinitive: to run.
Gerund: Having walked.
Participle: Going.
Dependent and Independent clauses: The two most common types of clauses are independent and
dependent. A clause is a set of words that includes at least one subject and one verb; however,
depending on how they are worded and punctuated, clauses can be complete or incomplete sentences.
An independent clause is one that stands on its own as a full sentence. A dependent clause is one that
cannot stand alone as a full sentence.
Examples of independent and dependent clauses.
Independent: My new employment starts next Tuesday.
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Dependent: If the interview goes well, next Tuesday will be my first day at my new work.
Independent: After you complete your veggies, you may have dessert.
Dependent: You must complete your veggies before you can have dessert.
Independent: My automobile broke down less than a mile from my house. It did not pass inspection.
Dependent: My automobile, which did not pass inspection, broke down less than a mile from home.

Run-on Sentence: A run-on sentence is formed when two independent clauses appear together
without adequate punctuation or conjunctions.
Incorrect: Rabbi sings cheerful children's tunes he is an accomplished musician.
Correct: Rabbi sings cheerful children's tunes; he is an accomplished musician.
To correct run-on sentences,
● divide clauses into two sentences separated by a period.
Incorrect: Mariam came home from work early she had been feeling ill all morning.
Correct: Mariam came home from work early. She had been feeling ill all morning.
● Add a semicolon between them if the two clauses are extremely closely connected.
Incorrect: Mariam came home from work early she had been feeling ill all morning.
Correct: Mariam came home from work early; she had been feeling ill all morning.
● Use a comma followed by a coordinating conjunction. The coordinating conjunctions are: and,
but, or, so, for, yet, and nor.
Incorrect: I was too tired to go to the market the guys shopped for three hours.
Correct: I was too tired to go to the market, but the guys shopped for three hours.
● Use a subordinating conjunction. Some subordinating conjunctions include: when, while,
because, as, although, if, though, and since.
Incorrect: I will watch Champions League you do your homework.
Correct: I will watch Champions League while you do your homework.

Sentence fragments: Without an independent clause, a dependent clause is a sentence fragment, or a

section of a sentence that lacks the required pieces to complete it.
Because the traffic was terrible.
You may always modify the dependent sentence to make it independent (for example, by eliminating
the subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun). However, it is simpler to tie it to an independent
clause.
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I arrived late for my meeting because the traffic was terrible.

Appositive: At its core, an appositive is more information.

Hermione Granger, a witch at Hogwarts School, is skilled with spells. The main point of this line is
that Hermione Granger is skilled at casting spells. A witch at Hogwarts School is an appositive noun
phrase that reveals further information about Hermione Granger.

Gustave Eiffel's masterwork, the Eiffel Tower, is located on the Champs de Mars. This statement
describes where the Eiffel Tower may be situated. The appositive phrase Gustave Eiffel's masterwork
reveals more about the sentence's subject word, the Eiffel Tower.

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Parts of Speech

English words may be categorized into eight parts of speech. The phrase "part of speech" relates
to the role of a word in a sentence.

1) Nouns

A noun is a term that refers to a person, location, concept, or thing. Basically, everything that refers to
a "thing" is a noun, whether it's a basketball court, San Francisco, Cleopatra, or self-preservation.

Every noun is either singular or plural in number. A singular noun refers to a single person, place,
object, or concept and is accompanied by a singular verb, whereas a plural noun refers to several
people, places, things, or ideas and is followed by a plural verb. We will have further discussion on
noun in upcoming lecturesheet.

2) Pronouns

When the reader or listener already knows the precise noun you're referring to, you can use pronouns
instead.

You can remark, "Jennifer was supposed to be here at eight," then add, "She's always late; next time,
I'll tell her to arrive a half hour earlier."

Instead of stating Jennifer's name three times in a row, you used she and her, and your sentences were
still grammatically accurate. Pronouns are classified into several categories, which we discuss in our
guide to pronouns.

3) Adjectives

Adjectives are the words used to characterize nouns. Think of your favorite movie. How would you
explain it to a buddy who has never seen it?

You may describe the film as hilarious, entertaining, well-written.. When you use these terms to
describe the movie, you are using adjectives.

An adjective can come before the noun it describes ("I have a black dog"), but it does not have to.

Adjectives are sometimes used at the conclusion of sentences ("My dog is black").

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4) Verbs

Be extraordinary. Run as quickly as you can. Win the race. Congratulations to every contestant who
worked hard and competed.

The italic words are verbs.

Verbs explain particular acts, such as running, winning, and being fantastic. Not all verbs refer to real
activities, however. Non Action verbs relate to sentiments or states of being, such as "to love" and "to
be." In contrast, verbs that refer to real activities are known as action verbs

5) Adverbs

Adverbs are words that characterize adjectives, verbs, or other adverbs.

I entered the room silently. (Silently describes how you entered the room.)

Cheetahs are always faster than lions. (Always refers to how often a cheetah is faster than a lion.)

6) Prepositions

Prepositions describe the connections between other words in a sentence.

You may remark, "I left my bike leaning against the garage."

In this statement, the preposition “against” indicates where you left your bike.

another example:

. "She put the pizza in the oven."

Without the preposition, we don't know where the pizza is.

7) Conjunctions

Conjunctions allow you to create complicated phrases that represent numerous concepts.

"I prefer marinara sauce. I enjoy alfredo sauce. "I do not like puttanesca sauce."

Each of these three statements conveys a clear notion. There is nothing wrong with listing your choices
in this manner, but it is not the most effective method to do it.

Consider instead: "I prefer marinara and alfredo sauce, but I dislike puttanesca sauce.

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In this phrase, and and but are the two conjunctions that connect your concepts.

8) Interjection

An interjection is a word or phrase used to convey emotion, issue an instruction, or greet someone.

Interjections are grammatically independent, therefore they may easily be removed from a phrase
without changing its meaning.

Interjections are classified as volitive (used to make a demand or request), emotional (used to
communicate a mood or reaction), cognitive (used to show thinking), and greetings and parting
remarks (used at the start and conclusion of a discussion).

Examples:

1. Interjections inside a sentencePsst. What time is it?

2. Ouch! I damaged my arm.
3. OMG! Messi joined Inter Miami

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Practice Questions:
1) ___________ that life began billions of years ago in the winter. [DU 09-10]
A. It is believed B. In the belief C. The belief D. Believing E. Of the belief

2) ___________ at 212 degree F and freezes at 32 degree F.

A. Waters boil B. The water boils C. Water boils D. Waters boil E. None

3) That’s the gentleman ____ I spoke about the job. [DU 22-23]
A. whom B. to who C. of whom D. to whom

4) Profits are divided ______ the stakeholders of the company in an even manner.
A. Between B. amongst C. beside D. among

5) _____ a mayor, many city governments employ a city manager.

A. Also B. And C. Beside D. Besides

6) ____ trees is a custom that many people engage in to celebrate Arbor Day.
A. The plant B. Planting C. Plant D. To planting

7) You may invite _____ you want to the party.

A. whoever B. who C. whomever D. whom E. None

8) His shirt is cheaper than ______

A. you B. your C. yours D. the yours E. None

Answer Key
1) A
2) C
3) D
4) D
5) D
6) B
7) C
8) C

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Real question of IBA admission test:

1) They arrive on time and were able to witness the entire graduation ceremony. [DU IBA 2005-06]

A. arrived on
B. B. have arrived on
C. C. were arriving on
D. D. arrived at
E. E. None

2) Some countries are increasing their land space _______________. [DU IBA 2006-07]

A. Taking soil from the ocean.

B. By taking soil from the ocean
C. Taking soil from the ocean
D. By taking soil of ocean
E. None of these

3) There are now many kinds of dictionaries, such as a dictionary of synonyms and antonyms, a
biographical dictionary, and a geographical dictionary with pronunciations given. [DU IBA 09-10]
A. with pronunciations given
B. that has pronunciations given
C. with pronunciations’ given
D. that have pronunciations given
E. that do have pronunciations given

4) According to the study, as the body ages, the chance that medications will cause harmful side
effects are on the increase. [DU IBA 09-10]
A. are on the increase
B. increases
C. has increased
D. Increase
E. None of these

5. The word boycott derives from the name of Charles C. Boycott, an English land agent in
Ireland, that was ostracized for refusing to reduce rent. [DU IBA 09-10]
A. that was ostracized for refusing
B. who was ostracized for refusing
C. which was ostracized for refusing
D. ostracized for refusing
E. None

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6) ______________ relations with friends and acquaintances, play a major role in the social
development of adolescents. [DU IBA 2002-03]
A. What are called peer group relations are
B. Peer group relations are
C. Relation which are peer group
D. By peer group relations, we mean
E. Peer group relations, the

Answers:

1) C
2) B
3) A
4) B
5) B
6) E

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Vocabulary

Serial Word Parts of Meaning Sentence

Speech

1 Differentiate v Identify She could easily differentiate between her

differences twin sisters by their distinct hairstyles.
between

2 Glean v Collect She gleans information from books to help

with her homework.

3 Economical adj Avoiding waste Buying in bulk is more economical than

purchasing individual items.

4 Lionize v To celebrate Fans often lionize their favorite celebrities,

putting them on pedestals.

5 Maladroit adj Clumsy He's a bit maladroit with chopsticks, often

dropping his food.

6 Vaunted adj Boasted about The vaunted superhero saved the day once
again.

7 Peevish adj Irritable The child became peevish when his favorite
show was interrupted.

8 Pastoral adj Rural The pastoral painting depicted a peaceful

countryside scene.

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9 Unpreposses adj Unremarkable Despite his unprepossessing appearance,

sing he had a kind heart.

10 Abrogate v Overturn a law The school decided to abrogate the rule

against wearing hats indoors.

11 Profuse adj Abundant She received profuse thanks for her help
with the project.

12 Modicum n A small amount He showed only a modicum of interest in

the new video game.

13 Facetious adj Humorous She made a facetious remark to lighten the

mood.

14 Apogee n Highest point of The rocket reached its apogee before

something beginning its descent.

15 Degrade v Humiliate It's wrong to degrade someone because of

their background.

16 Appropriate v Take forcefully Please wear appropriate clothing for the job
interview.

17 Redress v Correct unfairness The store offered redress for the defective
product.

18 Meander v Wander The river meandered through the valley.

19 Constraint n Limit Budget constraints limited their vacation

options.

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20 Obscure adj Not clear The meaning of the ancient symbol remains
obscure.

21 Decry v Speak out against Many people decry the use of plastic straws
due to environmental concerns.

22 Irrefutable adj Certain The evidence presented was irrefutable,

proving his innocence.

23 Advocate v Support a cause She advocates for animal rights by

volunteering at the shelter.

24 Contentious adj Causing arguments The contentious debate lasted for hours.

25 Eponym n Derived from a Sandwiches are named after the Earl of

name Sandwich, making "sandwich" an eponym.

26 Laborious adj Requiring Cleaning the garage was a laborious task.

considerable time
and effort

27 Bleak adj Hopeless The weather forecast predicted a bleak day

with heavy rain.

28 Catalyst n Cause of a process His speech was the catalyst for change in
the community.

29 Anomaly n Oddity The strange weather pattern was an

anomaly for this time of year.

30 Elaborate adj Detailed She gave an elaborate description of her

summer vacation.

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Practice Questions:
Set-1

Instruction: Fill out the sentences with appropriate words from the box.

A B C D E

Laborious Irrefutable Economical Obscure Unprepossessing

1. The city council's approval of the __________ plan was hailed as a triumph of pragmatism over
extravagance, demonstrating a commitment to fiscal responsibility amidst competing priorities.
2. The scientist's groundbreaking research was the culmination of years of __________
experimentation and meticulous data analysis.
3. The evidence presented by the prosecution was so compelling that the jury had no choice but to
reach an __________ verdict of guilt.
4. The ancient manuscript contained ______ symbols and cryptic passages that puzzled even the
most seasoned historians.
5. Despite its ________ bookstore was a treasure trove of rare and forgotten literary gems.

Set-2
Instruction: Fill out the sentences with appropriate words from the options.

6. Despite the company's efforts to _____ the financial losses, the _____ market conditions made
recovery nearly impossible.
a) appropriate, constraint
b) redress, bleak
c) abrogate, appropriate
d) constrain, redress
e) bleak, constraint

7. The detective presented _____ evidence that pointed directly to the suspect's guilt, proving
beyond doubt the _____ nature of the crime.
a) irrefutable, economical
b) economical, irrefutable
c) irrefutable, constraint
d) constraint, economical
e) irrefutable, appropriate

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8. In the world of literature, critics often _____ certain authors for their groundbreaking works that
_____ them from their contemporaries, elevating them to legendary status.
a) lionize, differentiate
b) differentiate, lionize
c) lionize, appropriate
d) appropriate, differentiate
e) differentiate, appropriate

9. Despite his inept attempts to _______ information from the complex data, his __________
methods only resulted in confusion and misinterpretation.
A) adept, skillful B) glean, maladroit C) proficient, knowledgeable D) adept, maladroit
E) clumsy, skillful

10. The success of her latest novel marked the __________ of her literary career, propelling her to
the forefront of contemporary fiction.
A) culmination B) nadir C) inception D) apogee
E) inception

Set-3

Instruction: Identify the Correct Sentence with the proper usage of words.

11. His freedom knew no constraint as he roamed the vast expanse of the prison yard.
12. Sarah is a passionate eponym for animal rights and environmental conservation.
13. Yesterday, I saw a purple elephant riding a unicycle through the obscure forest.
14. After the intense workout, she experienced profuse sweating.
15. She is a strong advocate for children's education

Answer Key

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

C A B D E B B A B D Inc Inc Inc C C

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