The English part of One Paper 100 Marks MCQs exams has been the most crucial area of a competitive exam as it covers 20 marks in a paper. Aspirants with a good grasp of basic concepts can distinguish between the grammatical and intended meaning of the given words, phrases, clauses, and sentences qualify for the exams with flying colours.
Each year, millions of students apply for one paper 100 Marks MCQ exams, conducted by FPSC, SPSC, BPSC, PPSC, AJKPSC, KPPSC, NTS, OTS, etc., but, unfortunately, almost a vast number of them fail to qualify for them. Despite cramming thousands of MCQs available in books, pdf, notes, and websites, these aspirants remain unable to touch scores required to be called for an interview, psychological part of the exam. Do you know why these competitive students fail to score up to 90? Basic English Grammar and vocabulary have been the sole reason behind their failure. It has been a fact that the English part, which usually consists of 20 marks, plays a crucial role to qualify for the one paper exams, especially in FIA, MOD, ASF, ANF, IB, Anti Corruption, Inspector Inland Revenue, etc., exams. If an aspirant scores 20 out of 20, his chances to step into the government sector of Pakistan become bright. In comparison, all aspirants who do not consider the English part important and waste their time cramming MCQs from wherever they get cannot qualify for the paper and consistently score less than 80. I have been asked by aspirants the same question a thousand times, “What is the importance of English in qualifying for the One Paper 100 Marks exams?” Today, I have written a detailed analysis with all the possible solutions for an aspirant to prepare for the English part of an exam.
The value of communication in today’s world cannot be overstated. English has unrivalled value as the most widely used language in the offices. Its importance can be measured from the fact that almost every recruitment exam in Pakistan, especially, apportions at least 20% of its evaluation to the English language. Moreover, BS-16 and BS-17 scale jobs are considered one of the most powerful job cadres and being on these posts requires an officer to communicate with the public more frequently. The general public is more literate, so an officer needs to possess sound English communication to address public grievances. Before 2015, the exam criteria mainly included repetitive MCQs from various books and notes, easily crammable. However, the trend after 2015 has drastically changed. Candidates are evaluated based on their conceptual knowledge, even for English too. Aspirants with a good grasp of basic concepts can distinguish between the grammatical and intended meaning of the given words, phrases, clauses, and sentences qualify for the exams with flying colours.
Moreover, even before entering the professional field, you’ll need reasonably excellent English communication abilities to ace your interviews. In job interviews, making a strong first impression is crucial. As a result, being able to converse in English will offer you an advantage in employment interviews. Undeniably, in most of the jobs in Pakistan, English is one of the parameters where an individual is appraised too.
To add further, English has become a headache for candidates aspiring to appear in any exam. It is a second language in Pakistan and glamorised as the most difficult language, and it haunts candidates during their exam prep journey. Moreover, those who successfully pass their tests tend to become English professors overnight, adding more to the woes of unemployed candidates. Ironically, Pakistani youth has become unlucky at the hands of the business-oriented mindset of a new lot of teachers. Every “so-called” mentor in the market is here to grab money by providing internet-copied material, which is unauthentic, unverified, and mostly wrong.
Consequently, candidates tend to fail in most of the English portions given in the examination. I have been persistently asked why candidates fail to secure better marks in the English portion and what strategies can best overcome the nightmarish English portion. Now, the question arises what the best way to prepare English part of one paper examination is? So the answer to this question is nothing in this world is tagged as best. It’s how you prepare and plan that makes it the best way. As far as preparation of the English portion for one paper exam is concerned, please bear in mind that it is not difficult. However, for those who are not well-equipped with basics, it takes six to seven months. And, those who have studied English grammar well in their intermediate can take three to four months by consulting different books, for they are familiar with its basic foundation. There are two methods If you want to study on your own.
First, here is a list of a few highly recommended books, given that your foundation is good for English Grammar.
1- High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren and Martin
It is the most remarkable book for beginners. This book truly aids in the development of fundamentals. If you wish to get an advantage in the language, you should surely utilise this as one of your reference books. The study material included in the book is extensive, providing an in-depth understanding of the subject. The book’s vocabulary is basic and easy to comprehend.
2- Practise English Usage by Michael Swan
The book nearly reads your thinking and foresees many of the usual blunders that students make. The book is informative and comprehensive. This book is really simple to comprehend. You don’t need a linguistics degree to understand it. It’s pretty detailed, with plenty of examples, and it’s a great reference book all around. It offers brief, easy-to-understand articles on all of the grammar issues that international learners face regularly. It also covers a few aspects of vocabulary, idiom, style, pronunciation, and spelling.
3- English Grammar in use by Raymond Murphy
The grammar book English Grammar in Use is fantastic. It has excellent activities, several revision exercises, highly clear explanations, and clear and simple definitions. The whole thing is well-crafted. The guidelines and explanations are simple, and because each item follows the same pattern, you’ll quickly become acquainted with the layout. The book is geared for intermediate students, although it also goes through the basics. The book is primarily designed as a self-study reference and practise book for intermediate-level students who want to learn certain sentence patterns appropriate to their level. In reality, there have been a plethora of grammar books on the market for self-study and subsequent practice work, but none has been as great as given by Raymond Murphy.
These three books are the ones I can vouch for if you intend to practice the English portion of your exam independently. You can choose exercises from these and practice them thoroughly to have a deep understanding of the topic. This practice takes three to four months but will make you an English Grammar genie. Afterwards, you can practice more on Howfiv‘s website, Pakistan’s largest Learning Management System-LMS, which offers English grammar practice from Easy to Hard level. It will not only gauge your basic knowledge about English Grammar but also prepare you halfway to advanced English Grammar and writing. Besides, there are various international American and Britain sites available on the web to help you excel. However, please bear in mind that most Pakistani and Indian websites contain meaningless data and vague information. So it is recommended to avoid such sites and use the best options like Howfiv, which has been technically designed by the English Maestro, Sir Syed Kazim Ali, and international American and Britain sites that are credible. It makes you 50 per cent well-equipped with the testing methods and 50 per cent, you already gain through reading books as suggested above. If you follow this method, out of 20, be assured of 17-18 marks in your English portion. This entire practice takes almost seven months, but you profess in your English Grammar then.
The second method that can help you overcome the challenge of the English portion for your upcoming exam is to join a highly qualified English language teacher.
They shall teach you from scratch and help you strengthen the basic foundation of your English language. Please, be informed that you don’t need a facilitator who teaches advanced English Grammar or English at the graduation level. Here is why? Because;
- Advanced level/Graduation level English teachers teach well to those who are good in their basic English grammar knowledge.
- They teach according to their framework and are unaware of competitive or one-paper exam trends and evaluation procedures. Joining them will waste your time and money, or you can try them.
- Then, we have a category of Competitive teachers who teach English for the competitive exams. They do know the basics, but they don’t teach from basics; rather train a student to an advanced level of English Grammar.
So, you need a teacher who teaches basics so well that no matter how rambling the examiner puts you in a question, you must answer it with proper logic and concept. Such teachers help you improve your English Grammar and help you with the descriptive portion of your exam, too, if that is required. If you find any such teacher, it will take almost three to four months compared to 6 to 7 months of your self-study.
I have been teaching the One Paper 100 Marks exams’ aspirants for almost eight years now. Although there have been a number of English teachers in Pakistan, they do not have the grip that can help their students pass the English part of the exams. As per my knowledge, the following teachers can help you ace grammar if joined:
Miss Amreen Mir
First, Miss Amreen Mir is well-known for her English language teaching. Her mastery is over the English Writing skills. If you are well–equipped with basic English Grammar, she can help you construct creative sentences into paragraphs and then essays ultimately. Through her lively teaching, she develops a unique bond with students making them keen in learning. Currently, she is part of the Daily Times, Pakistan’s third-largest Newspaper, and has written several articles on current issues. Along with writing, she does give a brief recap of basic grammatical concepts, which are essential to ensure better writing skills. She assures that every student of her is actively engaged in the class activities and is doing well in her class.
Miss Syeda Saba
Miss Syed Saba is one of the finest English grammar teachers I have ever known. She teaches basic English Grammar and has years of experience in this field. Her teaching strategies are student-centred, and she ensures every student in her class has understood the concept well and can implement it properly. Moreover, her extensive lectures and practice for the grammar topics equip you well with all the dimensions of a particular topic. She knows the tips and tricks to help you crack your one-paper exam with flying colours. She stresses ethics, mannerism, patriotism, and ways of living a decent life in addition to teaching her students English. She has an amazing command of basic English Grammar.
Miss Mahnoor Waraich
Miss Mahnoor is one of the youngest and highly successful English teachers in Pakistan. Her versatile teaching strategies and styles have made her famous for her English language teaching. Her classes are lively and interactive, which make her class more productive and full of learning. She begins by teaching Grammar to her students (basic to advance level). She understands what candidates require and how to instil Grammar in them. Unlike other mentors, she has a unique teaching style centred on as many practise questions as possible. She makes every lesson of hers in a different way so that even the weakest student of her class can implement English grammar rules in the best possible way.
Miss Hira Ahad
Lastly, having acquired M.Phil in the English language, Miss Hira is another name among the talented English teachers of the country. She teaches Basic English Grammar and has a strong grip over teaching students English writing, too. Her teaching style is extremely friendly, unlike other English teachers. She assures every student in the class is confident enough to get their queries relating to English Grammar and writing addressed. It makes her class interactive and produces an amazing opportunity for all the learners to learn more about English uniquely. Her every method is unique from her previous methods, which cater to students from different cognitive abilities who understand her best.
English plays a decisive role in any of the exams you aspire to appear. It is one of the essential portions of your exam and cannot be neglected. Although some students find English challenging, finding the correct guidelines and mentors can help you excel in the exam. Undeniably, Pakistan is short of skilled language teachers; however, the recommended teachers can be trusted and seen as a ray of hope for many students who find tackling the English portion difficult. Currently, there is a Basic English Grammar Course going on, which you can benefit yourself from. Nothing in the world is difficult or impossible; the willpower in you directs you towards learning. If you invest your time and money properly, you will surely succeed in all your goals.
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