English Grammar and Vocabulary Notes for SSC Stenographer

In the SSC Stenographer written test, English Language and Comprehension carries 100 of the 200 questions, so it decides your rank. A stenographer also needs good English for the skill test, because the dictated passage must be typed with correct spelling and grammar. These English grammar and vocabulary notes for SSC Stenographer give the most important rules, the common errors and the vocabulary tips in simple language with practice questions.

Plan for the English Section

Subject-Verb Agreement

Common Prepositions

Common Conjunction Patterns

Frequent Errors

Vocabulary Building

• Learn 15 to 20 new words daily with the meaning, the synonym, the antonym and one sentence.
• Read an English newspaper editorial daily and note the new words.
• Learn the common one-word substitutions, such as "a person who loves books = bibliophile".
• Learn the common idioms with their meanings and use them in sentences.
• Revise the old words every Sunday with a short test.

Commonly Confused Words

Tips for Reading Comprehension

1. Read the questions first, so that you know what to look for.
2. Read the passage once at a normal speed, and mark the main idea of each paragraph.
3. Answer from the passage and not from your own knowledge.
4. For vocabulary questions, use the sentence around the word to find the meaning.
5. Do not spend more than 6 to 7 minutes on one passage.

Link With the Skill Test

• The transcript must have correct spelling, punctuation and capital letters.
• Good grammar helps you to understand the dictation and to fill the doubtful words from the meaning of the sentence.
• Practise typing difficult spellings and commonly confused words daily.

Quick Tips

• Spend the most time on English, because it carries half of the written test marks.
• Learn the rules with examples, and solve ten error spotting questions daily.
• Revise your list of errors every week.
• Read editorials daily to improve both vocabulary and comprehension.

Quick Revision Points

• English has 100 of the 200 marks in the SSC Stenographer written test.
• "Each", "every" and "neither" take a singular verb.
• "Different from", "prefer to" and "good at" are correct.
• "No sooner ... than" and "hardly ... when" are used together.
• The transcript in the skill test must be free of spelling errors.

Practice Questions With Answers

1. Correct: Each of the boys ___ present. (is/are)
   Answer: is
2. Correct: He is senior ___ me. (to/than)
   Answer: to
3. Correct: I prefer tea ___ coffee. (to/than)
   Answer: to
4. Fill in the blank: No sooner did he arrive ___ it began to rain.
   Answer: than
5. Choose the correct word: The ___ of the school is strict. (principal/principle)
   Answer: principal
6. Choose the correct word: She bought some ___ for the office. (stationary/stationery)
   Answer: stationery
7. Correct: The news ___ good. (is/are)
   Answer: is
8. Correct: He is afraid ___ dogs. (of/from)
   Answer: of
9. Correct: She gave ___ books than I expected. (less/fewer)
   Answer: fewer
10. Correct: Hardly had he reached ___ the train left. (when/than)
    Answer: when

How to Practise This Chapter

Solve ten error spotting and ten fill in the blanks questions daily, and read one passage. Then attempt timed sets from our practice papers and the previous year papers page. Read the English notes, especially Articles, Synonyms and Antonyms. Read the next chapter, SSC Stenographer Preparation Strategy and Study Plan, and see all topics on the Stenography notes page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions come from English in SSC Stenographer?

The English Language and Comprehension section has 100 questions out of 200 in the written test.

Which English topics are important for SSC Stenographer?

Error spotting, fill in the blanks, synonyms, antonyms, idioms, one-word substitution, sentence improvement, voice, narration, cloze test and comprehension are important.

How can I improve my English for the stenographer exam?

Learn the grammar rules with examples, practise daily, read editorials and learn 15 to 20 new words every day.

What is subject-verb agreement?

It means that the verb must agree in number with its subject, such as "Each of the boys is present".

What is the correct preposition after "prefer"?

"Prefer" is followed by "to", as in "I prefer tea to coffee".

What is the difference between principal and principle?

Principal is the head of an institution, and principle is a basic rule or belief.

How should I solve error spotting questions?

Read each part of the sentence, check the verb, the preposition, the article and the pronoun, and mark the part that breaks a rule.

How much time should I give to English daily?

Give about 1 to 1.5 hours daily for English, along with the shorthand practice.

How does English help in the skill test?

Good English helps you to type the dictated passage with correct spelling and punctuation and to understand the doubtful words.

How can I improve my reading comprehension?

Read one passage daily, read the questions first, find the main idea of each paragraph and answer only from the passage.

Should I learn grammar or vocabulary first?

Learn both together: grammar rules for error spotting and a few new words every day.

Where can I practise English questions for the exam?

You can practise with the practice papers, the free quizzes and the previous year papers of SSC on this website.