SET Exam Preparation Tips to Ace General English Section

Symbiosis Entrance Test 2025 ( SET )

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Saumya
Saumya Jain
Assistant Manager- Content
Updated on Sep 23, 2024 16:07 IST

The General English section of the SET exam is usually easy but is an important section. Read key tips to crack the General English section of SET exam in the article below.

SET General English Preparation: Scoring well in the SET exam’s General English section is not very tough if one is prepared well and has a stronghold on the language. Preparing in a planned manner will fetch you good marks. General English is an important section of the Symbiosis Entrance Test and those who wish to apply for the SET exam 2025 must be well-versed with the SET exam syllabus and exam pattern to be able to fetch a good score in the exam. Read the article below to know some preparation tips and tricks to ace the General English section of the SET exam.

SET 2025 General English: An Overview

As per the past few years' SET exam analysis, the General English section of the SET exam is easy. This section assesses the candidate’s hold on the English language. The section could be scoring as it does not involve any formulae and theorems to remember and solely depends on how well you know the basics. The General English section examines the aspirant’s understanding of basic grammar, vocabulary and use and application of the English language. Look at some of the important points to remember below:

  • There are 16 multiple-choice questions in the General English section
  • Each question carries one mark
  • There will be no negative markings in case of wrong attempts
  • An attempt of 10-13 questions with accuracy will be considered a good attempt

Also Read:

SET 2205 General English Syllabus

The questions in the General English section of the SET exam can be asked from the topics mentioned below. Check the following table to know the important topics:

Important topics for SET 2025 General English Section

Synonyms

Antonyms

Error Spotting

Prepositions

Vocabulary and its applications

Grammar

Analogy

Fill in the blanks

Articles

Reading Comprehensions

Idioms and Phrases

Clauses

Para Jumbles

Tenses

Also Read:

Best Books for SET 2025: General English

The following is the list of best books for the General English section of the SET exam. Check the recommended books below:

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Book name

Author/Publisher

High School English Grammar and Composition Key

Wren and Martin

Word Power Made Easy

Norman Lewis

Objective General English 

SP Bakshi

How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT

Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay

To crack the General English section, read as much as you can. It is a tried and tested method. Developing a reading habit will be helpful to score well in this section. Make it a habit to read newspapers, magazines, books and novels to strengthen your vocabulary and grammar. Refer to various study materials and help books available online and offline.

Q:   Is SET exam difficult?

A:

SET is a speed-based test which is designed to assess a candidate's analytical aptitude, logical reasoning skills, Quantitative Aptitude and English comprehension. It may sound tough, but these are the skills which we are taught in school so there is nothing new to learn. What is required is to brush on these subjects and topics. All you will need is to brush up on the basics and practice the concepts on advance level problems. Students should solve previous years question papers, attempt an ample number of mock tests and be consistent to score well in the SET exam. Having said that, the preparation for the SET exam requires focus, dedication, discipline and diligence. If you can do that, despite being an average student, you can crack the SET exam. SET is one of the easiest BBA entrance exams and a good preparation strategy can help you crack the SET exam with a good score. Generally, the toughest section of the SET question paper is Quantitative Aptitude. But with daily practice and focusing on understanding the fundamentals, this section of the SET exam can be handled easily.

Q:   What is the difficulty level of SET (Symbiosis Entrance Test)?

A:

SET is a national-level entrance exam conducted for admission to various undergraduate courses. SET 2025 will be conducted in the computer-based test mode. The difficulty level of the SET exam is usually easy to moderate. But, a few questions might trick your mind and can be time-consuming. General Knowledge and Analytical and Logical Reasoning are easier than the Quantitative Aptitude section. In 2024, according to the students who appeared for the SET session 1 exam, the SET exam was moderate. The General English section was the easiest of all the four sections. The Quantitative Aptitude section was the toughest and the other two sections were moderate to easy. The overall difficulty level of the SET question paper was moderate. Students who appeared for the SET 2024 session 2 exam said that the overall difficulty level was easy. Again, the General English section was the easiest. In this session, the Analytical and Logical Reasoning section was also easy to moderate. The Quant section was easy to moderate and the General Knowledge section was difficult.

Q:   How should I prepare for the SET exam?

A:
Cracking an exam is not a cakewalk, and it is not easy to grab a seat in one of the most prestigious private varsities, such as Symbiosis. You need to have a really strong strategy to crack this exam. Be versed with your syllabus Knowing the syllabus for the entrance exam is the first step towards SET preparation. Dividing the time for your exam is only possible if you are thorough with the syllabus. Therefore, you can analyse the area of your strength and then allocate the time required for each section. Understand the exam pattern Going through the previous year question papers and sample papers helps you figure out the exam pattern. Once you become familiar with the type of questions, you will take lesser time to solve questions. There will be clarity in your mind regarding how to crack the SET exam. Time management You have limited time to attempt 4 sections and 60 questions overall. You don't get the time to ponder which section you will attempt or the questions you want to opt-out or attempt last. Therefore knowing the exam pattern adds to your skill of solving the exam faster. Prepare Short Notes Remembering and revising before the exam is crucial for students to perform well. This can be done by preparing short notes. Going through them just a day before the exam will ensure that you remember all that you have prepared, which will boost your confidence in attempting the exam. Practice No exam can be cleared sans practice. Its the most important key for qualifying any exam you want. All the hard work you have put in during months for SET is futile, lest you have practiced sufficiently and are confident about making it to your chosen college and the course.

Also Read: Best books for SET exam preparation

SET 2025 Preparation Tips to Ace General English Section

As mentioned above, to ace this section, one needs to have a stronghold over the basics of the language. Reading enough will help you score well in the exam. Check out some of the SET preparation tips to crack the General English section below:

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  • Develop a habit of reading newspapers, magazines, books, etc. Make sure you read something daily for an hour. Jot down the new and unfamiliar words that you come across and immediately check the meaning of that word. This will help in improving your reading skills and at the same time enrich your vocabulary. The English comprehension skills can be improved with reading.  
  • Try understanding the root meaning when approaching the vocabulary section. Read about the meanings of prefixes and suffixes and focus on etymology. There are many words that change meanings in different contexts. Study words in terms of their meaning, origin and usage. Focus on understanding the nuances, context, usage, structure and formation of the words and sentences. 
  • Practicing as much as you can will help in the Grammar section. Begin the SET preparation by studying the fundamentals. Make short note of definitions with examples and regularly revise them. Questions like editing and omitting and word substitution are the most common Grammar questions in entrance exams. Prepare for grammar like Maths. There is no other way of acing questions based on English grammar but by having conceptual clarity of the fundamentals.
  • To attempt the reading comprehension passages, develop reading speed. Speed is a critical component of the exam. Reading quickly and carefully is important to tactfully attempt the questions. The passages are usually easy but still requires careful reading. Make sure you read the passage first and then the questions. Read the questions twice just to be clear on what is asked.
  • Revision goes a long way in preparation for any competitive exam. Attempt an ample number of sample papers and mock tests after completing the syllabus. Practice and read as much as you can. These two will help you get through the General English section with a good score in hand. Even though there is no negative marking, but attempt those questions first which you are sure of. You can always come back to a tricky question and attempt it later. Having said that, another thing to keep in mind is that SET is a time-based exam hence candidates must keep a check on that too.

Read More:

Q:   What is a good score in SET exam?

A:

Previously, the SET exam had 150 questions. They were reduced to 60 multiple-choice questions in the year 2021, and the duration of the exam was also reduced  proportionally. Check out the table below to know what can be considered a good score in SET exam according to the previous years' analysis:

SectionTotal MarksGood Score
General English1612-14
Quantitative Aptitude1610-12
General Awareness1611-12
Analytical and Logical Reasoning129-10

Q:   Can I prepare for SET exam at home?

A:

If you have a good study plan, you can study independently at home for the SET exam. This exam is conducted only once a year and is relatively easier than other BBA entrance exams. The following is advice from professionals on how to create a SET study plan: 

  1. Using the SET syllabus as a guide, make a list of the subjects that the study materials must cover.
  2. Plan your study time on a monthly, weekly, and daily basis according to the time available.
  3. Analyze previous SET tests to note important topics.
  4. You can find a mentor to assist you or join any online study group.
  5. To enable thorough planning, assign a time limit to each section.
  6. Start reading newspaper and magazine editorials to gain a command of the verbal skill section.
  7. For the quantitative section, read the basic concepts and formulas from school textbooks.
  8. Examine your progress through mock tests on a monthly basis.
  9. Keep analyzing and improving your score over time until test day.
  10. Set your score to meet the cutoff for the college to which you want to apply.

Q:   Is IPMAT more difficult than SET (Symbiosis Entrance Test)?

A:

Comparing the difficulty level of IPMAT and SET can be subjective and depends on various factors such as individual strengths, preparation, and familiarity with the exam pattern. 

IPMAT, conducted by IIM Indore, is specifically designed for admission to the five-year Integrated Program in Management (IPM). It assesses a candidate's aptitude and proficiency in areas such as Quantitative Aptitude and Verbal Ability. The exam is known for its challenging and analytical nature, testing the candidate's problem-solving skills, logical reasoning, and time management abilities. Also, the QA section is a slightly tricker than the QA section of the SET exam.

On the other hand, the Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET) is conducted by Symbiosis International (Deemed University) for admission to various undergraduate programs offered by different institutes under the Symbiosis umbrella. The difficulty level of SET can vary depending on the specificprogrammeyou are applying for. The exam generally focuses on testing a candidate's knowledge, logical reasoning, analytical ability, and general awareness.

Both IPMAT and SET have their unique exam patterns, sections, and syllabi. The difficulty level of these BBA entrance exams can vary based on the individual's strengths and weaknesses in different subjects. Some candidates may find IPMAT more challenging due to its analytical and problem-solving nature, while others may find SET more difficult based on the specific sections and topics covered.

It's important to note that the difficulty level of an exam should not solely determine your decision to appear for it. Consider factors such as your interests, career goals, and the specificprogrammeor institute you wish to pursue. Focus on your preparation, understand the exam pattern and syllabus, and develop a study strategy that suits your strengths and weaknesses to perform well in the exam.

Q:   Which are the most important topics to focus for SET preparation?

A:
The five areas of the question are: -English-Synonyms, Antonyms, Reading Comprehension, Dictionary meaning of different words, correct grammar usage and their rules, etc. -Quantitative-Geometry, Algebra, Statistics. -General Awareness -General knowledge and current affairs. -Analytical Reasoning-Coding and decoding, Data interpretation, definitely true or false statements, probably true or false statements, etc. -Logical Reasoning. Some good books to practice are: Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by R.S. Agarwal Mental Aptitude by Subhkamna Publications Data Interpretation and Logical reasoning by Arun Sharma NCERT of 9th to 12th standard

Q:   How can I crack SET in 6 months?

A:
SET can be cracked in six months if time is managed wisely. Here are few tips to crack the examination provided time: Set your plan agile and keep buffer time for revision and solving mock test papers. Start with your verbal and quantitative practice in parallel. Six months can make or change the game, time management is very important at every single point of time till the final day and even on the day. Keep positive! Maintain a good balance between your accuracy and solving time. Be focused and calm. For the last month keep all the formulas and tricks handy and revise on a daily basis. Remember: - Make daily/weekly targets and pen down each - Revise the syllabus as per study plan - Solve previous year questions as per time frame guidelines of actual exam. This will give you a look and feel of actual exam - Manage your time well - Keep calm and stay cool
About the Author
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Saumya Jain
Assistant Manager- Content

With over 7 years of editorial experience, Saumya has been a writer at Shiksha for over four years. With a bachelor's degree in English literature from Delhi University, she loves to write. A true Delhiite and her l... Read Full Bio

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Answered 2 weeks ago

Questions on mathematics in the SET exam are based on Class 10 and Class 12 levels. The SET entrance is a popular BBA exam that the students can take after Class 12. The difficulty level of the SET exam is usually easy. The SET question paper is divided into four sections, i.e. General English, Quan

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Saumya Jain

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

While a background in mathematics can be beneficial for cracking the SET exam, it is not an absolute requirement. The SET exam assesses candidates on various subjects related to language, general knowledge and reasoning, and mathematics is just one component of the syllabus.

Candidates from various a

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14801983
Saumya Jain

Contributor-Level 10