The English section is one of the important sections in the IBPS Exam, as it helps students to score some very good marks in the exam. In this article, we have discussed some preparation tips for English Section which can ace your IBPS exam preparation in an efficient manner.
IBPS Exam English Preparation
English is particular among the scoring areas of the IBPS exam. However, students can find it difficult due to the need for proper strategies and guidance. With the right guide, you'll score more points in this section than any other. Also, English is a fun subject, so you won't get bored while preparing. This article explains how to prepare in English for the IBPS exam and some tips and tricks to do well in this section. You can enjoy preparing for various subjects in English. The English section of the IBPS exam consists of three sections: reading skills test, grammar, and vocabulary. First, let's review the entire syllabus and the expected number of questions on this topic.
IBPS Exam English Syllabus
IBPS Exam is one of the toughest exams in the banking sector. If aspirants prepare well then the English section can give candidates an upper hand in the exam. In the table below you can find the IBPS English Syllabus from Prelims and Mains along with the number of expected questions from that topic.
Q: How do I start preparation for the IBPS PO exam?
Q: What should I cover for the Quantitative Aptitude section in the IBPS exam?
Q: Is the IBPS PO exam tough to crack?
The difficulty level of IBPS PO exam varies depending on the variety of factors such as the number of applicants, the level of competition, and the complexity of the material being tested. IBPS PO is a competitive exam that requires significant amount of preparation and hard work in order to clear the exam. It is important to familarise themselves with the exam format and syllabus. Candidates must also solve the previous years' question papers to know the type of questions asked in the exam. The tips and tricks to prepare for IBPS PO exam are given below:
- The first and foremost step towards IBPS PO exam preparation is knowing the syllabus and exam pattern
- Candidates must also go through the previous years’ cut off marks to know the level of competition and prepare accordingly for the exam
- After going through the syllabus, candidates must prepare preparation strategy for the exam based on the important topics
- Candidates must also solve the previous years’ question papers to know the type of questions asked in the exam
- Candidates must also attempt mock test to improve speed and accuracy
| Topics |
Expected Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension |
10-15 |
| Cloze Test |
10 |
| Fill in the blanks |
0-5 |
| Multiple meaning/error solving |
0-5 |
| Paragraph/Sentence Correction |
5-10 |
| Para Jumbles |
5 |
| Jumbled Sentences |
5 |
| Word Association/Vocabulary |
5 |
| Active/Passive Voice |
1-5 |
Also Read: IBPS Exam Syllabus in detail
How to Prepare English for IBPS Exam?
Here are some tips to prepare for the English section of the IBPS Exam.
Understand the Pattern of the Exam
In preparation for the English section of the IBPS, you should first understand the IBPS Exam pattern and weighting of the various subjects in the preliminary and core subjects. So let's first understand the pattern of the English section of the IBPS for both Preliminary and Core subjects.
Upcoming Sarkari Exam Dates
26 Dec '24 - 17 Jan '25
18 Jan '25 - 20 Jan '25
31 Jan '25
31 Jan '25
31 Jan '25
22 Feb '25 - 23 Feb '25
4 Feb '25 - 25 Feb '25
27 Feb '25
13 Apr '25
25 Apr '25 - 25 May '25
As you can see in the above table, there is a slight difference in the number of questions between the preliminary exam and the main exam.
The preliminary exam tests your speed more closely and has relatively easy questions. The main exam tests your understanding of the subject matter. The main exam thoroughly tests your knowledge of the subject matter.
Develop a Reading Habit
Start reading books of your favourite genre, it can be fictional, non-fictional, biography or a novel. This will increase your interest in the English subject and you will enjoy reading it. It will enhance your imagination and creativity.
Q: How can I crack IBPS clerk exam?
It is important for candidates to utilise the right resources to prepare for IBPS Clerk exam. The accurate preparation strategy helps candidates in moving ahead on the path to success. Candidates need to put in consistent and dedicated efforts to prepare for IBPS Clerk exam in the right direction. If candidates are preparing for the exam, it is essential for candidates to have an efficient study plan. This will help candidates to prepare in the best possible way. As this is a competitive exam, without study plan, candidates may struggle to clear the cutoff. The tips and tricks to prepare for the exam are given below:
- For English Language, candidates can focus on the topics such as reading comprehension, cloze test, fillers, spotting errors, etc. Candidates can improve their comprehension by reading newspapers
- For Reasoning Ability section, candidates must practice more questions on the topics such as puzzles, inequalities, syllogism, coding decoding, blood relations, seating arrangements
- For Numerical Ability section, candidates must practice a variety of questions on different topics including simplification, number series, data interpretation, and quadratic equations.
- Candidates must attempt mock tests inorder to identify the strengths and weaknesses
- Candidates must focus on the important topics that carry higher weightage
Q: What should be the daily study routine/plan to crack the IBPS PO exam?
Q: Is SBI Clerk exam more difficult than IBPS Clerk?
Q: What is the preparation strategy for IBPS?
Q: Can I use the IBPS Clerk syllabus to prepare for other banking exams as well?
IBPS Clerk syllabus is same for all other Clerical level exams. Candidates preparing for other banking exams can use IBPS Clerk syllabus to clear the topics and concepts covered in the syllabus. However, candidates should always check the specific syllabus for the exam they are preparing for to ensure that they are focusing on the most relevant topics.
Read the Newspaper
The emphasis here is on reading newspapers. Because this will help you earn extra points in other areas as well. Not only will you stay current on current affairs, but the editorials included will also help improve your reading comprehension. It is best to read it and summarize it in your own words.
Refresh the Basics
Yes, there is always time to start from scratch. Check out the basic grammar rules. Get the best English exam prep book and give it a try! Review it every week, and remember it.
Increase Vocabulary
This is very important, but we must pay more attention to it. If you have enough vocabulary, most problems can be solved at once. Because you need to understand the meaning to grasp the context, it can turn everything upside down. To avoid situations like this, constantly update your vocabulary.
It's best to write down anything new you find. This can be when reading a text or when taking a test. Find its meaning, synonyms/antonyms, and correct usage in different tenses.
Also Read: IBPS Application Form 2022
How can you Improve your English for IBPS?
Each task can be improved with practice. You will face many challenges when preparing for the IBPS exam, but the fear of failure can only be overcome with practice and practice. Here are some basic tips to help you improve your English for the IBPS exam.
Always speak English: You need to get used to speaking English. Always speak English with your friends, family, or anyone else. This will improve your English. Read the newspaper.
Reading English newspapers will help you understand English better. You can select a paragraph and rewrite it. This will help you improve your knowledge of tenses.
Solve a series of English tests: Time management is one of the biggest challenges in the English IBPS section. Therefore, candidates should regularly complete practice test items to compete with better scores.
Best Books for IBPS English Preparation
Candidates are advised to pick the best book for their preparation for English subject. Here is a list of some best books for English for the IBPS Exam.
| Books |
Author |
Publishers |
|---|---|---|
| English Grammar & Composition |
Wren and Martin |
S. Chand |
| Word Power Made Easy |
Norman Lewis |
Penguin |
| Descriptive General English |
S P Bakshi and Richa Sharma |
Arihant |
| Objective English for Competitive Examinations |
Hari Mohan Prasad, Uma Rani Sinha |
Mcgraw Hill Education |
| Objective General English |
R.S Aggarwal, Vikas Aggarwal |
S. Chand |
| Practise Papers |
Kiran Prakashan |
Kiran Prakashan |
Read More:
IBPS English Preparation FAQs
Q. What topics are covered in IBPS Exam Syllabus for English?
Q. What are the IBPS Exam 2022 tips?
Q. How can I get a perfect score in the IBPS English Section?
Q. How I can improve my vocabulary for IBPS exam?
Q. What is the weightage of Reading Comprehension in the IBPS exam?
News & Updates
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
The prelims exam for IBPS SO 2025 will be conducted on November 22 and 23, 2025. The Mains exam for IBPS SO 2025 will be conducted on January 4, 2026.
A
Beginner-Level 4
Answered Yesterday
The prelims exam for IBPS PO 2025 will be conducted on October 4, 5 and 11, 2025. The Mains exam will be conducted on November 29, 2025. The selection process of IBPS PO comprises prelims exam, Mains exam and interview.
I
Beginner-Level 4
Answered Yesterday
The prelims exam for IBPS Clerk (Customer Service Associates) will be conducted on December 6, 7, 13 and 14, 2025. The Mains exam for this post will be conducted on February 1, 2026. The examination authority has renamed the post of Clerks to Customer Service Associates.
B
Beginner-Level 4
Answered Yesterday
IBPS RRB Clerk prelims exam will be conducted on August 30, September 6 and 7, 2025. IBPS RRB PO prelims exam will be conducted on July 27, August 2 and 3, 2025. IBPS RRB single online exam and Mains exam for Officers Scale 2 & 3 and PO posts will be conducted on September 13, 2025. IBPS RRB Cler
I
Beginner-Level 4
Answered a month ago
The exam pattern for IBPS Clerk is summarised below.
| Specifications | Prelims | Mains |
|---|---|---|
Number of sections | Three | Four |
IBPS clerk exam time duration | 60 minutes | 160 minutes |
IBPS Clerk sectional timing | 20 minutes | General/Financial Awareness and English: 35 minutes Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude and Quantitative Aptitude: 45 minutes |
Number of questions | 100 | 190 |
IBPS clerk total marks | 100 | 200 |
Language of question paper | 13 regional languages along with English & Hindi | |
Mode of exam | Online | |
M
Beginner-Level 4
Answered a month ago
The cut off is released for the following stages of the exam:
Prelims exam: On the basis of the prelims cutoff, candidates are shortlisted for the Mains exam.
Mains exam: Based on IBPS cut off for Mains exam, candidates are selected for interviews. The cutoff of the Mains exam is also taken into consi
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
IBPS cut off is applied to the following:
Individual scores: The sectional cut-off is the minimum score that candidates need to obtain in the respective sections of the paper.
Total scores: The overall cut off is the minimum aggregate marks that candidates have to score in the exam.
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Normalisation is the standard method followed to calculate the marks of candidates where the exam is conducted in multiple shifts. This is done to adjust the variations in the difficulty level of the question paper. IBPS cut-off is calculated after normalizing the marks of candidates.
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Yes, a CA Inter-qualified candidate can apply for various banking exams. Most of the bank exams allow candidates who have graduated or above from any recognised college/University. For most banking jobs, CA Inter completion is considered graduation.
A few important points of eligibility are:
Bank PO E
Contributor-Level 10
When IBPS SO 2025 exam will be conducted?