What & how to prepare in 45 days
Don't get depressed or panicky. You can do it. If you have a sound grammar base, it will become easier to follow the rules and put them to correct usage. Go to your 12th standard English grammar book. It has hidden treasure which will be unfolded as you study it. You may go for following grammar rules and their correct usage. They are important to be understood, before going to attempt the correction of errors in this module:
1. Rules of tenses: Students who do not know how and where to use which tense and in what order, have more probability to lose marks while attempting the correction of grammatical errors in sentences. Please remember, this is the use of correct form of verb which describes the correct use of tense. We cannot use past perfect or past continuous where simple past is to be used. You cannot write - 'I had gone to see my friend yesterday' since only simple past is used with yesterday- so the correct sentence would be- 'I went to see my friend yesterday'. Besides, the ability to use perfect or continuous tenses in their correct perspective should be always with you all the time. So have the clear concept in regard to usage of all the tense forms.
2. Concept and usage of articles, nouns, pronouns: Relative pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, syntax of a sentence, conditional forms of sentences, parallel forms of sentences, reported speech, usage of various passive forms, agreement of subject-verb, use of infinites, gerund and participles are necessary to form a strong base of grammar. Errors for correction related to captioned parts of speech or formation of sentences have figured a number of times in CAT or XAT.
3. Usage of singular & plural number, objective & possessive cases, prepositions, various types of phrases, idioms, etc: These usages must also be well understood while preparing for CAT or XAT.
How to prepare
Follow grammar rules: “I am unable to follow grammar rules and get stuck maximum times as I don’t know which rule to apply.” This is an easy as well as very tricky problem to solve. To start preparation, let us assume we are going to learn the language, the grammar of which is not known to us. What shall we do? Either study on our own or approach someone who knows more than us. First part seems better but the problem is how and where to start from, who will clarify the doubts and confusions if I am stuck somewhere (which is inevitable as I am in a learning phase)? So, go for the second option, it has many advantages. The person or the institute, approached will have clarity of concept and usage, will help and guide when I am stuck. Hence, going topic wise and grasping the usage with some expert guidance always bring better results. But start the journey and start it fast in whatever way you like. Once you start the study of grammar, it will take you to the designated goal.
Right application of grammar: While reading and practicing the various usages in grammar module, we have to remember to put the correct word and its form at the right place. If the concept is fully understood and a number of exercises is done, there is no point that you will miss it. Lack of logical thought process and a tendency to use the half-understood concept make things worse and compound the confusion more. It is, therefore, necessary to practise more and more. Grammar, like mathematics, enriches you with more confidence, when it is practised more.
