- ▪ Why Should You Use General English Books For Competitive Exams?
- ▪ Why Shouldn't You Waste Money On Courses?
- ▪ How To Find The Best General English Book For You?
- ▪ Oswal – Gurukul's A Comprehensive Guide On General English For Competitive Exams
- ▪ Oswal – Gurukul's Objective English For Competitive Exams
- ▪ Important Tips & Tricks To Prepare English For Competitive Exams
- ▪ Start Preparing Your Competitive Exam With These Best English Books
If you are preparing for any competitive exam and want to improve your English skills, then this article is for you. In today’s world, the need for English proficiency has increased manifold. In fact, many employers prefer job applicants who have excellent communication skills in English.
For any competitive exam like Banking or SSC or UPSC, preparing with the best general English books resources will help you score the marks you desire to get your career started.
This article briefs about 2 important books by Oswal – Gurukul that will help you achieve that.
What’s great about those books is that they are designed to help you succeed in your goals of cracking competitive exams like Banking, SSC, Management Entrance, Railways, Laws, and Defence.
So, let’s begin the article by knowing why you should use general English books in your study preparation.
Why Should You Use General English Books For Competitive Exams?
Knowing your strengths and weaknesses as a test taker can help you focus your study time on where you need the most work.
You should use General English books because:
- They have detailed guidelines about basic grammar rules, which will strengthen your basics
- You will gain knowledge with respect to recent language and how to speak and write properly
- The questions and exercises given in the book will help you prepare for your competitive exam more strategically
- Solving these questions will improve your focus and understanding of the English Language
- This, in turn, will improve your communication skills so that you’ll be better at speaking, writing, using punctuation, and reading
- Reduce stress and pressure because all the questions in the General English books are designed keeping the Indian students in mind and per the competitive exams’ format.
Now you might think whether books are the best way to prepare for your competitive exams when there are so many courses, some of them free.
Why should you invest 300 rupees on a book when things can be available to you for free on the internet or in some courses?
Well, you’ve got a valid question, and we’ll answer why you shouldn’t waste money on courses in the next section.
Why Shouldn’t You Waste Money On Courses?
You should not be spending money and resources on courses when you can learn from books.
The old-fashioned way of teaching English may seem unusual, but it has merits. Reading and writing for long periods is the best way to learn a language.
A course can only provide English lessons in a one-sided manner. It cannot give you the tools or information that you would be able to find in a general English book.
In the course, you don’t have access to the teacher. A course is focused on the mass and may not necessarily be as per the latest format of the competitive exams.
These English books are not just for reading, they have many other uses. They can be used as a dictionary, a note-taker, or even as a life coach!
Oswal – Gurukul’s books are designed to help you learn basic grammar vocabulary, and practice grammar, punctuation & spelling the right way!
How To Find The Best General English Book For You?
One of the best ways to improve your English is by reading. Of course, for that, you have to buy top-rated English books. But since there are plenty of English books on the market, where should you start?
Here are some helpful tips for finding the best general English book for you:
- The first thing to do is to assess your needs. Do you want to read a general book, or are you looking for something more specific?
For example, if you want to do well in an exam like Banking, SSC, Law, Management, CAT, LIC, etc., then it would be better to find an exam-specific guide.
Oswal – Gurukul’s A Comprehensive Guide On General English For Competitive Exams is the perfect guide for preparing for competitive exams.
On the other hand, if you want good general knowledge and understanding of how different phrases in English are used, Oswal – Gurukul’s Objective English For Competitive Exams is the best. From grammar, vocabulary, punctuation, and spelling–it has everything!
- Know your level and the exam goals.
- Consider reading time and how many words are on each page.
- Check the reviews and try previewing some pages or chapters of a book.
The primary goal of a general English book is to prepare aspirants for competitive exams. It provides grammar and sentence structure lessons and improves your reading comprehension and ability to appreciate the nuances of language.
- Choose a book with chapters organized according to topics.
- Consider buying a book that has been written by experts in language teaching or who have taught at leading universities. Like in A Comprehensive Guide On General English For Competitive Exams, there’s an in-depth explanation of concepts in Hindi for a clear understanding of the student.
- Make sure that you have enough time before your exam to go through all materials thoroughly.
Now that you’ve filtered the book according to your exam, let’s understand what’s special about the 2 books we’ve mentioned:
Oswal – Gurukul’s A Comprehensive Guide On General English For Competitive Exams
A good general English book should not just teach you grammar rules but also concentrate on developing your speaking and writing skills.
There are a number of books that claim to be the best general English books for competitive exams. But, not all of them are really useful for exam preparation.
Competitive exams require a high level of vocabulary skills, so it is necessary to have an excellent book with updated and relevant words. This is why many students go for books that claim to be the best in the market.
Unfortunately, most of these books lack in quality as they are either too old or too expensive.
Thorough research will help you find out which general English book would suit your needs and also provide you with an idea of how much each book costs.
It is always tough to select the best English book for competitive exams. But that’s why we’re here to help you. Here’s why…
Why You Should Try A Comprehensive Guide on General English by Oswal – Gurukul
1. Includes 3 major sections –
Section A – Grammar
Section B – Vocabulary
Section C – Reading Comprehension
2. It has an in-depth explanation of concepts in the bilingual medium for a clear understanding of students
3. Thorough coverage of all important topics that might come in your
4. Variety of practice exercises with answer keys provided
5. Get familiarized with the style and type of questions
6. 5 sample papers for revision test that will help you in self-assessment
About A Comprehensive Guide On General English For Competitive Exams:
1. Book author and author’s basic description: This competitive English book is by NEELAM MALKANI published by Oswal – Gurukul
2. Which book edition is this: It is of 2022 edition
3. Who is this book for (students and teachers): it is for both. For students, it’ll help in self-assessment, and for teachers, they will be able to guide the students more properly
4. Cost of the book: 499
5. How many questions: More than 500
6. How many solved and unsolved questions: 5 revision test papers for self-assessment
7. Are there any chapter summaries: Yes, each chapter has summaries included.
Contents of A Comprehensive Guide On General English For Competitive Exams:
Section A – Grammar
- Parts of Speech
- Noun
- Pronoun
- Adjectives
- Adverbs
- Conjunctions
- Prepositions
- Articles
- Verbs
- Modals
- Verbals
- Analysis of sentences
- Modifiers
- Subject-verb agreement
- Tenses
- Conditional sentences
- Active and passive voice
- Direct and indirect speeches
- Parallelisms
- Question tags
- Punctuation
SECTION B – Vocabulary
- Vocabulary building techniques
- Synonyms
- Antonyms
- Confusing words
- One-word subsittuiton
- Fill in the blanks
- Cloze tests
- Para jumbles
- Analogies
- Phrasal verbs
- Idioms
- Proverbs
SECTION C – Comprehension
Oswal – Gurukul’s Objective English For Competitive Exams
This book is a must-have for both students and teachers. It not only helps students to understand what they should learn but also teaches them how to use this knowledge.
The objective English book series was created as a tool for all levels of learners for understanding the language and its usage and to build their vocabulary. The books are perfect for those who want to study English independently without any assistance from teachers or tutors.
A word of caution: Practicing from the best books will help you strengthen your command of the language not just for the competitive exam but for life. So choose the correct book only.
It is always tough to select the best English book for competitive exams. But that’s why we’re here to help you. Here’s why…
Why You Should Try Objective English For Competitive Exams
- Includes 4 major sections –
Basic Grammar
Vocabulary
Practice Grammar
Punctuation & Spelling
- It includes previous years’ questions so you can assess your preparation based on your difficulty level.
- A detailed analysis of all important topics.
- Ample test papers, questions, and exercises in an objective format for practice.
- Get familiarized with the style and type of questions as per the competitive exams’ format.
- Give as many mock tests to prepare better.
About Oswal – Gurukul’s Objective English For Competitive Exams:
1. Book author and author’s basic description: This Objective English book is by Oswal – Gurukul
2. Which book edition is this: It is of 2020 edition
3. Who is this book for (students and teachers): it is for both. For students, it’ll help in self-assessment, and for teachers, they will be able to guide the students more properly
4. Cost of the book: 380
5. How many questions: More than 500
6. How many solved and unsolved questions: Many mock papers and questions from previous years/
7. Are there any chapter summaries: Yes, each chapter has summaries included.
Contents of Objective English For Competitive Exams
Section A – Basic Grammar
- Tenses
- Voices
- Modals
- Sentences and clauses
- Clause analysis
- Question tags
- Verbs
- Non-infinitive verbs
- Articles
- Nouns
- Pronouns
- Adjectives
- Adverbs
- Conjunctions
- Prepositions
- Articles
- Spotting errors
- Sentence improvements
- Select the correct structure
Section B – Vocabulary
- Phrasal Verbs
- Idioms and Phrases
- Paronyms and Homonyms
- Word Clusters
- Important Word-Meanings
- Sentences and Clauses
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- Foreign Words in the English Language
- Sentence Completion
- Cloze Test
- Comprehension Based Questions
- Parajumbles
- Reading Comprehension
Section C – Grammar in Practice
- Direct and indirect Speech
- Synthesis of Sentences
- Transformation of Sentences
Section D – Punctuation & Spellings
- Punctuation
- Rules for Spellings
- Contractions 330
Test papers
- Revision tests
- Questions from Previous Years’Exams
- Mock Test Papers
Important Tips & Tricks To Prepare English For Competitive Exams
Now that you know the best English books to buy to prepare for your competitive exam, you need to know how you can maximize their potential to the optimum.
For that, here are a few important tips & tricks to prepare English for competitive exams.
Please bear in mind that these are just general tips that might help you prepare better. As a student, your focus should be to approach learning English that will help you throughout your life, not just exams.
Continue to improve yourself with English; find a way to make everything you do in your everyday activities revolve around English.
- Read a lot: Whether it is blogs, books, newspapers, or magazines – Reading and specifically reading aloud will help you improve your communication skills, and you’ll be able to understand where you lack.
Even teachers might not be able to assess your weak areas as proficiently as you can, so read a lot.
- Keep a dictionary by your side–You can buy a dictionary or install it on your phone for quick assessment. Anytime you face an issue, just use the dictionary!
Don’t draw conclusions about the meaning of words that you don’t understand. Instead, make it a habit to consult the dictionary frequently. Keep it nearby at hand.
- Use entertainment to educate yourself. We’re not saying to cut off from entertainment entirely but use it for your best use. Watch good English movies, series, and English TV news channels. Hear what the narrator is saying; see how they’re using verbs, adjectives, and tenses in their language.
- Read good fiction and non-fiction books in English that you find interesting. In addition, reading diction books will improve your imagination.
- See, English is our 2nd language, so we may not be as proficient as native speakers, but the thing is, you should strive for perfection. We’re taught the idea of writing/speaking in English, but you must also think in English.
It might be difficult to do initially, but trust us, start small and keep practising.
Frame your thoughts in English and express them freely.
- Sit down and write down your thoughts, feelings, ideas, and observations in your head; write short stories, articles, blogs, or anything else that arises to your mind naturally. This can help you improve your writing skills.
As a result, you will have a better chance of performing well in the writing section of your exam.
- Speak without fear. Don’t let fear of not being ‘good’ at speaking English stop you. Be bold and speak with authenticity. Don’t try to fake an accent. Do whatever comes naturally to you but just do and speak. If you can’t pronounce a word properly, Google the pronunciation.
- Talk to yourself in front of the mirror. Or try conversing with your parents, family members, and friends in English as much as you can. Once you feel comfortable with them, you can talk to strangers without any hesitation.
- If you find yourself not able to use or remember the correct word, refer to the dictionary.
- One last thing: Speaking English confidently does not mean you have to be great at knowing difficult, innovative, or Shakespearean words.
You will be proficient in English when you can properly hold a conversation and make the other person understand your viewpoints without hesitations.
Start Preparing Your Competitive Exam With These Best English Books
We hope you crack your English exam with amazing marks and make yourself proud.
Refer to the books mentioned in the article to improve your performance without wasting money on frivolous books that don’t guarantee results.
Competitive exams such as UPSC, Bank PO, and SSC bring out the best in people looking for a job in any of these sectors. But success in these exams requires preparation.
It is human nature to want to excel, especially in the areas where one feels slightly weak. We tend to feel a little insecure when we cannot perform at our optimum level.
So, depending on your current English language level, we understand that you might feel intimidated by the prospect of taking an exam that tests your general knowledge and reading comprehension. However, this feeling will fade once you see how beneficial these exams can be in your career.
Let us know if you have any questions! We’re rooting for your good marks! 🙂
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