WBPSC Clerkship English Sentence Structure Notes – Solved Questions PDF
Free WBPSC Clerkship Part-I English Sentence Structure notes with 105 solved questions. Sentence types, transformation, clause analysis, word reordering & error spotting with Bengali explanations.
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105 solved questions • Rules + Summary Table • English + বাংলা
Module 1: Sentence Types & Classification
Simple, Compound, Complex — 26 Questions
Identify whether a sentence is Simple, Compound or Complex by counting finite verbs and spotting subordinating / coordinating conjunctions.
Structural Rules
- Simple Sentence (সরল বাক্য): Contains exactly one independent clause with one finite verb. May contain compound subjects, compound predicates, non-finite verbs (infinitives, participles, gerunds) or prepositional phrases.
- Structure: Subject + Finite Verb + Object/Complement/Modifier
- Compound Sentence (যৌগিক বাক্য): Two or more independent clauses joined by coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet) or correlative conjunctions (neither…nor, either…or, not only…but also).
- Structure: Clause₁ (Independent) + Coordinating Conjunction + Clause₂ (Independent)
- Complex Sentence (জটিল বাক্য): One principal clause + at least one subordinate clause joined by subordinating conjunctions (because, after, before, although, though, if, when, where, which, that, who, as, since, so that).
- Structure: Principal Clause + Subordinating Conjunction + Subordinate Clause
Q1
Identify the sentence type: "He rushed to the hospital after he had heard the news."
✅ Correct Answer: (C) Complex Sentence
English: One principal clause ("He rushed to the hospital") + one subordinate adverbial clause of time ("after he had heard the news") introduced by "after". One principal + at least one subordinate clause = Complex Sentence.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: বাক্যটিতে একটি প্রধান খণ্ডবাক্য এবং subordinating conjunction "after" দ্বারা যুক্ত একটি অধীনস্থ খণ্ডবাক্য রয়েছে। ফলে এটি Complex Sentence।
Q2
Classify: "By the time we reached home, the rain had stopped."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) Complex Sentence
English: "By the time we reached home" forms a subordinate clause of time relying on the principal clause "the rain had stopped".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "By the time we reached home" একটি সময় নির্দেশক অধীনস্থ খণ্ডবাক্য যা প্রধান খণ্ডবাক্য "the rain had stopped"-এর ওপর নির্ভরশীল।
Q3
Identify the sentence type: "Neither Lata nor Sujata was present in class on 14th October."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Simple Sentence
English: Though joined by "neither…nor", it is a compound subject sharing a single finite verb ("was"). One finite verb + one independent clause = Simple Sentence.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "neither…nor" দিয়ে দুটি বিশেষ্য যুক্ত হলেও এখানে একটি মাত্র সমাপিকা ক্রিয়া ("was") রয়েছে। তাই এটি Simple Sentence।
Q4
What type of sentence is: "The tired hawker sat under the tree."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Simple Sentence
English: One subject + one finite verb + a prepositional phrase. No coordinating or subordinating clauses.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: একটি মাত্র Subject, একটি মাত্র Finite Verb এবং একটি Prepositional Phrase। কোনো subordinate clause নেই, তাই Simple Sentence।
Q5
Classify: "The cat sneaked in and sat beside the little girl."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Simple Sentence with a compound predicate
English: A single subject ("The cat") performs two past actions ("sneaked in" and "sat beside the little girl") joined by "and". Same subject = compound predicate in one Simple Sentence.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "The cat" একটি মাত্র Subject দুটি ক্রিয়া সম্পন্ন করছে যা "and" দ্বারা যুক্ত। এটি Compound Predicate বিশিষ্ট Simple Sentence।
Q6
Identify the sentence category: "Sita and Meera quarrelled between themselves."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) Simple Sentence
English: "Sita and Meera" = compound subject governed by a single finite verb ("quarrelled"). One independent clause, no subordinate structure.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "Sita and Meera" একটি যৌথ কর্তা, যা একটি মাত্র finite verb গ্রহণ করেছে। কোন অধীনস্থ খণ্ডবাক্য না থাকায় Simple Sentence।
Q7
Analyze the structure: "He decided to visit him at his home."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Simple Sentence
English: "He" = subject, "decided" = sole finite verb, "to visit him at his home" = infinitive phrase (non-finite). One finite verb = Simple Sentence.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "decided" হলো একমাত্র Finite Verb। "to visit" একটি Infinitive (Non-finite verb)। তাই Simple Sentence।
Q8
Classify: "The examiner could not understand the candidate's handwriting because it was illegible."
✅ Correct Answer: (C) Complex Sentence
English: Main clause + subordinate clause of reason ("because it was illegible") connected by "because".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "because" সংযোজক অব্যয় দ্বারা যুক্ত প্রধান খণ্ডবাক্য ও কারণবাচক অধীনস্থ খণ্ডবাক্য থাকার কারণে Complex Sentence।
Q9
Classify: "Ratna's mother is illiterate, so she cannot even sign her name."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) Compound Sentence
English: Two independent clauses joined by coordinating conjunction "so".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "so" (Coordinating Conjunction) দ্বারা দুটি স্বাধীন খণ্ডবাক্য যুক্ত হয়েছে। তাই Compound Sentence।
Q10
Identify: "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) Simple Sentence
English: "Early to bed and early to rise" = single unified idea as subject + singular finite verb "makes". One independent clause.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "Early to bed and early to rise" একটি একক বিষয়কে নির্দেশ করে এবং Singular Finite Verb "makes" গ্রহণ করে।
Q11
Structural type of: "He was too preoccupied with his studies to think of other matters."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) Simple Sentence
English: "too…to" uses infinitive phrase ("to think of other matters"). Only one finite verb ("was") — grammatically Simple.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "too…to" গঠনে "to think" একটি Non-finite Verb (Infinitive)। পুরো বাক্যে একটি মাত্র Finite Verb ("was") থাকায় Simple Sentence।
Q12
Classify: "He was preoccupied with his studies, and so he could not think of other matters."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) Compound Sentence
English: Two independent clauses joined by "and so".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "and so" সমন্বয়ী অব্যয় দ্বারা দুটি স্বাধীন বাক্য যুক্ত হওয়ায় Compound Sentence।
Q13
Classify: "He was so preoccupied with his studies that he could not think of other matters."
✅ Correct Answer: (C) Complex Sentence
English: Subordinate clause of result ("that he could not think of other matters") introduced by "that".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "that…" অংশটি একটি Subordinate Clause (ফলাফলসূচক)। প্রধান খণ্ডবাক্যের সাথে যুক্ত হয়ে Complex Sentence।
Q14
Identify: "When Deepak could not solve the problem, he decided to give up."
✅ Correct Answer: (C) Complex Sentence
English: "When Deepak could not solve the problem" = subordinate adverbial clause of time introduced by "when", depending on main clause "he decided to give up".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "When" দ্বারা প্রবর্তিত অংশটি Subordinate Adverbial Clause; Main Clause "he decided to give up"-এর ওপর নির্ভরশীল।
Q15
Identify: "Deepak could not solve the problem, and therefore he decided to give up."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) Compound Sentence
English: Two coordinate independent clauses joined by "and therefore".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "and therefore" দ্বারা দুটি সমান গুরুত্বপূর্ণ স্বাধীন খণ্ডবাক্য যুক্ত হয়েছে।
Q16
Classify: "Being unable to solve the problem, Deepak decided to give up."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Simple Sentence
English: "Being unable to solve the problem" = participial phrase with non-finite verb ("Being"). Only one finite verb ("decided").
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "Being unable…" অংশটি পার্টিসিপল বাক্যাংশ। কেবল একটি Finite Verb ("decided") থাকায় Simple Sentence।
Q17
Analyze: "The man was so credulous that he believed that God Himself had drunk the milk offered."
✅ Correct Answer: (C) Complex Sentence
English: One principal clause ("The man was so credulous") + two embedded subordinate clauses ("that he believed…" and "that God Himself had drunk…").
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: প্রধান খণ্ডবাক্যের অধীনে একাধিক অধীনস্থ খণ্ডবাক্য "that" দিয়ে যুক্ত থাকায় Complex Sentence।
Q18
Classify: "The man was very credulous and believed that the milk was drunk by God Himself."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) Compound Sentence
English: Two independent clauses joined by coordinating conjunction "and".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "and" দিয়ে দুটি স্বাধীন খণ্ডবাক্য যুক্ত হওয়ায় Compound Sentence।
Q19
Classify: "Owing to his credulity, the man believed that the milk was drunk by God Himself."
✅ Correct Answer: (C) Complex Sentence
English: "Owing to his credulity" is a prepositional phrase, but "that the milk was drunk by God Himself" is a subordinate noun clause acting as object of "believed".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "Owing to…" Prepositional Phrase, তবে "that the milk was drunk…" একটি Subordinate Noun Clause। ফলে Complex Sentence।
Q20
Identify: "The man seems abnormal because he frequently laughs loudly for no reason."
✅ Correct Answer: (C) Complex Sentence
English: Main clause "The man seems abnormal" + subordinate adverbial clause of reason introduced by "because".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "because" দ্বারা যুক্ত কারণসূচক অপ্রধান খণ্ডবাক্য থাকায় Complex Sentence।
Q21
Classify: "The man frequently laughs loudly for no reason, and so he seems abnormal."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) Compound Sentence
English: Two independent main clauses joined by coordinating conjunction "and so".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "and so" দ্বারা দুটি প্রধান খণ্ডবাক্য যুক্ত হওয়ায় Compound Sentence।
Q22
Identify: "Because of his frequent loud laughter for no reason, the man seems abnormal."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Simple Sentence
English: "Because of…" = prepositional phrase (not a clause). One finite verb ("seems").
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "Because of…" কোন clause নয়। একটি মাত্র finite verb ("seems") থাকায় Simple Sentence।
Q23
Identify: "He moved heaven and earth so that he could get bail for his friend."
✅ Correct Answer: (C) Complex Sentence
English: "so that" introduces subordinate clause of purpose ("so that he could get bail for his friend").
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "so that" (উদ্দেশ্যবাচক Subordinating Conjunction) দিয়ে অধীনস্থ খণ্ডবাক্য যুক্ত থাকায় Complex Sentence।
Q24
Classify: "He moved heaven and earth and got bail for his friend."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) Compound Sentence
English: Two coordinate predicates joined by "and".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "and" দ্বারা দুটি সমকক্ষ খণ্ডবাক্য যুক্ত থাকায় Compound Sentence।
Q25
Classify: "Moving heaven and earth, he got bail for his friend."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Simple Sentence
English: "Moving heaven and earth" = participial phrase. Only one finite verb ("got").
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "Moving heaven and earth" পার্টিসিপল বাক্যাংশ। একটি মাত্র Finite Verb ("got") থাকায় Simple Sentence।
Q26
Identify: "The boys are flying kites in the sky, and they are enjoying themselves."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) Compound Sentence
English: Two complete independent clauses joined by "and".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "and" সংযোজক অব্যয় দিয়ে দুটি স্বাধীন খণ্ডবাক্য যুক্ত হওয়ায় Compound Sentence।
Module 2: Sentence Transformation
Affirmative, Negative, Assertive, Interrogative, Exclamatory & Degrees — 25 Questions
Change voice, narration, sentence type and degree of comparison without altering the meaning.
Rules for Sentence Transformation
- Assertive → Interrogative:
- If affirmative, make the question negative-interrogative.
- Invert auxiliary: Aux + Subject + Main Verb + …?
- Example: "You have had dinner." → "Have you had your dinner?"
- Active → Passive Voice:
- Object of Active → Subject of Passive.
- Auxiliary (Be-verb per tense) + Past Participle (V₃) + by/at/with/to + Subject (as Object).
- Present Continuous: am/is/are + being + V₃
- Past Simple: was/were + V₃ • Future Simple: will/shall + be + V₃
- Degrees of Comparison:
- Positive: No other … is as [Positive Adjective] as …
- Comparative: [Subject] is [Comparative Adjective] than any other …
- Superlative: [Subject] is the [Superlative Adjective] …
Q27
Transform into interrogative: "You have had your dinner."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) Have you had your dinner?
English: Present Perfect: auxiliary "have" + main verb "had" (past participle). To make interrogative, place "Have" before "you".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Present Perfect-এ Auxiliary Verb "Have"-কে Subject "you"-এর আগে বসালে সঠিক প্রশ্নবোধক রূপ "Have you had your dinner?" হয়।
Q28
Transform into interrogative: "She had time to finish all the questions."
✅ Correct Answer: (D) Had she time to finish all the questions?
English: Direct inversion of "had" to the front of "she" — standard formal interrogative.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "had" verb-টিকে Subject "she"-এর পূর্বে বসিয়ে Interrogative করা হয়।
Q29
Passive → Active: "The crazy girl was laughed at."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) They laughed at the crazy girl.
English: Agent omitted → supply "They". Past passive "was laughed at" → past active "laughed at".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Passive-এ উহ্য কর্তা "They" ধরে Simple Past-এ "laughed at" বসে।
Q30
Active → Passive: "The boys are flying kites in the sky."
✅ Correct Answer: (C) Kites are being flown by the boys in the sky.
English: Present Continuous Active "are flying" → Passive "are being flown".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Present Continuous-এর Passive গঠন: Object + is/are + being + V₃ + by + Subject।
Q31
Active → Passive: "The tutor taught Ronny Mathematics for two years."
✅ Correct Answer: (C) Ronny was taught Mathematics by the tutor for two years.
English: Double object → prefer indirect personal object "Ronny" as passive subject. Simple past "taught" → "was taught".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: দ্বিকর্মক ক্রিয়ায় ব্যক্তিবাচক Indirect Object "Ronny"-কে Passive-এর Subject করাই বাঞ্ছনীয়।
Q32
Active → Passive: "The society will help the poor children with money."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) The poor children will be helped by the society with money.
English: Simple Future "will help" → Passive "will be helped".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Simple Future-এর Passive: Object + will be + V₃ + by + Subject।
Q33
Passive → Active: "Many things may be accomplished by a little effort."
✅ Correct Answer: (D) One may accomplish many things by a little effort.
English: Modal passive "may be accomplished" → "may accomplish". Indefinite subject "One" preserves general applicability. Article "a little effort" retained.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Modal Passive → Active-এ "may accomplish", সাধারণ কর্তা "One", এবং "a little effort" সঠিকভাবে রাখা হয়েছে।
Q34
Direct → Indirect: He said to me, "I have never seen such a brilliant boy in my life."
✅ Correct Answer: (D) He told me that he had never seen such a brilliant boy in his life.
English: "said to me" → "told me"; "that" added; Present Perfect "have never seen" → Past Perfect "had never seen"; "my" → "his".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "said to" → "told me", "I" → "he", Present Perfect → Past Perfect, "my life" → "his life"।
Q35
Affirmative → Negative (same meaning): "All except Alok were present during the meeting."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) No one except Alok was absent during the meeting.
English: "All were present" → "No one … was absent" — double negative preserves meaning.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: অর্থ পরিবর্তন না করে Negative করতে "All were present"-কে "No one… was absent" দ্বারা রূপান্তর।
Q36
Negative → Affirmative: "Rita's mother did not approve of her returning home so late at night."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Rita's mother disapproved of her returning home so late at night.
English: "did not approve of" → antonymous verb "disapproved of", keeping tense and meaning intact.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "did not approve of"-এর অর্থ পরিবর্তন না করে "disapproved of" ব্যবহার করা হয়।
Q37
Affirmative → Negative: "The deer is afraid of the tiger."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) The deer is not unafraid of the tiger.
English: Double negative ("not unafraid") preserves the original meaning — the deer fears the tiger.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "is afraid" → "is not unafraid" — দ্বি-নঞর্থক রূপে একই অর্থ বজায় থাকে।
Q38
Exclamatory → Assertive: "How brilliant the boy is!"
✅ Correct Answer: (A) The boy is very brilliant.
English: Exclamatory "How brilliant" → "very brilliant"; present tense "is" retained.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "How brilliant…" Assertive-এ "The boy is very brilliant" হয়।
Q39
Assertive → Exclamatory: "Amit's story about ghosts and witches is very strange."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) How strange Amit's story about ghosts and witches is!
English: "very strange" → "How strange…" placed at start.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "very strange" বিস্ময়বোধক করতে বাক্যের শুরুতে "How strange" আনা হয়।
Q40
Positive → Comparative: "No other boy in the class is as brilliant as he."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) He is more brilliant than any other boy in the class.
English: Positive "No other… as brilliant as" → Comparative "more brilliant than any other".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Positive-এর "No other… as brilliant as" থেকে Comparative-এ "more brilliant than any other" ব্যবহৃত হয়।
Q41
Positive → Superlative: "No other boy in the class is as brilliant as he."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) He is the most brilliant boy in the class.
English: Superlative uses "the" + superlative adjective "most brilliant".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Superlative-এ "the most brilliant" ব্যবহার করে শ্রেষ্ঠত্ব প্রকাশ পায়।
Q42
Superlative → Comparative: "Akbar was one of the greatest emperors who ruled over a vast kingdom."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Akbar was greater than most other emperors who ruled over a vast kingdom.
English: "one of the greatest" → "greater than most other" in Comparative Degree.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Superlative-এ "one of the greatest" → Comparative-এ "greater than most other"।
Q43
Interrogative → Assertive: "Did she have time to finish all the questions?"
✅ Correct Answer: (A) She had time to finish all the questions.
English: Simple past interrogative "Did she have…" → assertive "She had…".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "Did she have…" প্রশ্নবোধককে Assertive করলে "She had…" হয়।
Q44
Assertive → Negative-Interrogative: "The examiner could not understand the candidate's handwriting."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) Could not the examiner understand the candidate's handwriting?
English: Negative assertive ("could not") → negative interrogative ("Could not…") — retains rhetorical implication.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: না-বাচক বর্ণনা বাক্যকে প্রশ্নবোধক করতে "Could not"-কে শুরুতে বসানো হয়।
Q45
Affirmative → Negative: "He was successful in completing the job."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) He was not unsuccessful in completing the job.
English: Double negative ("not unsuccessful") preserves the meaning that he succeeded.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "not unsuccessful" — দ্বি-নঞর্থক রূপে অর্থ একই (সে সফল হয়েছিল)।
Q46
Degree change: "The story about ghosts is not as believable as this story."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) This story is more believable than the story about ghosts.
English: Negative positive "not as believable as" → affirmative comparative "is more believable than".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "not as believable as" → "more believable than" (তুলনামূলক রূপান্তর)।
Q47
Exclamatory → Assertive: "What a huge mountain it is!"
✅ Correct Answer: (B) It is a huge mountain.
English: Exclamatory emphasis → plain assertive "It is a huge mountain".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Exclamatory বাক্যটি Assertive-এ "It is a huge mountain" হিসেবে প্রকাশ পায়।
Q48
Active → Passive: "The magician transformed the handkerchief into a bird."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) The handkerchief was transformed into a bird by the magician.
English: Object "the handkerchief" → subject; simple past "transformed" → "was transformed".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Past Indefinite Passive-এ "was transformed" বসে এবং Object সাবজেক্টে পরিণত হয়।
Q49
Passive → Active: "He was punished by the government because of his antisocial activities."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) The government punished him because of his antisocial activities.
English: Passive "was punished by the government" → active "The government punished him".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Passive-এর "was punished by the government" Active-এ "The government punished him" রূপ নেয়।
Q50
Interrogative → Assertive: "Have you heard that Mr. Basu has been appointed Chairman?"
✅ Correct Answer: (A) You must have heard that Mr. Basu has been appointed Chairman.
English: Asserts as a reasonable expectation — "You must have heard…".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: প্রশ্নবোধককে সাধারণ বর্ণনা রূপ দিলে "You must have heard…" প্রকাশ পায়।
Q51
Negative → Affirmative: "Neither of the two brothers was found suitable."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Both of the two brothers were found unsuitable.
English: "Neither … suitable" ≡ "Both … unsuitable".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "Neither was found suitable"-এর অর্থগত Affirmative রূপ "Both were found unsuitable"।
Module 3: Clause Analysis
Noun, Adjective & Adverbial Clauses — 20 Questions
Identify the function of subordinate clauses — Noun (subject/object), Adjective (qualifies noun) or Adverbial (time, reason, purpose, condition, manner, place, concession, result).
Classification of Clauses
- Noun Clause (বিশেষ্য খণ্ডবাক্য): Performs the function of a noun — subject, direct/indirect object, complement, or object of a preposition.
- Test: ask "What?" to the principal verb.
- Adjective / Relative Clause (বিশেষণ খণ্ডবাক্য): Qualifies a noun or pronoun (its antecedent) in the principal clause. Introduced by relative pronouns (who, which, that, whom, whose) or relative adverbs (where, when, why).
- Test: ask "Which one?" / "What kind of?" about the antecedent noun.
- Adverbial Clause (ক্রিয়া-বিশেষণ খণ্ডবাক্য): Modifies a verb, adjective or another adverb in the main clause.
- Types: Time (when, after, before, by the time), Cause/Reason (because, as, since), Purpose (so that, in order that), Result (so…that), Condition (if, unless), Manner (as if, as though), Concession (though, although), Place (where, wherever).
Q52
Identify the underlined clause: "He said to me that he had never seen such a brilliant boy in his life."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) Noun Clause
English: Acts as the direct object of "said/told" (He told me what?).
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "told" ক্রিয়াপদের Direct Object হিসেবে কাজ করছে — তাই Noun Clause।
Q53
Identify the clause type: "He rushed to the hospital after he had heard the news."
✅ Correct Answer: (C) Adverbial Clause of Time
English: Modifies "rushed" by answering "when he rushed"; introduced by "after".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "rushed" Verb-কে সময় নির্দেশ করে বিশেষিত করছে; "after" দ্বারা শুরু।
Q54
Analyze the clause: "A smuggler is a person who gets things secretly and illegally into or out of a country."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) Adjective / Relative Clause
English: Introduced by "who", modifies the antecedent noun "person".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "who" দ্বারা শুরু হয়ে পূর্ববর্তী Noun "person"-কে বিশেষিত করছে।
Q55
Identify: "The man was so credulous that he believed that God Himself had drunk the milk."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Adverbial Clause of Result/Consequence
English: Correlative with "so" in the main clause — expresses result/consequence of his credulity.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Main Clause-এর "so"-এর সাথে যুক্ত হয়ে ফলাফল প্রকাশ করে।
Q56
Identify: "The examiner could not understand the candidate's handwriting because it was illegible."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Adverbial Clause of Reason/Cause
English: States the cause/reason (introduced by "because").
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "because" দ্বারা যুক্ত — পরীক্ষক কেন বুঝতে পারেননি তার কারণ দর্শায়।
Q57
Clause type: "By the time we reached home, the rain had stopped."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Adverbial Clause of Time
English: Specifies the time relative to when the rain stopped.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: বৃষ্টি থামার সময়ের সাপেক্ষে সময় নির্দেশ করে।
Q58
Clause function: "Have you heard that Mr. Basu has been appointed the Chairman?"
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Noun Clause
English: Direct object of "heard" (heard what?).
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "heard" (শুনেছো?) Verb-এর Object — তাই Noun Clause।
Q59
Analyze: "The man seems abnormal because he frequently laughs loudly for no reason."
✅ Correct Answer: (C) Adverbial Clause of Reason
English: Explains why the man seems abnormal.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: লোকটি কেন অস্বাভাবিক মনে হচ্ছে তার কারণ নির্দেশ করে।
Q60
Clause function: "A bully is a boy who frightens weaker boys."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Adjective Clause modifying 'boy'
English: Qualifies the antecedent noun "boy", introduced by "who".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "boy" Noun-টিকে বিশেষিত করায় Adjective Clause।
Q61
Clause type: "What he said was not believable."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Noun Clause as Subject
English: Acts as subject of the verb "was".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "was" Verb-এর Subject হিসেবে কাজ করছে — Noun Clause।
Q62
Identify: "He moved heaven and earth so that he could get bail for his friend."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Adverbial Clause of Purpose
English: "so that" introduces the intention/purpose behind his action.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "so that" দ্বারা উদ্দেশ্য প্রকাশ পায়।
Q63
Identify: "The place where the tired hawker sat was under the tree."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Adjective Clause
English: Introduced by relative adverb "where" but qualifies the antecedent noun "place".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "place" Noun-টিকে বিশেষিত করছে, তাই Adjective Clause।
Q64
Identify: "They sat where the tree provided shade."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Adverbial Clause of Place
English: Modifies "sat" directly by stating the place of sitting.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "sat" Verb-এর অবস্থান নির্দেশ করে।
Q65
Analyze: "If you work hard, many things may be accomplished."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Principal / Main Clause
English: "many things may be accomplished" can stand alone as a complete thought.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: অংশটি স্বাধীনভাবে সম্পূর্ণ অর্থ প্রকাশ করতে সক্ষম, তাই Principal Clause।
Q66
Identify the subordinate clause: "If you work hard, many things may be accomplished."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Adverbial Clause of Condition
English: States the condition required; introduced by "If".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "If" দ্বারা শর্ত প্রকাশ করায় Adverbial Clause of Condition।
Q67
Identify: "This is the spot where Khudiram Bose was hanged."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Adjective Clause
English: Modifies the noun antecedent "spot".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: পূর্ববর্তী Noun "spot"-কে বিশেষিত করায় Adjective Clause।
Q68
Identify: "He acts as if he were the Chairman."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Adverbial Clause of Manner
English: Describes the manner of acting using "as if".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "as if" দিয়ে কাজের ধরন প্রকাশ করায় Adverbial Clause of Manner।
Q69
Clause type: "I know the reason why Rita's mother disapproved of her returning late."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Adjective Clause
English: Modifies the noun "reason".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "reason" Noun-টিকে বিশেষিত করায় Adjective Clause।
Q70
Clause: "I know why Rita's mother disapproved of her returning late."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Noun Clause
English: Direct object of "know" (no antecedent noun 'reason' precedes it).
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "know" Verb-এর সরাসরি Object হিসেবে কাজ করায় Noun Clause।
Q71
Clause: "Though the old lady was weak, she stood her ground."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) Adverbial Clause of Concession
English: "Though" introduces an adverbial clause of concession (contrast).
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "Though" ছাড়ের ভাব (contrast) প্রকাশ করে — Adverbial Clause of Concession।
Module 4: Sentence Rearrangement & Jumbled Words
PQRS Arrangement — 15 Questions
Reorder the jumbled segments to form a grammatically correct English sentence.
Standard Word Order
Subject (S) → Auxiliary Verb (Aux) → Main Verb (V) → Indirect Object (O₁) → Direct Object (O₂) → Adverbial of Place (P) → Adverbial of Time (T)
Q72
Rearrange: P: within four days • Q: in completing the job • R: He was • S: successful
✅ Correct Answer: (A) R S Q P — "He was successful in completing the job within four days."
English: Subject + verb (R) + adjective complement (S) + prepositional phrase/gerund (Q) + time modifier (P).
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Subject + Verb + Adjective + Prepositional phrase + Time phrase। সঠিক ক্রম R S Q P।
Q73
Rearrange: P: to think of other matters • Q: with his studies • R: He was • S: too preoccupied
✅ Correct Answer: (A) R S Q P — "He was too preoccupied with his studies to think of other matters."
English: Subject-verb-adjective-prepositional complement-infinitive structure.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: R S Q P — স্বাভাবিক পদক্রম।
Q74
Reorder: P: flying kites • Q: The boys • R: in the sky • S: are
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Q S P R — "The boys are flying kites in the sky."
English: Subject + Aux + Present participle + Place adverbial.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Subject + Aux + Participle/Object + Prepositional phrase।
Q75
Reorder: P: present in class • Q: on 14th October • R: Neither Lata • S: nor Sujata was
✅ Correct Answer: (A) R S P Q — "Neither Lata nor Sujata was present in class on 14th October."
English: Correlative subject + predicate adjective + time modifier.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Correlative subject + Complement + Time। সঠিক ক্রম R S P Q।
Q76
Rearrange: P: the candidate's handwriting • Q: could not understand • R: because it was illegible • S: The examiner
✅ Correct Answer: (A) S Q P R — "The examiner could not understand the candidate's handwriting because it was illegible."
English: Main Clause Subject + Verb + Object + Subordinate Clause of Reason.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Subject + Verb + Object + Reason clause। সঠিক ক্রম S Q P R।
Q77
Reorder: P: and sat • Q: beside the little girl • R: The cat • S: sneaked in
✅ Correct Answer: (A) R S P Q — "The cat sneaked in and sat beside the little girl."
English: Subject + first verb + conjunction & second verb + prepositional phrase.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Subject + 1st Verb + and + 2nd Verb + Prepositional phrase।
Q78
Rearrange: P: not up to the mark • Q: of the children • R: was • S: The behaviour
✅ Correct Answer: (A) S Q R P — "The behaviour of the children was not up to the mark."
English: Noun phrase head + prepositional post-modifier + singular verb + complement.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Subject Head + Prepositional phrase + Singular verb + Complement।
Q79
Reorder: P: Ronny Mathematics • Q: for two years • R: The tutor • S: taught
✅ Correct Answer: (A) R S P Q — "The tutor taught Ronny Mathematics for two years."
English: Subject + Verb + Double objects + Time phrase.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Subject + Verb + Objects + Duration।
Q80
Rearrange: P: for the job • Q: Ramesh and Suresh • R: Neither of the two brothers • S: was found suitable
✅ Correct Answer: (A) R Q S P — "Neither of the two brothers Ramesh and Suresh was found suitable for the job."
English: Subject noun phrase + apposition + passive verb phrase + prepositional phrase.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Subject + Apposition + Verb + Prepositional phrase।
Q81
Reorder: P: the rain • Q: reached home • R: By the time we • S: had stopped
✅ Correct Answer: (A) R Q P S — "By the time we reached home the rain had stopped."
English: Subordinate time clause + principal clause.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Time Clause + Main Clause। সঠিক ক্রম R Q P S।
Q82
Reorder: P: healthy, wealthy and wise • Q: Early to bed • R: and early to rise • S: makes a man
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Q R S P — "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."
English: Subject phrase + singular verb & object + adjective complements.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: প্রবাদটির সঠিক পদক্রম Q R S P।
Q83
Reorder: P: a vast kingdom • Q: ruled • R: over • S: The Emperor Akbar
✅ Correct Answer: (A) S Q R P — "The Emperor Akbar ruled over a vast kingdom."
English: Subject + Verb + Preposition + Object.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Subject + Verb + Preposition + Object।
Q84
Reorder: P: because he frequently • Q: laughs loudly for no reason • R: The man • S: seems abnormal
✅ Correct Answer: (A) R S P Q — "The man seems abnormal because he frequently laughs loudly for no reason."
English: Principal clause + subordinate clause of reason.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Principal Clause + Reason Clause।
Q85
Reorder: P: one should keep in mind • Q: person's likes and dislikes • R: When buying a gift • S: the
✅ Correct Answer: (A) R P S Q — "When buying a gift one should keep in mind the person's likes and dislikes."
English: Introductory clause + main clause + article + noun object.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Introductory clause + main clause + article + noun object।
Q86
Reorder: P: turned into a bird • Q: was • R: The handkerchief • S: by the magician
✅ Correct Answer: (A) R Q P S — "The handkerchief was turned into a bird by the magician."
English: Passive subject + auxiliary + past participle phrase + agent.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Passive Subject + Aux + Verb phrase + Agent।
Module 5: Sentence Completion & Error Spotting
Structural Correctness & Word Choice — 19 Questions
Spot grammatical errors in subject-verb agreement, verb tense sequence and prepositional choice — then select the correct structural alternative.
Syntactic Rules
- Rule of Proximity vs Head Noun: When subject is Noun₁ + preposition + Noun₂, the verb agrees strictly with the head noun Noun₁, not Noun₂.
- Distributive Pronouns: neither of, either of, each of, one of + plural noun → singular verb.
- Sequence of Tenses with "after" / "before":
- Past Simple + after + Past Perfect
- Past Perfect + before + Past Simple
Q87
Choose the structurally correct sentence.
✅ Correct Answer: (B) The behaviour of the children was not up to the mark.
English: Head noun "behaviour" (uncountable) requires singular verb "was". The plural "children" inside the prepositional phrase does not change the head noun.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: আসল Subject "behaviour" (Uncountable) → Singular Verb "was"।
Q88
Identify the grammatically correct sentence.
✅ Correct Answer: (C) Neither Lata nor Sujata was present in class on 14th October.
English: "neither…nor" with two singular subjects → singular verb "was".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "neither…nor" দিয়ে দুটি Singular Subject যুক্ত হলে Verb Singular "was" হয়।
Q89
"Neither of the two brothers Ramesh and Suresh ___ found suitable for the job at the interview held yesterday."
✅ Correct Answer: (C) was
English: "Neither of…" → singular verb. Event "yesterday" → past tense singular "was".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "Neither of…" গঠনে Verb Singular এবং "yesterday" অতীতকাল → "was"।
Q90
"He rushed to the hospital after he ___ the news."
✅ Correct Answer: (D) had heard
English: Two past actions — the earlier action (hearing) takes Past Perfect; the later (rushing) takes Simple Past.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: আগে ঘটে Past Perfect ("had heard"), পরে ঘটে Simple Past ("rushed")।
Q91
"By the time we reached home the rain ___."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) had stopped
English: "By the time…" + simple past → past perfect "had stopped".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "By the time…" যুক্ত বাক্যে অতীতকালের পূর্বে কাজ শেষ → Past Perfect Active।
Q92
"Early to bed and early to rise ___ a man healthy, wealthy and wise."
✅ Correct Answer: (D) makes
English: "Early to bed and early to rise" represents a single unified concept → singular verb "makes".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: একক ধারণা প্রকাশ করায় Singular Subject হিসেবে গণ্য → Singular Verb "makes"।
Q93
"Have you heard that Mr. Basu ___ the Chairman of the Executive Committee?"
✅ Correct Answer: (D) has been appointed
English: Present Perfect Passive — "has been" + past participle "appointed" for singular subject.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: Present Perfect Passive — Singular Subject "Mr. Basu"-এর জন্য "has been appointed"।
Q94
Identify the sentence with correct word choice.
✅ Correct Answer: (A) All except Alok were present during the meeting.
English: "Except" means "excluding". "Expect" = anticipate, "exceed" = surpass, "accept" = receive.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "except" অর্থ 'ব্যতীত' বা 'ছাড়া' — সঠিক ব্যবহার "except Alok"।
Q95
"He was preoccupied ___ his studies to think of other matters."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) with
English: "Preoccupied" takes the fixed preposition "with".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "preoccupied"-এর পর নির্দিষ্ট Preposition "with" বসে।
Q96
"A list of ___ candidates for the admission test has been put up on the notice-board."
✅ Correct Answer: (C) eligible
English: Candidates selected for an admission test are "eligible" (qualified/fit).
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: ভর্তি পরীক্ষার জন্য বাছাইকৃত প্রার্থীরা "eligible" (যোগ্য)।
Q97
"Ratna's mother is ___, she can't even sign her name."
✅ Correct Answer: (C) illiterate
English: "she can't even sign her name" → she is "illiterate" (unable to read or write).
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "নিজের নাম সই করতে পারেন না" → "illiterate" (নিরক্ষর)।
Q98
Spot the word-choice error: "The examiner could not understand the candidate's handwriting because it was distinct."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) Replace 'distinct' with 'illegible'
English: "Distinct" means clear — contradicts "could not understand". Correct word for unreadable handwriting is "illegible".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "distinct" অর্থ স্পষ্ট — বাক্যের প্রথম অংশের সাথে বিপরীতমুখী। অপাঠ্য লেখার জন্য "illegible"।
Q99
"The time allowed for the work should have been ___."
✅ Correct Answer: (D) sufficient
English: "Sufficient" means adequate or enough — fits "time allowed for the work".
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: কাজের সময় পর্যাপ্ত বোঝাতে "sufficient" (পর্যাপ্ত) ব্যবহৃত হয়।
Q100
"He was successful ___ completing the job within four days."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) in
English: "Successful" + "in" + gerund ("in completing").
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "successful"-এর পর Gerund-এর পূর্বে "in" Preposition বসে।
Q101
Choose the correct sentence with proper adjective usage.
✅ Correct Answer: (C) The man was so credulous that he believed God drank milk.
English: "Credulous" = gullible/ready to believe. "Credible" = believable. "Creditable" = praiseworthy.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: সহজে সবকিছু বিশ্বাস করে ফেলে এমন ব্যক্তি → "credulous" (বিশ্বাসপ্রবণ)।
Q102
Correct the prepositional choice: "Sita and Meera quarrelled ___ themselves."
✅ Correct Answer: (B) between
English: "Between" for exactly two distinct individuals.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: দু'জনের মধ্যে বোঝাতে "between" ব্যবহৃত হয়।
Q103
"Ram was good ___ Chemistry."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) at
English: "Good at" + subject/skill.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: কোন বিষয়ে দক্ষতা বোঝাতে "good at" বসে।
Q104
"The old lady was murdered in cold ___."
✅ Correct Answer: (C) blood
English: Idiom "in cold blood" = deliberately, ruthlessly, without emotion.
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: "in cold blood" — ঠান্ডা মাথায় / নির্দয়ভাবে হত্যা।
Q105
"The policeman seized him ___ his arm and led him away."
✅ Correct Answer: (A) by
English: Grabbing by a body part → "by" (seized him by his arm).
বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা: শরীরের কোন অংশ ধরে ধরা বোঝাতে "by" Preposition ব্যবহৃত হয়।
WBPSC Clerkship English Preparation Strategy
Module-wise high-yield revision
| Module Topic | Key Focus Areas | Typical Question Types | High-Yield Rule Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Module 1: Sentence Types | Simple, Compound, Complex identification | Structural Classification MCQs | Count finite verbs; identify subordinating vs. coordinating conjunctions. |
| Module 2: Transformation | Voice, Speech, Affirmative/Negative, Comparison | Direct conversion MCQs | Maintain tense; change degree adjectives correctly; invert auxiliary verbs for interrogatives. |
| Module 3: Clause Analysis | Noun, Adjective, Adverbial clauses | Subordinate clause function MCQs | Ask "What?" for Noun; qualify antecedent noun for Adjective; identify Time/Reason for Adverbial. |
| Module 4: Word Reordering | Jumbled sentences / syntax order | PQRS Arrangement MCQs | Subject + Verb + Object + Place + Time structural alignment. |
| Module 5: Structural Errors | Subject-Verb agreement, verb tense sequence | Error spotting & sentence completion | Verb agrees with head noun, not prepositional phrase; "after" takes Past Perfect. |
Download Complete Sentence Structure Notes PDF
105 solved questions • Rules + Summary Table • English + বাংলা
Frequently Asked Questions
WBPSC Clerkship English Sentence Structure
Are these WBPSC Clerkship Sentence Structure notes free?
Yes — all 105 solved questions, rule boxes and the preparation strategy table are completely free. No registration or payment required.
Which topics are covered in these notes?
Five modules: (1) Sentence Types (Simple, Compound, Complex), (2) Sentence Transformation (Voice, Narration, Degree), (3) Clause Analysis (Noun, Adjective, Adverbial), (4) Word Reordering (PQRS), and (5) Sentence Completion & Error Spotting.
How is Sentence Structure tested in WBPSC Clerkship Part-I?
The official syllabus lists "Fundamentals of the English language, including vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, synonyms, antonyms, and correct usage." Part-I English carries 30 marks. Sentence classification, transformation and clause identification are frequently tested.
How do I quickly identify a Complex Sentence?
Look for a subordinating conjunction (because, after, before, although, if, when, where, which, that, who, so that). If one principal clause + at least one subordinate clause exist, it is a Complex Sentence. A Simple Sentence has one finite verb; a Compound Sentence joins two independent clauses with coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, so, yet).
What is the standard order for word reordering (PQRS) questions?
Follow the hierarchy: Subject → Auxiliary Verb → Main Verb → Indirect Object → Direct Object → Adverbial of Place → Adverbial of Time. Identify the subject first — this usually locks down the starting segment.
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Last Updated: October 2026 • Source: WBPSC Clerkship Official Scheme & Syllabus (Advt. No. 12/2024)
These notes are compiled for study and revision purposes. For the official notification and syllabus, refer to the WBPSC portal.
These notes are compiled for study and revision purposes. For the official notification and syllabus, refer to the WBPSC portal.
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