Grammar and Vocabulary (ব্যাকরণ ও শব্দভান্ডার)

This chapter has

Grammar and Vocabulary (ব্যাকরণ ও শব্দভান্ডার) — quick revision notes

Madhyamik English (Second Language) tests the grammar and vocabulary practised in Classes IX and X; the Board does not give a separate chapter list. The usual items are articles, prepositions, phrasal verbs, word meanings and 'do as directed' changes such as voice, narration, joining and transformation of sentences. Most marks come from applying a small set of fixed rules accurately.

• Choose 'a' or 'an' by the first sound, not the spelling: 'an hour', 'an honest man', but 'a university', 'a one-rupee coin'.'a' না 'an' বসবে তা ঠিক হয় শব্দের প্রথম ধ্বনি দেখে, বানান দেখে নয়: 'an hour', 'an honest man', কিন্তু 'a university', 'a one-rupee coin'।
• 'Since' + a point of time (since 2019, since Monday); 'for' + a length of time (for two years).নির্দিষ্ট সময়বিন্দুর আগে 'since' বসে (since 2019, since Monday), আর সময়ের ব্যাপ্তি বোঝাতে 'for' বসে (for two years)।
• A phrasal verb (verb + particle) has its own meaning, often quite different from the verb alone: call off = cancel, put off = postpone, look after = take care of, give up = stop or abandon.Phrasal verb (verb + particle)-এর নিজস্ব অর্থ থাকে, যা প্রায়ই মূল verb-এর অর্থ থেকে আলাদা: call off = বাতিল করা, put off = স্থগিত রাখা, look after = দেখাশোনা করা, give up = ছেড়ে দেওয়া বা ত্যাগ করা।
• Passive voice = the form of 'be' in the same tense + past participle; continuous tenses add 'being' (is being flown) and perfect tenses add 'been' (has been done).Passive voice = একই tense-এ 'be'-এর রূপ + past participle; continuous tense-এ 'being' (is being flown) আর perfect tense-এ 'been' (has been done) যোগ হয়।
• Indirect speech after a past reporting verb: move the tense one step back (am → was, will → would), change pronouns according to the subject and object of the reporting verb, and change words of time and place (now → then, here → there, today → that day). Questions take 'asked' and statement word order: 'Where do you live?' → asked me where I lived.Reporting verb অতীত কালে থাকলে indirect speech-এ tense এক ধাপ পিছিয়ে যায় (am → was, will → would), reporting verb-এর subject ও object অনুযায়ী pronoun বদলায়, এবং সময় ও স্থানবাচক শব্দ বদলায় (now → then, here → there, today → that day)। প্রশ্নবাচক বাক্যে 'asked' বসে এবং বাক্যটি বিবৃতির ক্রমে লেখা হয়: 'Where do you live?' → asked me where I lived।
• Superlative to comparative: 'the largest city in X' → 'larger than any other city in X'; to positive: 'No other city in X is as large as ...'.Superlative থেকে comparative: 'the largest city in X' → 'larger than any other city in X'; positive-এ: 'No other city in X is as large as ...'।
• A simple sentence has one finite verb; a compound sentence joins clauses with and/but/so/or; a complex sentence has a principal clause plus a subordinate clause (as, because, when, who, which, that). Relative pronouns: who for persons, which for things, whose for possession.Simple sentence-এ একটিই finite verb থাকে; compound sentence-এ and/but/so/or দিয়ে clause যুক্ত হয়; complex sentence-এ principal clause-এর সঙ্গে subordinate clause (as, because, when, who, which, that) থাকে। Relative pronoun: ব্যক্তির জন্য who, বস্তুর জন্য which, অধিকার বোঝাতে whose।
• With 'neither ... nor' / 'either ... or' the verb agrees with the nearer subject; 'each of' and 'one of' take a singular verb (each of the boys has).'neither ... nor' / 'either ... or' থাকলে verb কাছের subject অনুযায়ী বসে; 'each of' ও 'one of'-এর পরে verb একবচন হয় (each of the boys has)।

Exam tip: Grammar and Vocabulary is 20 of the 90 marks: 3 MCQs, 9 very short answers and 4 short answers of 2 marks each. Expect 'choose the correct alternative' MCQs on articles, prepositions and phrasal verbs, and 'do as directed' items such as voice change, narration, joining and transformation - always write the full changed sentence with correct punctuation.৯০ নম্বরের মধ্যে ব্যাকরণ ও শব্দভান্ডারে ২০ নম্বর: ৩টি MCQ, ৯টি অতি-সংক্ষিপ্ত প্রশ্ন এবং ২ নম্বরের ৪টি সংক্ষিপ্ত প্রশ্ন। article, preposition ও phrasal verb নিয়ে 'choose the correct alternative' ধরনের MCQ এবং voice, narration, joining ও transformation-এর মতো 'do as directed' প্রশ্ন সাধারণত আসে — সবসময় পরিবর্তিত বাক্যটি পুরোটা সঠিক যতিচিহ্নসহ লেখো।

Grammar and Vocabulary (ব্যাকরণ ও শব্দভান্ডার) — solved practice questions

12 Madhyamik English Grammar and Vocabulary (Second Language) (ইংরেজি ব্যাকরণ ও শব্দভান্ডার (দ্বিতীয় ভাষা)) questions with step-by-step solutions. Attempt each, then reveal the answer.

1. Q1easy

   Fill in the blank with the correct article: Mr Das is ___ honest man.

   সঠিক article বেছে নিয়ে শূন্যস্থান পূরণ করো: Mr Das is ___ honest man.
   • Aaa
   • Banan
   • Cthethe
   • Dno articleকোনো article বসবে না
   Show answer & solution

   Correct answer: (B) an

   The 'h' in 'honest' is silent, so the word begins with a vowel sound and takes 'an'. The trap is to look at the letter 'h' instead of the sound.

   'honest' শব্দের 'h' উচ্চারিত হয় না, তাই শব্দটি স্বরধ্বনি দিয়ে শুরু হয় এবং এর আগে 'an' বসে। ফাঁদ হল উচ্চারণের বদলে প্রথম অক্ষর 'h' দেখে 'a' বসিয়ে ফেলা।
2. Q2easy

   Fill in the blank with the correct preposition: My uncle has been living in Siliguri ___ 2019.

   সঠিক preposition দিয়ে শূন্যস্থান পূরণ করো: My uncle has been living in Siliguri ___ 2019.
   • Aforfor
   • Bfromfrom
   • Csincesince
   • Datat
   Show answer & solution

   Correct answer: (C) since

   'Since' marks the point of time when an action began and is used with perfect tenses (since 2019). 'For' needs a length of time (for five years), and 'from ... to' marks both ends of a period.

   যে সময়বিন্দু থেকে কাজটি শুরু হয়েছে তা বোঝাতে perfect tense-এ 'since' বসে (since 2019)। সময়ের ব্যাপ্তি বোঝাতে 'for' বসে (for five years), আর সময়ের শুরু ও শেষ দুটোই বোঝাতে 'from ... to' ব্যবহার হয়।
3. Q3easy

   The school sports were called off because of heavy rain. Here 'called off' means:

   The school sports were called off because of heavy rain. — এখানে 'called off' কথাটির অর্থ কী?
   • Acancelledcancelled (বাতিল করা হয়েছিল)
   • Bpostponedpostponed (স্থগিত রাখা হয়েছিল)
   • Cstartedstarted (শুরু করা হয়েছিল)
   • Dannouncedannounced (ঘোষণা করা হয়েছিল)
   Show answer & solution

   Correct answer: (A) cancelled

   'Call off' means to cancel. Do not confuse it with 'put off', which means to postpone.

   'Call off' মানে বাতিল করা। 'Put off'-এর সঙ্গে গুলিয়ে ফেলো না — 'put off' মানে স্থগিত রাখা বা পিছিয়ে দেওয়া।
4. Q4easy

   Choose the one word for 'a person who cannot read or write'.

   'a person who cannot read or write' (যে ব্যক্তি পড়তে বা লিখতে পারে না) — এক কথায় প্রকাশ করলে কোনটি হবে?
   • Aignorantignorant
   • Billegibleillegible
   • Cillegalillegal
   • Dilliterateilliterate
   Show answer & solution

   Correct answer: (D) illiterate

   'Illiterate' means unable to read or write. 'Illegible' describes writing that cannot be read, 'illegal' means against the law and 'ignorant' means lacking knowledge.

   'Illiterate' মানে যে পড়তে বা লিখতে পারে না (নিরক্ষর)। 'Illegible' মানে যে লেখা পড়া যায় না, 'illegal' মানে বেআইনি, আর 'ignorant' মানে অজ্ঞ।
5. Q5medium

   Change the voice: The boy is flying a kite.

   Voice পরিবর্তন করো: The boy is flying a kite.
   • AA kite is being flown by the boy.A kite is being flown by the boy.
   • BA kite is flown by the boy.A kite is flown by the boy.
   • CA kite was being flown by the boy.A kite was being flown by the boy.
   • DA kite has been flown by the boy.A kite has been flown by the boy.
   Show answer & solution

   Correct answer: (A) A kite is being flown by the boy.

   A present continuous active sentence becomes 'is/am/are + being + past participle' in the passive: is flying → is being flown. 'Is flown' drops 'being', while 'was being' and 'has been' change the tense.

   Present continuous tense-এর active বাক্য passive হলে 'is/am/are + being + past participle' হয়: is flying → is being flown। 'is flown'-এ 'being' বাদ পড়েছে, আর 'was being' বা 'has been' বসালে tense বদলে যায়।
6. Q6medium

   Change the narration: He said to me, "I am busy now."

   Narration পরিবর্তন করো: He said to me, "I am busy now."
   • AHe told me that I was busy now.He told me that I was busy now.
   • BHe told me that he was busy then.He told me that he was busy then.
   • CHe said to me that he is busy now.He said to me that he is busy now.
   • DHe asked me that he was busy then.He asked me that he was busy then.
   Show answer & solution

   Correct answer: (B) He told me that he was busy then.

   In an assertive sentence 'said to' becomes 'told' and 'that' is added. As the reporting verb is in the past, 'am' becomes 'was'; 'I' (the speaker) becomes 'he' and 'now' becomes 'then'.

   বিবৃতিমূলক (assertive) বাক্যে 'said to' বদলে 'told' হয় এবং 'that' বসে। Reporting verb অতীত কালে থাকায় 'am' হয় 'was'; বক্তা 'I' হয় 'he', আর 'now' হয় 'then'।
7. Q7medium

   Join the sentences using a relative pronoun: This is the house. My grandfather built it.

   Relative pronoun ব্যবহার করে বাক্য দুটি যুক্ত করো: This is the house. My grandfather built it.
   • AThis is the house who my grandfather built.This is the house who my grandfather built.
   • BThis is the house where my grandfather built.This is the house where my grandfather built.
   • CThis is the house which my grandfather built.This is the house which my grandfather built.
   • DThis is the house whose my grandfather built.This is the house whose my grandfather built.
   Show answer & solution

   Correct answer: (C) This is the house which my grandfather built.

   'Which' is used for things and here takes the place of the object 'it'. 'Who' is for persons, 'whose' shows possession, and 'where' would need a complete clause after it (where my grandfather lived).

   বস্তুর ক্ষেত্রে 'which' বসে এবং এখানে এটি object 'it'-এর জায়গা নেয়। 'who' ব্যক্তির জন্য, 'whose' অধিকার বোঝায়, আর 'where'-এর পরে একটি সম্পূর্ণ clause লাগে (where my grandfather lived)।
8. Q8medium

   Change into the comparative degree: Kolkata is the largest city in West Bengal.

   Comparative degree-তে রূপান্তর করো: Kolkata is the largest city in West Bengal.
   • AKolkata is larger than any city in West Bengal.Kolkata is larger than any city in West Bengal.
   • BKolkata is larger than all city in West Bengal.Kolkata is larger than all city in West Bengal.
   • CKolkata is more larger than any other city in West Bengal.Kolkata is more larger than any other city in West Bengal.
   • DKolkata is larger than any other city in West Bengal.Kolkata is larger than any other city in West Bengal.
   Show answer & solution

   Correct answer: (D) Kolkata is larger than any other city in West Bengal.

   'The largest ... in' becomes 'larger than any other ...'. Without 'other', Kolkata would be compared with itself, since it is also a city in West Bengal; 'all city' is ungrammatical and 'more larger' is a double comparative.

   'the largest ... in' বদলে 'larger than any other ...' হয়। 'other' না দিলে কলকাতাকে নিজের সঙ্গেই তুলনা করা হয়, কারণ কলকাতাও পশ্চিমবঙ্গের একটি শহর; 'all city' ব্যাকরণগতভাবে ভুল, আর 'more larger' দ্বৈত comparative, তাই ভুল।
9. Q9medium

   Which sentence is correct?

   কোন বাক্যটি সঠিক?
   • ANeither the teacher nor the students were present.Neither the teacher nor the students were present.
   • BEach of the boys have a bicycle.Each of the boys have a bicycle.
   • CBy the time we reached the station, the train has left.By the time we reached the station, the train has left.
   • DOne of my friends live in Durgapur.One of my friends live in Durgapur.
   Show answer & solution

   Correct answer: (A) Neither the teacher nor the students were present.

   With 'neither ... nor' the verb agrees with the nearer subject ('students', plural), so 'were' is right. 'Each of' and 'one of' take a singular verb (has, lives), and the earlier of two past actions needs the past perfect (had left).

   'neither ... nor' থাকলে verb কাছের subject ('students', বহুবচন) অনুযায়ী হয়, তাই 'were' সঠিক। 'each of' ও 'one of'-এর পরে একবচন verb বসে (has, lives), আর অতীতের দুটি কাজের মধ্যে আগে ঘটা কাজটিতে past perfect (had left) বসে।
10. Q10medium

    Match Column A with Column B. Column A: (a) vast (b) feeble (c) swift (d) anxious. Column B: (i) weak (ii) worried (iii) very large (iv) fast.

    স্তম্ভ A-র শব্দগুলির সঙ্গে স্তম্ভ B-র অর্থ মেলাও। স্তম্ভ A: (a) vast (b) feeble (c) swift (d) anxious। স্তম্ভ B: (i) weak (ii) worried (iii) very large (iv) fast।
    • Aa-i, b-iii, c-iv, d-iia-i, b-iii, c-iv, d-ii
    • Ba-iii, b-i, c-iv, d-iia-iii, b-i, c-iv, d-ii
    • Ca-iii, b-iv, c-i, d-iia-iii, b-iv, c-i, d-ii
    • Da-iii, b-i, c-ii, d-iva-iii, b-i, c-ii, d-iv
    Show answer & solution

    Correct answer: (B) a-iii, b-i, c-iv, d-ii

    vast = very large, feeble = weak, swift = fast, anxious = worried, so the correct matching is a-iii, b-i, c-iv, d-ii.

    vast = very large (বিশাল), feeble = weak (দুর্বল), swift = fast (দ্রুত), anxious = worried (উদ্বিগ্ন); তাই সঠিক মিল a-iii, b-i, c-iv, d-ii।
11. Q11hard

    Change into a simple sentence: As he was ill, he could not attend school.

    Simple sentence-এ রূপান্তর করো: As he was ill, he could not attend school.
    • AHe was ill, so he could not attend school.He was ill, so he could not attend school.
    • BHe was ill and he could not attend school.He was ill and he could not attend school.
    • CBeing ill, he could not attend school.Being ill, he could not attend school.
    • DBecause he was ill, he could not attend school.Because he was ill, he could not attend school.
    Show answer & solution

    Correct answer: (C) Being ill, he could not attend school.

    A simple sentence has only one finite verb. 'Being ill' is a participle phrase, so 'could (not) attend' is the only finite verb left. The sentences with 'so' or 'and' are compound, and 'Because he was ill' keeps the sentence complex.

    Simple sentence-এ একটিই finite verb থাকে। 'Being ill' একটি participle phrase, তাই একমাত্র finite verb থাকে 'could (not) attend'। 'so' বা 'and' দিয়ে যুক্ত বাক্য compound, আর 'Because he was ill' থাকলে বাক্যটি complex-ই থেকে যায়।
12. Q12hard

    Change into a negative sentence without changing the meaning: Only Rima knew the answer.

    অর্থ পরিবর্তন না করে negative বাক্যে রূপান্তর করো: Only Rima knew the answer.
    • ARima did not know the answer.Rima did not know the answer.
    • BNot only Rima knew the answer.Not only Rima knew the answer.
    • CNobody except Rima did not know the answer.Nobody except Rima did not know the answer.
    • DNone but Rima knew the answer.None but Rima knew the answer.
    Show answer & solution

    Correct answer: (D) None but Rima knew the answer.

    'Only' before a person becomes 'None but', which makes the sentence negative but keeps its meaning. 'Rima did not know' reverses the meaning, 'Not only Rima' suggests others knew too, and 'Nobody except Rima did not know' says the opposite.

    ব্যক্তির আগে 'only' থাকলে তা 'None but' দিয়ে বদলালে অর্থ একই রেখে বাক্যটি negative হয়। 'Rima did not know' অর্থ উল্টে দেয়, 'Not only Rima' বোঝায় অন্যরাও জানত, আর 'Nobody except Rima did not know' ঠিক বিপরীত অর্থ দেয়।

Want the full set? Practise all 12 Grammar and Vocabulary (ব্যাকরণ ও শব্দভান্ডার) questions →