Hello, Magnus Minds! Are you ready to transform the
way you tackle the IBA English section? Many of you feel overwhelmed by the
sheer breadth of grammar topics, worried that you might overlook the exact
rules IBA seems to prize. Take a deep breath. This can be simpler—and far more
rewarding—than you think. English grammar questions in IBA BBA
and MBA admission tests have long been considered challenging—even though only 5–10
such questions appear each year. Over two decades, these seemingly small
clusters of questions have generated hundreds of distinct problems.
Each question reveals how deeply IBA can probe a candidate’s understanding of
language structure, clarity, precision, and usage. Here, I will analyze the
major patterns, explain how IBA trick you, and showcase why proper
guidance—focusing on building true skill rather than rote
memorization—can set you apart.
Why Grammar Even Matters When So Few Questions Appear
It may seem unimportant to spend considerable time on grammar if only 5–10
of your answers depend on it (Out of 25/30). However, these 5–10 items can
often be the difference between a borderline pass and a more comfortable margin
of success. Passing in the english section mostly depends on how well you do in
the grammar sections, as most of the candidates are comfortable here. Smart
candidates ensure that they get closer to full marks from the grammar section
so that they do not need to worry about pass marks and can make the English
section as their strong area. Moreover, because the questions are tricky, they
may devour precious minutes if you’re unprepared. IBA’s grammar segment tends
to zero in on nuances that test logical reasoning as much as linguistic
knowledge. If you know the rules thoroughly, and if you had practiced enough,
you’ll answer quickly and confidently—freeing time for the other parts of the
test. In many ways, grammar questions serve as a litmus test for your
foundational language skills. The ability to parse sentence structure, catch
subtle mistakes, and apply conventional standards of usage often correlates
with how you perform in analytical reading and logical reasoning as well.
The “Tricks” IBA Uses
Over the past 20 years, repeated patterns have surfaced. Yet each new
iteration of the test dresses these rules in fresh ways. The same
subjects—subject-verb agreement, conditional tenses, pronoun usage—appear year
after year, but IBA consistently alters contexts to catch the unwary. Here’s a
closer look at a few high-level “tricks” you’ll see:
Ø Hidden Subjects and Distracting Phrases: A typical IBA question
might bury the true subject in the middle of a long clause. For instance, “The
set of guidelines on employee behavior, which is/are included in the
manual…” forces you to recognize that “set” (singular) is the real subject, not
“guidelines.” If you scan too quickly, you’ll match “guidelines” with a plural
verb.
Ø Misleading Idioms: “Approve with his
actions” might be dangled as an option, but the correct phrase is “approve of
his actions.” Or “in favor for” rather than “in favor of.”
IBA loves to camouflage these mistakes within otherwise normal sentences. If
you only half-remember the correct phrase, you can easily be tricked.
Ø Conditionals & Subjunctive Twists: Questions that pit “If he
had” against “If he would have” or test “demanded that he leave” vs. “demanded
that he leaves” exploit how quickly test-takers might slip into casual,
incorrect forms. These questions confirm whether you understand standard (and
sometimes more formal) English usage.
Ø Pronoun Ambiguity :
“She gave the books to both her friend and her mother, who
was traveling abroad.” The test makers might expect you to see whether “who”
modifies the right person. Or they might expect you to correct “whom” to “who,”
or vice versa. Often it’s not enough just to sense “it sounds right”; you must
parse the function of that pronoun in the clause.
Ø Parallelism in Lists:
Parallel structure is a perennial trick. A sentence might say “He wanted to
run, to swim, and biking every morning.” Spotting that “biking” should
be “to bike” (to maintain the “to + verb” pattern) is straightforward if you
know the rule, but easy to miss under exam pressure.
Ø Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers:
Dangling modifiers can be comedic but are frequently used. “Walking down the
street, a sudden noise startled me.” Here, “Walking down the street” dangles
awkwardly because it’s presumably I who was walking, not “a sudden
noise.” IBA might expect you to notice that error or correct it to “While I was
walking down the street, a sudden noise startled me.”
Master the Tricks IBA Loves to do with Confusing Words
Five Enduring Grammar Themes
After analysing over 240+ sentence-correction items from the last two
decades, I have found five themes emerged repeatedly—despite IBA’s creativity
in rephrasing them each year.
1. Subject-Verb
Agreement
When you see sentences involving collective nouns (“team,” “board,”
“committee”), indefinite pronouns (“everyone,” “none,” “each”), or complicated
prepositional phrases, suspect a subject-verb trap. IBA frequently tries to
fool you into pairing a plural verb with a singular subject or vice versa. The
correct approach is to isolate the core subject and match it with the correct
verb form, ignoring intervening words.
2. Verb Tense
and Conditional Clauses
Whether referencing past events (“had been,” “was,” “has been”), future
speculation (“will be,” “would be”), or unreal scenarios (“If I were…,” “If she
had studied…”), IBA loves to test consistency. They might embed a timeline
mismatch or see if you realize that an unreal condition demands the
subjunctive: “If he had studied more, he would have passed,”
rather than “If he would have studied…”
3. Pronoun
Accuracy
Common pronoun challenges revolve around “who” vs. “whom,” “I” vs. “me,” or
the correct usage of “they” as a singular pronoun. You might see a sentence
like “He is taller than me” (casual usage) versus “He is taller than I (am).”
IBA often tilts toward stricter formal grammar, though they sometimes allow
modern forms. Either way, you must parse the deeper grammar role—subject or
object—in the relevant clause.
4. Idiomatic
Expressions and Prepositions
Many errors are purely idiomatic, not necessarily rooted in universal logic.
“In favor of,” “approve of,” “bored with,” “capable of,”
“composed of,” “in conjunction with,” “wait for the
bus”—these are the correct forms, but the test might present “composed by,”
“in favor for,” “wait on the bus,” or “approve with.”
Unless you’ve memorized or internalized these set phrases, you can easily slip.
5. Parallel
Structure and Comparisons
“Not only…but also,” “either…or,” “both…and,” or a standard list with
commas—any time two or more items appear, they must be grammatically parallel.
IBA will sometimes add one phrase that breaks the pattern. Spotting the mismatch
is often the key to answering correctly. Comparisons such as “X is better than
Y” might also be tested with the sly introduction of pronoun issues: “He was
more annoyed than them,” which is arguable compared to “He was more annoyed
than they (were).”
How Deep the Testing Goes
IBA aspirants often underestimate IBA’s approach, assuming it will be full
of typical “school grammar” errors. In reality, the testing depth can be
surprising. A single question may mix:
·
A subtle tense shift mid-sentence
·
A dangling modifier
·
An incorrect preposition
·
A pronoun-antecedent mismatch
·
An error in grammar sense, but more acceptable
in formal English writing
That means scanning for just one type of mistake is not enough; you must
systematically evaluate a sentence from multiple angles. At times, multiple
choices might look grammatically valid if you only correct one error. But IBA
expects you to find the option that resolves all subtle issues—an
approach requiring thorough knowledge, practice, and calm composure.
Moreover, the test rarely features glaringly wrong usage like “We has many
books.” Instead, you’ll see near-correct forms: “We have many books, which is
helpful for us to read and building knowledge.” The problem is the slight slip
in parallelism (“to read and building”), which can go unnoticed by an untrained
eye.
Strategies for Success
Train with Real Past Questions: Having a proper grasp of
past year questions (I mean both BBA and MBAs) is invaluable. Work through each
item, time yourself, and then dissect why each correct answer works. This
repeated exposure helps you sense patterns and forms that are standard—useful
for quickly eliminating incorrect options. Your half preparation will be done
in this way.
Categorize Errors: Keep track of the mistakes you repeatedly
make: is it always pronouns, or do you trip up on prepositions? Target your
weaknesses. If you see you often choose “in favor for,” memorize that the
correct phrase is “in favor of.”
Develop a Systematic Reading Style: For each question, read the
entire sentence carefully. Identify the main subject and verb, check pronoun
references, scan for parallelism, and confirm that the tense is consistent.
This methodical approach works better than a quick “sound test,” which might
fail you in tricky contexts.
Revise Foundational Grammar: If you feel uncertain about
basic grammar terms and structures (e.g., what a participle is, how subjunctive
forms function), revise them. You’ll need a working knowledge of grammar jargon
to navigate these advanced questions efficiently. You can take Cliff’s Toefl or
GMATClub Ultimate Grammar Book as your guide.
Learn Idioms Proactively: Because idioms often have
no “logical” explanation (it’s simply how English works), the best approach is
to memorize common ones. Jot them down, keep flashcards, or systematically
review. Over time, these phrases will feel intuitive.
Watch for Distractors: Some answer choices might
fix one error but create another. IBA loves to see if you’ll stop checking the
rest of the sentence. Only finalize your answer when you’re sure every portion
of the sentence is correct.
Remember, Magnus Minds!
Grammar might not be the largest chunk of the test, yet ignoring it is
risky. Those 5–10 questions each year span a wide range of advanced
concepts—subject-verb agreement, parallel structure, pronoun usage, idiomatic
expressions, and more. If you’re not prepared, you’ll miss subtle signals,
second-guess yourself, and lose time.
However, with focused practice—especially under the guidance of an expert
who doesn’t just drill you on “correcting” but shows why the
corrections make sense—you can transform these tricky sentence-correction items
into quick, almost reflexive wins. Proper technique comes from genuine
understanding, not from memorizing a thousand isolated rules.
A Word on Building Skill (and a Great Place to Start)
Tags:
IBA Admission, MBA Admission Test, BBA Admission Test, English Grammar, Sentence Correction, Grammar Tricks, Competitive Exam Prep, Grammar Rules, IBA English Section, Magnus Minds
