SBI Clerk English Sample Paper 2026: Practice Questions, Pattern & Preparation Tips

Last Updated: May 6, 2026

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The English Language section is often the deciding section in the SBI Clerk (Junior Associate) exam, it is the lowest-scoring section in Prelims for most aspirants, but also the easiest to score 25+ marks in with focused preparation. This guide gives you the SBI Clerk English exam pattern for 2026, sample practice questions across question types, and proven preparation tips.

SBI Clerk 2026 English Language Section Pattern

Preliminary Examination

• Number of questions: 30
• Marks: 30 (1 mark per question)
• Sectional time limit: 20 minutes
• Negative marking: 0.25 marks per wrong answer

Main Examination

• Number of questions: 40
• Marks: 40
• Sectional time limit: 35 minutes
• Negative marking: 0.25 marks per wrong answer

Topics Covered in SBI Clerk English

• Reading Comprehension (RC), usually 7-10 questions, vocabulary-based + inference-based
• Cloze Test, 5-7 questions
• Para Jumbles / Sentence Rearrangement, 4-5 questions
• Error Spotting / Sentence Correction, 5 questions
• Fill in the Blanks (single & double), 3-5 questions
• Sentence Improvement, 3-5 questions
• Vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms, word usage), 3-5 questions
• Match the Column / Word Replacement, 3-5 questions

Sample Practice Questions

Section 1: Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

Financial inclusion has been one of the most discussed development themes in India over the past decade. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, launched in 2014, brought hundreds of millions of unbanked Indians into the formal financial system. Coupled with the JAM trinity, Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile, this enabled direct benefit transfers worth lakhs of crores of rupees, dramatically reducing leakages in welfare delivery. However, true financial inclusion goes beyond bank account ownership. It requires meaningful access to credit, insurance and investment products, especially for rural households and women. Recent initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana for small businesses and Sukanya Samriddhi for girl children attempt to address these deeper layers of financial inclusion.

Q1. What does the JAM trinity refer to?
(a) Jewellery, Agriculture, Manufacturing
(b) Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile
(c) Jobs, Agriculture, Markets
(d) Jan Dhan, Atal, Mudra
Answer: (b)

Q2. The author suggests that true financial inclusion requires:
(a) Only bank account ownership
(b) Direct benefit transfers
(c) Access to credit, insurance and investment products
(d) Closing rural bank branches
Answer: (c)

Section 2: Cloze Test

Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate word.

India’s digital economy has _____(3)_____ rapidly over the past five years. Smartphone adoption combined with cheap data has _____(4)_____ businesses to serve customers in tier-3 and tier-4 towns that were previously _____(5)_____ the reach of organised retail.

Q3. (a) declined (b) grown (c) stalled (d) reduced, Answer: (b) grown
Q4. (a) prevented (b) enabled (c) restricted (d) confused, Answer: (b) enabled
Q5. (a) within (b) inside (c) beyond (d) under, Answer: (c) beyond

Section 3: Error Spotting

Identify the part of the sentence with the grammatical error.

Q6. (a) The bank manager / (b) along with his colleagues / (c) are attending the conference / (d) tomorrow morning.
Answer: (c), Subject-verb agreement: “along with his colleagues” is a parenthetical phrase; the verb should agree with the singular subject “the bank manager”, so it should be “is attending”.

Q7. (a) Neither the candidates / (b) nor the recruiter / (c) were satisfied / (d) with the assessment process.
Answer: (c), With “neither/nor”, the verb agrees with the closer subject (singular “recruiter”), so it should be “was satisfied”.

Section 4: Sentence Improvement

Q8. The number of digital transactions in India have grown exponentially since 2016.
(a) have grown (b) has grown (c) had grown (d) was grown
Answer: (b) has grown, “Number” is singular when followed by “of + plural noun”.

Section 5: Para Jumbles

Arrange the sentences in a logical order.

(P) Once Aadhaar was widely adopted, banks could open accounts in minutes instead of days.
(Q) Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana was launched to bring unbanked Indians into the formal financial system.
(R) The combination of Jan Dhan and Aadhaar transformed India’s welfare delivery.
(S) Direct Benefit Transfer schemes used these accounts to disburse subsidies straight to citizens.

Q9. (a) QPSR (b) RQPS (c) QRPS (d) PQRS
Answer: (a) QPSR, Q introduces; P explains the impact of Aadhaar; S describes how DBT used the accounts; R concludes.

Preparation Tips for SBI Clerk English 2026

• Read editorials daily from The Hindu or Indian Express, this builds vocabulary, comprehension speed and exposure to argumentative writing styles used in RC passages.
• Practice grammar fundamentals first, subject-verb agreement, tenses, articles, prepositions and modifiers cover 80% of error-spotting and sentence-improvement questions.
• Build a personal vocabulary log, note 5 new words daily with synonyms, antonyms and example sentences.
• Sectional mocks first, then full-length, start with 30-question English sectional tests in 18 minutes; gradually push to 22 minutes and 35-question Mains-pattern tests.
• RC strategy, read the passage first (don’t skim); then read questions; for vocabulary-based questions, use context clues from the passage.
• Time management in Prelims, start with the question type you find easiest (often error spotting or sentence improvement); leave RC for the middle of your 20-minute window.

Recommended Books for SBI Clerk English

• Wren & Martin’s High School English Grammar and Composition, for grammar fundamentals.
• Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis, for vocabulary building.
• Objective General English by S.P. Bakshi (Arihant), for question-pattern practice.
• Plinth to Paramount by Neetu Singh (KD Publications), popular among bank exam aspirants.
• SBI Clerk previous years’ papers, last 5 years of solved papers (Disha Publication or Adda247).

Frequently Asked Questions

How many marks should I aim for in SBI Clerk English Prelims?

Aim for 22-25 marks out of 30, with at least 25 attempts. The English cut-off is the lowest of the three sections, but you still need to clear the sectional cut-off.

What is the minimum cut-off for SBI Clerk English?

Sectional cut-offs vary by year and state, but typically range between 8-12 marks (out of 30) for general category in Prelims. Always aim 5+ marks above the cut-off as a buffer.

Is reading newspapers important for SBI Clerk English?

Yes, especially for Reading Comprehension and Cloze Test. Reading 1 editorial daily for 60 days will significantly improve your reading speed, vocabulary recall and comprehension accuracy.

Can I crack SBI Clerk English without coaching?

Yes, with disciplined self-study using quality books, daily editorial reading and regular mock tests. Plutus Academy in Noida and Mukherjee Nagar offers structured SBI Clerk preparation programmes if you prefer guided coaching with weekly mock analysis.

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