TNPSC English - Vocab (Homonyms, Collocations) & Prose Analysis

This lesson covers essential topics from the TNPSC General English syllabus, focusing on vocabulary and prose. We will explore confusing words like Homonyms and Homophones, learn about word formation through Abbreviations and Derivatives, and analyze three important prose pieces to strengthen your comprehension skills.

இந்த பாடம் TNPSC பொது ஆங்கில பாடத்திட்டத்தின் முக்கிய பகுதிகளை உள்ளடக்கியது. இதில் Homonyms, Homophones போன்ற குழப்பமான வார்த்தைகள், Abbreviations மற்றும் Derivatives மூலம் வார்த்தை உருவாக்கம் மற்றும் மூன்று முக்கிய உரைநடைப் பகுப்பாய்வு ஆகியவை அடங்கும்.

Learning Patterns & Study Strategies

To master General English, follow a consistent and parallel study plan. This method ensures you cover all syllabus areas simultaneously, which is more effective than finishing one unit at a time.

பொது ஆங்கிலத்தில் தேர்ச்சி பெற, ஒரு நிலையான மற்றும் இணையான ஆய்வுத் திட்டத்தைப் பின்பற்றுங்கள். இந்த முறை அனைத்து பாடத்திட்டப் பகுதிகளையும் ஒரே நேரத்தில் படிப்பதை உறுதி செய்கிறது.

• Daily Practice: Spend time every day on different sections. ஒரு நாளைக்கு ஒரு கிராமர் தலைப்பு, ஒரு பக்கம் Synonyms & Antonyms, மற்றும் ஒரு Reading Comprehension passage எனப் பயிற்சி செய்யுங்கள்.
• Parallel Learning: Study Grammar, Vocabulary, and Literary Works together. Don't wait to finish one section before starting another. இப்படி இணையாகப் படிப்பதால், தேர்வு நெருங்கும் போது அனைத்துப் பகுதிகளிலும் உங்களுக்கு நல்ல பயிற்சி கிடைக்கும்.
• Revision is Key: At the end of each week, revise everything you studied. வாராந்திர ரிவிஷன், படித்ததை நினைவில் நிறுத்த மிகவும் உதவும்.
• Understand Concepts: Instead of just memorizing, focus on understanding the core concepts. For example, know the difference between an Acronym and an Abbreviation. வெறும் மனப்பாடம் செய்வதை விட, Acronym மற்றும் Abbreviation ஆகியவற்றுக்கு இடையேயான வித்தியாசம் போன்ற அடிப்படைக் கருத்துக்களைப் புரிந்து கொள்ளுங்கள்.

Part 1: Key Vocabulary Concepts (Unit II)

Vocabulary questions are easy to score if you understand the basic concepts. Let's start by analyzing a previous year's question to see how these concepts are tested.

சொற்களஞ்சியக் கேள்விகளில் நல்ல மதிப்பெண் பெறுவது எளிது. ஒரு பழைய வினாத்தாளைப் பார்ப்பதன் மூலம் அடிப்படைக் கருத்துக்களைப் புரிந்துகொள்ளலாம்.

Understanding the Basics: A Question Analysis

A common question type is "Match the Following," where you match terms like Abbreviation, Acronym, Homonym, and Homophone with their correct examples.

Column A	Column B
Abbreviation	ATM
Acronym	WHO (pronounced "Hoo")
Homonym	Bat (animal) / Bat (sports)
Homophone	Allowed / Aloud

To answer this, you must know the definitions:

1. Abbreviations vs. Acronyms

Abbreviation (சுருக்கெழுத்து): A shortened form of a word or phrase. We pronounce each letter individually. (ஒரு வார்த்தையின் சுருக்கப்பட்ட வடிவம். ஒவ்வொரு எழுத்தையும் தனித்தனியாக உச்சரிப்போம்.)

• Example: ATM (we say A-T-M), CEO (we say C-E-O).

Acronym (முதல் எழுத்துச் சொல்): A new word formed from the first letters of a series of words. We pronounce it as a single word. (பல வார்த்தைகளின் முதல் எழுத்துக்களைக் கொண்டு உருவாக்கப்பட்ட ஒரு புதிய சொல். இதை ஒரு தனி வார்த்தையாக உச்சரிப்போம்.)

• Example: WHO (World Health Organization, pronounced "hoo"), PAN (Permanent Account Number, pronounced "pan").

2. Homonyms vs. Homophones

Here's a simple trick to remember the difference:

• Nyms sounds like Names. So, Homonyms have the same name (spelling).
• Phone relates to Sound. So, Homophones have the same sound (pronunciation).

Homonyms (ஒப்பெழுத்து): Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but different meanings. (ஒரே ஸ்பெல்லிங், ஒரே உச்சரிப்பு, ஆனால் அர்த்தம் வேறுபடும்.)

• Example: Bat (a flying mammal) and Bat (a piece of sports equipment).

Homophones (ஒப்பொலி): Words with the same pronunciation but different spellings and meanings. (ஒரே உச்சரிப்பு, ஆனால் ஸ்பெல்லிங் மற்றும் அர்த்தம் வேறுபடும்.)

• Example: Allowed (permitted) and Aloud (out loud).

In-depth Look at Vocabulary Topics

Homonyms

Homonyms can be confusing because the same word can mean completely different things depending on the context. சூழலைப் பொறுத்து ஒரே வார்த்தை முற்றிலும் மாறுபட்ட அர்த்தங்களைக் கொடுக்கும்.

Common Examples:

• Address:
  • Location: "What is your address?"
  • To speak to: "The Prime Minister will address the nation."
• Right:
  • Correct: "You are right."
  • Direction: "Take a right turn."
• Bank:
  • Financial institution: "I need to go to the bank."
  • River side: "The river bank is beautiful."
• Park:
  • A public garden: "Let's go to the park."
  • To leave a vehicle: "You can't park your car here."
• Watch:
  • A timepiece: "I bought a new watch."
  • To observe: "We will watch a movie."

Homophones

These words sound the same but are spelled differently. Pay close attention to the spelling in the exam. இந்த வார்த்தைகளின் உச்சரிப்பு ஒன்றுதான், ஆனால் எழுத்துப்பிழை வேறு. தேர்வில் ஸ்பெல்லிங்கை கவனமாகப் பாருங்கள்.

Common Examples:

• Past / Passed:
  • "He passed the trial." (ஒரு சோதனையில் தேர்ச்சி பெற்றார்)
  • "It happened in the past." (கடந்த காலத்தில் நடந்தது)
• Peace / Piece:
  • "We want world peace." (உலக அமைதி)
  • "Can I have a piece of cake?" (ஒரு துண்டு கேக்)
• New / Knew:
  • "I bought a new shirt." (புதிய சட்டை)
  • "I knew the answer." (எனக்கு பதில் தெரியும்)
• Right / Write:
  • "This is the right way." (சரியான வழி)
  • "Please write your name." (உங்கள் பெயரை எழுதுங்கள்)

Collocations

Collocations are two or more words that are frequently used together in English. They sound "natural" to native speakers. Collocations என்பது ஆங்கிலத்தில் இயல்பாக ஒன்றாகப் பயன்படுத்தப்படும் வார்த்தைகள்.

Why is it important? Using the wrong word combination can sound unnatural. For example, we say heavy rain, not strong rain. Fast food, not quick food.

Common Types of Collocations:

• Adjective + Noun:
  • Strong coffee (not powerful coffee)
  • Deep sleep (not low sleep)
  • Rich history
• Verb + Noun:
  • Make the bed
  • Do homework
  • Give advice
  • Take a risk
• Adverb + Adjective:
  • Fully aware
  • Painfully slow
  • Deeply regret

Derivatives

Derivatives are new words formed from an existing word, usually by adding a prefix (at the beginning) or a suffix (at the end). ஒரு வார்த்தையின் தொடக்கத்தில் (prefix) அல்லது இறுதியில் (suffix) எழுத்துக்களைச் சேர்ப்பதன் மூலம் புதிய வார்த்தைகளை உருவாக்குவது Derivatives எனப்படும்.

• Prefix Example:
  • happy -> unhappy (The prefix un- changes the meaning to its opposite).
• Suffix Example:
  • courage (noun) -> courageous (adjective).
  • act (verb) -> action (noun).
  • friend (noun) -> friendship (noun).

Abbreviations and Acronyms

This is a very common topic. Remember the key difference: pronunciation. இது ஒரு மிக முக்கியமான பகுதி. உச்சரிப்புதான் முக்கிய வேறுபாடு என்பதை நினைவில் கொள்ளுங்கள்.

List of Common Abbreviations & Acronyms:

• ATM: Automated Teller Machine
• CEO: Chief Executive Officer
• GST: Goods and Services Tax
• IAS: Indian Administrative Service
• NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Acronym)
• ISRO: Indian Space Research Organisation (Acronym)
• SIM: Subscriber Identity Module (Acronym)
• LASER: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation (Acronym)
• GPS: Global Positioning System

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Part 2: Prose Analysis (Unit VII)

Understanding prose helps in Reading Comprehension and develops your overall English skills. Let's analyze three important stories.

உரைநடையைப் புரிந்துகொள்வது Reading Comprehension-க்கு உதவுவதோடு, உங்கள் ஆங்கிலத் திறனையும் மேம்படுத்தும்.

1. His First Flight by Liam O’Flaherty

This is a beautiful story about overcoming fear and gaining self-confidence.

Summary: A young seagull is afraid to fly. His two brothers and sister have already flown away with their parents, but he is left alone on a ledge (ஒரு பாறையின் விளிம்பு). He fears that his wings will not support him. His family tries everything to encourage him—they scold him, threaten to let him starve—but nothing works.

The seagull is overcome by hunger. He sees his mother tearing a piece of fish. Maddened by hunger, he cries out to her. The mother, seeing his desperation, flies towards him with the fish. But just as she is about to reach him, she halts in mid-air. The seagull, unable to control his hunger, dives for the fish.

At that moment, he falls outwards and downwards into space. Terror seizes him, but his instincts take over. His wings spread out, and he starts flapping. He is flying! His family joins him, crying with joy. He has successfully made his first flight.

Key Theme:

• Overcoming Fear: The story teaches us that fear is a state of mind. We must face our fears to achieve our potential.
• Parental Motivation: The seagull's parents use tough love to push him towards independence.
• Self-Confidence: The final push must come from within. The seagull's own hunger and instinct drive him to fly.

2. The Night the Ghost Got In by James Thurber

This is a humorous story about how a simple misunderstanding can lead to chaos.

Summary: One night, the narrator, James Thurber, hears footsteps downstairs. He believes it is a ghost. He wakes up his brother, Herman, who also gets scared. The commotion wakes up their mother. She is convinced that there are burglars (கொள்ளையர்கள்) in the house.

She decides to call the police by throwing a shoe through the neighbor's window to get their attention. The neighbors, the Bodwells, call the police. Soon, a large police force arrives, including reporters. They search the entire house but find nothing.

The noise wakes up the grandfather in the attic (வீட்டின் மாடியில் உள்ள சிறிய அறை). The grandfather, who thinks the police are army deserters from the Civil War, grabs a gun and shoots at them, injuring an officer. The police, completely confused, finally leave.

The next morning, the grandfather cheerfully asks why the police were in the house. He reveals that he was the one walking downstairs the previous night to get a drink of water.

Key Theme:

• Irrational Fear: The story humorously shows how fear can make people behave illogically.
• Misunderstanding & Chaos: A small misunderstanding escalates into a major chaotic event involving the whole neighborhood and the police.

3. Empowered Women: Navigating the World

This lesson is an interview with an all-woman crew of the Indian Navy who circumnavigated the globe.

Summary: This story celebrates the achievement of a six-woman crew who sailed around the world for 254 days on a boat called INSV Tarani. The expedition was named Navika Sagar Parikrama.

• The Crew: Led by Lt. Cdr. Vartika Joshi, the team included five other women officers.
• The Goal: The project aimed to showcase women's empowerment and the 'Make in India' initiative, as the boat was built in India. They also collected data on weather and marine pollution.
• The Journey: They started from Goa on September 10, 2017, and returned on April 21, 2018. They faced many challenges, including a terrifying storm in the South Pacific with waves as high as 10 meters.
• Life at Sea: They celebrated Diwali, three birthdays, and cooked special meals like golgappas. They learned to rely on each other and work as a team.
• The Message: The crew proved that gender does not matter when it comes to skill and determination. Their journey is an inspiration for women across the country.

Key Facts to Remember:

• Boat Name: INSV Tarani
• Project Name: Navika Sagar Parikrama
• Crew Leader: Vartika Joshi
• Duration: 254 days
• Key Challenge: A severe storm in the South Pacific.

Final Advice

These topics are scoring areas in the General English paper. Practice them regularly. For prose and poetry, understand the story, theme, and author details. Consistent effort is the only way to succeed. இந்த தலைப்புகள் பொது ஆங்கிலத் தாளில் அதிக மதிப்பெண் பெறக்கூடிய பகுதிகள். உரைநடை மற்றும் கவிதைகளுக்கு, கதை, கருத்து மற்றும் ஆசிரியர் விவரங்களைப் புரிந்து கொள்ளுங்கள். நிலையான முயற்சி மட்டுமே வெற்றிக்கு வழிவகுக்கும்.