Discover the most common mistakes made by CDS aspirants in the English section and learn how to avoid them. Expert tips from The Lakshay Academy to boost your CDS exam score and improve accuracy.
📝 Common Mistakes in CDS English & How to Avoid Them
- The CDS (Combined Defence Services) Exam, conducted by the UPSC, is one of the most competitive defence exams in India. Among all the sections — English, General Knowledge, and Elementary Mathematics — the English paper often becomes a tricky one for aspirants. Despite being a scoring section, many candidates lose valuable marks due to small but critical mistakes.
- If you’re aiming for CDS 2026, mastering English is non-negotiable. Let’s explore the most common mistakes in the CDS English section and learn how you can avoid them with smart strategies.
1. Ignoring Basic Grammar Rules
One of the biggest mistakes CDS aspirants make is neglecting grammar fundamentals. Many focus on memorizing new words but forget that English grammar forms the base of nearly every question type — whether it’s error detection, fill in the blanks, or sentence improvement.
- How to Avoid:
- Revise tenses, subject-verb agreement, prepositions, articles, and modifiers regularly.
- Use standard grammar books like Wren & Martin or Plinth to Paramount.
- Practice 20 grammar-based questions daily to strengthen your base.
- Don’t guess — ensure you understand why an option is correct.
🧩 2. Overlooking Vocabulary Development
CDS English questions often test vocabulary indirectly through synonyms, antonyms, idioms, and one-word substitutions. Many aspirants try to memorize long lists a few days before the exam — which never works.
- How to Avoid:
- Learn 5 new words daily with their meaning, usage, and antonyms.
- Read The Hindu or The Indian Express editorials daily.
- Make a personal “vocab journal” for revision.
- Revise periodically to strengthen long-term memory.
📚 3. Not Practicing Previous Year Papers
Skipping previous year CDS English papers is another critical mistake. UPSC tends to repeat question patterns, and the level of difficulty remains consistent.
- How to Avoid:
- Practice at least 10 years of previous papers.
- Analyze your mistakes and understand which question types trouble you most.
- Join mock test series like those offered by The Lakshay Academy to simulate exam conditions.
Enroll in CDS Coaching at The Lakshay Academy
💭 4. Mismanaging Time During the Exam
Many students fail to complete the paper or spend too much time on tough questions. The English paper consists of 120 questions in 120 minutes — meaning you have just one minute per question.
- How to Avoid:
- Attempt easy sections like spot the error and synonyms/antonyms first.
- Skip confusing questions and return later.
- Practice full-length mock tests to build speed and accuracy.
- Develop a clear time management strategy before exam day.
🧠 5. Guessing Answers Without Logic
The CDS exam has negative marking (-0.33 per wrong answer). Many aspirants mark answers randomly when unsure, hoping for luck — this often leads to a lower overall score.
- How to Avoid:
- Attempt only if you’re 70–80% sure of the answer.
- Eliminate clearly wrong options first to improve odds.
- Maintain composure; never panic if a few questions seem tough.
📖 6. Ignoring Comprehension Practice
Reading Comprehension is one of the most scoring sections in CDS English. However, due to lack of regular reading habits, many aspirants find it time-consuming or confusing.
- How to Avoid:
- Read editorials, defence articles, and news features daily.
- Practice at least one comprehension passage every alternate day.
- on understanding the tone, main idea, and inference of the passage.
- Avoid overanalyzing — most answers come directly from the passage.
✍️ 7. Weakness in Sentence Improvement & Error Detection
These questions test both grammar and contextual understanding. Many aspirants focus only on rules and forget to read the entire sentence context.
- How to Avoid:
- Identify common patterns (e.g., parallelism, modifiers, prepositions).
- Read the full sentence carefully before marking.
- Practice with sectional tests to build intuition for correct usage.
- Learn from your mistakes — maintain an error log.
📋 8. Not Revising Before the Exam
Many aspirants keep studying new topics till the last day and forget to revise previously learned material — leading to confusion during the exam.
- How to Avoid:
- Dedicate the last 10–15 days solely for revision.
- Focus on grammar rules, vocab lists, and frequently repeated idioms.
- Attempt 2–3 mock tests per week during revision.
🧭 9. Not Understanding the Question Format
Some candidates misread the question and mark the wrong answer – especially in spot the error or sentence arrangement questions.
- How to Avoid:
- Read the question twice before answering.
- Underline key parts of the sentence in rough work.
- Stay calm and avoid rushing through the paper.
🎯 10. Not Seeking Expert Guidance
Preparing alone without guidance can limit your growth. English requires both conceptual clarity and consistent feedback – which coaching institutes provide.
- How to Avoid:
- Join a reputed institute like The Lakshay Academy, where retired defence officers and English experts guide you with tested strategies.
- Attend regular doubt-clearing sessions.
- Get personalized feedback on mock tests to improve weak areas.
Contact The Lakshay Academy for CDS Coaching
🌟 Final Thoughts
The English section of CDS is not just about grammar or vocabulary — it’s about clarity, consistency, and comprehension. Avoiding these common mistakes can easily help you score 70+ marks in the paper, giving you a strong edge over other aspirants.
Remember, practice + discipline = perfection. Focus on concept clarity, revise regularly, and take expert help when needed. With the right approach, you can turn English into your highest-scoring subject.
