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100+ Free BCS Written English Practice Questions

Prepare for the Bangladesh Civil Service Compulsory Written English exam with instant access — no signup required.

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: BCS Written English Exam

200

Total Marks

BPSC Syllabus

4 hrs

Exam Duration

BPSC

Qualifying

Min Score per Paper

BPSC rules

Merit-based

Written Aggregate Pass

BPSC rules

200 BDT

Registration Fee

BPSC Teletalk

5-10%

Overall Pass Rate

BPSC Statistics

The BCS Compulsory Written English exam is a 200-mark paper with a 4-hour duration. Administered by the BPSC, it applies minimum qualifying standards per paper, with final selection based on merit across all written papers to proceed to the viva stage. The exam features reading comprehension (60 marks), summary writing (20 marks), formal letter writing (20 marks), English-Bengali bilingual translation (50 marks), and an essay (50 marks). Preparing for this high-stakes exam requires approximately 150-200 study hours.

Sample BCS Written English Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your BCS Written English exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which of the following sentences exhibits the correct use of a relative pronoun in a restrictive clause?
A.The candidate who scored the highest marks in the written test was selected for the viva.
B.The candidate whom scored the highest marks in the written test was selected for the viva.
C.The candidate which scored the highest marks in the written test was selected for the viva.
D.The candidate whose scored the highest marks in the written test was selected for the viva.
Explanation: In this sentence, the relative pronoun 'who' is the subject of the restrictive clause 'who scored the highest marks...'. 'Whom' is used for object position, 'which' is used for non-human entities, and 'whose' is a possessive relative pronoun. Therefore, 'who' is the correct subject pronoun.
2Identify the sentence that correctly applies the rules of subject-verb agreement with a collective noun.
A.The committee has submitted its report to the BPSC chairperson.
B.The committee have submitted its report to the BPSC chairperson.
C.The committee has submitted their report to the BPSC chairperson.
D.The committee are submitted its report to the BPSC chairperson.
Explanation: When a collective noun (like 'committee') acts as a single cohesive unit, it takes a singular verb ('has') and a singular pronoun ('its'). Option A is correct because the committee acted together to submit one report, necessitating 'has' and 'its'.
3Choose the sentence that correctly uses the subjunctive mood to express a demand or recommendation.
A.The examiner insisted that every candidate write their answers in ink.
B.The examiner insisted that every candidate writes their answers in ink.
C.The examiner insisted that every candidate wrote their answers in ink.
D.The examiner insisted that every candidate should have written their answers in ink.
Explanation: The subjunctive mood is used after verbs of command, demand, or suggestion (like 'insisted', 'demanded', 'suggested'). The clause following 'that' uses the base form of the verb ('write' instead of the singular 'writes' or past 'wrote'). Therefore, 'every candidate write' is correct.
4Which of the following options correct a dangling modifier in this sentence: 'Walking down the street, the BPSC office building came into view.'?
A.As I was walking down the street, the BPSC office building came into view.
B.Walking down the street, the BPSC office building was seen by me.
C.Walking down the street, I saw the BPSC office building came into view.
D.While walking down the street, the BPSC office building was in my view.
Explanation: A dangling modifier occurs when the implied subject of the modifier clause ('Walking down the street') does not match the actual subject of the main clause ('the BPSC office building'). The building cannot walk. Option A corrects this by turning the modifying phrase into a subordinate clause with its own subject ('As I was walking...').
5Identify the correct coordinate conjunction to complete this compound sentence: 'He prepared diligently for the written exam, ______ he did not achieve the desired marks.'
A.yet
B.for
C.so
D.or
Explanation: The conjunction 'yet' is used to introduce a contrasting fact or statement that is surprising given what has already been mentioned. Here, not achieving the desired marks contrasts with the fact that he prepared diligently, making 'yet' the correct coordinate conjunction.
6Which of the following options represents a grammatically correct transformation of this active sentence into the passive voice: 'The invigilator distributed the answer scripts at 10:00 AM.'?
A.The answer scripts were distributed by the invigilator at 10:00 AM.
B.The answer scripts are distributed by the invigilator at 10:00 AM.
C.The answer scripts had been distributed by the invigilator at 10:00 AM.
D.The answer scripts was distributed by the invigilator at 10:00 AM.
Explanation: To transform the simple past active sentence ('distributed') to passive, we use 'were' (since 'answer scripts' is plural) followed by the past participle 'distributed'. Thus, 'were distributed' is the correct form.
7What is the function of the underlined clause in the following sentence: 'The candidate *who maintains composure under stress* is likely to perform well in the viva.'?
A.Adjective clause
B.Noun clause
C.Adverb clause
D.Noun phrase
Explanation: The clause 'who maintains composure under stress' modifies the noun 'candidate'. Since it functions as an adjective by describing a noun, it is an adjective (or relative) clause.
8Complete the sentence with the correct conditional structure: 'If they had followed the guidelines, they ______ disqualified.'
A.would not have been
B.will not be
C.would not be
D.should not be
Explanation: This is a third conditional sentence, which refers to an unreal condition in the past and its past result. The structure is 'If + past perfect (had followed), ... would have + past participle (would not have been)'.
9Which of the following is a complex sentence?
A.Although he worked incredibly hard, he was unable to clear the preliminary cutoff.
B.He worked incredibly hard, but he was unable to clear the preliminary cutoff.
C.He worked incredibly hard; however, he was unable to clear the preliminary cutoff.
D.Despite working incredibly hard, he was unable to clear the preliminary cutoff.
Explanation: A complex sentence consists of one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. In Option A, 'Although he worked incredibly hard' is a dependent adverbial clause, and 'he was unable to clear...' is the independent clause. Option B is compound, C is compound (using a conjunctive adverb), and D is a simple sentence with a prepositional phrase.
10Identify the sentence that correctly employs the past perfect continuous tense.
A.She had been studying public administration for three years before she sat for the BCS exam.
B.She has been studying public administration for three years before she sat for the BCS exam.
C.She studied public administration for three years before she sat for the BCS exam.
D.She had studied public administration for three years before she sat for the BCS exam.
Explanation: The past perfect continuous tense ('had been studying') is used to show that an action started in the past and continued up until another point in the past ('before she sat'). Option A correctly follows this rule.

About the BCS Written English Exam

Compulsory 200-mark paper for all BCS candidates. Tests advanced writing competence, translation, reading comprehension, grammar, and essay composition.

Assessment

Question count not published by the exam provider

Time Limit

4 hours

Passing Score

BPSC minimum qualifying standards apply per paper; final selection based on merit

Exam Fee

200 BDT (~$1.80 USD) (BPSC)

BCS Written English Exam Content Outline

30%

Part-A Reading Comprehension & Grammar

Thematic questions based on passage (30 marks), contextual grammar and usage (30 marks)

20%

Part-A Writing Skills

Summary writing of the comprehension passage (20 marks), formal letter to the editor (20 marks)

25%

Part-B Translation

Bangla to English translation (25 marks), English to Bangla translation (25 marks)

25%

Part-B Essay Composition

A comprehensive essay on topical or contemporary social, political, or economic issues (50 marks)

How to Pass the BCS Written English Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: BPSC minimum qualifying standards apply per paper; final selection based on merit
  • Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
  • Time limit: 4 hours
  • Exam fee: 200 BDT (~$1.80 USD)

Keys to Passing

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

BCS Written English Study Tips from Top Performers

1Read English national dailies (such as The Daily Star) editorials daily to improve sentence variety, structure, and advanced vocabulary.
2Practice translation daily. Focus on matching sentence clauses and translating complex thoughts rather than literal word-for-word matching.
3Master correct usage: focus on subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, and correct placement of modifiers.
4Develop speed. Aim to complete your essay within 1 hour and translations within 45 minutes during mock practice.
5Use our practice questions to review grammar and vocabulary rules that frequently appear in BPSC papers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the passing score for the BCS Written English exam?

BPSC applies minimum qualifying standards for each compulsory written paper, and candidates must meet the overall written aggregate standard to proceed to the viva stage. The exact per-paper threshold is not officially published as a fixed percentage; selection is ultimately merit-based across all written papers.

What is the marks distribution for the BCS Written English exam?

The 200 marks are distributed as: Passage Comprehension (30 marks), Grammar & Usage (30 marks), Summary Writing (20 marks), Letter to the Editor (20 marks), Bangla-to-English translation (25 marks), English-to-Bangla translation (25 marks), and a Freehand Essay (50 marks).

How long is the BCS Compulsory Written English exam?

Candidates are given exactly 4 hours to write the 200-mark compulsory paper. Due to the high volume of writing required (including a 50-mark essay and two 25-mark translations), time management is critical.

How does this practice question bank help with a written subjective exam?

While the actual exam is subjective, this practice bank focuses on testing the foundational grammar rules, advanced vocabulary, idioms, translation theory, and passage analysis techniques required to score highly. Mastering these elements prevents losing marks on grammar and ensures precise translations and writing style.

What are the eligibility requirements for the BCS exam?

Candidates must be Bangladeshi citizens between 21 and 30 years of age (up to 32 for freedom fighter descendants) and hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent from a recognized university. Candidates with more than one third division or equivalent GPA in academic careers are ineligible.