LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

English
a. Vocabulary.
 Word Meanings
 Spelling
 Synonyms
 Antonyms
 Confusing Words
b. Grammar.
 Parts of Speech
 Correct Usage
 Punctuation
 Capitalization
 Subject-verb Agreement
 Sentence Construction
 Modifiers
 Finding Errors/Sentence –Correction
 Voice (active and passive)
Filipino
Note: Test questions in Filipino are incorporated in both Language Proficiency and Reading
Comprehension subtests).
a. WastongGamit
b. Bahagi ng Pananalita
c. Sawikain o Idioma
d. Tayutay
e. Paksa ng Talata

UPCAT Language Proficiency Tips and Tricks.

 Read professionally written and edited pieces from books, journals, major broadsheets, or
magazines. These reading materials are fueled by good writing so immersing in them can
sharpen your vocabulary and grammar skills, not to mention help you read faster which is
valuable in acing the Reading Comprehension subtest.
 In contrast, poorly written blogs, tabloids, and similar reading materials may skew your
perception of what constitutes good writing. Avoid them like a plague.
 When writing a message through text, e-mail, or messaging app, don’t use shortcuts.
People who are used to spelling words incorrectly to save time tend to dull their abilities to use
proper spelling and grammar.
 Enrich your vocabulary by learning at least one new English word a day. You can
discover new words either by reading books or watching TV shows/movies. We also suggest
downloading the PDF version of “The 1000 Most Common SAT Words” which features a rich
collection of uncommon English words, some of which have appeared in the actual UPCAT
questions in the past.
 Use a dictionary to find the definition of unfamiliar words. Rather than relying on
memorization, try using these new words in your daily writing activities or conversations for
better retention.
 Refrain from watching Tagalized movies and TV shows for now. If you want to improve
your English proficiency, the best options would be informative American TV shows that use
formal English like those in the Discovery, History Channel, and National Geographic, just to
name a few.
 Learn how to find the meaning of a word using context clues. This way, you can guess
the answer even without a dictionary or thesaurus. For example, in the sentence “She was an
assiduous student who promptly submitted her homework and projects on time,” you can infer
that assiduous most likely means “studious” by merely looking at the context clues following it
like “promptly” and “on time.”
 Play games like Scrabble or Word Factory that can help expand your vocabulary and
improve your logical thinking.
 Know how to guess the meaning of words by looking at their root words, prefixes, or
suffixes. For instance, “Philos” is a Greek root word which means “love” so English words that
originated from it like philanthropy, philosophy, and hydrophilic all have positive connotations.
 For the Filipino part, you can improve your vocabulary by reading literary works of
Ricky Lee, Lualhati Bautista, and Jose Rizal. Questions in Filipino may also be included in the
Science and Math subtests so familiarize yourself with Filipino translations of shapes, scientific
terms, and the likes.
 Practice communicating in both languages. Whether it’s through speaking or writing, the
only way to improve your communication skills is through constant application. Start your own
blog/vlog. Volunteer to edit articles on the Internet. Do whatever it takes to improve your
language proficiency. It’s one skill that will help you succeed not just in U.P. but in the real
world.

 Establish a good reading habit. A student who loves to read has a wider vocabulary that the
one who only reads when the school requires it. Look for the meanings of unfamiliar words and
practice using them for better retention.
 Review the correct spellings of common misspellings in the English language (e.g., occasion,
exaggerated, etc.).
 Learn how to derive the meaning of unknown words. In an exam, you may encounter words
that you do not understand.  These words may appear in the directions, the test questions, or the
answer choices. Unless you have superpower abilities to memorize the entire dictionary, you can
learn how to derive the meaning of unknown words by studying prefixes, suffixes, and root words. 
You can also get a working knowledge of etymology.
 Dedicate equal amount of time to studying and reviewing the Filipino language. Note that
both local and foreign UPCAT takers will encounter test questions written in Filipino or related to the
Filipino language.
 Know the Tagalog translation of basic science and math terms like shapes.
 Brush up on Filipino orthography or the correct spelling of Filipinized foreign words like
heograpiya for geography, etc.

PRACTICE TEST
Questions 1 – 6: Determine which of the following synonyms on the given choices best
corresponds to how the underlined word/s were used on each sentence.

1. Terrie kept fumbling the materials, gathering a few and shuffling them as if they were cards.

A. playing with

B. juggling

C. groping for
D. moving clumsily

2. Two police officers sprawled over a couch in Johanna’s living room, as if they were in their own
homes.

A. creep awkwardly

B. lay down

C. jumped into

D. sit with arms and legs spread out

3. The interviewer, dark, young and serious, turned his attention to us with a cramped sort of face.

A. paralyzed
B. cheerful

C. bothered

D. expressionless

4. The dog ambled to the door, which was slightly ajar, and slowly squeezed out into the passage.

A. crept
B. ran

C. walked

D. jumped

5. Harold lumbered at him and clouted him across the head.

A. cover with a clout

B. hit forcefully

C. stroke gently
D. kissed

 
6. I thought they were likely to bundle him into a car but the policeman simply led him back to the
road and pointed him towards the town center.

A. wrap

B. hustle

C. a lot of things
D. grouped together

 
Questions 7 – 12: Choose the correct sequence of sentences that will make the paragraph more
organized and logical.
 

7.

(1) Dapat din makita ninuman ang ganda ng buhay para masilayan ang ganda ng daigdig at saka
sabihin kung karapat-dapat ba ito sa ating pag-ibig at pagpapakasakit.

(2) Sa taong punong-puno ng hinanakit at pagdurusa, masasabing hindi maganda ang daigdig para sa
kanya.

(3) Laging pakaisiping may mga nilikha na itinalaga na handang mabuhay at marunong mabuhay
nang di lamang dahil sa kanilang sarili.
(4) Subalit hindi dapat doon matatapos ang lahat.

(5) Dapat bigyang puwang at pagkakataon ang pag-asa para makita ang kahiwagaan ng buhay.

A. 2-4-5-1-3

B. 2-5-1-3-4

C. 2-3-1-4-5

D. 2-4-5-3-1

8.

(1) Magaan din ang pag-angat at pagbagsak ng mga paa nito.

(2) Mula sa kinatatayuan ni Aling Rosa sa tabi ng bintana ay nakita niyang papasok na sa
tarangkahan si Amelita.

(3) Hindi naikubli ng nag-aagaw na dilim at liwanag ang hapung-hapong anyo ni Amelita at ang
hapis na mukhang pinalamlam ng pagod.

(4) Ngunit hindi rin nakubli sa paningin ng matanda na wari ay walang naramdamang pagod o hirap
ang anak.
(5) Tila may kasiyahang walang kahulilip ang imbay ng kanang braso, at ang kaliwa ay may kipkip
na aklat at makapal na kwaderno.

A. 2-3-4-1-5

B. 2-4-1-3-5

C. 2-3-1-4-5

D. 2-5-3-4-1

9.

(1) An example of job sharing would be for one person to work mornings, and the other to work
afternoons.

(2) The people sharing the job might be two friends, a husband, and wife, or two employees who did
not know each other before sharing a job.

(3) If the job were complex, the two sharers would have to spend some overlap time discussing the
job.

(4) Job sharing is a modified work schedule in which two people share the same job, both usually
working half-time.

A. 1-2-3-4

B. 4-2-1-3

C. 4-1-2-3

D. 1-4-2-3

10.

(1) To alleviate the struggle of keeping children from attending school, the government, together
with the parents, must work hand-in-hand to achieve sustained learning.
(2) Next, the government will have to devise schemes, apart from the cash transfer, to assist parents
in keeping children in school, possibly with the assistance of the private sector and multilateral
institutions.

(3) Adult literacy programs can also be promoted to inculcate the value of continuing education
among parents with limited formal schooling.

(4) Parents will also have to set aside their own funds for their children’s kindergarten expenses, in
addition to saving up for expenditures in higher grades.

(5) Micro-lending schemes for education and entrepreneurship can be developed.

(6) First, providing free kindergarten is laudable but is an additional strain on the limited national
appropriation for education.

A. 2-1-4-3-5-6

B. 1-6-2-4-3-5

C. 5-6-4-3-2-1

D. 1-6-4-2-5-3

11.

(1) The interior space has been modeled to echo the Thai characteristics of warmth and hospitality,
especially more evident nowadays in quaint resorts and provincial guesthouses.

(2) There are several decorations and framed images that reflect the culture of local hill tribes.

(3) Starbucks on Langsuan is the first ever community store in Asia and outside of the United States.

(4) It is difficult to miss this Starbucks from the outside. Amid imposing office buildings and
business hotels lies this almost humble looking structure designed in the traditional style of a Thai
home.

(5) It is easy to notice its unmistakably Thai roof and gable which might give one the first impression
that it was an antique Thai house (if not for that signature Starbucks logo prominently placed on the
facade).
A. 4-5-1-2-3

B. 3-4-5-1-2

C. 3-5-1-2-4

D. 4-3-5-2-1

12.

(1) Ang ilan sa mga ito ay sina Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar at Graciano Lopez-Jaena.
(2) Mababanggit dito si Francisco Baltazar na higit na kilala sa pangalang Francisco Balagtas, si Jose
Dela Cruz o Huseng Sisiw na nakilala sa larangan ng panitikan.

(3) Noong ika-19 na dantaon, ang Kilusang Propaganda ay nakilala.

(4) Kakaunti lamang sa mga Pilipino ang namumukadkad ang galing sa sining sa panahon ng mga
Espanyol.

(5) Ang kilusang ito ay namayagpag sa larangan ng literatura at pamamahayag.

A. 4-5-2-3-1

B. 4-2-3-5-1

C. 4-1-3-2-5

D. 4-2-1-3-5
 

13. It is bizarre how often public figures who loudly espouse traditional family values are later
caught in some scandal concerning their own private lives.

A. remember

B. reject

C. recognize

D. argue for
 

14. Marc is far too sensible to have done a fatuous thing like that.

A. dangerous

B. risky

C. inate

D. foolish

15. Our workplace wore a macabre look on Monday after the company downsized its staff strength.

A. gameface

B. serious

C. tropical

D. lugubrious

Questions 16 – 18: Choose the best word/s that will complete the sentence.
 
16. The children (         ) the ill effects of war

A. have borne

B. have born

C. has borne

D. had born

17. My sister (         ) to Zamboanga seven years ago.

A. migrated
B. migrating

C. immigrated

D. immigrating

 
18. The drug pushers tried to (         ) the arresting cops.

A. buy in

B. buy off

C. buy out

D. buy up

Questions 19 – 20: Choose the sentence that best combines the underlined sentences.
 
19. The old brain is called the reptilian brain. It does not know passion, but only stolid obedience to
its own genetic dictates.

A. After the old brain is called the reptilian brain, it does not know passion, but only stolid obedience
to its own genetic dictates.

B. The old brain, called the reptilian brain, does not know passion, but only stolid obedience to its
own genetic dictates.

C. The old brain is called the reptilian brain, whereupon it does not know passion, but only stolid
obedience to its own genetic dictates.

D. Unless the old brain, called the reptilian brain, does not know passion, only stolid obedience to its
own genetic dictates.

20. There have been great strides in the practical application of quantum physics in the last decade.
We are no closer to actually understanding it than were the physicists of the 1920s.
 A. Unless there have been great strides in the practical application of quantum physics in the last few
decades, we are no closer to actually understanding it than were the physicists of the 1920s.

B. In the last few decades, we are no closer to actually understanding it than were the physicists of
the 1920s, until there have been great strides in the practical application of quantum physics.

C. Although there have been great strides in the practical application of quantum physics in the last
few decades, we are no closer to actually understanding it than were the physicists of the 1920s.

D. In the last few decades, if there have been great strides in the practical application of quantum
physics we are no closer to actually understanding it than were the physicists of the 1920s.

ANSWERS
1. D
2. D
3. C
4. C
5. B
6. B
7. A
8. A
9. B
10. D
11. B
12. B
13. C
14. D
15. D
16. A
17. C
18. B
19. B
20. C