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Soft Skills (BAS105) AKTU exam strategy

Focus on Unit 1 (Applied Grammar and Usage) and Unit 2 (Listening and Speaking Skills). Together they account for about 51 marks among all questions printed per paper. Unit 5 (Work-place Skills) is safest to skim if you're short on time.

Unit priority

  • Unit 1 (Applied Grammar and Usage) – Must Prepare, 27 marks avg. Unit 1 (Applied Grammar and Usage) averages 27 marks per paper — one of the heaviest units in this subject. Transformation of Sentences and Word Formation and Affixes have appeared in every paper analysed — these are must-dos. Must-do: Word Formation and Affixes, Transformation of Sentences, Subject-Verb Agreement.
  • Unit 2 (Listening and Speaking Skills) – High Priority, 24 marks avg. Unit 2 (Listening and Speaking Skills) averages 24 marks per paper — one of the heaviest units in this subject. Active Listening Skills and Pronunciation and Speaking Style have appeared in every paper analysed — these are must-dos. Must-do: Active Listening Skills, Pronunciation and Speaking Style.
  • Unit 3 (Reading and Writing Skills) – High Priority, 23 marks avg. Unit 3 (Reading and Writing Skills) averages 23 marks per paper — one of the heaviest units in this subject. Reading Styles and Techniques and Effective Writing Methods have appeared in every paper analysed — these are must-dos. Must-do: Effective Writing Methods, Reading Styles and Techniques, Agenda Notices Meeting Minutes, Official and Business Letters.
  • Unit 4 (Presentation and Interaction Skills) – Medium Priority, 22 marks avg. Unit 4 (Presentation and Interaction Skills) averages 22 marks per paper — one of the heaviest units in this subject. Non-Verbal Communication and Presentation Strategies have appeared in every paper analysed — these are must-dos. Must-do: Non-Verbal Communication, Presentation Strategies, Oral Communication Introduction, Public Speaking Skills.
  • Unit 5 (Work-place Skills) – Safe to Skim, 22 marks avg. Unit 5 (Work-place Skills) averages 22 marks per paper — one of the heaviest units in this subject. Leadership Qualities and Impact and Mental Health at Workplace have appeared in every paper analysed — these are must-dos. Must-do: Mental Health at Workplace, Leadership Qualities and Impact.

Topics AKTU keeps repeating

  • Transformation of Sentences: Asked in 4 out of 6 papers. If you prepare only one topic from its unit, make it this one.
  • Word Formation and Affixes: Asked in 4 out of 6 papers. If you prepare only one topic from its unit, make it this one.

Short on time?

  • Among all units, Unit 5 (Work-place Skills) is the lowest priority at 22M avg. If you're running low on time, prioritize the top 3 units and give this one a quick read. But even here — Leadership Qualities and Impact, Mental Health at Workplace are high-repeat topics. Cover these at minimum to stay safe.

How the paper is marked

  • Section A: 7 questions × 2 marks = 14 marks. Short definition/concept questions from all 5 units. Prepare 2–3 key definitions per unit — this section is the easiest 14 marks you can secure.
  • Section B: Attempt any 3 of 5 questions × 7 marks = 21 marks. Choose the 3 questions from units you've prepared most. Don't attempt all 5 — pick your strongest 3 and write them well.
  • Section C: 5 OR-pairs × 7 marks = 35 marks. One pair per unit — you must attempt all 5. This is where the exam is won or lost. Focus your deep preparation on the top 3 priority units.

Exam-day tips

  • Start with Section A to build momentum — budget 15–20 minutes max for all 7 questions.
  • In Section B, Unit 1 (Applied Grammar and Usage) questions have the highest repeat rate — always attempt that one first.
  • For Section C OR-pairs, read both options before choosing — sometimes the 'b' option is simpler despite appearing longer.
  • If you've prepared the VERY LIKELY topics, you can comfortably score 50+ marks without touching any new topic on exam day.
  • This strategy is built on 6 past papers — the patterns here are highly reliable.