← Combined Technical (NG)
Past Questions — 2026
Choose the correct pair of words to form a meaningful sentence: The chief _____ him of his administrative powers and _____ him to the Bahamas
A)
divested, deported
B)
inversted, shipped
C)
augmented, deported
D)
incremented, sent
The sentence needs verbs that fit both meaning and grammar: the chief **divested** him of his administrative powers (removed those powers) and **deported** him to the Bahamas (sent him out of the country, usually by official order). The other options do not fit: **invested/inversted** and **augmented/incremented** mean increase, not remove powers; **shipped/sent** are too general and do not match the formal sense needed here.
If someone ‘hits the nail on the head,’ they:
A)
Hurt themselves
B)
Are very angry
C)
Say or do something exactly right
D)
Start an argument
The idiom ‘hit the nail on the head’ means to be exactly correct or to say/do something precisely right. So option (c) is correct. The other options do not match the idiom’s meaning.
Correct the underlined phrase if needed: The document is concerning your health and that of your family
A)
concerns with
B)
is concerned with
C)
concerns
D)
No Correction required
The verb form should be simple present: “The document concerns your health and that of your family.” Here, “concerns” correctly means “is about.”
- (a) “concerns with” is ungrammatical.
- (b) “is concerned with” would mean the document is worried about something, which is not the intended meaning.
- (d) No correction required is wrong because “is concerning” is awkward here; for a document, “concerns” is the standard and correct form.
Identify the Part of Speech of the underlined word: The show had come to a close
A)
Adjective
B)
Noun
C)
Adverb
D)
Preposition
In the phrase "come to a close", the word "close" means "end" or "termination" and functions as a noun. So the sentence means the show had come to an end. It is not an adjective here because it is not describing another noun, not an adverb because it is not modifying a verb, and not a preposition.
The idiom ‘the ball is in your court’ means-
A)
You are playing a game
B)
You have lost
C)
It is your turn to act or decide
D)
You are winning
The idiom “the ball is in your court” means the responsibility has shifted to you, so you must now act, reply, or make a decision. It does not mean simply playing a game, losing, or winning. Therefore, option (c) is correct.
Choose the correct antonym of the word: Lucid
A)
Confusing
B)
Intelligible
C)
Transparent
D)
Fruitful
Lucid means clear, easy to understand, or transparent in meaning. The opposite of something clear is something confusing or unclear. So, 'Confusing' is the correct antonym. 'Intelligible' and 'Transparent' are similar in meaning to lucid, while 'Fruitful' is unrelated.
Choose the correct pair of words to form a meaningful sentence: The _____ of democratic freedom is dialogue and the _____ interchange of diverse ideas
A)
deterioration, condoned
B)
height, restrained
C)
essence, unhampered
D)
alienation, compulsory
The sentence reads naturally as: "The essence of democratic freedom is dialogue and the unhampered interchange of diverse ideas." Here, "essence" means the core or fundamental nature, which fits the phrase "of democratic freedom." "Unhampered" means free or unrestricted, which correctly describes the interchange of ideas. The other options do not fit the meaning or grammar: "deterioration" and "alienation" are negative and inappropriate; "condoned" and "compulsory" do not logically describe interchange; "restrained" is the opposite of the intended meaning.
Identify the Part of Speech of the underlined word: Hush, don’t make a noise
A)
Conjunction
B)
Interjection
C)
Preposition
D)
Adjective
The word “Hush” is used to express a sudden command or emotion, telling someone to be quiet. Such words are called interjections. It is not a conjunction, preposition, or adjective.
Choose the correct Preposition to fill in the blank: He was brought _____ the magistrate
A)
under
B)
without
C)
before
D)
into
The correct phrase is "brought before the magistrate," meaning he was presented to the magistrate for judgment or hearing. "Under" and "without" do not fit the meaning, and "into" is used for movement to a place, not for appearing in front of an authority.
Identify the Part of Speech of the underlined word: He was sitting close beside her
A)
Adverb
B)
Adjective
C)
Preposition
D)
Noun
"Beside" shows the position of one person relative to another, so it functions as a preposition. In the sentence "He was sitting close beside her," the phrase "beside her" tells where he was sitting. "Close" here acts as an adverb modifying "beside". Therefore, the underlined word "beside" is a preposition. The other options are incorrect because it is not naming a person or thing (noun), not describing a noun (adjective), and not mainly modifying a verb/adjective/adverb in this context (adverb).
Correct the underlined phrase if needed: I gave my niece a children’s very colourfully illustrated encyclopedia
A)
a very colourfully illustrated children’s encyclopedia
B)
a child’s very colourfully illustrated encyclopedia
C)
an illustrated child’s very colourful encyclopedia
D)
No Correction required
The phrase should place the adjectives in a natural order: opinion/degree word + adverb + participle + noun modifier. Here, "very colourfully illustrated" correctly modifies "encyclopedia," and "children’s" should come before "encyclopedia" to show possession/association. So the correct phrase is "a very colourfully illustrated children’s encyclopedia." Options (b) and (c) use the singular "child’s/children’s" incorrectly, and (d) is wrong because the original order is awkward.
Choose the correct pair of words to form a meaningful sentence: Like the _____ part of an iceberg, much of what is interesting in the city is not _____
A)
inner, authentic
B)
submerged, visible
C)
upper, viable
D)
greater, official
The sentence compares the city to an iceberg: just as the submerged part of an iceberg is hidden from view, much of what is interesting in the city is not visible. So, 'submerged' fits the first blank and 'visible' fits the second. The other options do not create a natural contrast or meaningful sentence.
Identify the Part of Speech of the underlined word: You can ask either of them
A)
Adjective
B)
Preposition
C)
Noun
D)
Pronoun
In the sentence "You can ask either of them", the word "either" stands for one or the other of the two people mentioned, so it functions as a pronoun here. A pronoun replaces a noun. It is not an adjective because it is not directly describing a noun, and it is not a preposition because it is not showing relation between words. It is also not a noun itself.
Identify the type of sentence: ‘Could you possibly explain why the meeting was postponed?’
A)
Imperative
B)
Interrogative with imperative force
C)
Exclamatory
D)
Declarative
The sentence is framed as a question: “Could you possibly explain...?” so grammatically it is interrogative. However, its purpose is not to ask for information in the usual way, but to politely request an explanation. Such a question used as a request has imperative force. Therefore, the correct type is Interrogative with imperative force. It is not imperative in direct command form, not exclamatory, and not declarative because it is not a statement.
The phrase ‘under the weather’ means
A)
Feeling cold
B)
Feeling sick
C)
Feeling happy
D)
Feeling angry
The idiom ‘under the weather’ means to feel unwell or sick. It does not mean feeling cold, happy, or angry. So the correct option is (b) Feeling sick.
Identify the Part of Speech of the underlined word: He dare not tell a lie
A)
Verb
B)
Noun
C)
Adjective
D)
Interjection
In the sentence "He dare not tell a lie," the word "dare" is used as a verb meaning "to have the courage to." It is followed by "not" and the base form of the verb "tell," which shows its verbal function. It is not a noun, adjective, or interjection. Therefore, the correct answer is Verb.
Choose the correct pair of words to form a meaningful sentence: The activities of the association have _____ from the _____ objectives set for it in the initial years
A)
details, grand
B)
increased, party
C)
deviated, original
D)
emerged, impaired
The sentence becomes: "The activities of the association have deviated from the original objectives set for it in the initial years." This is grammatically correct and semantically natural: "deviated from" means moved away from, which fits the context of activities no longer matching the initial objectives. The other options do not form a meaningful or correct sentence.
Identify the Part of Speech of the underlined word: The necklace is made of gold
A)
Adjective
B)
Adverb
C)
Pronoun
D)
Noun
In the sentence, the underlined word is "gold". Here, "gold" names a material/substance, so it functions as a noun. It is not an adjective because it does not describe another noun in this sentence, nor is it an adverb or pronoun.
Choose the correct pair of words to form a meaningful sentence: To cross the river means to take a final _____ step which may have dangerous _____
A)
hazardous, precedent
B)
unwarranted, potentialities
C)
well-considered
D)
irrevocable, consequences
The sentence becomes: "To cross the river means to take a final irrevocable step which may have dangerous consequences."
- **Irrevocable** means impossible to change or take back, which fits "final step."
- **Consequences** means results or outcomes, and "dangerous consequences" is a natural collocation.
Why others are wrong:
- **hazardous, precedent**: "hazardous step" is possible, but "dangerous precedent" does not fit this sentence.
- **unwarranted, potentialities**: these words do not suit the meaning or grammar here.
- **well-considered**: incomplete option and does not match the required phrase.
Choose the correct pair of words to form a meaningful sentence: We can _____ to travel by air, but we _____ train journey
A)
spend, enjoy
B)
afford, prefer
C)
decide, commute
D)
decide, undertook
The sentence becomes: 'We can afford to travel by air, but we prefer train journey.'
- 'afford' fits naturally with 'to travel by air' because it means having enough money to pay for something.
- 'prefer' fits the second clause because it expresses a choice or liking for train journey.
Why others are wrong:
- (a) 'spend, enjoy' does not fit grammatically or semantically.
- (c) 'decide, commute' is incorrect because 'commute train journey' is not natural here.
- (d) 'decide, undertook' is ungrammatical; 'undertook' is past tense and does not fit the structure.
So the correct pair is 'afford, prefer'.
Choose the correct Preposition to fill in the blank: There is a garden _____ the house
A)
down
B)
from
C)
besides
D)
behind
The sentence means the garden is at the back of the house, so the correct preposition is "behind". "Down" and "from" do not fit the location meaning here, and "besides" is incorrect because the correct word is "beside" (meaning next to), not "besides".
Correct the underlined phrase if needed: She drives her car at eighty miles each hour
A)
an hour
B)
hourly
C)
every hour
D)
No Correction required
The correct expression is "eighty miles an hour," not "eighty miles each hour." Here, "an hour" is the standard way to express speed. Option (a) correctly replaces the underlined phrase. "Hourly" means once every hour, and "every hour" changes the meaning rather than expressing speed. So the corrected sentence is: "She drives her car at eighty miles an hour."
Choose the option that best explains the idiom, ‘to throw down the gauntlet.’
A)
To withdraw from a responsibility
B)
To accept a difficult situation unwillingly
C)
To issue a direct challenge, often boldly or defiantly
D)
To resolve a long-standing conflict peacefully
The idiom ‘to throw down the gauntlet’ comes from the old practice of dropping a gauntlet (glove) as a challenge to fight. So it means to issue a direct challenge, often in a bold or defiant way. Option (a) is incorrect because it means avoiding duty, (b) means facing hardship unwillingly, and (d) means making peace, which is the opposite of the idiom’s meaning.
Which type of sentence makes a statement?
A)
Interrogative
B)
Imperative
C)
Declarative
D)
Exclamatory
A declarative sentence makes a statement. It is used to give information or express facts, opinions, or ideas. Interrogative sentences ask questions, imperative sentences give commands or requests, and exclamatory sentences express strong emotion.
Choose the correct Preposition to fill in the blank: He rules _____ a vast empire
A)
over
B)
about
C)
on
D)
beside
"Rule over" is the correct idiomatic expression meaning to govern or have authority over something. So, "He rules over a vast empire" is grammatically and idiomatically correct. The other options do not fit this meaning: "about" indicates topic, "on" suggests position/contact, and "beside" means next to.