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Past Questions
Identify the appropriate verb-form to fill in the blank: 'George _______ to the United States many times.'
A)
was
B)
were
C)
have been
D)
has been
"George has been to the United States many times" is correct because the subject "George" is third-person singular, so the present perfect form uses "has" + past participle "been." The phrase "many times" shows repeated experience up to the present, which also fits the present perfect tense.
Why the others are wrong:
- "have been" is used with plural subjects or "I/you/we/they," not with "George."
- "were" is simple past and does not express repeated visits up to the present.
- "was" is singular past tense, but it is not the correct form for this meaning and structure.
Identify the part of speech of the underlined word 'latter' in the sentence: 'I think the latter part of the film is more interesting than the former part.'
A)
Adverb
B)
Adjective
C)
Conjunction
D)
Preposition
'Latter' is an adjective here because it describes the noun 'part' by specifying which part of the film is being referred to. In the phrase 'the latter part,' it modifies the noun just like 'former' does in 'the former part.'
Why the others are incorrect:
- Adverb: An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, but 'latter' is modifying a noun.
- Conjunction: A conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses; 'latter' does not connect any parts of the sentence.
- Preposition: A preposition shows relation between nouns/pronouns and other words; 'latter' is not functioning as a relation word here.
Pick the correct clause of the underlined words: 'On weekends, we can do whatever we want'
A)
Noun clause
B)
Adverb clause
C)
Co-ordinate clause
D)
Adjective clause
The underlined part is "whatever we want," which functions as a noun clause. It acts as the object of the verb "do" in the sentence: we can do [what?] whatever we want. A noun clause can function as a subject, object, or complement, and here it is the object of "do."
Why the others are wrong:
- Adjective clause: an adjective clause modifies a noun, but this clause does not describe a noun.
- Co-ordinate clause: a coordinate clause is an independent clause joined by a conjunction; "whatever we want" is dependent, not independent.
- Adverb clause: an adverb clause modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb and usually answers when, where, why, or how. This clause is not giving such adverbial information; it is serving as a noun/object.
Pick the correct clause of the underlined words: 'Her name was Emma Glenn, but no one except her closest friends and the white people on the river ever called her anything but Miss Emma'
A)
Noun clause
B)
Adverb clause
C)
Co-ordinate clause
D)
Adjective clause
The underlined part is an **adjective clause** (relative clause) because it modifies the noun **"friends"** in the phrase **"her closest friends and the white people on the river"**. It identifies which friends are meant: the friends **who were closest**. Such clauses function like adjectives by describing a noun.
Why the others are wrong:
- **Noun clause**: A noun clause acts as a noun (subject, object, complement). This phrase does not act as a noun; it describes a noun.
- **Adverb clause**: An adverb clause modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, usually showing time, reason, condition, etc. This clause does none of these.
- **Co-ordinate clause**: A coordinate clause is an independent clause joined by a conjunction. The underlined words are not an independent clause and do not express a complete thought.
Identify the word that gives the nearest meaning of the underlined word 'handy' in the sentence: 'Do you have a pen handy?'
A)
adjacent
B)
hand
C)
available
D)
accessible
In the sentence, "Do you have a pen handy?" the word "handy" means "readily available" or "within easy reach." So the nearest meaning is **available** (option c).
Why the others are incorrect: **accessible** (d) means able to be reached or entered, which is close but not as exact as "available" in this context; **hand** (b) is unrelated; **adjacent** (a) means next to or adjoining, which refers to position, not readiness for use.
Based on the passage, awareness campaigns lead to:
A)
control of poverty
B)
control of Demand
C)
control of population growth
D)
control of wealth
Awareness campaigns are presented as a means of controlling population growth.
Identify the correct usage of the word to fill in the blank: 'Tens of thousands of people in Africa are_________of AIDS.'
A)
die
B)
dying
C)
died
D)
dye
The correct sentence is: "Tens of thousands of people in Africa are dying of AIDS." The verb "are" requires the present participle "dying" to form the present continuous tense, which correctly describes an ongoing situation. Option a "die" is the base form and does not fit after "are"; option c "died" is past tense and does not match the present continuous structure; option d "dye" means to color something and is unrelated in meaning.
Identify the correct usage of the word to fill in the blank: 'Liana has come up with a good_________for our group presentation.'
A)
idea
B)
ideal
C)
idealist
D)
ideas
The correct word is "idea": "Liana has come up with a good idea for our group presentation." Here, "idea" is a singular countable noun that fits naturally after "a good." The other options are incorrect: "ideal" means a perfect standard or model, not a thought or suggestion; "ideas" is plural, so it does not agree with the article "a"; and "idealist" refers to a person who has idealistic beliefs, which does not fit the sentence.
Choose the correct meaning of the idiom: 'Bad Blood' as used in 'I can feel Bad Blood in their relationship'
A)
Wounded in scuffle
B)
Bitter relations
C)
Dishonest
D)
Arrogant
"Bad blood" means hostility, resentment, or ill feeling between people, so "I can feel bad blood in their relationship" means their relationship has bitter relations. Option b is correct. The other options are incorrect: "dishonest" refers to lack of truthfulness, "arrogant" means overly proud or self-important, and "wounded in scuffle" is unrelated to the idiom.
Choose the correct meaning of the idiom: 'above board' as used in 'My little brother is surprisingly above board'
A)
boasting person
B)
honest and straightforward
C)
a man with arrogance
D)
a dishonest person
"Above board" means honest, open, and straightforward; so "My little brother is surprisingly above board" means he is unexpectedly honest and direct. Option b is correct. The other options are incorrect because "a man with arrogance" describes pride, "a dishonest person" is the opposite of the idiom, and "boasting person" refers to someone who brags, which is not the meaning of "above board."
Identify the correct preposition to fill in the blank: 'The lecture will be held right ______________ the tutorial.'
A)
At
B)
Before
C)
Over
D)
Beyond
The correct preposition is **before**: "The lecture will be held right before the tutorial." Here, "right before" means immediately preceding in time, which fits the sentence naturally.
Why the others are incorrect:
- **beyond** means farther than or outside the limits of something, not a time sequence here.
- **over** usually means above, across, or during, but it does not correctly express immediate time order in this sentence.
- **at** is used for a specific point in time or place, but not to show that one event happens immediately earlier than another.
Identify the word that gives the nearest meaning of the underlined word 'ensure' in the sentence: 'You buy car insurance to ensure you don’t go broke in the event of a crash'
A)
guarantee
B)
warranty
C)
safety
D)
choose
"Ensure" means to make certain or guarantee that something will happen. In the sentence, car insurance is bought to make certain you do not go broke after a crash, so the nearest meaning is "guarantee" (option a). The other options are incorrect: "choose" means select, which does not fit; "warranty" is a noun meaning a promise/guarantee, but it is not the same as the verb "ensure"; and "safety" refers to being safe, not the act of making something certain.
Identify the word that gives the nearest meaning of the underlined word 'comprises' in the sentence: 'The United States of America comprises of 50 states'
A)
composed
B)
constitute
C)
consistent
D)
consult
"Comprises" means "is made up of" or "consists of." Among the options, "composed" is the nearest in meaning because it also means "made up of" or "consisting of." The other options are incorrect: "constitute" means "form" or "make up" but is not the closest synonym in this sentence; "consistent" means uniform or steady; and "consult" means to seek advice or refer to.
Choose the correct meaning of the idiom: 'Apple Pie Order' as used in 'He was surprised to see her bedroom in Apple Pie Order'
A)
In random order
B)
In a great mess
C)
In a chaotic order
D)
In perfect order
"Apple Pie Order" means something arranged neatly, tidily, or in perfect order. So, "her bedroom in Apple Pie Order" means the room was very well organized. The other options are incorrect because "random order," "a great mess," and "chaotic order" all suggest disorder, which is the opposite of the idiom's meaning.
Based on the passage, growth of population leads to:
A)
increase in employment
B)
increase in demand
C)
increase in labour
D)
increase in basic necessity
The passage links population growth with increased demand for goods and services.
Based on the passage, how do you develop vocational skill efficiency?
A)
empowerment of women
B)
teaching children
C)
establishment of Vocational Education and Training Centres
D)
awareness campaign
Vocational skill efficiency is developed through establishing Vocational Education and Training Centres.
Identify the part of speech of the underlined word: Make hay while the sun shines.
A)
Adverb
B)
Conjunction
C)
Preposition
D)
Adjective
The underlined word is "while," which joins two clauses: "Make hay" and "the sun shines." A word that connects clauses is a conjunction, so option b is correct. It is not an adverb because it does not modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb here. It is not a preposition because it is not showing a relationship between a noun/pronoun and another word. It is not an adjective because it does not describe a noun.
Choose the correct option that conveys the meaning of the idiom: A piece of cake
A)
Very delicious
B)
Very soft
C)
Very easy
D)
Very demanding
"A piece of cake" is an idiom meaning something that is very easy to do. Therefore, option c (Very easy) is correct. Option a (Very delicious) is incorrect because the idiom is not about taste. Option b (Very soft) is incorrect because it does not refer to texture. Option d (Very demanding) is the opposite of the idiom’s meaning.
Choose the correct option to define the term: Teetotaller is one who
A)
goes on foot.
B)
collects stamps.
C)
is a habitual drunkard.
D)
does not take any intoxicating drug.
A teetotaller is a person who abstains from alcohol and other intoxicating substances. Therefore, option (d) "does not take any intoxicating drug" is the correct definition. Option (c) is the opposite meaning, since a habitual drunkard regularly consumes alcohol. Option (b) "collects stamps" refers to a philatelist. Option (a) "goes on foot" means a pedestrian or someone who walks, not a teetotaller.
Choose the correct option to complete the sentence: Mother likes oranges. __________
A)
Nor do I.
B)
So do I.
C)
So must I.
D)
So am I.
The sentence "Mother likes oranges." is a positive statement, and the correct agreement response is "So do I." This means the speaker also likes oranges. The structure is: positive statement + "so" + auxiliary verb + subject.
Why the others are wrong:
- a) "Nor do I." is used after a negative statement, not a positive one.
- c) "So must I." uses the modal verb "must," which does not match the original verb "likes."
- d) "So am I." is used with the verb "be" (am/is/are), but the sentence uses the main verb "likes," so it is incorrect.
Choose the correct option that conveys the meaning of the idiom: Past master
A)
Expert
B)
Maladroit
C)
Inept
D)
Bungling
"Past master" means a person who is highly skilled, experienced, and expert in a particular field. Therefore, option (a) Expert is correct. The other options are incorrect because "maladroit" means clumsy or awkward, "inept" means incompetent or unskilled, and "bungling" means clumsy or ineffectual. These are the opposite of the meaning of "past master".
Choose the correct option that conveys the meaning of the idiom: Blue blood
A)
Plebeian
B)
Noble
C)
Proletariat
D)
Commoner
"Blue blood" means a person of noble or aristocratic birth. So option **b: Noble** is correct. The other options are incorrect because **Plebeian**, **Proletariat**, and **Commoner** all refer to ordinary or lower-class people, which is the opposite of the idiom’s meaning.
Choose the correct option to define the term: Laxicographer is one who
A)
compiles a dictionary.
B)
draws maps.
C)
writes beautiful writing.
D)
gives shape to stone.
A lexicographer is a person who compiles, writes, or edits dictionaries. Therefore, option (a) "compiles a dictionary" is correct. The other options are incorrect because (b) a person who writes beautiful writing is a calligrapher, (c) a person who draws maps is a cartographer, and (d) a person who gives shape to stone is a sculptor.
Identify the underlined clause: She must come even if it rains heavily.
A)
Noun Clause
B)
Adjective Clause
C)
Adverb Clause
D)
Main Clause
The underlined part, "even if it rains heavily," is an Adverb Clause because it modifies the verb phrase "must come" by showing the condition under which she must come. It answers the question "under what condition?" and is introduced by the subordinating conjunction "if" (with "even" adding emphasis). The other options are incorrect: it is not the Main Clause because it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence; it is not a Noun Clause because it does not function as a noun (subject, object, etc.); and it is not an Adjective Clause because it does not describe a noun.
Choose the correct option that conveys the meaning of the idiom: Fabian policy
A)
Delaying decisions
B)
Thoughtlessness
C)
Indiscretion
D)
Incautious
"Fabian policy" means a policy of avoiding direct confrontation and proceeding slowly, cautiously, and by delay until a favorable moment arrives. So the closest option is **a. Delaying decisions**. The other options are incorrect because **incautious** means careless, **thoughtlessness** means lack of consideration, and **indiscretion** means poor judgment or tactlessness; none of these capture the idea of strategic delay and patience.