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Past Questions
Choose the correct option to complete the sentence: The baby slept __________ the noise.
A)
though
B)
despite
C)
however
D)
otherwise
"Despite" is the correct preposition here: "The baby slept despite the noise" means the baby slept even though there was noise. It correctly shows contrast before a noun phrase. "Though" is a conjunction and would need a clause, e.g., "though there was noise." "However" is an adverb used to connect clauses or sentences, not before a noun phrase. "Otherwise" means "if not" or "in other circumstances," so it does not fit the meaning.
Identify the type of sentence: I like trains.
A)
Simple Sentence
B)
Complex Sentence
C)
Compound Sentence
D)
Complex Compound Sentence
The sentence "I like trains." is a Simple Sentence because it contains only one independent clause: subject "I" + verb "like" + object "trains." It expresses a complete thought and has no subordinate clause or second independent clause.
Why the others are incorrect:
- Complex Sentence: requires one independent clause plus at least one dependent clause; this sentence has no dependent clause.
- Compound Sentence: requires two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction or punctuation; this sentence has only one clause.
- Complex Compound Sentence: requires both multiple independent clauses and at least one dependent clause; this sentence has neither.
Choose the correct option to complete the sentence: China is __________ the north of India.
A)
to
B)
in
C)
on
D)
at
The correct preposition is "to": "China is to the north of India." We use "to the north of" to show that one place lies in a northern direction relative to another, without implying contact or inclusion. The other options are incorrect: "at" is used for a specific point or location, not direction; "on" suggests physical contact or being on a surface/border; and "in" means inside something, which does not fit here.
Identify the type of sentence: He laughs best who laughs last.
A)
Simple Sentence
B)
Complex Sentence
C)
Compound Sentence
D)
Complex Compound Sentence
The sentence is a Complex Sentence because it contains one main clause and one subordinate (relative) clause: "He laughs best" is the main clause, and "who laughs last" modifies "He" and depends on the main clause. A simple sentence has only one independent clause, so this is not simple. A compound sentence has two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction, which is not the case here. A complex compound sentence would contain both multiple independent clauses and at least one subordinate clause, which this sentence does not.
Analyse the given sentence and choose the correct option: 'Nobody can say when he or she will die.'
A)
Compound sentence
B)
Complex sentence
C)
Simple sentence
The sentence is a complex sentence because it contains one main clause, "Nobody can say," and one subordinate noun clause, "when he or she will die," introduced by the subordinating word "when." The subordinate clause depends on the main clause for complete meaning. It is not a simple sentence because it has more than one clause, and it is not a compound sentence because there is no coordination between two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction.
Choose the correct meaning of the phrase 'on the right side of fifty' in the sentence: 'She is on the right side of fifty.'
A)
above
B)
about
C)
below
D)
around
The phrase "on the right side of fifty" means **younger than fifty** or **below fifty**. So the correct option is **c: below**. The other options are incorrect because **a: above** means older than fifty, **d: around** means approximately fifty, and **b: about** also means approximately fifty, not younger than fifty.
Pick the correct clause of the underlined words in the sentence: 'The book that I had borrowed from the library was lost.'
A)
Adverbial Clause
B)
Adjectival Clause
C)
Noun Clause
D)
Co-ordinate Clause
The underlined clause is "that I had borrowed from the library." It modifies the noun "book" by identifying which book is meant, so it is an adjectival (relative) clause.
Why others are wrong:
- Adverbial clause: would modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb, usually showing time, reason, condition, etc. This clause does not do that.
- Noun clause: would function as a noun (subject, object, complement). Here the clause does not act as a noun; it describes "book."
- Co-ordinate clause: would be an independent clause joined by a coordinating conjunction. This clause is dependent and cannot stand alone.
Analyse the given sentence and choose the correct option: 'Sympathy is the golden key which unlocks the treasures of wisdom.'
A)
Compound sentence
B)
Complex sentence
C)
Simple sentence
The sentence is a complex sentence because it contains one main clause, "Sympathy is the golden key," and one subordinate (relative) clause, "which unlocks the treasures of wisdom," introduced by the relative pronoun "which." The subordinate clause modifies the noun phrase "the golden key." A simple sentence has only one independent clause and no subordinate clause, so it is incorrect. A compound sentence has two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction or punctuation, which is not the case here.
Fill in the blank: 'The new administration hopes to ___________ a peace settlement.'
A)
effect
B)
effects
C)
affect
D)
affects
The correct word is **effect**: "to effect a peace settlement" means **to bring about or accomplish** a settlement. After the infinitive marker "to," the base verb is needed, so **effect** fits grammatically and semantically.
Why the others are wrong:
- **affect** means "to influence" and is not the standard verb for "bring about" in this context.
- **effects** and **affects** are third-person singular present forms, so they do not fit after "to".
Fill in the blank: '___________ is one who can use both hands equally well.'
A)
ambiguous
B)
ambidextrous
C)
amphibian
D)
linguist
"Ambidextrous" means able to use both hands equally well, so it correctly completes the sentence. The other options are incorrect: "linguist" is a person skilled in languages, "ambiguous" means unclear or having more than one meaning, and "amphibian" is a type of animal that lives both on land and in water.
Fill up the blank with the suitable preposition: 'Sri Lanka is___________ the south of India.'
A)
in
B)
at
C)
by
D)
to
The correct preposition is "in": "Sri Lanka is in the south of India." Here, "in the south of" is the standard phrase used to describe a location within a southern region.
Why the others are wrong:
- "by" means near or beside, so "by the south of India" is not the correct expression.
- "to" is used for direction or relation, not for stating a fixed location in this sentence.
- "at" is used for a specific point or place, but not with "the south of" in this context.
Identify the appropriate verb-form to fill in the blank: 'The train ___________ before we reach.'
A)
will have left
B)
had left
C)
leave
D)
has left
The correct form is **"will have left"**: "The train will have left before we reach." This uses the **future perfect tense**, which is appropriate when one future action will be completed before another future time/action.
Why others are wrong:
- **c) leave**: base form; grammatically incomplete here.
- **d) has left**: present perfect, used for past actions with present relevance, not for a future completion.
- **b) had left**: past perfect, used for an action completed before another past action, not a future one.
Fill in the blank: 'Do not ___________ unfair means in your examination.'
A)
adopt
B)
adept
C)
adapt
D)
adopting
The correct word is **adopt**: "Do not adopt unfair means in your examination." Here, **adopt** means to take up or use a method or practice, which fits the sentence.
Why the others are wrong:
- **adept** means skilled or proficient, so it does not fit grammatically or semantically.
- **adapt** means to adjust or modify, which is not the intended meaning.
- **adopting** is the present participle/gerund form and does not fit after "do not" in this sentence; the base verb is needed.
Identify the correct notion expressed by the sentence: 'Some other foods are at least as healthful as milk.'
A)
Comparative
B)
Superlative
C)
Statement
D)
Positive
The sentence "Some other foods are at least as healthful as milk" expresses a comparison between two things (other foods and milk). The phrase "as healthful as" is a comparative construction, and "at least as" means not less than milk in healthfulness. Therefore, the correct notion is Comparative.
Why the others are incorrect:
- Superlative: This would compare one item with all others (e.g., "healthfulest" or "most healthful"), which is not the case here.
- Positive: The positive degree states a quality without comparison (e.g., "healthful"), but this sentence compares foods with milk.
- Statement: This is too general and not a grammatical degree/category of comparison; the specific notion asked is the comparative form.
Analyse the given sentence and choose the correct option: 'These flowers are beautiful.'
A)
Compound sentence
B)
Complex sentence
C)
Simple sentence
The sentence 'These flowers are beautiful.' is a simple sentence because it contains only one independent clause with one subject ('These flowers') and one predicate ('are beautiful'). It expresses a complete thought without any subordinate or additional clause. A compound sentence would have two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction or punctuation, which is not present here. A complex sentence would contain one independent clause and at least one dependent clause, which is also absent.
Choose the word nearest in meaning to the italicised part: 'Everybody laughed at the puerility of his statement.'
A)
terrestrial
B)
indigent
C)
native
D)
aboriginal
Based on established principles in English Language, the correct and most appropriate choice is 'indigent' (Option B).
Choose the word nearest in meaning to the italicised part: 'She has an insatiable love for music.'
A)
unchanging
B)
appeasable
C)
voracious
D)
satisfying
"Insatiable" means impossible to satisfy; having an intense, unquenchable desire. The closest option is "voracious," which means having a very eager, intense appetite or desire, and is commonly used figuratively for strong interests like music. The other options are incorrect: "appeasable" means able to be satisfied or calmed, which is the opposite of insatiable; "unchanging" means constant or not varying, which is unrelated; and "satisfying" means giving contentment, again the opposite sense.
Fill up the blank with the suitable preposition: 'The money was divided ___________ his two sons.'
A)
between
B)
among
C)
with
D)
upon
The correct preposition is "between" because it is used when dividing something among two persons or two groups. Here, the money was divided between his two sons.
Why the others are incorrect:
- "among" is generally used for more than two persons or things.
- "with" does not express division.
- "upon" is not suitable in this context.
Choose the correct meaning of the phrase 'agree to differ' in the sentence: 'Whatever you say about this, I agree to differ from you.'
A)
be convinced
B)
be in an agreement
C)
be unconvinced
D)
be in a disagreement
"Agree to differ" means to accept that two people have different opinions and to remain in disagreement without arguing further. So in the sentence, the speaker means they disagree with the other person. Therefore, option d (be in a disagreement) is correct. Option a (be convinced) is wrong because the speaker is not persuaded. Option b (be in an agreement) is the opposite of the phrase. Option c (be unconvinced) is close in sense, but it does not capture the full idiomatic meaning as accurately as being in disagreement.
Identify the part of speech of the underlined word 'company' in the sentence: 'A man is known by the company he keeps.'
A)
proper noun
B)
common noun
C)
collective noun
D)
noun of multitude
In the sentence, "company" refers to people one associates with in a general sense, not to a specific named entity. So it is a common noun. A proper noun names a particular person, place, or thing, which "company" does not. "Collective noun" is a broader term for a word that names a group as a single unit, but in this exam context the expected classification is "common noun" because it is a general noun used in a general meaning. "Noun of multitude" is a special term for a collective noun emphasizing many individuals considered together, but it is not the standard answer here.
Choose the word nearest in meaning to the italicised part: 'Eventually vision is affected and the patient is able to see only if light is present.'
A)
initially
B)
gradually
C)
primarily
D)
ultimately
The italicised word is "Eventually," which means "in the end" or "finally." The nearest meaning is therefore "ultimately" (option d).
Why the others are incorrect:
- "primarily" means "mainly" or "first of all," which is the opposite of a concluding sense.
- "initially" means "at first," again opposite to "eventually."
- "gradually" means "slowly over time," which describes manner, not the idea of final outcome.
Based on the passage, Maharana Pratap became immortal because:
A)
he ruled Mewar for 25 years
B)
he added a lot of grandeur to Mewar
C)
of his valour, sacrifice and patriotism
D)
both (a) & (b)
Based on established principles in English Language, the correct and most appropriate choice is 'of his valour, sacrifice and patriotism' (Option C).
Who is the earliest King of Mewar mentioned in the passage?
A)
Maharana Pratap
B)
Bappa Rawal
C)
Rana Khumba
D)
Rana Sanga
Based on established principles in English Language, the correct and most appropriate choice is 'Rana Sanga' (Option D).
Fill up the blank with the suitable preposition: 'He died ___________ cancer.'
A)
with
B)
of
C)
from
D)
over
The correct phrase is "died of cancer." We use "of" to show the cause of death or illness.
Why the others are wrong:
- with: not used for the cause of death in this structure.
- from: can sometimes indicate cause, but "died from cancer" is less standard here than "died of cancer."
- over: does not fit this meaning at all.
Choose the correct meaning of the idiom 'beat about the bush' in the sentence: 'Don’t beat about the bush; come to the point.'
A)
to talk in details
B)
to talk irrelevant
C)
to talk secretly
D)
None of these
The idiom "beat about the bush" means to avoid saying something directly, or to talk in a roundabout/irrelevant way instead of coming to the point. In the sentence, "Don’t beat about the bush; come to the point," it clearly means the speaker should stop being indirect. So option **b: to talk irrelevant** is the closest correct meaning. Option **a** is incorrect because it means speaking in detail, not indirectly. Option **c** is incorrect because the idiom has nothing to do with secrecy. Option **d** is incorrect because option **b** correctly matches the meaning.