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Past Questions
Based on the passage, why was Mewar lucky?
A)
all of its rulers were competent
B)
most of its people were competent
C)
most of its rulers were competent
D)
None of these
Based on established principles in English Language, the correct and most appropriate choice is 'most of its rulers were competent' (Option C).
Identify the correct notion expressed by the sentence: 'No one can deny that he was a great man.'
A)
Exclamatory
B)
Negative
C)
Affirmative
D)
Assertive
The sentence "No one can deny that he was a great man" expresses a statement of fact/opinion in a positive form, though it is phrased negatively. Such a sentence is called an **assertive** sentence because it asserts something about the subject.
Why others are incorrect:
- **Negative**: The sentence contains negative words like "no one" and "deny," but its grammatical function is not to deny something; it asserts a fact.
- **Affirmative**: This usually refers to a positive statement in direct positive form, whereas this sentence is expressed through a negative construction.
- **Exclamatory**: It does not show strong emotion or exclamation, so it is not exclamatory.
Choose the correct meaning of the phrase 'rift in the lute' in the sentence: 'There was jealousy among the staff in the office and soon there was a rift in the lute.'
A)
disagreement
B)
a fight
C)
inconsistency
D)
less collaboration
"A rift in the lute" is an idiom meaning a break in harmony or a disagreement that spoils unity. In the sentence, jealousy among the staff led to disharmony, so the correct meaning is "disagreement." The other options are not as precise: "a fight" is too strong and specific, "inconsistency" refers to lack of uniformity rather than conflict, and "less collaboration" is only a possible result, not the actual meaning of the phrase.
Fill up the blank with the suitable preposition: 'The labourer has been working ___________ 8:30 a.m.'
A)
from
B)
by
C)
since
D)
until
The correct preposition is "since": "The labourer has been working since 8:30 a.m." We use "since" with a specific point of time to show that an action started at that time and continues up to the present.
Why the others are incorrect:
- "from" usually needs a second time reference or a range (e.g., "from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.").
- "by" means not later than a time, so it does not express duration from a starting point.
- "until" means up to a point in time and is used for an action continuing before that point, not starting at it.
Identify the part of speech of the underlined word 'gave' in the sentence: 'I gave my sister a present on her birthday.'
A)
intransitive verb
B)
defective verb
C)
transitive verb
D)
incomplete verb
"Gave" is the past tense of the verb "give" and it takes a direct object here: "a present." Since the action passes from the subject "I" to an object, it is a transitive verb.
Why the others are incorrect:
- a) Intransitive verb: incorrect because an intransitive verb does not take a direct object.
- b) Defective verb: incorrect because "give" is a regular, complete verb and is not defective.
- d) Incomplete verb: incorrect because "gave" is a complete main verb in this sentence, not an auxiliary or incomplete verb.
Choose the word nearest in meaning to the italicised part: 'He is believed to be a very industrious worker.'
A)
diligent
B)
punctual
C)
sensible
D)
successful
“Industrious” means hardworking and diligent. So the nearest meaning is option (a) diligent. The other options are incorrect because “punctual” means on time, “sensible” means practical or wise, and “successful” means achieving desired results; none of these directly mean hardworking.
Fill up the blank with the suitable preposition: 'The ladder was placed ___________ the wall.'
A)
to
B)
in
C)
on
D)
against
The correct preposition is "against": "The ladder was placed against the wall." We use "against" when something is leaning on or supported by a surface. "To" is incorrect because it does not show physical support or contact in this context. "On" is wrong because the ladder is not lying on top of the wall. "In" is incorrect because it suggests being inside something, which does not fit here.
Pick the correct clause of the underlined words in the sentence: 'Though he is poor, he is proud.'
A)
Adverb Clause of Concession
B)
Adverb Clause of Manner
C)
Adverbial Clause of Comparison
D)
Co-ordinate Clause
The underlined clause is "Though he is poor". It is an adverb clause of concession because it shows a contrast or unexpected result: despite being poor, he is proud. The conjunction "though" introduces concession.
Why the others are wrong:
- b) Adverb Clause of Manner: this tells how an action is done, which is not the meaning here.
- c) Adverbial Clause of Comparison: this compares two things, usually with words like "as" or "than"; no comparison is made here.
- d) Co-ordinate Clause: a coordinate clause is independent and joined by coordinating conjunctions like "and," "but," or "or". "Though he is poor" is dependent, not coordinate.
Choose the correct meaning of the phrase 'give way' in the sentence: 'Do not give way to their unjust demands.'
A)
submit
B)
paved the way for
C)
retire
D)
enter
"Give way to" means to yield, surrender, or submit to something. In the sentence, "Do not give way to their unjust demands" means do not submit to their demands. So option (a) "submit" is correct. The other options are incorrect: (b) "paved the way for" means to prepare or make possible, (c) "enter" means to go into, and (d) "retire" means to withdraw from work or active service; none match the meaning here.
Identify the appropriate verb-form to fill in the blank: 'New trees ___________ by the gardener.'
A)
is not being planting
B)
have not being planted
C)
were not being planted
D)
was not being planted
Option **c) were not being planted** is the correct passive verb form. The subject **"New trees"** is plural, so it takes **were** (not was/is). The structure **were + not + being + past participle** correctly shows the **past continuous passive**: the action of planting was in progress and was not happening.
Why the others are wrong:
- **b) have not being planted** — incorrect because after **have not**, the verb should be **been**, not **being**. Correct form would be **have not been planted**.
- **d) was not being planted** — incorrect because **was** is singular, but **trees** is plural.
- **a) is not being planting** — incorrect because the passive form requires the past participle **planted**, not **planting**.
Pick the correct clause of the underlined words in the sentence: 'The teachers were certain that John would pass in the first division.'
A)
Noun Clause
B)
Adjectival Clause
C)
Adverbial Clause
D)
Co-ordinate Clause
The underlined part is the clause "that John would pass in the first division." It functions as the object/complement of the verb "were certain," so it is a **noun clause**. A noun clause answers the question "what were they certain about?" and can be replaced by a noun phrase.
Why the others are wrong:
- **Adjectival clause**: modifies a noun or pronoun; this clause does not describe any noun.
- **Adverbial clause**: modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, usually showing time, reason, condition, etc.; this clause does not do that.
- **Co-ordinate clause**: joins two independent clauses of equal rank; this clause is dependent and cannot stand alone.
Identify the correct notion expressed by the sentence: 'The passing away of a dear one is so painful.'
A)
Statement
B)
Assertive
C)
Affirmative
D)
Exclamatory
The sentence "The passing away of a dear one is so painful." expresses a strong feeling of sorrow and pain, so it is an exclamatory sentence in sense, even though it is written in declarative form. Hence, the correct option is **Assertive** only if the question is asking about grammatical form, but here the wording "Identify the correct notion expressed" points to the emotional force of the sentence, which is **exclamatory**. The other options are incorrect because **Statement** is too general, and **Affirmative** means a positive/yes-type statement, which this is not.
Based on the passage, what were the difficulties in the way of Mewar?
A)
lack of cooperation of the nobility
B)
ancient traditions of the kingdom
C)
its small area and small population
D)
the poverty of the subjects
Based on established principles in English Language, the correct and most appropriate choice is 'ancient traditions of the kingdom' (Option B).
Choose the word nearest in meaning to the italicised part: 'Maintain absolute integrity at all times.'
A)
politeness
B)
honesty
C)
harmony
D)
unity
"Integrity" means honesty, moral uprightness, and adherence to strong ethical principles. So the nearest meaning is **honesty**. The other options are incorrect: **politeness** means courteous behavior, **unity** means being joined together, and **harmony** means peaceful agreement or concord. None of these match the meaning of integrity.
Identify the correct notion expressed by the sentence: 'This rumour is too absurd to be true.'
A)
Exclamatory
B)
Affirmative
C)
Imperative
D)
Assertive
The sentence "This rumour is too absurd to be true." makes a statement of fact/opinion, so it is an **assertive (declarative)** sentence. It does not ask a question, give a command, or express a strong emotion directly.
Why others are incorrect:
- **Affirmative**: This refers to a positive statement, but the standard sentence type here is better classified as **assertive**.
- **Exclamatory**: Exclamatory sentences express strong feeling and usually end with an exclamation mark; this sentence is not exclamatory.
- **Imperative**: Imperative sentences give commands, requests, or instructions; this sentence does not do that.
Fill in the blank: 'It would be helpful if you were to ___________ the report with an introduction.'
A)
proceed
B)
precede
C)
proceeds
D)
precedent
The correct word is **precede**, which means “to come before.” The sentence means it would be helpful if you put an introduction before the report, so **precede** fits both the meaning and the grammar: “It would be helpful if you were to precede the report with an introduction.”
Why the others are wrong:
- **proceed** means “to continue” or “go ahead,” which does not fit the idea of placing something before the report.
- **proceeds** is the third-person singular form of proceed, so it is grammatically incorrect here.
- **precedent** is a noun meaning an earlier example or legal case, so it cannot function as the verb needed in the sentence.
Identify the appropriate verb-form to fill in the blank: 'Robert ___________ at five o’clock every day.'
A)
get up
B)
gets up
C)
getting up
D)
got up
The correct sentence is: "Robert gets up at five o’clock every day." The phrase "every day" shows a habitual action, so we use the simple present tense. With the third-person singular subject "Robert," the verb takes -s/-es, becoming "gets up." Option a "get up" is the base form and is used with plural subjects or I/you/we/they, not with "Robert." Option c "getting up" is a present participle and cannot stand alone here without an auxiliary verb. Option d "got up" is simple past tense, which does not match the habitual meaning of "every day."
Choose the correct meaning of the phrase 'man of parts' in the sentence: 'Abraham Lincoln was a man of parts.'
A)
a good hearted person
B)
a strong person
C)
an able person
D)
a confident person
"Man of parts" means a person of many abilities or talents, i.e., an able person. So option (c) is correct. Option (a) is incorrect because it refers to kindness, not ability. Option (b) is incorrect because physical strength is not the meaning of the phrase. Option (d) is incorrect because confidence is different from being versatile or talented.
Choose the correct meaning of the phrase 'good-for-nothing' in the sentence: 'Never trust him. He is a good-for-nothing fellow.'
A)
shrewd
B)
not an honest
C)
coward
D)
useless
"Good-for-nothing" means a person who is useless or worthless, so option d is correct. Option b (not an honest) is incorrect because the phrase does not specifically mean dishonest. Option c (coward) is incorrect because it refers to fearfulness, not uselessness. Option a (shrewd) is incorrect because shrewd means clever or sharp, which is the opposite of the phrase.
Choose the word nearest in meaning to the italicised part: 'He found it an arduous task to perform.'
A)
boring
B)
difficult
C)
ardent
D)
extraordinary
"Arduous" means very difficult, hard, or requiring great effort. So the nearest meaning is **b) difficult**. The other options are incorrect: **a) boring** means dull or uninteresting, **c) ardent** means passionate or enthusiastic, and **d) extraordinary** means unusual or exceptional, none of which match the meaning of "arduous."
Analyse the given sentence and choose the correct option: 'If I make a promise, I keep it.'
A)
Simple sentence
B)
Complex sentence
C)
Compound sentence
The sentence 'If I make a promise, I keep it.' is a complex sentence because it contains one dependent clause ('If I make a promise') and one independent clause ('I keep it'). The dependent clause cannot stand alone and is introduced by the subordinating conjunction 'if'.
Why the others are incorrect:
- Simple sentence: Incorrect, because a simple sentence has only one independent clause and no dependent clause.
- Compound sentence: Incorrect, because a compound sentence has two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (such as and, but, or), which is not the case here.
Identify the part of speech of the underlined word 'some' in the sentence: 'The postman has brought some letters for you.'
A)
quantitative determiner
B)
numerical determiner
C)
conjunction
D)
distributive determiner
In the sentence, "some" tells us an indefinite quantity of letters, so it functions as a quantitative determiner (also called a quantifier). It modifies the noun "letters" by indicating an unspecified amount.
Why the others are wrong:
- b) Numerical determiner: this would be a specific number like "three" or "ten," not "some."
- c) Conjunction: a conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses (e.g., and, but), which "some" does not do.
- d) Distributive determiner: distributives refer to members of a group separately, such as "each," "every," or "either," not "some."
Choose the correct meaning of the phrase 'Put your shoulder to the wheel' in the sentence: 'Put your shoulder to the wheel instead of looking on.'
A)
set to work
B)
drive the vehicle
C)
start the engine
D)
hold the steering
"Put your shoulder to the wheel" is an idiom meaning to begin working hard or to apply oneself earnestly to a task. So in the sentence, it means "set to work" instead of merely watching. The other options are incorrect because "drive the vehicle," "hold the steering," and "start the engine" are literal driving actions, not the figurative meaning of the phrase.
Identify the part of speech of the underlined phrase 'At the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947' in the sentence: 'At the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, India became an independent country.'
A)
adverb of time
B)
adverb of manner
C)
adverb of duration
D)
relative adverb
"At the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947" tells us the time when the action happened, so it functions as an adverb of time. It answers the question "when did India become an independent country?" The other options are incorrect: an adverb of manner shows how an action is done, a relative adverb introduces a relative clause (such as when, where, why), and an adverb of duration shows how long an action lasts.
Identify the part of speech of the underlined word 'themselves' in the sentence: 'Policemen themselves sometimes break the traffic rules.'
A)
emphatic pronoun
B)
reflexive pronoun
C)
relative pronoun
D)
indefinite pronoun
‘Themselves’ is an emphatic pronoun here because it is used to emphasize the subject ‘Policemen’ and is not the object of the verb. The sentence would still be grammatically complete without it: ‘Policemen sometimes break the traffic rules.’ Hence, it is emphatic, not reflexive.
Why the others are incorrect:
- b) Reflexive pronoun: A reflexive pronoun refers back to the subject as the object of the verb (e.g., ‘They hurt themselves’). That is not the case here.
- c) Relative pronoun: Relative pronouns (who, which, that, etc.) introduce relative clauses, which ‘themselves’ does not.
- d) Indefinite pronoun: Indefinite pronouns refer to nonspecific persons or things (e.g., someone, anyone, each). ‘Themselves’ refers specifically to ‘policemen,’ so it is not indefinite.