WBPSC Clerkship 2024 English Quiz (Round 4): 20 Grammar and Vocabulary Questions
A little practice. A step forward.
20 questions for the English section of WBPSC Clerkship 2024 Part-I, 30 seconds each, with explanations.
Choose the word closest in meaning to OBSOLETE.
OBSOLETE means no longer in use or out of date, so the synonym is Outdated. Modern is its opposite. Obscure looks similar but means unclear or little known, and Durable means long-lasting.
- Obsolete = no longer in use
- Synonyms: outdated, out of date, antiquated
- Antonyms: modern, current
- Obsolete (no longer used) vs Obscure (unclear or little known): similar start, different meaning
Choose the word opposite in meaning to SCARCE.
SCARCE means in short supply, so its opposite is Plentiful. Rare, Limited and Meagre all mean 'little' or 'few': they are synonyms of SCARCE, not antonyms.
- Scarce = in short supply
- Antonyms: plentiful, abundant, ample
- In antonym questions, first strike out the options that are synonyms
- In antonym questions three options are often synonyms: the odd one out is the answer
Choose the one word for "a person who walks in his or her sleep".
A person who walks in sleep is a Somnambulist (Latin somnus = sleep, ambulare = to walk). An Insomniac cannot sleep, a Pedestrian is a person on foot and an Optimist is a hopeful person.
- Somnambulist = sleepwalker
- Insomniac = a person who cannot sleep (insomnia)
- ambulare = to walk: ambulance, perambulate come from the same root
- Insomniac and Somnambulist are both about sleep: the first cannot sleep, the second walks in sleep
- somn = sleep + ambul = walk → somnambulist
What does the idiom "to let the cat out of the bag" mean?
'To let the cat out of the bag' means to reveal a secret, usually by mistake. It has nothing to do with cats or cruelty, so the literal reading 'to act cruelly' is wrong; it does not mean lying or causing confusion either.
- Let the cat out of the bag = reveal a secret
- An idiom's meaning is not literal
- A similar idiom: spill the beans (same meaning)
- Once the cat is out of the bag, everyone sees what was hidden
Choose the meaning of the phrasal verb "put up with".
'Put up with' means to tolerate, as in 'I cannot put up with his rude behaviour'. To postpone is 'put off'. 'Put up' (a building) can mean construct, but adding 'with' changes the meaning.
- Put up with = tolerate
- Put off = postpone
- Put up = build, or give someone a place to stay
- Put off = postpone; put up with = tolerate
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| put up with | tolerate | I can't put up with the noise. |
| put off | postpone | They put off the meeting. |
| put out | extinguish | Put out the fire. |
| put on | wear | Put on your coat. |
Which of the following is correct?
A or an depends on the sound, not the spelling. University begins with a 'yu' sound, a consonant sound, so 'a university'. European also begins with 'yu', so 'an European' is wrong ('a European'). The h in honest is silent, so it is 'an honest man', not 'a honest man'.
- A before a consonant sound (a university, a European, a one-day match)
- An before a vowel sound (an hour, an honest man, an MLA)
- The rule follows sound, not letters
- Say it aloud: if the first sound is a vowel sound, use an
| Word | First sound | Article |
|---|---|---|
| university | yu (consonant) | a |
| European | yu (consonant) | a |
| one | wa (consonant) | a |
| hour | au (vowel, silent h) | an |
| honest | o (vowel, silent h) | an |
| MLA | em (vowel) | an |
Each of the students ___ given a book.
After 'each of' + a plural noun the verb is singular, because the real subject is 'each'. So 'was'. Choosing 'were' or 'are' because of 'students' is the trap; 'have given' would mean the students themselves gave a book.
- Each / every / either / neither + of + plural noun → singular verb
- Each of the boys has a pen.
- Find the real subject, not the nearest noun
- Using a plural verb because 'students' is plural: the subject is 'each', singular
She is very fond ___ music.
'Fond' always takes 'of': fond of music, fond of children. 'Fond in' and 'fond with' are not English, and 'fond for' is a common mistake, probably from 'love for'.
- Fond of = to like very much
- The same pattern: proud of, afraid of, aware of, tired of
- Love for, liking for: nouns take 'for'
| Word | Preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| fond | of | fond of music |
| proud | of | proud of his son |
| interested | in | interested in history |
| good | at | good at drawing |
| angry | with (a person) | angry with him |
When I reached the station, the train ___.
When two actions happened in the past, the earlier one takes the Past Perfect (had + V3). The train left before I reached, so 'had already left'. 'Reached' is past, so the Present Perfect (has left) and the present or future forms do not fit.
- Past Perfect = had + past participle
- Earlier of two past actions → Past Perfect; later one → Simple Past
- Signal words: already, before, by the time, when (in the past)
- Happened first = had + V3; happened next = V2
Let's go for a walk, ___?
A sentence beginning with 'Let's' (let us), a suggestion that includes the speaker, always takes the tag 'shall we'. 'Will we', 'won't we' and 'don't we' are not correct here.
- Let's ..., shall we? (suggestion)
- Let me / him ..., will you? (asking permission)
- Imperative: Shut the door, will you?
- Let's → shall we, but Let me / Let him → will you
| Sentence | Question tag |
|---|---|
| Let's start now, | shall we? |
| Let me help you, | will you? |
| Open the window, | will you? |
| I am right, | aren't I? |
| Nobody came, | did they? |
Choose the correctly spelt word.
The correct spelling is Accommodate: double c and double m. The most common mistake is a single m, 'Accomodate'. The other two options drop a c or an m.
- Accommodate = cc + mm
- Accommodation keeps the same: cc, mm
- Similar hard spellings: committee, embarrass, occurrence
- Accommodate has room for two c's and two m's
Choose the correct indirect speech: He said to me, "Where do you live?"
In a question, 'said to' becomes 'asked', and indirect speech drops the question order: subject first, then verb (where I lived). The reporting verb is past, so 'live' becomes 'lived' and 'you' becomes 'I'. 'where did I live' and 'where do I live' keep the question order, and 'said me' is not grammatical.
- Said to → asked (questions)
- An indirect question takes statement order: wh-word + subject + verb
- Present simple → past simple (live → lived)
- The question mark goes; the sentence ends with a full stop
| Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|
| do / does + V1 | V2 (live → lived) |
| am / is / are | was / were |
| have / has | had |
| will | would |
| can | could |
Tense changes when the reporting verb is in the past
Choose the correct passive voice: "Who wrote this letter?"
A question with 'who' becomes 'by whom' in the passive, and as a question the auxiliary (was) comes before the subject: By whom was this letter written? 'By whom this letter was written?' loses the question order, and the passive needs the past participle 'written', not 'wrote'.
- Who → by whom (in the passive)
- Passive = be + past participle (V3)
- In a question the auxiliary comes before the subject: was this letter
What is the plural of "son-in-law"?
In a compound noun the main word takes the plural. In son-in-law the main word is 'son', so sons-in-law. Adding s at the end (son-in-laws) or in two places (sons-in-laws) is wrong.
- In a compound noun the main word becomes plural
- sons-in-law, passers-by, commanders-in-chief
- But spoonful → spoonfuls (one word)
- What is being counted? The sons: sons-in-law
No sooner had he arrived ___ it began to rain.
'No sooner' always pairs with 'than': No sooner had he arrived than it began to rain. 'When' goes with 'hardly' or 'scarcely', and 'then' or 'that' does not fit.
- No sooner ... than
- Hardly / Scarcely ... when
- Starting with No sooner needs inversion: No sooner had he ...
- No sooner → than, but hardly / scarcely → when
- 'Sooner' is a comparative, so it takes 'than'
He is used to ___ early in the morning.
'Be used to' means to be accustomed to, and its 'to' is a preposition, so the verb takes the -ing form: is used to getting up. 'Used to get up' (without be) is a past habit, but this sentence has 'is', so 'get up' is wrong.
- be used to + V-ing = accustomed (He is used to hard work.)
- used to + V1 = past habit (He used to smoke.)
- The same rule: object to, be accustomed to + V-ing
- He used to get up (a past habit) vs He is used to getting up (he is accustomed to it)
Choose the word closest in meaning to LETHARGIC.
LETHARGIC means lacking energy, sluggish, so the synonym is Sluggish. Energetic is its opposite. Cheerful and Anxious describe moods, not a lack of energy.
- Lethargic = sluggish, inactive
- Noun: lethargy
- Antonyms: energetic, active, lively
Choose the word opposite in meaning to EXPAND.
EXPAND means to grow larger, so the opposite is Contract. Extend and Enlarge are synonyms, and Explode only shares the 'ex' start.
- Expand ↔ Contract
- Metals expand on heating and contract on cooling
- Synonyms: extend, enlarge, broaden
- The science pair: expansion and contraction
Which sentence is correct?
After 'one of' the noun is plural (friends), because it is one among many. But the subject is 'one', so the verb is singular (is): One of my friends is a doctor. The first option keeps 'friend' singular, and the second uses a plural verb.
- One of + plural noun + singular verb
- One of the best players is injured.
- Plural noun, singular verb: check both
- Two mistakes are common together: 'friend' (singular) and 'are' (plural); correct is friends + is
If it rains tomorrow, we ___ at home.
This is the First Conditional, a real possibility in the future: Present Simple in the if-clause (rains) and will + V1 in the main clause, so 'will stay'. 'Would stay' is the Second Conditional (imaginary), 'would have stayed' the Third (a past that did not happen).
- First: if + present, will + V1 (possible)
- Second: if + past, would + V1 (imaginary)
- Third: if + had + V3, would have + V3 (did not happen)
| Conditional | If-clause | Main clause | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| First (possible) | present | will + V1 | If it rains, we will stay. |
| Second (imaginary) | past | would + V1 | If it rained, we would stay. |
| Third (did not happen) | had + V3 | would have + V3 | If it had rained, we would have stayed. |
📊 Topic Analysis
20 questions for the English section of WBPSC Clerkship 2024 Part-I, 30 seconds each, with explanations.
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