English Comprehension PYQs

The correct answer is 'Demonstrative Adjectives'.

Key Points

• The underlined word "that" belongs to the word class of Demonstrative Adjectives as this is used before noun 'boy'.
• In the sentence "I like that boy," the word "that" is used to point out or identify a specific boy.
• In this context, it is modifying the noun "boy" and indicating a particular boy being referred to.
• Examples of demonstrative adjectives are this, that, these and those (if they come before noun).
• Their position and function in a sentence is what differentiates them from demonstrative pronouns.
• Eg: Can I take this bag to put in all my clothes? Here, ‘this’ describes the bag.

Additional Information

• Here are brief explanations of the other options:
• Noun: A noun is a word used to identify a person, place, thing, or idea. In the sentence "I like that boy," "boy" is a noun, referring to a male child.
• Participle: A participle is a verb form that can function as an adjective. In the sentence "I saw the crying baby," "crying" is a participle, modifying the noun "baby."
• Conjunction: A conjunction is a word used to connect words, phrases, or clauses. In the sentence "I like pizza and pasta," "and" is a conjunction, connecting the two food items. However, "that" cannot function as a conjunction in the sentence "I like that boy" because it is not connecting anything.

Important Points

• Let's learn about Demonstrative pronouns:
• Demonstrative pronouns always identify nouns, whether those nouns are named specifically or not.
• For example: “I can’t believe this.”
• We have no idea what “this” is, but it’s definitely something the writer cannot believe. It exists, even though we don’t know what it is.
• When DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUN (This, that, these, those, such, and the same.) are used before nouns, they function as Demonstrative Adjectives.

The correct answer is 'Noun'.

Key Points

• In the given sentence "Without health there is no happiness," the word "happiness" refers to an idea or feeling.
• It is the object of the verb "is" and is the thing that is lacking when health is absent.
• Noun: A noun is a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea.
• In the sentence "Without health there is no happiness," "happiness" refers to an idea or feeling, making it a noun.
• Therefore, "happiness" is a noun in this sentence.

Additional Information

• Pronoun: A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun to avoid repetition. For example, "he" can be used in place of "John." However, there are no pronouns in the given sentence.
• Adjective: An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun. In the given sentence, "happiness" is not being described or modified by any other word, so it cannot be an adjective.
• Adverb: An adverb is a word that describes or modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb. In the given sentence, "happiness" is not modifying a verb, adjective, or other adverb, so it cannot be an adverb.

The correct answer is 'Determiner'.

Key Points

• The underlined word "no" is a determiner in the sentence "You have no sense."
• Here are more detailed explanations of the different word classes and why "no" is a determiner in this sentence:
• Noun: A noun is a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. "No" cannot be a noun in this sentence because it is not representing a person, place, thing, or idea.
• Determiner: A determiner is a word that is used before a noun to indicate the reference of the noun in the context. In the sentence "You have no sense," "no" is a determiner modifying the noun "sense." It indicates that there is an absence of sense.
• Adverb: An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb. "No" cannot be an adverb in this sentence because it is not modifying a verb, adjective, or other adverb.
• Preposition: A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. "No" cannot be a preposition in this sentence because it is not showing a relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in the sentence.

The correct answer is 'Indefinite Pronoun'.

Key Points

• Indefinite pronouns are a type of pronoun that does not refer to a specific person, place, or thing. Instead, they refer to an unspecified or unknown person, place, or thing.
• "None" is an indefinite pronoun that means "not any" or "no one" and refers to an unspecified number of things or people.
• In the sentence "None of these cars is in use," "none" is used to refer to the fact that there are no cars that are currently being used.
• It is not referring to a specific car or group of cars, but rather to a general absence of cars being used.
• Therefore, "none" is an indefinite pronoun in this sentence.

Additional Information

• Reflexive Pronoun: A reflexive pronoun refers back to the subject of the sentence. Examples include "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," "ourselves," "yourselves," and "themselves." None of these are reflexive pronouns.
• Demonstrative Pronoun: A demonstrative pronoun is used to point to or identify a specific noun or pronoun. Examples include "this," "that," "these," and "those." "None" is not a demonstrative pronoun because it doesn't point to or identify a specific noun or pronoun.
• Distributive Pronoun: A distributive pronoun refers to members of a group individually, rather than collectively. Examples include "each," "either," and "neither." "None" is not a distributive pronoun because it does not refer to members of a group individually.

The correct answer is 'Adverb'.

Key Points

• In the sentence "We shall now begin to work," the word "now" modifies the verb "begin."
• An adverb is a word that typically modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
• In this case, "now" modifies the verb "begin," indicating that the action is starting at the present time.
• Other examples of adverbs include words like "quickly," "slowly," "quietly," "loudly," and "happily." These words all modify verbs to provide more information about how the action is being carried out.
• Hence, the correct answer will be Option 1.

Additional Information

• Adjective: An adjective is a word that describes a noun or pronoun. For example, in the sentence "She has a beautiful voice," the word "beautiful" is an adjective that describes the noun "voice." However, "now" does not describe a noun or pronoun in the sentence "We shall now begin to work," so it cannot be an adjective.
• Conjunction: A conjunction is a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses. For example, in the sentence "She went to the store and bought some bread," the word "and" is a conjunction that connects the two verbs "went" and "bought." However, "now" does not connect any words, phrases, or clauses in the sentence "We shall now begin to work," so it cannot be a conjunction.
• Pronoun: A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun. For example, in the sentence "He gave me the book," the word "he" is a pronoun that takes the place of a person's name. However, "now" does not take the place of a noun in the sentence "We shall now begin to work," so it cannot be a pronoun.

In this sentence, 'Owing to' functions as a complex preposition (or a prepositional phrase). A complex preposition is a group of words that functions as a single preposition. 'Owing to' is synonymous with 'because of' or 'due to' and is used to introduce the cause or reason for the action described in the main clause ('he retired from business'). It links the noun phrase 'his ill health' to the rest of the sentence, establishing a causal relationship, which is the primary function of a preposition.

The correct answer is 'Adverb'..

Key Points

• "Therefore" is used to introduce a logical conclusion or result based on the information given before it in the sentence.
• In the sentence "My sister is just sixteen and therefore not eligible to vote," "therefore" indicates the reason why the sister cannot vote.
• Adverbs often modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, but they can also modify whole sentences, as is the case with "therefore," which connects two parts of a sentence logically.
• "Therefore" does not act as a gerund (noun), an adjective (describing a noun), or a conjunction (connecting two clauses or sentences) in this context.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 4'.

Additional Information

• Gerund: A gerund acts as a noun and is the -ing form of a verb, for example, "Swimming is fun." "Therefore" does not fit this description.
• Adjective: Adjectives describe or modify nouns, such as "tall" in "tall building." "Therefore" does not describe a noun in the sentence.
• Conjunction: Conjunctions are used to connect words, phrases, or clauses, like "and" in "She bought apples and oranges." While "therefore" does connect two parts of a sentence logically, it functions as an adverb, not a conjunction, because it modifies the entire clause and indicates a cause-effect relationship rather than simply joining parts of a sentence.

The correct answer is 'Infinitive'.

Key Points

• In the given sentence, "to" is used before the verb "find" to create an infinitive phrase "to find fault with us".
• An infinitive is a verb form that typically starts with "to" and can act as a noun, adjective, or adverb in a sentence.
• In this sentence, the infinitive phrase acts as the object of the verb "tried". The sentence means that someone attempted to find fault with the speaker and their group.
• Here's another example of an infinitive used as a noun: "To swim in the ocean is my favorite summer activity."
• In this sentence, "to swim" is the subject of the sentence and acts as a noun.

Hence, the correct answer will be Option 3.

The correct answer is 'adjective '.

Key Points

• "Which" is an adjective in the sentence "Which way shall we go?".
• In the sentence "Which way shall we go?", "which" is an adjective that modifies the noun "way." It is used to ask about a specific choice or direction among multiple options. The adjective "which" is commonly used to ask questions about things or people when there are multiple options available.
• In this sentence, "which" helps to clarify the question being asked and indicates that the speaker is looking for a specific answer or direction. Without the adjective "which," the sentence would simply be "Way shall we go?" which is not as specific or clear.

Additional Information

• Noun: A noun is a person, place, thing, or idea. "Which" is not a person, place, thing, or idea, so it cannot be a noun in this sentence.
• Gerund: A gerund is a verb form ending in "-ing" that functions as a noun. "Which" is not a verb form ending in "-ing," so it cannot be a gerund in this sentence.
• Conjunction: A conjunction is a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses. "Which" is a subordinating conjunction in this sentence because it introduces the subordinate clause "which way shall we go?"

The correct answer is 'Interjection'.

Key Points

• An interjection is a word or phrase that expresses strong emotions or sentiments.
• It can stand alone as a sentence or be used in conjunction with other words to convey a particular tone or mood.
• "Alas" is an interjection used to express sadness, regret, or disappointment, especially in response to a negative situation or news.
• In the sentence "Alas! He is dead.", "Alas" is used to convey the speaker's grief and sorrow about the news of someone's death.
• Hence, the correct answer will be Option 4.

Additional Information

• Determiner: A determiner is a word that is used before a noun to indicate which things or people we are talking about. Examples of determiners are 'a', 'an', 'the', 'this', 'that', 'these', 'those', etc. The word "Alas" is not a determiner because it does not modify a noun or indicate which thing or person we are talking about.
• Conjunction: A conjunction is a word used to connect words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence. Examples of conjunctions are 'and', 'but', 'or', 'yet', etc. The word "Alas" is not a conjunction because it is not used to connect words, phrases or clauses.
• Preposition: A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. Examples of prepositions are 'in', 'on', 'at', 'with', 'by', etc. The word "Alas" is not a preposition because it does not show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in the sentence.

The correct answer is 'the most eloquent'.

Key Points

• The sentence is comparing the speaker to others the speaker has heard before. Therefore, the superlative form "the most" is required. Also, the adjective "eloquent" needs to be in its superlative form, which is "most eloquent".
• This is the correct option because it uses the superlative form of the adjective "eloquent" and the article "the" to indicate that the speaker is the most eloquent out of all the speakers the speaker has ever heard.
• Choice 1) "the most eloquent" fits these requirements and is the correct choice.

Additional Information

• Choice 2) "the more eloquent" is incorrect because it uses the comparative form, not the superlative form.
• Choice 3) "very eloquent" is not a superlative form and does not express the comparison that the sentence requires.
• Choice 4) "eloquent" is not in the superlative form and does not express the comparison required by the sentence.

The correct answer is 'whom'.

Key Points

• The most appropriate choice to fill in the blank space is "whom."
• The sentence is asking for the name of the person with whom the speaker spoke on the phone.
• The word "whom" is used as the object of the preposition "to" and is the correct pronoun to use in formal English when referring to the object of a sentence or preposition.

Hence, the correct answer will be Option 2.

Additional Information

• "Who" is used as the subject of a sentence or question. For example: "Who is going to the party?" In the given sentence, "who" is not the correct option as it is not the subject of the sentence. Instead, we are referring to the object of the sentence or preposition.
• "Whom" is the correct pronoun to use in formal English when referring to the object of a sentence or preposition. For example: "Whom did you see at the party?" In the given sentence, "whom" is the correct choice to refer to the person the speaker spoke to on the phone.
• "Whose" is used to indicate possession. For example: "Whose car is this?" In the given sentence, "whose" is not the correct choice as we are not referring to possession, but rather to the person with whom the speaker spoke on the phone.
• "Which" is used to refer to things, not people. For example: "Which book do you want to read?" In the given sentence, "which" is not the correct choice as we are referring to a person, not a thing.

The correct answer is 'lately'.

Key Points

• The sentence is asking if the person being addressed (you) has seen Mohan recently.
• The word "lately" means "recently," so it fits the context of the sentence.
• Option 2, "yesterday," is not the best choice because it specifies a particular day in the past and may not be recent enough depending on when the conversation is taking place.
• Option 3, "lastly," is not the best choice either because it means "finally" or "in conclusion" and does not fit the context of the sentence.
• Option 4, "late," does not make sense in this context because it is an adjective that describes something occurring after the expected or usual time, but it doesn't convey the idea of when someone was last seen.

The correct answer is 'quite'.

Key Points

• In this context, "quite" is used as an intensifier, which means that it is used to add emphasis to the degree of oldness of the house.
• For example, if someone were to ask, "How old is your house?" and the speaker responds, "We live in quite an old house," it conveys that the house is old, but not extremely old.
• This suggests that the house may have some age-related issues, but it is not necessarily falling apart or in need of major repairs.
• Therefore, the use of "quite" in this context helps to convey a specific degree of oldness for the house, which can be useful in providing a more detailed description.
• Therefore, the context implies that the house is very old, "quite" would be the correct answer.

The correct answer is 'it rains'.

Additional Information

• The sentence is in the first conditional form, which is used to talk about possible future situations and their likely results. The first conditional is formed by using the present tense after "if" or "unless" and the future tense in the other clause.
• In this case, the sentence is structured with "unless" + present tense + future tense.
• The present tense clause "it rains" expresses a possible future event that would prevent the speaker from playing tennis.
• The future tense clause "I'm playing tennis tomorrow" expresses the planned activity that is dependent on the condition being met or not.

Hence, the correct answer will be Option 1.

Additional Information

• Option (2) "it doesn't rain" would be incorrect as it expresses the opposite condition of what the sentence is trying to convey. If it doesn't rain, the speaker will play tennis.
• Option (3) "it rained" would also be incorrect as it is in the past tense, which doesn't fit the sentence structure. The sentence is talking about a future possibility, not a past event.
• Option (4) "it may rain" is also incorrect. Although it expresses a possibility, it does not make a clear condition for the planned activity. It does not provide a definite result that will prevent the speaker from playing tennis.

The correct answer is 'make'.

Key Points

• The sentence "The ________ of the car is unknown" suggests that we need to fill in the blank with a noun that describes the car.
• The first option "make up" is a phrasal verb that means "to invent" or "to fabricate," and does not make sense in this context.
• The second option "making" is a gerund, which functions as a noun, but does not fit grammatically in the sentence.
• The third option "made up" is a past participle form of the verb "make," which is used to form passive voice or perfect tenses, and also does not make sense in this context.
• Therefore, the correct answer is "make" (option 4), which is a noun that refers to the brand or manufacturer of the car.
• For example, "The make of the car is unknown" implies that we do not know the brand or manufacturer of the car.
• Hence, the correct answer will be Option 4.

The correct answer is 'down'

Key Points

• The correct answer to fill in the blank space in the sentence "He paid his debts ________ to the last penny" is "down."
• The word "down" in this context means completely or to the full extent. So, the phrase "paid his debts down to the last penny" means that he paid all of his debts in full without leaving any unpaid balance.
• Therefore, the sentence "He paid his debts down to the last penny" implies that the person was very careful with his finances and made sure to pay off all of his debts in full, leaving no debts behind.
• This phrase indicates that the person was very diligent and committed to managing his finances well.

The correct answer is 'infrastructure'.

Key Points

• In the given sentence, "Developing ________ in a diverse country requires detailed planning," the blank space needs to be filled with a word that relates to development in a diverse country and requires planning.
• Out of the given options, "infrastructure" could fit in the sentence.
• Infrastructure includes various systems such as transportation, communication, energy, and water supply, and it is essential for a country's economic growth and social progress.
• Developing infrastructure in a diverse country requires detailed planning because different regions and communities have different needs and challenges. For instance, building transportation systems in remote areas or developing healthcare facilities in underprivileged regions requires careful planning to ensure that the infrastructure meets the unique needs of each area. Without proper planning, infrastructure development can lead to inefficiencies, inequalities, and wastage of resources.
• Therefore**, "infrastructure" is the most appropriate choice to fill in the blank space** in the given sentence, as it conveys the idea that developing infrastructure in a diverse country requires detailed planning to ensure that the needs of all communities and regions are addressed.

The correct answer is 'adequate'.

Key Points

• The most appropriate choice to fill in the blank space would be "Adequate." The sentence is discussing support for agriculture, and "adequate" means sufficient or satisfactory, indicating that the necessary measures have been taken to support agriculture.
• "Procurement" refers to the process of obtaining goods or supplies, which may or may not relate to supporting agriculture.
• "Subsidized" means that something is supported by a subsidy, which may be relevant to agriculture but does not indicate that provisions have been made.
• "Capital" refers to money or resources that can be used to fund projects, but again, it does not specifically indicate that provisions have been made to support agriculture.
• In summary, the sentence requires an adjective that suggests that the necessary measures have been taken to support agriculture, and "adequate" is the best choice among the options given.

The most appropriate choice to fill in the blank space in the sentence is "phenomenal".

Key Points

• The sentence talks about the growth in the Indian financial markets and how it can be attributed to a number of reforms.
• The word "phenomenal" means extraordinary or remarkable, and it fits perfectly in the context of the sentence. It indicates that the growth in the Indian financial markets has been significant and noteworthy.
• Option 1, "efficiency," does not convey the sense of extraordinary growth that is being talked about in the sentence.
• Option 3, "catastrophe," is the opposite of growth and is therefore not suitable in the context of the sentence.
• Option 4, "meteor," is also not appropriate as it does not convey the sense of growth and development in the financial markets.
• Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2, "phenomenal."