Search Previous Year Questions

The correct answer is 'B' i.e this part of the sentence has an error.

Key Points

• In the second part of the sentence the use of 'from see', is incorrect.
• The verb 'see' here is used as an object of the preposition 'from'.
• The verb after the preposition 'from' is acting as a noun, it becomes a thing, 'what are they, in the sentence prevented from doing?', the answer would be seeing.
• Therefore, rather than using the verb 'see' the Gerund form of it should be used, i.e seeing (verb+ing), as the verb does the work of a noun.

Hence, the correct answer is Option 2.

Correct sentence: We were prevented from seeing him in prison without the official papers.

Additional Information 

• A Gerund is a verb acting as a noun, i.e the action word now becomes a thing, a concept, or the object of a preposition like in this case.
• The verb doesn't stop being a verb, but the role it plays in a sentence shifts from being an action word to being the main point of the sentence

The correct answer is C, i.e this part of the sentence has an error.

Key Points 

• In the third part of the given sentence, the use of 'those', a plural form of the demonstrative pronoun 'that' is incorrect.
• 'That' and its plural 'those', is used to avoid repetition of a preceding noun, which is 'climate' in this case.
• Here those are used to demonstrate the 'climate', which is a singular noun, which is incorrect.
• Therefore, to avoid repetition of the word 'climate', 'that' should be used in place of 'those'.

Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

Correct Sentence: The climate of the cities of Himachal Pradesh is like that of the cities of Uttarakhand.

Additional Information 

• A Pronoun is a word used in place of a noun, a demonstrative pronoun is a type of pronoun that is used to point to something specific within a sentence.
• 'This' and its plural 'these', 'that' and its plural 'those', and then the examples of demonstrative pronouns.

The correct answer is No Error.

Key Points

All the parts of the sentence are grammatically correct and require no correction. Here the usage of the idiom Bag and Baggage is grammatically and contextually correct.

• Bag and Baggage: All of one's belongings, especially with reference to departing with them; completely, totally. 
• For example, The day he quit his job, John walked out, bag and baggage.

Therefore, option 5) is the correct answer.

The sentence is: After planting the time bomb, the terrorist quickly left the building bag and baggage.

Additional Information

Origin of the idiom: Originating in the 1400s, this phrase at first meant an army's property, and to march off bag and baggage meant that the departing army was not leaving anything behind for the enemy's use. By the late 1500s, it had been transferred to mean other belongings in general.

The correct answer is It was really awkwardly- the error lies in this part only.

Key Points

In the given sentence, the error is in part A where the *adverb *''awkwardly'' is grammatically incorrect. For the sentence to be grammatically correct the adverb  'awkwardly' should be replaced with the adjective 'awkward' as adverbs do not modify nouns. Here an adjective is required to modify the noun, Matt. 

Thus, the correct sentence is: It was really awkward for Matt to realize that his old neighbour could not recognize him anymore.

Additional Information 

An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. It cannot modify a noun. Adjectives modify nouns. Many adverbs are formed by adding -ly to an adjective, but not all do so. For e.g.

• Jean is a thoughtfully person. [Incorrect]
• Jean is a thoughtful person. [Correct]

The correct answer is -The smoke from other people’s cigarettes comes off from a cigarette- the error lies in this part only.

Key Points 

In the given sentence, the error lies in Part A where the usage ‘comes off from’ is incorrect.​

• The sentence talks about passive smoking. It highlights the difference between the inhalation of a cigarette’s smoke actively and passively.
• The use of the preposition ‘from’ after the preposition ‘off’ (i.e. use of two prepositions) is incorrect. ‘Off’ is used to indicate the object of the action (cigarette). The verb ‘comes’ along with the preposition ‘off’ is used to refer to the smoke from the cigarette. Thus, the use of ‘from’ is redundant and not required.

Thus, the correct sentence is: The smoke from other people’s cigarettes comes off a cigarette directly, rather than going through it, and hence can contain three times the tar and ten times the concentration of carcinogenic agents as the filtered smoke that a smoker inhales.

The correct answer is -keeping such deals off the government’s balance sheet and hidden as the confidentiality clauses- the error lies in this part only.

Key Points 

In the given sentence, the error lies in Part C where the usage ‘hidden as’ is incorrect.

• The sentence talks about certain loans that do not show up in the official accounts of the government debt and the reason for the same.
• Reading the sentence, we can infer that since the central government institutions are not named in the deals mentioned, these deals are not recorded in the balance sheet of the government and also remain hidden. The use of the preposition ‘as’ is incorrect.
• The use of the preposition ‘as’ does not give a comprehensive meaning to the sentence, because ‘such deals’ cannot be hidden as ‘the confidentiality clauses’. A confidentiality clause refers to only a part of the deal and cannot be the deal itself. Therefore, we can infer that such deals are ‘hidden by’ the confidentiality clauses that prevent the government from knowing what has been agreed behind closed doors. Thus, the correct preposition to be used is **‘**by’.

Thus, the correct answer is: Certain loans struck by the Chinese state banks don't reflect in the official accounts of the government debt because central government institutions aren't named in a lot of these deals, keeping such deals off the government’s balance sheet and hidden by the confidentiality clauses that prevent the government from knowing exactly the settlements behind closed doors.

The correct answer is 'B' i.e. this part of the sentence has an error.

Key Points

• In the given sentence, the use of the phrase 'come down with' is incorrect.
• The phrase ''come down with'' means to begin to suffer from a specified illness.
• The phrase ''come up with'' means to produce something, especially when pressured or challenged.
• Therefore, the phrase ''come up with'' should be used in place of the phrase ''come down with''.

Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

Correct sentence: Climate Change in Glasgow, scheduled later this year, is to come up with a domestic climate plan that explains to the citizens how it will bring green development in this decade, specifying a target by sector for each year.

The correct answer is Option (5) i.e. Both option 3 and option 4.

Key Points

• Dine with the devil: To associate or deal with a particularly malicious, immoral, or unscrupulous person or people**, Sup with the devil**
• Ex: He who sups with the devil should have a long spoon.
• Deal a death blow: To strike someone (typically with a weapon) and cause immediate death.
• Ex: The warrior swiftly dealt a death blow to his adversary on the battlefield.
• Get a raw deal: To receive unfair or poor treatment in a particular situation.
• Ex: Mandy really got a raw deal at that job. They passed her over for so many promotions!

​

• The idioms to dine with the devil and to sup with the devil have the same meaning which refers to the deal with the unscrupulous person.
• Hence, Both option 3 and option 4 is the correct answer.

Correct sentence: She has been accused of supping/dining with the devil after the activist was spotted having dinner with the CEO of one of the conglomerations her charity opposes.

The correct answer is Option (1) i.e. a poison-pen letter

Key Points

• A poison-pen letter: A letter that contains malicious statements or accusations about the recipient or another party.
• A dead letter: A letter that is unable to be delivered to the recipient or returned to the sender.
• A bread and butter letter: A thank-you note to one's host.
• An open letter: A letter addressed to a specific, usually prominent person and published for anyone to read. It is often done as an act of protest.

​

• The idiom a poison-pen letter refers to the defamatory statements of the letter.
• Based on the above meaning, a poison-pen letter is the correct replacement of the underlined part. 

Correct sentence: Shortly after announcing his candidacy, he received a poison-pen letter about his platform.

The correct answer is Option 2 i.e. historically been a difficult place

Key Points

• We need the adverb form of ‘history’. Thus, ‘historically’ is correct while ‘historic’ is incorrect. This eliminates option A.
• Being is incorrect as it is used to refer to an individual/person. Been is correct here. This eliminates option C.
• Due to article ‘a’,  the correct form is singular ‘place’
• Hence, option B is correct.

Correct sentence: Due to its complex tribal equations and rugged mountainous terrain, Rajasthan has historically been a difficult place for external invaders.

Additional Information

Been and Being

• Been: The word "been" is the past participle of the verb "to be." As such, it can be used with "have" (in all its guises) to form tenses in the perfect (or complete) aspect.
• Ex: The dog has been naughty.
• Being: The word "being" is the present participle of the verb "to be." As such, it can be used with "be" (in all its guises) to form tenses in the progressive (or continuous) aspect.
• Ex: The dog is being naughty.