Search Previous Year Questions

The correct answer is Will her thesis have been submitted before mine is?.

Key Points

• The original sentence is in the Future Perfect Tense in its Interrogative form. The active voice structure for this tense is: Will + Subject + have + V3 (Past Participle) + Object?
• To convert a sentence from the Future Perfect Active to Passive Voice, the structure must change to: Will + Object (as new subject) + have been + V3 + (by + Subject)?
• In the provided sentence, she is the Subject, submitted is the Verb, and her thesis is the Direct Object.
• During conversion, the object her thesis moves to the front of the sentence (after the auxiliary Will), and the verb phrase have submitted transforms into have been submitted.
• The phrase before mine is functions as an Adverbial Clause of Time and remains unchanged in the passive construction.
• In Passive Voice, the agent (by her) is often omitted if the focus is entirely on the action or the object, which is consistent with the most grammatically accurate option provided.

 Additional Information

• Analysis of incorrect options:
• Option 1 is incorrect because it uses the Future Indefinite Passive structure (be submitted) instead of the Future Perfect.
• Option 3 is grammatically flawed as it omits the auxiliary verb have, which is required before been in the perfect tense.
• Option 4 is incorrect because it lacks the necessary auxiliary verbs have been and uses incorrect syntax in the terminal clause.
• Voice Conversion Rules:
• The Past Participle form of the verb is mandatory in all passive voice sentences.
• The Tense of the sentence must never change during the transformation from active to passive.
• In Interrogative sentences, the Auxiliary Verb (Will) must remain at the beginning of the sentence to maintain the question format.

The correct answer is Don't keep the guests waiting at the gate..

Key Points

• The provided sentence is a Negative Imperative sentence currently in the Passive Voice. The grammatical structure of such sentences usually follows the pattern: Let + Object + not + be + V3 (Past Participle).
• In this sentence, the guests is the Direct Object, not is the negative particle, and kept is the Past Participle of the verb keep.
• To convert a negative imperative from Passive to Active Voice, the word Let and the auxiliary verb be are removed. The sentence must then begin with the negative auxiliary Don't (or Do not) to maintain the imperative mood.
• In the Active Voice, the verb must return to its Base Form (V1). Therefore, the participle kept is transformed back into the root verb keep.
• The final structure for the active conversion is: Don't + Base Verb + Object + Complement. Following this rule results in: Don't keep the guests waiting at the gate.

 Additional Information

• Imperative Mood and Voice:
• Imperative Sentences are used to convey commands, requests, or prohibitions. In these sentences, the subject You is always implied but rarely explicitly stated in the Active Voice.
• In Active Voice, a positive command starts directly with the verb (e.g., Keep the gate shut), whereas in Passive Voice, it typically starts with Let (e.g., Let the gate be kept shut).
• Transformation of Negation:
• In the Active Voice, the prohibition is signaled by Don't at the beginning of the sentence.
• In the Passive Voice, the word not is positioned between the object and the auxiliary be. Incorrect options often fail to maintain this specific relationship or alter the tense and mood of the sentence.

The correct answer is 'to'.

Key Points

• The verb apologize is commonly used with the preposition to when it refers to the person receiving the apology.
• The general grammatical structure followed is: apologize + to + someone + for + something.
• In the given sentence, Ravi is the person being apologized to, so the preposition to is required to complete the phrase correctly.
• Options 1, 2, and 4 do not fit the grammatical requirement for identifying the recipient in this context.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

Complete Sentence: 'Tina must apologize to Ravi for her misbehaviour.'

Additional Information

• Option 1: 'with' is incorrect because we do not apologize 'with' a person to express regret; it implies accompaniment.
• Option 2: 'for' is used to indicate the reason for the apology (e.g., apologize for the delay), which already appears later in the sentence (for her misbehaviour).
• Option 4: 'al' is not a standard English preposition and is grammatically irrelevant.

The correct answer is groundbreaking research in genetics.

Key Points

• The term groundbreaking is a compound adjective that characterizes scientific research or pioneering discoveries that represent a significant innovation; it metaphorically refers to breaking new ground in a specific academic discipline.
• Genetics is the biological science that studies heredity, genes, and genetic variation in organisms; the term was formally coined by the British biologist William Bateson in 1905.
• In formal English, research is typically treated as an uncountable noun, and the prepositional phrase in genetics correctly identifies the scientific field or domain of the scientist's work.
• The original sentence is grammatically sound as the word groundbreaking is the most idiomatic and formal choice for describing award-winning research, making this phrase the correct choice for the sentence.

 Additional Information

• Groundshaking and Genetic
• Groundshaking: This adjective usually describes literal seismic activity (earthquakes) or metaphorical shocks that cause great surprise, but it is not the standard collocation used for academic research.
• Genetic: This is an adjectival form (e.g., genetic engineering); when referring to the entire field of study, the noun genetics (with the -ics suffix) must be used.
• Common Errors
• Orthographic Errors: Terms like groundbraking are misspellings; braking refers to slowing down a vehicle, while breaking refers to shattering or opening something.

The correct answer is Option 4.

Key Points

• Sentence S1 is the fixed starting sentence which introduces the setting: the walls were filled with pictures and calendars.
• Sentence D is the second sentence as it provides a detailed description of the various photographs and pictures mentioned in S1, specifically describing an old couple and a man with bushy eyebrows.
• Sentence A follows D because Mrs. Connin identifies the man described in the previous sentence as Mr. Connin, commenting that the picture does not look like him anymore.
• Sentence C is the fourth sentence as it describes the protagonist, Bevel, turning his attention away from Mr. Connin to a different coloured picture located over the bed, featuring a man in a white sheet.
• Sentence B follows C by providing the visual details of the man in the white sheet, mentioning long hair, a gold circle (halo), and the act of sawing on a board.
• Sentence S2 is the fixed concluding sentence which explains that Bevel was about to ask about the identity of the man in the carpentry scene when he was interrupted.
• The correct sequence is DACB.

Coherent paragraph after rearrangement:

'The walls were filled with pictures and calendars. There were two round photographs of an old man and woman with collapsed mouths and another picture of a man whose eyebrows dashed out of two bushes of hair and clashed in a heap on the bridge of his nose; the rest of his face stuck out like a bare cliff to fall from. 'That's Mr. Connin,' Mrs. Connin said, standing back from the stove for a sec to admire the face with him, 'but it don't favor him anymore.' Bevel turned from Mr. Connin to a coloured picture over the bed of a man wearing a white sheet. He had long hair and a gold circle around his head and he was sawing on a board while some children stood watching him. He was going to ask who that was when the three boys came in again and motioned for him to follow them.'

The correct answer is 'boarded'.

Key Points

• The passage is a narrative written in the past tense, as indicated by the opening phrase 'It was a rainy evening'.
• The sequence of events follows a specific timeline in the past. After 'It was a rainy evening', the next action is that Rohan got onto the bus.
• To describe a completed action in the past, we use the Simple Past Tense. The simple past form of the verb 'board' is 'boarded'.
• The following sentence uses the past perfect 'had just finished', which supports the context that the entire story is set in the past.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Complete Passage: It was a rainy evening when Rohan 1. boarded a crowded city bus. He had just finished his tuition classes and was eager to reach home. As he searched for his ticket, he 2. suddenly realized his wallet was missing. His heart began to race. Had he dropped it, or had someone stolen it? 'Don’t panic, think carefully,' he told himself. He remembered using the wallet 3. at a small tea stall near the bus stop. Could it still be there? What if someone else had already picked it up? When the bus stopped at the next signal, Rohan quickly got down. 'Please hurry, I must go back!' he whispered under his breath. He ran in the rain, splashing through puddles, his mind full of fear and hope. To his surprise, the tea vendor smiled and said, 'Young man, you left this behind.' He held out the wet but safe wallet. What a 4. relief it was! Rohan almost shouted with joy. He thanked the vendor again and again. This small 5. incident taught Rohan a big lesson. He realized that not everyone in the world is dishonest, and kindness often appears when least expected. As he walked home in the rain, he thought, 'I will never be careless with my belongings again!'

Additional Information

• 'Board' is the base form/present tense, which does not match the established past tense of the story.
• 'Boards' is the third-person singular present tense; it is grammatically incorrect for a past narrative.
• 'Has boarded' is the present perfect tense, used for actions that happened at an unspecified time or have current relevance, which does not fit a story describing specific past events.

The correct answer is 'suddenly'.

Key Points

• The sentence describes a moment of discovery where Rohan reaches for his ticket and finds his wallet missing.
• A realization of this nature, especially one that causes a person's heart to race, happens in an instant.
• "Suddenly" is an adverb that means quickly and unexpectedly, which perfectly fits the narrative of a shocking discovery.
• The other options do not fit: 'Gradually' implies a slow process, 'Eventually' suggests it happened after a long time, and 'Rarely' describes frequency rather than the timing of a single event.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Complete Passage: It was a rainy evening when Rohan 1. boarded a crowded city bus. He had just finished his tuition classes and was eager to reach home. As he searched for his ticket, he 2. suddenly realized his wallet was missing. His heart began to race. Had he dropped it, or had someone stolen it? “Don’t panic, think carefully,” he told himself. He remembered using the wallet 3. at a small tea stall near the bus stop. Could it still be there? What if someone else had already picked it up? When the bus stopped at the next signal, Rohan quickly got down. “Please hurry, I must go back!” he whispered under his breath. He ran in the rain, splashing through puddles, his mind full of fear and hope. To his surprise, the tea vendor smiled and said, “Young man, you left this behind.” He held out the wet but safe wallet. What a 4. relief it was! Rohan almost shouted with joy. He thanked the vendor again and again. This small 5. incident taught Rohan a big lesson. He realized that not everyone in the world is dishonest, and kindness often appears when least expected. As he walked home in the rain, he thought, “I will never be careless with my belongings again!”

Additional Information

• Gradually: means taking place or moving by small degrees; slowly.
• Eventually: means in the end, especially after a long delay, dispute, or series of events.
• Rarely: means not often; seldom.

The correct answer is 'at'.

Key Points

• The sentence requires a preposition to indicate the specific location where Rohan last used his wallet.
• 'At' is used to denote a specific point, location, or place (e.g., at the corner, at the door, at the shop).
• 'A small tea stall' serves as a precise point in space where the action occurred, making 'at' the most grammatically correct choice.
• Other options like 'on' (indicating a surface), 'into' (indicating movement inside), and 'by' (indicating proximity or method) do not fit the context of being present at a specific spot.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Complete Passage: It was a rainy evening when Rohan 1. boarded a crowded city bus. He had just finished his tuition classes and was eager to reach home. As he searched for his ticket, he 2. suddenly realized his wallet was missing. His heart began to race. Had he dropped it, or had someone stolen it? 'Don’t panic, think carefully,' he told himself. He remembered using the wallet 3. at a small tea stall near the bus stop. Could it still be there? What if someone else had already picked it up? When the bus stopped at the next signal, Rohan quickly got down. 'Please hurry, I must go back!' he whispered under his breath. He ran in the rain, splashing through puddles, his mind full of fear and hope. To his surprise, the tea vendor smiled and said, 'Young man, you left this behind.' He held out the wet but safe wallet. What a 4. relief it was! Rohan almost shouted with joy. He thanked the vendor again and again. This small 5. incident taught Rohan a big lesson. He realized that not everyone in the world is dishonest, and kindness often appears when least expected. As he walked home in the rain, he thought, 'I will never be careless with my belongings again!'

Additional Information

• On: Usually refers to a position on a surface (e.g., The book is on the table).
• Into: Suggests movement from the outside to the inside of a three-dimensional space (e.g., He walked into the house).
• By: Often means 'near' or 'next to', or indicates the person/thing performing an action (e.g., I sat by the window).

The correct answer is 'Comfort'.

Key Points

• The word 'relief' refers to a feeling of reassurance and relaxation following the release from anxiety or distress.
• In the context of the story, Rohan is extremely worried about his lost wallet. When he finds it safe with the tea vendor, his worry is replaced by a sense of peace.
• 'Comfort' is the most suitable synonym here as it denotes a state of physical or mental ease and the alleviation of anxiety.
• The other options do not fit: 'Anxiety' is an antonym (worry); 'Burden' refers to a heavy load or hardship; and 'Pressure' refers to stress or physical force.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 4'.

Complete Passage: It was a rainy evening when Rohan 1. boarded a crowded city bus. He had just finished his tuition classes and was eager to reach home. As he searched for his ticket, he 2. suddenly realized his wallet was missing. His heart began to race. Had he dropped it, or had someone stolen it? "Don’t panic, think carefully," he told himself. He remembered using the wallet 3. at a small tea stall near the bus stop. Could it still be there? What if someone else had already picked it up? When the bus stopped at the next signal, Rohan quickly got down. "Please hurry, I must go back!" he whispered under his breath. He ran in the rain, splashing through puddles, his mind full of fear and hope. To his surprise, the tea vendor smiled and said, "Young man, you left this behind." He held out the wet but safe wallet. What a 4. relief it was! Rohan almost shouted with joy. He thanked the vendor again and again. This small 5. incident taught Rohan a big lesson. He realized that not everyone in the world is dishonest, and kindness often appears when least expected. As he walked home in the rain, he thought, "I will never be careless with my belongings again!"

Additional Information

• Anxiety: A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.
• Burden: A duty or misfortune that causes hardship, anxiety, or grief.
• Pressure: The use of persuasion, influence, or intimidation to make someone do something, or the state of being stressed.

The correct answer is 'A small event or occurrence'.

Key Points

• The word 'incident' is used in the passage to describe the sequence of events involving Rohan losing his wallet and finding it again.
• In English, an 'incident' refers to an individual occurrence or event, often one that is minor or serves as a specific example of something.
• Within the context of the story, the experience at the tea stall is a specific situation that happened once, making it a small event rather than a habit or a major catastrophe.
• Therefore, the most suitable definition among the given choices is 'A small event or occurrence'.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Complete Passage: It was a rainy evening when Rohan 1. boarded a crowded city bus. He had just finished his tuition classes and was eager to reach home. As he searched for his ticket, he 2. suddenly realized his wallet was missing. His heart began to race. Had he dropped it, or had someone stolen it? 'Don’t panic, think carefully,' he told himself. He remembered using the wallet 3. at a small tea stall near the bus stop. Could it still be there? What if someone else had already picked it up? When the bus stopped at the next signal, Rohan quickly got down. 'Please hurry, I must go back!' he whispered under his breath. He ran in the rain, splashing through puddles, his mind full of fear and hope. To his surprise, the tea vendor smiled and said, 'Young man, you left this behind.' He held out the wet but safe wallet. What a 4. relief it was! Rohan almost shouted with joy. He thanked the vendor again and again. This small 5. incident taught Rohan a big lesson. He realized that not everyone in the world is dishonest, and kindness often appears when least expected. As he walked home in the rain, he thought, 'I will never be careless with my belongings again!'

Additional Information

• Major accident: Refers to a significant, often destructive or harmful event (e.g., a car crash).
• Repeated habit: Something that a person does regularly or frequently.
• Planned action: An event that was intended or organized in advance; Rohan did not plan to lose his wallet.