Mixed English Questions for upcoming Exam — Set 441

Directions(1-5): Given below are three statements, of which some may be incorrect. Identify the correct statement(s).

1. I. She pinned carefully the two pieces of cloth together.
   II. She carefully pinned the two pieces of cloth together.
   III. She pinned the two pieces of cloth together carefully.
   Both I and II
   Both II and III
   Both I and III
   Only I
   None of these
   Option B
   An adverb of manner, ‘carefully’, cannot be put between a verb and its direct object. The adverb must be placed either before the verb or at the end of the clause.

    

2. I. Our plans need to be flexible enough to cater for the needs of everyone.
   II. Our plans need to be enough flexible to cater for the needs of everyone.
   III. Our plans should be flexible enough to cater for the needs of everyone.
   Only I
   Only II
   Both I and III
   Only III
   All of these
   Option C
   ‘Enough’, as an adverb meaning ‘to the necessary degree’, is used after the adjective or adverb that it is modifying, and not before it as other adverbs do.

    

3. I. He who would climb the ladder have to begin at the bottom.
   II. He who would climb the ladder must begin at the bottom.
   III. He who would climb the ladder has to begin at the bottom.
   Only I
   Both II and III
   Only II
   Both I and III
   All of these
   Option B
   In sentence I, the use of ‘have’ violates the subject-verb agreement. It should have been ‘has’ to agree with ‘he’ to make the sentence grammatically correct.

    

4. I. Villages after villages was visited by the minister during the last election.
   II. Villages after villages were visited by the minister during the last election.
   III. Village after village was visited by the minister during the last election.
   Only I
   Only II
   Only III
   Both I and II
   All of these
   Option C
   If a preposition connects two similar nouns, the noun is used in singular form and takes a singular verb.
   In statement I, the usage of villages is incorrect.
   In statement II usage of villages is incorrect along with were.
   Sentence III is both grammatically and contextually correct.

    

5. I. When I visited temple at Kalighat, I saw him kneeling at the alter.
   II. When I visited temple at Kalighat, I see him kneeling at the altar.
   III. When I visited temple at Kalighat, I saw him kneeling at the altar.
   Only I
   Only II
   Only III
   Both I and II
   All of these
   Option C
   The sentence is talking about a temple. It is a place of worship.
   The sentence I is incorrect, because, ‘alter’ makes no sense here.
   The sentence III is in past tense. Hence, past form of ‘see’ must be used.
   Only, sentence II is correct both grammatically and contextually.

    

Directions(6-10): In the given question, a part of the sentence is in bold. Below the sentence, alternatives to the emboldened part are given as (A), (B), (C) and (D), which may help improve the sentence. In case the given sentence is correct, your answer will be option (E), i.e. no correction is required.

6. For 35 years, (no one is held accountable for Raja Man Singh’s death), with police claiming they had fired in self-defence.
   no once held accountable for Raja Man Singh’s death
   no one has held accountable for Raja Man Singh’s death
   no one was held accountable for Raja Man Singh’s death
   no one were held accountable for Raja Man Singh’s death
   No correction is required
   Option C
   

    

7. David (has been appointed as managing director) of the new division.
   Was appointed as managing director
   Has been appointed as a managing director
   Has been appointed managing director
   Was appointed as the managing director
   No correction required
   Option C
   Note that “As” is not used with verbs like “appointed”, “elected”, “considered” etc. Considering this, C becomes the most appropriate choice.

    

8. (It took years for his eras to heal), and he was still left with scars at the end of it.
   It took ears for his years to heal
   It took ears for his ears to heal
   It took years for his eras to heal
   It took years for his ears to heal
   No correction required
   Option D
   

    

9. After the event, Mandy and Charlotte stayed (behind while the other) girls went home.
   behind while another
   behind while the others
   behind while the other
   behind while others
   No Correction Required
   Option C
   

    

10. An engineering student must study hard (if they wants to succeed).
    if they want to succeed.
    if want to succeed
    if it wants to succeed
    if he or she wants to succeed.
    No Correction Required
    Option D