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UPPSC 2025 — English Language Questions with Answers
All 16 English Language previous-year questions from UPPSC 2025, each with the correct answer and a full explanation. Practise them as a free, timed mock test with instant scoring.
Practice English Language as a timed test →- Q1.English Grammar
Choose the indirect speech of the following direct sentence. He said, 'I have been waiting for ages.'
- a)He said that he had been waiting for ages.
- b)He says that he has been waiting for ages.
- c)He said that he has been waiting for ages.
- d)He said that he is being waiting for ages.
Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech with a past reporting verb ('said'), the present perfect continuous tense ('have been waiting') changes to the past perfect continuous tense ('had been waiting').
- Q2.English Language
Identify the correct spelling from the options given below.
- a)(a) Enterprenure
- b)(b) Enterpranore
- c)(c) Entrepreneur
- d)(d) Entraprenure
Explanation: The correct spelling of the word is 'Entrepreneur', which refers to a person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so.
- Q3.English Language
Fill the correct form of verb, in the given sentence. Many a man ______ died for his country.
- a)(a) has
- b)(b) was
- c)(c) is
- d)(d) have
Explanation: The phrase 'Many a' is always followed by a singular noun and takes a singular verb. Since the action is completed, the present perfect tense auxiliary 'has' is appropriate.
- Q4.English Language
Complete the sentence with proper preposition. We usually finish work early _______ Fridays.
- a)(a) at
- b)(b) during
- c)(c) on
- d)(d) in
Explanation: The preposition 'on' is used before days of the week (e.g., on Monday, on Fridays).
- Q5.English Language
Fill in the blank from given options. By next July, I _______ in this office for ten years.
- a)(a) will work
- b)(b) will have been working
- c)(c) worked
- d)(d) will be worked
Explanation: The phrase 'By next July' indicates a future deadline, and 'for ten years' indicates a duration leading up to that point. This combination requires the Future Perfect Continuous tense ('will have been working').
- Q6.English Language
Choose the correct active form of the sentence. They were seen to go out.
- a)(a) I saw them go out.
- b)(b) They were seen to go out.
- c)(c) He saw them go out.
- d)(d) We saw them go out.
Explanation: The passive sentence "They were seen to go out" is in the simple past tense. Its active form requires an agent (e.g., I, He, We) followed by the simple past verb 'saw', the object 'them', and the bare infinitive 'go out'. Option (a) correctly follows this structure.
- Q7.English Language
Select the most appropriate option for the following sentence. She wrote this article _______ her holiday.
- a)(a) during
- b)(b) in
- c)(c) on
- d)(d) by
Explanation: The preposition "during" is used to indicate that something happens throughout a period of time. In this sentence, the article was written over the course of her holiday.
- Q8.English Language
What is the meaning of the word 'ephemeral'?
- a)(a) Permanent
- b)(b) Mysterious
- c)(c) Temporary
- d)(d) Loud
Explanation: The word 'ephemeral' means lasting for a very short time, hence 'temporary' is the correct meaning.
- Q9.English Language
Identify the correct spelling from the options given below.
- a)(a) Reservoir
- b)(b) Reservoure
- c)(c) Resorvor
- d)(d) Reservour
Explanation: The correct spelling of the word is 'Reservoir', which refers to a large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply.
- Q10.English Language
Fill the correct form of verb in the given sentence. Either of these two pens _______ good.
- a)(a) are
- b)(b) have
- c)(c) is
- d)(d) has
Explanation: When "either of" is used, the subject is considered singular, requiring a singular verb. Therefore, "is" is the correct form.
- Q11.English Vocabulary
Choose the antonym of "presence of mind".
- a)Quick thinking
- b)Panic
- c)Attentiveness
- d)Alertness
Explanation: "Presence of mind" refers to the ability to act quickly and appropriately in an emergency. Its antonym would be a state where one loses this ability, such as 'panic', which involves sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety.
- Q12.English Grammar
Choose the correct preposition for given blank in the idiom. Cry _________ split milk.
- a)on
- b)at
- c)upon
- d)over
Explanation: The correct idiom is "cry over spilled milk," which means to regret something that has already happened and cannot be changed. The preposition 'over' is essential to this idiom.
- Q13.English Vocabulary
What does nefarious mean?
- a)Honest
- b)Morally bad
- c)Extremely wealthy
- d)Very fearful
Explanation: The word 'nefarious' describes an action or activity that is wicked or criminal, meaning 'morally bad'.
- Q14.English Grammar
Choose the correct passive form of the sentence. 'The company has cut all the salaries.'
- a)All the salaries have been cut by the company.
- b)All the salaries are cut by the company.
- c)All the salaries should have been cut by the company.
- d)Salaries should have been cut by the company.
Explanation: The active sentence is in the present perfect tense ('has cut'). The correct passive form for the present perfect tense is 'has/have + been + past participle'. Since 'all the salaries' is plural, 'have been cut' is used.
- Q15.English Grammar
Which type of noun is used in the sentence 'The crowd was very big.'?
- a)Proper
- b)Abstract
- c)Common
- d)Collective
Explanation: A 'crowd' refers to a group of people, animals, or things. Nouns that denote a collection of individuals or things taken as a whole are called collective nouns.
- Q16.English Grammar
Fill in the blank by choosing from the options given. He is suspicious _________ all his neighbours.
- a)from
- b)of
- c)before
- d)none of the above
Explanation: The correct preposition to use with the adjective 'suspicious' is 'of'. One is 'suspicious of' someone or something.
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