SSC CHSL 19 November 2025 · Shift 1 · English Language — questions with answers

1

Select the most appropriate synonym of the word: Contract

A.Diminish
B.Lessen
C.Enlarge
D.Shrink

Solution

Word meaning: Contract Contract (verb) means to decrease in size, number or range — to become smaller. Diminish, Lessen and Shrink all carry exactly this same sense of becoming smaller, so none of them can be singled out from the other two. Enlarge means to make or become larger or more extensive, and it is the one word in the set that stands apart from the sense of 'Contract'. Hence, option (c) is the correct answer.

2

Select the most appropriate synonym of the word: Falter

A.Equivocate
B.Clarify
C.Hesitate
D.Confirm

Solution

Synonym: Falter Falter means to lose strength or steadiness, to waver or pause because confidence is lacking. Hesitate means to pause before acting or speaking out of uncertainty — the same idea, so it is the synonym. Equivocate means to speak ambiguously so as to avoid the truth; Clarify means to make something clear; Confirm means to establish that something is true — none of these matches 'Falter'. Hence, option (c) is correct.

3

Choose the correctly spelt word:

A.Saison
B.Siason
C.Saeson
D.Sayson

Solution

Correct spelling The correctly spelt word is 'Saison' — S-A-I-S-O-N. The vowel pair 'ai' must stay together right after the initial S. 'Siason', 'Saeson' and 'Sayson' all disturb that vowel cluster and are not accepted spellings. Hence, option (a) is correct.

4

Choose the correctly spelt word:

A.Literary
B.Litery
C.Literery
D.Litarery

Solution

Correct spelling The correctly spelt word is 'Literary' — L-I-T-E-R-A-R-Y. It is formed from 'liter(ature)' + the adjective ending '-ary', so the letter 'a' comes only in that ending. 'Litery' drops the 'ar' altogether, while 'Literery' and 'Litarery' put an 'e' or an 'a' in the wrong slot. Hence, option (a) is correct.

5

Choose the correct meaning of the idiom: To dampen someone's spirits

A.To make someone feel more energetic
B.To make someone feel less enthusiastic or hopeful
C.To share a drink with someone
D.To cheer someone up dramatically

Solution

Idiom meaning The idiom 'to dampen someone's spirits' means to make someone feel less enthusiastic, cheerful or hopeful. 'Dampen' literally means to make slightly wet, and a damp fire burns low — that is the image behind the idiom: enthusiasm is put out. E.g. The bad weather really dampened our spirits during the outdoor festival. Options (a) and (d) reverse the meaning, and (c) takes 'spirits' literally as a drink. Hence, option (b) is correct.

6

Choose the correct meaning of the idiom: Up in arms

A.To be celebrating a victory with raised hands
B.To be very angry and protesting strongly, often collectively.
C.To be physically fighting with weapons
D.To be confused and disoriented

Solution

Idiom meaning The idiom 'up in arms' means to be very angry about something and to protest about it strongly, usually as a group. 'Arms' here means weapons — the picture is of people rising in revolt, so the idiom is about loud collective protest, not actual fighting. E.g. The local residents were up in arms over the council's decision to close the park. Option (c) takes the idiom literally, while (a) and (d) do not fit the sense of anger at all. Hence, option (b) is correct.

7

Which of the following sentences uses the word "sheer" with a different meaning from the others?

A.The team succeeded through sheer hard work and patience.
B.It was sheer determination that helped her finish the task.
C.The climbers hesitated before attempting the sheer cliff face.
D.She advanced through sheer force of will.

Solution

Same word, different sense 'Sheer' has two common senses: (i) nothing but, complete or absolute, and (ii) very steep, almost vertical. In (a) 'sheer hard work', in (b) 'sheer determination' and in (d) 'sheer force of will', the word means complete or absolute — it only intensifies the noun. In (c) 'the sheer cliff face', 'sheer' describes the shape of the cliff — steep and almost vertical, a physical quality, not an intensifier. So (c) is the sentence that uses the word in a different sense. Hence, option (c) is correct.

8

Select the sentence containing the homonym of the highlighted word: She clasped her friend closely, offering comfort without saying a word.

A.She clasped the letter tightly in her hand, afraid it might slip away.
B.He reached out to clasp her wrist firmly before she lost her balance.
C.The mother clasped her child in a warm embrace after a long absence.
D.The necklace slipped open because the clasp at the back had broken.

Solution

Homonym of a word In the given sentence 'clasped' is a verb meaning to hold or embrace tightly. A homonym is a word with the same spelling or sound but a different meaning, so the answer must use 'clasp' in another sense. In (a), (b) and (c) 'clasp/clasped' is again the verb 'to hold or embrace' — the very same meaning. In (d) 'the clasp at the back' is a noun meaning a fastener or catch on a piece of jewellery, which is the different meaning required. Hence, option (d) is correct.

9

Choose the correct one-word substitute for: A feeling of intense pleasure or joy.

A.Despair
B.Ecstasy
C.Anguish
D.Melancholy

Solution

One-word substitution The word for a feeling of intense pleasure or joy is 'Ecstasy'. It comes from a Greek root meaning 'to stand outside oneself' — joy so great that one is carried away by it. Despair is total loss of hope, Anguish is severe mental or physical pain, and Melancholy is quiet, thoughtful sadness — all three are the opposite kind of feeling. Hence, option (b) is correct.

10

Choose the correct one-word substitute for: A person who takes particular pleasure in fine food and drink.

A.Connoisseur
B.Epicure
C.Gourmet
D.Gourmand

Solution

One-word substitution 'Epicure' is the exact word for a person who takes particular pleasure in fine food and drink. The name goes back to the philosopher Epicurus, whose followers were said to seek refined enjoyment — hence the delicate, discriminating pleasure the word suggests. Connoisseur is an expert judge in any matter of taste (art, music, wine), not food and drink alone. Gourmet stresses expert knowledge of food and cooking rather than the pleasure taken in it, and Gourmand suggests a person who eats greedily or too much. Since the definition speaks of the pleasure taken in fine food and drink, option (b) is correct.

11

Change the following sentence into the Active form. The ancient ruins might have been preserved by a unique geological process.

A.A unique geological process might have preserved the ancient ruins.
B.The ancient ruins should have been preserved by a unique geological process.
C.A unique geological process would have preserved the ancient ruins.
D.The ancient ruins had been preserved by a unique geological process.

Solution

Passive to active voice In the given passive sentence the agent is 'a unique geological process', so it becomes the subject of the active sentence. 'The ancient ruins' then becomes the object, and the verb 'might have been preserved' loses 'been' to give 'might have preserved'.

The modal 'might' must be kept as it is: changing it to 'should' in (b) or 'would' in (c) changes the meaning. Option (d) is still passive, so it is no transformation at all. Active: A unique geological process might have preserved the ancient ruins. Hence, option (a) is correct.

12

Change the following sentence into the Active form. Such a monumental task would be undertaken by only a few dedicated individuals.

A.Only a few dedicated individuals would undertake such a monumental task.
B.Such a monumental task should be undertaken by only a few dedicated individuals.
C.Only a few dedicated individuals should undertake such a monumental task.
D.Such a monumental task could be undertaken by only a few dedicated individuals.

Solution

Passive to active voice The agent in the passive sentence is 'only a few dedicated individuals', so it becomes the subject of the active form. 'Such a monumental task' becomes the object, and 'would be undertaken' loses 'be' to give the active verb 'would undertake'. The modal must not be touched: (c) replaces 'would' with 'should', which is a different degree of obligation. Options (b) and (d) remain passive in structure, so they are not active transformations at all. Active: Only a few dedicated individuals would undertake such a monumental task. Hence, option (a) is correct.

13

One of these words is spelled incorrectly. Which one is it ?

A.Miscellaneous
B.Horendousness
C.Recommend
D.Grateful

Solution

Incorrectly spelt word The misspelt word is 'Horendousness'; the correct spelling is 'Horrendousness', with a double 'r'. It is built as horrend(ous) + -ness, and the base word 'horrendous' itself keeps 'rr', just like 'horror' and 'horrible'. Miscellaneous, Recommend and Grateful are all spelt correctly. Hence, option (b) is correct.

14

One of these words is spelled incorrectly. Which one is it?

A.Recommend
B.Irresistible
C.Indispensable
D.Unintelligeble

Solution

Incorrectly spelt word The misspelt word is 'Unintelligeble'; the correct spelling is 'Unintelligible', with '-ible' at the end. Words built on a Latin stem that cannot stand alone as an English word — intellig-, irresist-, indispens- — normally take '-ible'. Recommend, Irresistible and Indispensable are all spelt correctly here. Hence, option (d) is correct.

15

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect voice. The coach said, "The players who missed practice today must report early tomorrow, or they will face strict action."

A.The coach said that the players who missed practice today must report early tomorrow, or they will face strict action.
B.The coach said that the players who had missed practice that day would have to report early the next day, or they would face strict action.
C.The coach said that the players who had missed practice that day must report early tomorrow, or they will face strict action.
D.The coach said that the players who missed practice the day before would have to report early tomorrow, or they would face strict action.

Solution

Direct to indirect speech The reporting verb 'said' is in the past tense, so the whole reported part must be back-shifted. 'missed' becomes 'had missed', the modal 'must' becomes 'would have to', and 'will face' becomes 'would face'. The time words also move one step away from the moment of speaking: 'today' becomes 'that day' and 'tomorrow' becomes 'the next day'.

Option (a) changes nothing, (c) keeps 'must … tomorrow … will', and (d) keeps 'tomorrow' and wrongly makes 'today' into 'the day before'. Only option (b) applies every change, so option (b) is correct.

16

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect voice. She said to me, "I was waiting for you, but the bus didn't arrive, so I had been standing at the stop since then."

A.She told me that she was waiting for me, but the bus didn't arrive, so she has been standing at the stop since then.
B.She told me that she had been waiting for me, but the bus didn't arrive, so she had been standing at the stop since then.
C.She told me that she had been waiting for me, but the bus had arrived late, so she had been standing at the stop since then.
D.She told me that she had been waiting for me, but the bus didn't arrive, so she has been standing at the stop since then.

Solution

Direct to indirect speech 'She said to me' becomes 'She told me', because 'say to' changes to 'tell' when the listener is named. The pronouns shift with the speaker and listener: 'I' becomes 'she' and 'you' becomes 'me'. The past continuous 'was waiting' back-shifts to the past perfect continuous 'had been waiting'.

'had been standing' is already past perfect continuous, which has no earlier form, so it stays unchanged — that rules out (a) and (d), which use 'has been standing'. Option (c) alters the sense by turning 'the bus didn't arrive' into 'the bus had arrived late'. Hence, option (b) is correct.

17

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct voice. The teacher remarked that the students were preparing for an important examination that month.

A.The teacher remarked, "The students are preparing for an important examination this month."
B.The teacher remarked, "The students were preparing for an important examination this month."
C.The teacher said, "The students have prepared for an important examination that month."
D.The teacher remarked, "The students had been preparing for an important examination this month."

Solution

Indirect to direct speech Going from indirect to direct speech, every back-shift made while reporting has to be undone. 'that' is replaced by a comma and inverted commas, the past continuous 'were preparing' returns to the present continuous 'are preparing', and 'that month' returns to 'this month'.

The reporting verb 'remarked' itself is not changed, so (c) with 'said' is wrong on two counts. Options (b) and (d) keep a past-tense verb inside the quotation, which cannot be the speaker's original words. Direct: The teacher remarked, "The students are preparing for an important examination this month." Hence, option (a) is correct.

18

Choose the correct passive voice transformation of the sentence: The audience had to follow the instructions very carefully.

A.The instructions had to have been followed very carefully by the audience.
B.The instructions were followed very carefully by the audience.
C.The instructions had been followed very carefully by the audience.
D.The instructions had to be followed very carefully by the audience.

Solution

Active to passive voice The object 'the instructions' becomes the subject, and the doer 'the audience' moves into a 'by' phrase. With the semi-modal 'had to', the passive is formed as 'had to be + V3', so 'had to follow' becomes 'had to be followed'.

Option (a) adds 'have been' and gives 'had to have been followed', which shifts the action into a completed past. Option (b) drops the idea of obligation completely, and (c) turns the sentence into a plain past perfect passive. Passive: The instructions had to be followed very carefully by the audience. Hence, option (d) is correct.

19

Choose the correct passive voice transformation of the sentence: People believe that the young scientist will achieve remarkable success in the future.

A.The young scientist is believed to achieve remarkable success in the future.
B.It is believed that the young scientist will achieve remarkable success in the future.
C.The young scientist is believed that he will achieve remarkable success in the future.
D.It was believed that the young scientist has achieved remarkable success in the future.

Solution

Active to passive voice The sentence has the pattern: People + believe + that + subject + verb. In such sentences the person spoken about is lifted out of the clause and made the subject of the passive: Subject + is believed + to + V1.

So 'the young scientist' becomes the subject and 'will achieve' becomes the infinitive 'to achieve', while 'in the future' already carries the sense of futurity. Option (c) mixes the two structures and keeps 'that he will achieve' after 'is believed', which is ungrammatical. Option (d) shifts the reporting verb to 'was believed' and then uses 'has achieved … in the future', a clear tense clash. Passive: The young scientist is believed to achieve remarkable success in the future. Hence, option (a) is correct.

20

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct voice. The visitor, sounding curious, asked the guide where she could see the ancient artefacts.

A.The visitor said to the guide, "Where could she see the ancient artefacts?"
B.The visitor said, "Where can she see the ancient artefacts?"
C.The visitor asked the guide, "Where can I see the ancient artefacts?"
D.The visitor asked, "Where could I see the ancient artefacts?"

Solution

Indirect to direct speech The reported part is a question, so in direct speech it must be written in question form, with 'Where' first and a question mark inside the inverted commas. The reporting verb 'asked' and the listener 'the guide' are both kept, since the visitor is speaking to the guide.

The pronoun goes back to the speaker's own words: 'she' becomes 'I', and the back-shifted 'could' returns to 'can'. Option (a) keeps 'could' and 'she', (b) drops the listener and keeps 'she', and (d) keeps 'could' and omits 'the guide'. Direct: The visitor asked the guide, "Where can I see the ancient artefacts?" Hence, option (c) is correct.

21

Directions (Qs. 21-25): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. In recent years, the importance of regular physical activity has gained widespread attention, especially among young adults. With increased screen time and sedentary routines, many individuals find it difficult to incorporate exercise into their daily lives. Convenience often takes precedence over movement, leading to a decline in overall fitness levels. Health professionals highlight that engaging in consistent physical activity helps strengthen muscles, improve cardiovascular health, and enhance mental well-being. Activities such as walking, cycling, and stretching not only boost energy levels but also reduce stress and improve sleep quality. Moreover, developing an active lifestyle at a young age encourages long-term commitment to fitness. Educational institutions and families share the responsibility of fostering active habits by creating supportive environments, organising sports activities, and encouraging balanced routines. When young people adopt physical activity as a regular practice, they are more likely to maintain a healthier lifestyle throughout adulthood.

Identify the tense of the verb "has gained" in the first sentence.

A.Simple Present
B.Present Perfect
C.Present Continuous
D.Simple Past

Solution

Present perfect tense The verb form used in the first sentence is 'has gained' — the auxiliary 'has' followed by the past participle 'gained'. 'Has/have + V3 (past participle)' is the structure of the Present Perfect tense. It fits the sense here: the attention began to grow earlier and the effect continues 'in recent years'. Simple Present would require 'gains', Present Continuous 'is gaining' and Simple Past 'gained', so none of those labels applies. Hence, option (b) is correct.

22

Directions (Qs. 21-25): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. In recent years, the importance of regular physical activity has gained widespread attention, especially among young adults. With increased screen time and sedentary routines, many individuals find it difficult to incorporate exercise into their daily lives. Convenience often takes precedence over movement, leading to a decline in overall fitness levels. Health professionals highlight that engaging in consistent physical activity helps strengthen muscles, improve cardiovascular health, and enhance mental well-being. Activities such as walking, cycling, and stretching not only boost energy levels but also reduce stress and improve sleep quality. Moreover, developing an active lifestyle at a young age encourages long-term commitment to fitness. Educational institutions and families share the responsibility of fostering active habits by creating supportive environments, organising sports activities, and encouraging balanced routines. When young people adopt physical activity as a regular practice, they are more likely to maintain a healthier lifestyle throughout adulthood.

Choose the option that correctly changes this sentence into passive voice: "Health professionals highlight the benefits of regular physical activity."

A.Health professionals are highlighted by the benefits of regular physical activity.
B.The benefits of regular physical activity were highlighted by health professionals.
C.The benefits of regular physical activity are highlighted by health professionals.
D.The benefits of regular physical activity is highlighted by health professionals.

Solution

Active to passive voice The given sentence is in the Simple Present: subject 'Health professionals' + verb 'highlight' + object 'the benefits of regular physical activity'. Rule for the passive of the Simple Present: object + is/are + V3 + by + agent. The object 'The benefits ...' becomes the new subject; 'benefits' is plural, so the auxiliary must be 'are' and the participle 'highlighted'. This gives: The benefits of regular physical activity are highlighted by health professionals. Option (d) uses the singular 'is', option (b) shifts the tense to the past with 'were', and option (a) reverses the doer and the receiver of the action. Hence, option (c) is correct.

23

Directions (Qs. 21-25): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. In recent years, the importance of regular physical activity has gained widespread attention, especially among young adults. With increased screen time and sedentary routines, many individuals find it difficult to incorporate exercise into their daily lives. Convenience often takes precedence over movement, leading to a decline in overall fitness levels. Health professionals highlight that engaging in consistent physical activity helps strengthen muscles, improve cardiovascular health, and enhance mental well-being. Activities such as walking, cycling, and stretching not only boost energy levels but also reduce stress and improve sleep quality. Moreover, developing an active lifestyle at a young age encourages long-term commitment to fitness. Educational institutions and families share the responsibility of fostering active habits by creating supportive environments, organising sports activities, and encouraging balanced routines. When young people adopt physical activity as a regular practice, they are more likely to maintain a healthier lifestyle throughout adulthood.

What does the word "sedentary" most nearly mean as used in the passage?

A.Active
B.Energetic
C.Inactive
D.Restless

Solution

Vocabulary: Sedentary 'Sedentary' describes a way of living that involves a great deal of sitting and very little physical movement. In the passage it is paired with 'increased screen time' as a reason why people 'find it difficult to incorporate exercise into their daily lives'. So the word must carry the sense of not moving about — and 'Inactive' means exactly that: not engaging in physical activity. 'Active' and 'Energetic' mean the very opposite, while 'Restless' means unable to stay still, which again implies movement. Hence, option (c) is correct.

24

Directions (Qs. 21-25): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. In recent years, the importance of regular physical activity has gained widespread attention, especially among young adults. With increased screen time and sedentary routines, many individuals find it difficult to incorporate exercise into their daily lives. Convenience often takes precedence over movement, leading to a decline in overall fitness levels. Health professionals highlight that engaging in consistent physical activity helps strengthen muscles, improve cardiovascular health, and enhance mental well-being. Activities such as walking, cycling, and stretching not only boost energy levels but also reduce stress and improve sleep quality. Moreover, developing an active lifestyle at a young age encourages long-term commitment to fitness. Educational institutions and families share the responsibility of fostering active habits by creating supportive environments, organising sports activities, and encouraging balanced routines. When young people adopt physical activity as a regular practice, they are more likely to maintain a healthier lifestyle throughout adulthood.

What is the antonym of the word "consistent" as used in the passage?

A.Regular
B.Steady
C.Sporadic
D.Persistent

Solution

Antonym: Consistent In the passage 'consistent physical activity' means activity that is done regularly, in an unbroken and steady manner. Its antonym must therefore mean 'happening irregularly, only now and then'. 'Sporadic' means occurring at irregular intervals or only occasionally, so it is the exact opposite of 'consistent'. 'Regular', 'Steady' and 'Persistent' all repeat the idea of continuity, so they are synonyms of 'consistent', not antonyms. Hence, option (c) is correct.

25

Directions (Qs. 21-25): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. In recent years, the importance of regular physical activity has gained widespread attention, especially among young adults. With increased screen time and sedentary routines, many individuals find it difficult to incorporate exercise into their daily lives. Convenience often takes precedence over movement, leading to a decline in overall fitness levels. Health professionals highlight that engaging in consistent physical activity helps strengthen muscles, improve cardiovascular health, and enhance mental well-being. Activities such as walking, cycling, and stretching not only boost energy levels but also reduce stress and improve sleep quality. Moreover, developing an active lifestyle at a young age encourages long-term commitment to fitness. Educational institutions and families share the responsibility of fostering active habits by creating supportive environments, organising sports activities, and encouraging balanced routines. When young people adopt physical activity as a regular practice, they are more likely to maintain a healthier lifestyle throughout adulthood.

According to the passage, how can institutions encourage physical activity among young people?

A.By limiting recreational time
B.By organising activities and supporting balanced routines
C.By increasing academic workload
D.By discouraging outdoor movement

Solution

Reading comprehension: detail The third paragraph says that institutions and families foster active habits 'by creating supportive environments, organising sports activities, and encouraging balanced routines'. Option (b) restates precisely these measures — organising activities and supporting balanced routines. Limiting recreational time, increasing academic workload and discouraging outdoor movement are nowhere suggested; each of them would in fact reduce physical activity. Hence, option (b) is correct.