SSC CHSL 21 November 2025 · Shift 1 · English Language — questions with answers

1

Identify the incorrect sentence.

A.Homeless are seeking shelter from the cold.
B.The cat cleaned itself on the rug.
C.Which house is yours
D.This is the most difficult puzzle that I have solved.

Solution

Article before adjective An adjective that names a whole class of people — the poor, the rich, the elderly, the homeless — must carry the definite article 'the' before it, and it then behaves as a plural noun. Option (a) drops that article, so 'Homeless are seeking shelter from the cold' has no proper subject; it must read 'The homeless are seeking shelter from the cold.' In (b) the reflexive pronoun 'itself' correctly points back to the subject 'The cat'. In (c) the word order of the wh-question is right (only the question mark is missing, which is a punctuation slip and not a grammatical error), and in (d) 'the most difficult ... that I have solved' is the standard superlative pattern. Hence, the incorrect sentence is option (a).

2

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate preposition : The candidate is not eligible

____

the position in the new department.

A.to
B.with
C.for
D.at

Solution

Preposition with adjective 'Eligible' is always followed by the preposition 'for' when we name the post, benefit or prize a person qualifies for. So the sentence reads: The candidate is not eligible for the position in the new department. 'Eligible to' is used only before a verb (eligible to apply), while 'with' and 'at' never collocate with 'eligible'. Hence, option (c) is the most appropriate answer.

3

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate phrasal verb: The committee decided to

____

the meeting due to the sudden emergency.

A.call off
B.look into
C.stand for
D.break up

Solution

Phrasal verb The blank needs a phrasal verb that means 'to cancel'. 'Call off' means to cancel something that has already been arranged, which fits a meeting dropped because of a sudden emergency. 'Look into' means to investigate, 'stand for' means to represent or to tolerate, and 'break up' means to end a relationship or to disperse — none of them can take 'the meeting' in this sense. Hence, option (a) is the most appropriate answer.

4

Choose the correctly spelt word:

A.Quintessantial
B.Quintessential
C.Quintessintial
D.Quintessnetial

Solution

Correct spelling The correct spelling is 'quintessential' — quint + essential. It comes from 'quintessence', the fifth and purest essence, and means 'the most perfect example of something'. Remembering the whole word 'essential' inside it rules out 'Quintessantial', 'Quintessintial' and 'Quintessnetial' at once. Hence, option (b) is the most appropriate answer.

5

Select the sentence containing the homonym of the highlighted word: She wore a beautiful diamond ring on her finger.

A.The gold ring was a family heirloom.
B.He bought an engagement ring yesterday.
C.I heard the telephone ring in the hallway.
D.The ruby ring sparkled in the light.

Solution

Homonyms Homonyms are words spelt and pronounced alike but carrying entirely different meanings. In the given sentence 'ring' is a noun meaning a circular ornament worn on the finger.

In option (c) 'ring' is a verb — the sound a telephone makes — so it is a true homonym of the given word. In (a), (b) and (d) 'ring' is once again the ornament, that is, the very same meaning, so no homonym appears there. Hence, option (c) is the most appropriate answer.

6

Select the most appropriate antonym of the word: Compress

A.Squeeze
B.Shrink
C.Expand
D.Contract

Solution

Antonym 'Compress' means to press something together so that it takes up less space. Its opposite must therefore mean to make or become larger, and that word is 'expand'. 'Squeeze' (to press hard), 'shrink' (to become smaller) and 'contract' (to draw together) all move in the same direction as 'compress', so they are synonyms, not antonyms. Hence, option (c) is the most appropriate answer.

7

Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence: She boiled some fresh water to drink it.

A.to drink
B.to drink it
C.drinking it
D.drink it

Solution

Infinitive of purpose The infinitive here shows purpose: she boiled the water in order to drink it. The noun 'water' is already the object of 'boiled', and an infinitive of purpose that follows must not repeat that object with a pronoun. So 'to drink it' carries a redundant 'it'; the correct form is 'She boiled some fresh water to drink.' 'Drinking it' and 'drink it' keep the same redundant pronoun and also destroy the purpose structure after 'boiled'. Hence, option (a) is the most appropriate answer.

8

Choose the correct indirect narration of the following statement from the given alternatives : He said, 'I can come here tomorrow morning if my father does not want me to go for practice."

A.He said that he can go there the next morning if his father did not want him to go for practice.
B.He said that he could go there the following morning if his father did not want him to go for practice.
C.He said that he could go there the following morning if his father does not want him to go for practice.
D.He said that he went there the following morning if his father does not want him to go for practice.

Solution

Direct to indirect speech The reporting verb 'said' is in the past, so every tense inside the quotation must be back-shifted one step and the words of place, time and person must be adjusted.

'can' becomes 'could', 'here' becomes 'there' (so 'come' turns into 'go'), 'tomorrow morning' becomes 'the following morning', 'my' becomes 'his', and 'does not want' becomes 'did not want'. Applying all of these gives: He said that he could go there the following morning if his father did not want him to go for practice. Option (a) keeps the present modal 'can' and the direct-speech word 'next', while (c) and (d) leave 'does not' unchanged. Hence, option (b) is the most appropriate answer.

9

Choose the correct indirect narration of the following statement from the given alternatives: The players said to the coach, "What is the best way to start a game when there is no strategy discussed in the meeting?"

A.The players asked the coach what had been the best way to start a game when there was no strategy discussed in the meeting.
B.The players asked the coach what was the best way to start a game when there was no strategy discussed in the meeting.
C.The players asked the coach what had to be the best way to start a game when there was no strategy discussed in the meeting.
D.The players asked the coach what was being the best way to start a game when there was no strategy discussed in the meeting.

Solution

Reported wh-question A wh-question in indirect speech keeps its question word, the reporting verb 'said to' becomes 'asked', and the tenses are back-shifted one step. So 'What is the best way' becomes 'what was the best way', and 'when there is no strategy' becomes 'when there was no strategy'. That gives: The players asked the coach what was the best way to start a game when there was no strategy discussed in the meeting. Option (a) uses the past perfect 'had been' and (c) the obligation form 'had to be', neither of which is the back-shift of 'is'; (d) adds an unnecessary continuous 'was being'. Hence, option (b) is the most appropriate answer.

10

Change the following sentence into the Active form. It has been concluded that his theory is correct.

A.His theory is correct.
B.Researchers have concluded that his theory is correct.
C.It was concluded that his theory is correct.
D.The correctness of his theory has been concluded.

Solution

Passive to active voice The passive pattern 'It has been concluded that…' deliberately hides the doer, so the active form has to supply a subject who did the concluding. Only option (b) supplies such a subject — 'Researchers' — and puts the verb into the matching active present perfect 'have concluded'. Option (a) simply deletes the whole reporting clause, (c) is still passive (and shifts the tense to the past), and (d) is passive as well. Hence, option (b) is the most appropriate answer.

11

Choose the option that is the most appropriate conversion of the following sentence into Direct Speech. He exclaimed with disgust that the food tasted terrible.

A.He said, "Alas! This food tastes terrible."
B.He said, "Ugh! How terrible this food tastes!"
C.He exclaimed, "Oh no! This food tastes terrible!"
D.He exclaimed, "What terrible-tasting food?"

Solution

Exclamatory direct speech 'Exclaimed with disgust' tells us two things: the direct form must be an exclamatory sentence, and its interjection must express disgust.

'Ugh!' is the interjection of disgust, whereas 'Alas!' expresses sorrow and 'Oh no!' expresses dismay or shock. An exclamatory sentence is framed as 'How + adjective + subject + verb', which gives 'How terrible this food tastes!' Option (d) is written as a question and carries no interjection at all. Hence, option (b) is the most appropriate answer.

12

Fill in the blank with the correctly spelled word: "To avoid expensive repairs and keep production running, regular

____

of the company's complex machinery is essential."

A.maintainance
B.maintanence
C.maintanance
D.maintenance

Solution

Correct spelling The noun formed from the verb 'maintain' loses the 'i' of 'main-tain' and ends in '-tenance': maintenance. So the sentence reads: 'regular maintenance of the company's complex machinery is essential.' 'Maintainance', 'maintanence' and 'maintanance' are only common misspellings of the same word. Hence, option (d) is the most appropriate answer.

13

Change the following sentence into the Active form. Let no path be left unexplored in the hunt for the hidden artifacts.

A.Don't leave a path unexplored in the hunt for the hidden artifacts.
B.No path should be left unexplored in the hunt for the hidden artifacts.
C.Leave no path unexplored in the hunt for the hidden artifacts.
D.Leave every path unexplored in the hunt for the hidden artifacts.

Solution

Imperative active voice 'Let + object + be + past participle' is the passive form of an imperative sentence. To make it active, drop 'Let … be' and begin the sentence with the bare imperative verb, placing the object right after it. So 'Let no path be left unexplored' becomes 'Leave no path unexplored in the hunt for the hidden artifacts.' Option (a) turns 'no path' into 'a path' with a negative verb, (b) is still passive, and (d) reverses the sense by asking that every path be left unexplored. Hence, option (c) is the most appropriate answer.

14

Choose the incorrect spelling:

A.Buraeucracy
B.Garrulous
C.Refrigerator
D.Acquiesce

Solution

Incorrect spelling The correct spelling is 'bureaucracy' — bureau + cracy, that is, rule by the office (bureau). Option (a) writes it as 'Buraeucracy', with 'ae' standing where 'ea' should be, so this is the misspelt word. 'Garrulous' (talkative), 'refrigerator' and 'acquiesce' (to accept without protest) are all spelt correctly. Hence, option (a) is the most appropriate answer.

15

Which sentence contains a misspelled word?

A.In order to fulfill his professional commitment, he must report every single occurrence within the local team environment.
B.She hoped to show commitment needed to stop a rare ocurence during the project.
C.The team needed strong commitment to prevent a frequent occurrence of errors at work.
D.He worked hard to ensure commitment and monitor every single daily occurrence.

Solution

Misspelt word in sentence Every option repeats the words 'commitment' and 'occurrence', so the test is simply whether both are spelt correctly. In option (b) the second word is written 'ocurence'; the correct spelling is 'occurrence' — double c, double r, and '-ence' at the end. Options (a), (c) and (d) spell both words correctly. Hence, option (b) is the sentence that contains a misspelled word.

16

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct voice. My father lovingly asked me if I was going to the party that night.

A.My father asked me, "Are you going to the party tonight?'
B.My father said to me, 'Were you going to the party that night?'
C.My father said to me, "Were you going to the party that night?"
D.My father asked, 'Are you going to the party that night?"

Solution

Indirect to direct speech Turning indirect speech into direct speech reverses every back-shift that was made.

So 'asked me if' becomes the question 'Are you …?', 'was going' returns to 'are going', and 'that night' returns to 'tonight'; the listener 'me' must be kept and the spoken words go inside inverted commas. This gives: My father asked me, "Are you going to the party tonight?" Options (b) and (c) leave the verb in the past ('Were you going'), and (d) drops 'me' and keeps the reported time phrase 'that night'. Hence, option (a) is the most appropriate answer.

17

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct voice. The head coach told the athletes that they had been training hard all season and deserved a break.

A.The head coach said, "You were training hard all season and deserved a break."
B.The head coach told the athletes, "You had been training hard all season and deserved a break.'
C.The head coach said to the athletes, "You have been training hard all season and deserve a break."
D.The head coach told the athletes, "They had been training hard all season and deserved a break."

Solution

Indirect to direct speech In the direct form the reporting verb becomes 'said to' with the listener retained, and the pronoun 'they' returns to the second person 'you'. The back-shifted tenses now move one step forward: 'had been training' returns to 'have been training' and 'deserved' returns to 'deserve'. That gives: The head coach said to the athletes, "You have been training hard all season and deserve a break." Options (a) and (b) keep the past forms that were only the result of the back-shift, and (d) wrongly retains the third-person 'They' inside the quotation. Hence, option (c) is the most appropriate answer.

18

Choose the correct passive voice transformation of the sentence: The committee is to conduct a thorough evaluation of the proposed environmental modifications.

A.A thorough evaluation is to be conducted of the proposed environmental modifications by the committee.
B.The proposed environmental modifications are to be thoroughly evaluated by the committee.
C.A thorough evaluation will be conducted of the proposed environmental modifications by the committee.
D.It is intended by the committee to conduct a thorough evaluation of the proposed environmental modifications.

Solution

Active to passive voice 'is to + V1' expresses a planned or scheduled action, and its passive is 'is to be + V3'.

The object of 'conduct' is 'a thorough evaluation of the proposed environmental modifications', so that phrase becomes the subject and the doer moves behind 'by'. This gives: A thorough evaluation is to be conducted of the proposed environmental modifications by the committee. Option (b) makes 'the modifications' the subject, so what is conducted silently changes into what is evaluated; (c) replaces 'is to be' with the plain future 'will be'; and (d) is still active at its core, since 'to conduct' is left untouched. Hence, option (a) is the most appropriate answer.

19

Directions (Qs. 19-23): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 represents a major instructional overhaul launched within India during modern times. It intends to overhaul the schooling framework to ensure it is broad, adaptable, versatile, and tuned to the demands of the modern era. This strategy exchanges the

10 + 2

model for a fresh

5 + 3 + 3 + 4

layout, which highlights the initial phase and fosters analytical logic starting from young years. A primary result of this NEP is the stress on native speech or local dialects as the mode of teaching during the early school years. This has sparked both praise and anxiety. Although specialists think it will fortify kids' heritage and insight, others fret over hurdles in execution and the effect on English speech fluency. Additionally, this NEP advocates technical training, online skills, and cross-subject lessons. It strives to lower drill study and test-heavy methods by fostering applied wisdom and innovation. If executed well, the NEP might transform India's learning future for many years ahead. This plan is vital today.

Pick the specific statement that employs a helping verb used to show a state of future likelihood.

A.This strategy exchanges the $10 + 2$ model for a fresh $5 + 3 + 3 + 4$ layout.
B.It strives to lower drill study and test-heavy methods.
C.Although specialists think it will fortify kids' heritage and insight.
D.If executed well, the NEP might transform India's learning future.

Solution

Modal of possibility A helping verb that shows future likelihood is a modal of possibility — may, might or could.

Option (d) contains 'might' in 'the NEP might transform India's learning future', which states a possible future outcome rather than a certain one. In (c) 'will' expresses certainty, not likelihood, while (a) 'exchanges' and (b) 'strives' are ordinary present-tense main verbs with no helping verb of possibility at all. Hence, option (d) is the most appropriate answer.

20

Directions (Qs. 19-23): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 represents a major instructional overhaul launched within India during modern times. It intends to overhaul the schooling framework to ensure it is broad, adaptable, versatile, and tuned to the demands of the modern era. This strategy exchanges the

10 + 2

model for a fresh

5 + 3 + 3 + 4

layout, which highlights the initial phase and fosters analytical logic starting from young years. A primary result of this NEP is the stress on native speech or local dialects as the mode of teaching during the early school years. This has sparked both praise and anxiety. Although specialists think it will fortify kids' heritage and insight, others fret over hurdles in execution and the effect on English speech fluency. Additionally, this NEP advocates technical training, online skills, and cross-subject lessons. It strives to lower drill study and test-heavy methods by fostering applied wisdom and innovation. If executed well, the NEP might transform India's learning future for many years ahead. This plan is vital today.

Which of these terms found in the passage is a gerund?

A.Overhaul
B.Teaching
C.Dialogue
D.Strategy

Solution

Gerund A gerund is the -ing form of a verb that is doing the work of a noun. In the passage the phrase 'as the mode of teaching during the early school years' contains 'teaching', an -ing form standing as the object of the preposition 'of' — that is a gerund. 'Overhaul', 'dialogue' and 'strategy' are ordinary nouns; they are not a verb with -ing added, so they cannot be gerunds. Remember that an -ing form is a gerund only when it names an activity; when it describes a noun (a working day) it is a participle instead. Hence, option (b) is the most appropriate answer.

21

Directions (Qs. 19-23): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 represents a major instructional overhaul launched within India during modern times. It intends to overhaul the schooling framework to ensure it is broad, adaptable, versatile, and tuned to the demands of the modern era. This strategy exchanges the

10 + 2

model for a fresh

5 + 3 + 3 + 4

layout, which highlights the initial phase and fosters analytical logic starting from young years. A primary result of this NEP is the stress on native speech or local dialects as the mode of teaching during the early school years. This has sparked both praise and anxiety. Although specialists think it will fortify kids' heritage and insight, others fret over hurdles in execution and the effect on English speech fluency. Additionally, this NEP advocates technical training, online skills, and cross-subject lessons. It strives to lower drill study and test-heavy methods by fostering applied wisdom and innovation. If executed well, the NEP might transform India's learning future for many years ahead. This plan is vital today.

What is the definition of "holistic" as utilized in the passage?

A.Concerning medical care and wellness
B.Restricted to purely academic study
C.Viewing all components as linked and unified
D.Focused on one area

Solution

Vocabulary in context 'Holistic' means dealing with the whole of something, treating all its parts as connected and working together rather than in isolation. That is exactly the NEP the passage describes: a schooling framework that is broad, flexible and versatile, that joins technical training, online skills and cross-subject lessons to analytical thinking and creativity. (a) attaches the word to medicine, which is only one field in which it is commonly used; (b) and (d) both narrow education down to a single area, which is the opposite of what the passage praises. Hence, option (c) is the most appropriate answer.

22

Directions (Qs. 19-23): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 represents a major instructional overhaul launched within India during modern times. It intends to overhaul the schooling framework to ensure it is broad, adaptable, versatile, and tuned to the demands of the modern era. This strategy exchanges the

10 + 2

model for a fresh

5 + 3 + 3 + 4

layout, which highlights the initial phase and fosters analytical logic starting from young years. A primary result of this NEP is the stress on native speech or local dialects as the mode of teaching during the early school years. This has sparked both praise and anxiety. Although specialists think it will fortify kids' heritage and insight, others fret over hurdles in execution and the effect on English speech fluency. Additionally, this NEP advocates technical training, online skills, and cross-subject lessons. It strives to lower drill study and test-heavy methods by fostering applied wisdom and innovation. If executed well, the NEP might transform India's learning future for many years ahead. This plan is vital today.

Choose the correct antonym for the word 'Adaptable" as used in the passage.

A.Versatile
B.Rigid
C.Simple
D.Plain

Solution

Antonym in context In the passage 'adaptable' describes a system that can adjust easily to new conditions and to the demands of the modern era. Its antonym must therefore mean 'unable or unwilling to change' — and that is 'rigid', which means stiff and inflexible. 'Versatile' is a near synonym of adaptable, not its opposite; 'simple' and 'plain' speak of ease and of appearance, and say nothing about flexibility. Hence, option (b) is the most appropriate answer.

23

Directions (Qs. 19-23): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 represents a major instructional overhaul launched within India during modern times. It intends to overhaul the schooling framework to ensure it is broad, adaptable, versatile, and tuned to the demands of the modern era. This strategy exchanges the

10 + 2

model for a fresh

5 + 3 + 3 + 4

layout, which highlights the initial phase and fosters analytical logic starting from young years. A primary result of this NEP is the stress on native speech or local dialects as the mode of teaching during the early school years. This has sparked both praise and anxiety. Although specialists think it will fortify kids' heritage and insight, others fret over hurdles in execution and the effect on English speech fluency. Additionally, this NEP advocates technical training, online skills, and cross-subject lessons. It strives to lower drill study and test-heavy methods by fostering applied wisdom and innovation. If executed well, the NEP might transform India's learning future for many years ahead. This plan is vital today.

Which is a key goal of the NEP according to the passage?

A.To delete local speech from all classrooms
B.To expand drill study
C.To foster applied and inventive study
D.To prioritize English only

Solution

Comprehension: main aim The passage states plainly that the NEP 'strives to lower drill study and test-heavy methods by fostering applied wisdom and innovation'. That one sentence names the goal — learning that is practical and inventive — and it is supported by the earlier mention of technical training, online skills and cross-subject lessons. (b) is the exact reverse of the passage; (a) and (d) contradict it as well, because the policy actually promotes the native speech or local dialect as the medium of teaching in the early years. Hence, option (c) is the most appropriate answer.

24

Select the option that could best replace the word "sarcasm" in the following statement without changing its meaning: "A flicker of sarcasm was evident in her smile when she heard the ridiculous excuse."

A.Kindness
B.Mockery
C.Encouragement
D.Compliment

Solution

Synonym substitution 'Sarcasm' is the use of irony or mock praise in order to show contempt or to ridicule someone. In the sentence, her smile carries that ridicule the moment she hears the ridiculous excuse, so 'mockery' — the act of making fun of someone — takes its place without altering the sense. 'Kindness', 'encouragement' and 'compliment' are all approving words; putting any of them in would reverse the meaning of the sentence. Hence, option (b) is the most appropriate answer.

25

Which of the following terms describes a person who maintains an elegant and composed manner?

A.Clumsy
B.Poise
C.Grit
D.Frenzy

Solution

One-word substitution 'Poise' is the word for a graceful, dignified and self-possessed bearing — exactly an elegant and composed manner. 'Clumsy' is its near opposite, describing someone awkward who is likely to knock things over; 'grit' is courage and perseverance in hardship; 'frenzy' is a state of wild, uncontrolled excitement. Hence, option (b) is the most appropriate answer.