General English MCQs
Topic Notes: General English
MCQs and preparation resources for competitive exams, covering important concepts, past papers, and detailed explanations.
Plato
- Biography: Ancient Greek philosopher (427–347 BCE), student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, founder of the Academy in Athens.
- Important Ideas:
- Theory of Forms
- Philosopher-King
- Ideal State
181
The imam prayed that Allah might pour all His blessings on the newly married couple.
Answer:
The imam said to the newly married couple, "May Allah pour all His blessings on you."
Reported prayer/wish (“prayed that … might”) → Direct optative: “May …”. Maintain reverential capitalization and second-person you**.
182
The teacher asked Afifa what had happened to her and why her nose was bleeding.
Answer:
The teacher said to Afifa, "What happened to you? Why is your nose bleeding?"
Indirect past perfect/continuous reverses to natural direct simple past + present continuous** for an immediate situation: “What happened…? Why is… bleeding?” Options (a)(c) have mismatched persons/tenses.
183
Addressing a public meeting, Hamid Khan said, "Whatever talks take place they will be on the issue of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir."
Answer:
Addressing a public meeting, Hamid Khan announced that whatever talks took place, they would be on the issue of Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
With past reporting, will → would; often said/announced that** for formal statements. (b) lacks backshift.
184
When Rohail saw Sohaib, he said, "Oh, how tall you have grown!"
Answer:
When Rohail saw Sohaib, he exclaimed that he (Sohaib) had grown very tall.
Exclamatory admiration → exclaimed that + subject + had grown very tall** (present perfect → past perfect). Options (b)(d) wrong form/tense.
185
The lady said to the plumber, "Why didn't you come last week? The RO machine has been making some noise for the last ten days."
Answer:
The lady asked the plumber why he hadn't come the previous week and told him that the RO machine had been making some noise for the last ten days.
Didn’t come → hadn’t come; last week → the previous week; has been making → had been making** for ongoing action up to the present of speaking. (b) mixes tenses; (c) changes question type.
186
She told the villagers that she would not rest till she had solved their water problem.
Answer:
She said to the villagers, "I will not rest till I have solved your water problem."
Would not → will not (reverse backshift); had solved → have solved; their → your** addressing villagers.
187
Rahim said, "I can speak French."
Answer:
Rahim said that he could speak French.
Can → could** under backshift with a past reporting verb. (b) no backshift; (a) changes meaning to obligation.
188
The officer ordered the fellow to be arrested.
Answer:
The officer said, "Arrest the fellow."
Passive imperative report reverses to direct imperative**. Others are unidiomatic or misaddressed.
189
The teacher said to Mohsin, "Go to your seat and sit quietly."
Answer:
The teacher instructed Mohsin to go to his seat and sit quietly.
Imperative of command → instructed/told + object + to-infinitive; pronoun your → his**. (a) “requested” softens force; (d) wrong pronoun.
190
Parveen said, "I arrived at the workshop an hour ago but nothing much is happening here."
Answer:
Parveen said that she had arrived at the workshop an hour before but nothing much was happening there.
Arrived → had arrived (backshift); an hour ago → an hour before; is happening → was happening; here → there**. (a) has redundant “though…but”.