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
271
Farhan said, “I am very busy this week.”
Answer:
Farhan said that he was very busy that week.
Present simple → past simple (_am → was_) with this week → that week**. (a)(b) wrong pronoun/ deixis; (d) subject-verb error.
272
Mariam told me, “I’ve been waiting for you since 4 pm.”
Answer:
Mariam told me that she had been waiting for me since 4 pm.
Present perfect continuous → past perfect continuous (_have been waiting → had been waiting_). Keep since**-time intact. (b) wrong future; (c) wrong pronoun; (d) “said me” is ungrammatical and wrong tense.
273
Aamir said, “I am making biryani today.”
Answer:
Aamir said that he was making biryani on that day.
Present continuous → past continuous (_am making → was making_); today → that day**. (a) wrongly shifts to simple past; (b) adds future progressive; (c) keeps present despite past reporting.
274
Nadia said, “I’m being dropped to office today.”
Answer:
Nadia said that she was being dropped to office that day.
Present continuous passive (_am being dropped_) backshifts to past continuous passive (_was being dropped_) after a past reporting verb; today → that day** (deictic shift). (a) modal “should” changes meaning; (d) simple past passive misstates aspect; (b) wrong pronoun/tense mix.
275
"Do you attend the film festival at Goa every year?" he asked.
Answer:
He asked me if I attended the film festival at Goa every year.
Yes/No → if; habitual present in direct → past in indirect with past reporting; you → I**.
276
**Nabeel** asked her, "How do you know that **Rahim** has told it to him?"
Answer:
Nabeel asked her how she knew that Rahim had told that to him.
WH-how; do you know → she knew (backshift & pronoun); has told → had told** (perfect → past perfect).
277
**Sajid** asked his mother, "Has it been snowing all night?"
Answer:
Sajid asked his mother if it had been snowing all night.
Yes/No → if; has been snowing → had been snowing** (present perfect continuous → past perfect continuous).
278
**Sumaiya** asked me, "Why did you keep this smart phone in the bin?"
Answer:
Sumaiya asked me why I had kept that smart phone in the bin. Correct
WH-why; did keep → had kept (past → past perfect); this → that**; assertive order.
279
**Khadija** asked me if I had watched the movie on television the previous night.
Answer:
Khadija asked me, "Did you watch the movie on television last night?"
Indirect → direct: reverse backshift had watched → did you watch; restore quotes; previous night → last night**.
280
The storekeeper asked the security, "Did you see the torch I kept here?"
Answer:
The storekeeper asked the security whether he had seen the torch he had kept there.
Yes/No → if/whether; did see → had seen; kept → had kept; here → there**.