Past Exam Questions on Foreign Phrases MCQs with Answers & Explanations

Common in legal exams (CLAT/LAT). 'Ab initio' means from the start. Example: The contract was void ab initio.

Frequent in Customs/Tax Inspector exams. An 'ad valorem' tax is a tax based on the assessed value of an item.

Often asked in CSS/SSC exams. It refers to the school, college, or university that one has attended.

A favorite in literature and general knowledge exams. It means to make the most of the present time.

Standard political science/current affairs terminology. A 'de facto' government is one that holds power in reality, even if not legally recognized.

Exams often ask for the pair: De facto (in fact) vs De jure (by law).

French origin. Used to describe things done by a large group all at once.

Common in Constitution-related questions (e.g., The VP is the ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha/Senate).

Frequent in judicial exams. An ex parte decision is one decided by a judge without requiring all of the parties to the controversy to be present.

French for 'accomplished fact'. Used in diplomatic and administrative contexts.

Very common in legal documents and reading comprehension passages.

Often appears in sociology and linguistics sections of exams.

Standard legal terminology regarding the right to bring an action or to be heard in a court.

Used in literature questions to describe an author or artist's greatest work.

The opposite of Bona fide. Common in FPSC/PPSC exams.

Very common in criminology and news reporting contexts.

Often used in International Relations exams regarding temporary peace agreements.

A staple of Economics exams (e.g., Per capita income).

Standard diplomatic terminology. A diplomat can be declared persona non grata.

Common in banking/finance exams. It means assigning an amount to a fraction according to its share of the whole.