Answer: Option A
Explanation: The correct phrase here would be ‘turned on’ which means ‘started the procedure’. E.g. 'Would you please turn on the water tap?'
- ‘Turned up’ means ‘to appear’ which is incorrect here. E.g. 'Her friends waited for a long time, but she didn't turn up.'
- ‘Turned down’ means ‘rejected’. E.g. 'Would you please turn down the music a little?'
- ‘Turned back’ means ‘to go in the reverse direction’. E.g. 'He has gone too far to turn back now.
- ‘Turned in’ means ‘be a part of a plan’. E.g. 'John turned in a great musician'.
Question 2: Due to his alcoholism and vicious temper, the servants were always left to face the brunt of his terrifying antics.
A) left to serve the brunt of his terrifying antics.
B) left to hold the brunt of his terrifying antics.
C) left to bear the brunt of his terrifying antics.
D) left to feel the brunt of his terrifying antics.
E) No correction required
Answer: Option C
Explanation: The answer to this is 'left to bear the brunt of his terrifying antics'. To bear the brunt is an idiom that means to suffer the worst part of an unpleasant or problematic situation.
Question 3: The Islamic state is responsible for the recent attack that hit innocent teenagers as they were leaving a concert.
A) took responsibility
B) took the accountability
C) are culpable
D) remains guilty
E) No correction required
Answer: Option A
Explanation:The organization taking responsibility is the only correct option. Accountability should never be used in this context. The same goes for culpable, also there is a “are” before it which makes the sentence grammatically incorrect. For option D to be correct “of” should be replaced with “for” in the statement.
Question 4: The beautiful snow globes placed throughout her house were reminiscent of my last Christmas in Paris.
A) were being reminiscent of my last Christmas in Paris
B) were reminiscing of my last Christmas in Paris
C) were reminiscent of my last Christmas in Paris
D) were reminiscent of my last Christmas in Paris
E) No correction required
Answer: Option C
Explanation: The answer to this is, 'were reminiscent of my last Christmas in Paris.' Reminiscent means tending to remind one of something.
Question 5: "Alas! Love is a feeling that needs to be distanced from everyone" exclaimed the heartbroken hero.
A) need to be distant
B) needful to be distanced
C) needed to be distanced
D) need for a distance
E) No correction required
Answer: Option E
Explanation: The sentence is grammatically and idiomatically correct.
Question 6: We did a double turn and stared at the directions of the jackfruit tree and what we saw was remarkable!
A) Stared in the direction
B) Stared at the direction
C) Staring of the direction
D) Stared for the direction
E) No correction required
Answer: Option A
Explanation: The change needed in the phrase is the preposition ‘at’ which needs to be replaced with ‘in’. Things are stared ‘at’ but here the word ‘direction’ is mentioned so it must be ‘in’ and not ‘at’. The word ‘directions’ in plural form is incorrect and must be replaced with the singular form as it can be a particular direction.
Question 7: Mr. Tharoor’s urban manners charm friends and enemies alike.
A) urban manners charming friends
B) urbane manners charming friends
C) urban mannerisms charm friends
D) urbane manners charm friends
E) No correction required
Answer: Option D
Explanation: The word ‘urban’ means ‘relating to or characteristic of a town or city’ and is unsuitable in this sentence. The correct word to be used here is ‘urbane’ which means ‘courteous and refined in manner’. Hence, ‘urbane’ should be used in place of ‘urban’ to make the sentence grammatically correct.
Question 8: Religious bigots look away on anyone who does not conform to their beliefs.
A) bigots look away on
B) bigots look down on
C) bigots look behind on
D) bigots look in front of
E) No correction required
Answer: Option B
Explanation: Usage of the phrasal verb 'look away' which means ‘avert one's gaze' is inappropriate in this sentence.
- 'Look down on' which means ‘to consider someone or something lesser or inferior in some way’ would be suitable in this context.
- Hence, ‘look down on’ should be used in place of ‘look away on’ to make the sentence grammatically and contextually correct.
Question 9: Having leisure till outdoor activities such as taking a stroll down the park has become a rarity in this fast paced life.
A) Having leisures till outdoor
B) Having laziness for outdoor
C) Having leisure in outdoor
D) Having leisure for outdoor
E) No correction required
Answer: Option D
Explanation: The word ‘leisure’ must be followed the preposition ‘for’ instead of ‘till’ in this context. The expression “leisure for” means ‘free time for’. Hence, ‘for’ should be used in place of ‘till’ to make the sentence grammatically and contextually correct.
Question 10: The Punjab National Bank fraud demonstrates the extent of operational and risk management failures in PSBs.
A) demonstrateing the extent of
B) demonstrates the extent in
C) demonstrates the extent with
D) demonstrates the extention of
E) No correction required
Answer: Option A
Explanation: The original sentence is absolutely correct and hence the bold part needs no replacement.
Question 11: India lent a helpful handshake to Nepal by giving them 2.1 billion Nepalese rupees for the reconstruction of houses flattened in the 2015 earthquake.
A) India lent a helping handshake
B) India lent a helpful hand
C) India lent a helping hand
D) India lending a helping hand
E) No correction required
Answer: Option C
Explanation: The correct idiomatic expression is 'a helping hand' and not ‘a helpful handshake'. Hence, ‘a helping hand’ should be used in place of ‘a helpful handshake’ to make the sentence grammatically correct.
Question 12: One is advised to check the voracity of news articles before forwarding them on whatsapp and other social media.
A) to check the voracity of news
B) checking the veracity of news
C) to check the veracity of news
D) to check the voracity of new
E) No correction required
Answer: Option C
Explanation: The word ‘voracity’ means ‘the quality of craving or consuming large quantities of food’ and is unsuitable in this sentence. The correct word to be used here is ‘veracity’ which means ‘truthfulness or accuracy’. Hence, ‘veracity’ should be used in place of ‘voracity’ to make the sentence grammatically correct.
Question 13: One should lay out one’s doubts and insecurities before entering the examination hall.
A) One should lay outside
B) One should lay aside
C) One should lay inside
D) One should lay behind
E) No correction required
Answer: Option B
Explanation: Usage of the phrasal verb 'lay out' which means ‘One should lay aside' is inappropriate in this sentence. Hence, ‘lay aside’ should be used in place of ‘lay out’ to make the sentence grammatically and contextually correct.
Question 14: The idea of a single bad bank where the NPAs of all PSBs may be transferred as a white bullet to clean up PSB balance sheets must be rejected.
A) transferring as a white bullet
B) transferred as a black bullet
C) transferred as a silver bullet
D) transferred as a platinum bullet
E) No correction required
Answer: Option C
Explanation: The term ‘white bullet’ does not make any sense. The correct expression is silver bullet'. Hence, ‘silver bullet’ should be used in place of ‘white bullet’ to make the sentence grammatically correct.
Question 15: The Indian banking system is beleaguered with non-performing assets.
A) in non-performing assets
B) for non-performing assets
C) from non-performing assets
D) under non-performing assets
E) No correction required
Answer: Option E
Explanation: The original sentence is absolutely correct and hence the bold part needs no replacement.
Question 16: The dog made over the biker but was soon left behind in the empty street.
A) dog made before the biker
B) dog made after the biker
C) dog made out the biker
D) dog made onto the biker
E) No correction required
Answer: Option B
Explanation: Usage of the phrasal verb 'make over' which means ‘to officially make someone else the owner of something' is inappropriate in this sentence. Hence, ‘made after’ should be used in place of ‘made over’ to make the sentence grammatically and contextually correct.