Writing & Study Skills — GK Questions with Answers

1. A paragraph should normally deal with —
   1. as many ideas as possible
   2. one main idea
   3. two contrasting ideas
   4. no more than fifty words
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   Answer: (B) one main idea

   The principle of unity — one idea per paragraph.

2. "Coherence" in writing refers to —
   1. the use of connecting words
   2. the logical order of ideas
   3. correct grammar
   4. the length of sentences
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   Answer: (B) the logical order of ideas

   Coherence is the order of ideas; the linking words are cohesion.

3. If a formal letter begins "Dear Sir", it should end with —
   1. Yours sincerely
   2. Yours faithfully
   3. Yours truly
   4. Your’s faithfully
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   Answer: (B) Yours faithfully

   Yours faithfully when the name is not known — and never with an apostrophe.

4. Which is correct?
   1. Your’s sincerely
   2. Yours Sincerely
   3. Yours sincerely
   4. yours sincerely
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   Answer: (C) Yours sincerely

   Capital Y, small s, and no apostrophe.

5. A notice must be written in —
   1. the first person
   2. the second person
   3. the third person
   4. direct speech
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   Answer: (C) the third person

   Always the third person, and inside a box.

6. The date on a notice should be —
   1. the date of the event
   2. the date of issue
   3. the last date of application
   4. any date
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   Answer: (B) the date of issue

   The date the notice is issued.

7. A formal invitation card is written in —
   1. the first person with a salutation
   2. the third person without salutation or signature
   3. the second person
   4. indirect speech with a subject line
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   Answer: (B) the third person without salutation or signature

   No I, no you, no salutation, no signature.

8. The opening paragraph of a news report should answer —
   1. only what and when
   2. the five Ws and the H
   3. the writer’s opinion
   4. the conclusion
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   Answer: (B) the five Ws and the H

   What, when, where, who, why and how.

9. The "inverted pyramid" in news writing means —
   1. the headline comes last
   2. the most important information comes first
   3. details come before facts
   4. the report is written backwards
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   Answer: (B) the most important information comes first

   So that an editor can cut from the bottom without losing the story.

10. A newspaper report is normally written in —
    1. the first person, present tense
    2. the third person, past tense
    3. the second person, future tense
    4. direct speech
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    Answer: (B) the third person, past tense

    Impersonal, past tense, largely passive.

11. The chief difference between a report and an article is that an article —
    1. is longer
    2. may give opinions and suggestions
    3. has no title
    4. is written in the past tense
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    Answer: (B) may give opinions and suggestions

    A report is factual and impersonal; an article may argue a case.

12. A précis should normally be about —
    1. half the original
    2. one-third of the original
    3. one-tenth of the original
    4. the same length
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    Answer: (B) one-third of the original

    About one-third, and the word count must be stated.

13. A précis is written in —
    1. the first person, present tense
    2. the third person, usually past tense
    3. the second person
    4. direct speech
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    Answer: (B) the third person, usually past tense

    Third person and past tense, whatever the original uses.

14. Which of these should be LEFT OUT of a précis?
    1. the main idea of each paragraph
    2. essential causes
    3. examples and illustrations
    4. the writer’s conclusion
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    Answer: (C) examples and illustrations

    Illustration goes; meaning stays.

15. The difference between a précis and a paraphrase is that a paraphrase —
    1. is always shorter
    2. is about the same length or longer
    3. uses only the original words
    4. needs no title
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    Answer: (B) is about the same length or longer

    A précis shortens; a paraphrase restates at the same length.

16. Note-making is done from —
    1. a lecture
    2. a written text
    3. a conversation
    4. a film
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    Answer: (B) a written text

    Note-making is from reading; note-taking is from listening.

17. In note-making, information should be written in —
    1. complete sentences
    2. phrases
    3. direct speech
    4. paragraphs
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    Answer: (B) phrases

    Phrases, with indentation and abbreviations.

18. Which two things are compulsory in note-making and most often forgotten?
    1. the date and the signature
    2. a title and a key to abbreviations
    3. a conclusion and a bibliography
    4. the word count and the by-line
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    Answer: (B) a title and a key to abbreviations

    A title and a key listing the abbreviations used.

19. Which gives the meanings of technical terms used in a particular book?
    1. the index
    2. the glossary
    3. the bibliography
    4. the appendix
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    Answer: (B) the glossary

    The glossary; the index lists topics with page numbers.

20. Roget’s is a famous —
    1. dictionary
    2. thesaurus
    3. encyclopaedia
    4. style manual
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    Answer: (B) thesaurus

    A thesaurus, grouping words by sense.

21. In a dictionary entry, the pronunciation is given —
    1. in italics
    2. between slashes, in IPA
    3. in brackets at the end
    4. in capitals
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    Answer: (B) between slashes, in IPA

    Between slashes, in the International Phonetic Alphabet.

22. A one-page document tailored to a particular job is best called a —
    1. CV
    2. résumé
    3. bio-data
    4. portfolio
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    Answer: (B) résumé

    A résumé; a CV is longer and fuller.

23. A message should be written in —
    1. direct speech
    2. indirect speech
    3. the first person
    4. note form
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    Answer: (B) indirect speech

    Reported speech, about fifty words, with the date and time.

24. Which linking word shows contrast?
    1. moreover
    2. nevertheless
    3. therefore
    4. likewise
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    Answer: (B) nevertheless

    Nevertheless signals contrast; moreover adds, therefore concludes.

25. Which mark joins two closely related independent clauses without a conjunction?
    1. comma
    2. semicolon
    3. colon
    4. dash
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    Answer: (B) semicolon

    The semicolon — He worked hard; he deserved to win.

26. Which mark introduces a list?
    1. semicolon
    2. colon
    3. comma
    4. dash
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    Answer: (B) colon

    The colon — He bought three things: a pen, a book and a bag.

27. "The students who worked hard passed" differs from "The students, who worked hard, passed" because —
    1. the second is ungrammatical
    2. the first means only some students passed
    3. they mean the same
    4. the second is a question
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    Answer: (B) the first means only some students passed

    No commas = defining; commas = non-defining, meaning all of them passed.

28. Which is correctly punctuated?
    1. He asked, "where are you going"?
    2. He asked, "Where are you going?"
    3. He asked "Where are you going?".
    4. He asked, Where are you going?
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    Answer: (B) He asked, "Where are you going?"

    Capital after the inverted commas, and the question mark inside them.

29. Which word should NOT take a capital letter?
    1. Monday
    2. Diwali
    3. summer
    4. Indian
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    Answer: (C) summer

    The seasons are not capitalised; days, festivals and proper adjectives are.

30. "Mother-in-law" uses a —
    1. dash
    2. hyphen
    3. colon
    4. semicolon
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    Answer: (B) hyphen

    A hyphen joins the parts of a compound word.

31. A quotation inside another quotation is enclosed in —
    1. double inverted commas
    2. single inverted commas
    3. brackets
    4. a dash
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    Answer: (B) single inverted commas

    He said, "I heard him say ‘go away’."

32. Which sentence needs a comma?
    1. He bought a pen and a book.
    2. Rama the king of Ayodhya was exiled.
    3. He came late.
    4. She is tall.
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) Rama the king of Ayodhya was exiled.

    A noun in apposition is marked off by commas.

More chapters in this subject

• Synthesis of Sentences18 questions
• Tenses15 questions
• Transformation of Sentences24 questions
• Indian English Fiction & Drama26 questions
• Indian English Poetry24 questions
• History of English & English in India26 questions