PSC English Grammar

 

​I. Grammar & Sentence Structure

​1. Neither the boy nor his brothers ______ satisfied. 

• ​(A) is
• ​(B) has
• ​(C) have
• ​(D) are

​Answer: (D) are

Rule: When two subjects are joined by neither... nor, the verb agrees with the closer subject (his brothers, which is plural).




​2. He seldom answers any questions, ______ ? 

• ​(A) does he?
• ​(B) doesn't he?
• ​(C) did he?
• ​(D) didn't he?

​Answer: (A) does he?

Rule: Words like seldom, hardly, barely, and scarcely have a negative meaning, so they require a positive question tag.




​3. If you went there, you ______ meet him. 

• ​(A) could meet him
• ​(B) can meet him
• ​(C) could have met him
• ​(D) will meet him

​Answer: (A) could meet him

Rule: This is a Type 2 (hypothetical) conditional sentence. The structure is: If + Simple Past, would/could + base verb.




​4. I prefer coffee ______ tea. 

• ​(A) than
• ​(B) from
• ​(C) to
• ​(D) for

​Answer: (C) to

Rule: The verb prefer is naturally followed by the preposition to, not than.




​5. Change into Passive Voice: "They are following us." 

• ​(A) We are followed by them
• ​(B) We have been followed by them
• ​(C) We are being followed by them
• ​(D) We were being followed by them

​Answer: (C) We are being followed by them

Rule: For the Present Continuous tense, the passive form uses is/am/are + being + past participle .

​6. A person who undertakes a commercial venture is a/an ______ . 

• ​(A) Bureautech
• ​(B) Entrepreneur
• ​(C) Philanthropist
• ​(D) Greenhorn

​Answer: (B) Entrepreneur




​7. Choose the alternative that means the same as the idiom: "A snake in the grass" 

• ​(A) a secret enemy
• ​(B) a poor man
• ​(C) a close friend
• ​(D) a foolish person

​Answer: (A) a secret enemy




​8. He died ______ cholera. 

• ​(A) with
• ​(B) of
• ​(C) from
• ​(D) by

​Answer: (B) of

Rule: We use "die of" a specific disease, hunger, or thirst.




​9. Find out the correctly spelt word. 

• ​(A) Refridgerator
• ​(B) Refriderater
• ​(C) Refrigerator
• ​(D) Referigerator

​Answer: (C) Refrigerator




​10. What is the antonym of the word "Abundance"? 

• ​(A) Plenty
• ​(B) Scarcity
• ​(C) Vacancy
• ​(D) Poverty

​Answer: (B) Scarcity




​III. Words & Usages (Gerunds & Clauses)

​11. "Walking is a good exercise." In this sentence 'walking' is used as a/an ______ .

• ​(A) verb
• ​(B) adverb
• ​(C) adjective
• ​(D) noun

​Answer: (D) noun

Explanation: Here, "walking" functions as a Gerund (a verb form ending in -ing that acts as a noun subject).




​12. Identify the complex sentence from the options: (LDC)

• ​(A) Oven's piano plays well.
• ​(B) Oven has a piano and it plays well.
• ​(C) Oven has a piano which plays well.
• ​(D) Oven has a piano but doesn't play well.

​Answer: (C) Oven has a piano which plays well.

Explanation: Option C contains one main independent clause ("Oven has a piano") and one dependent relative clause ("which plays well"), making it a complex Here is a selection of frequently asked English questions from actual previous Kerala PSC exams (including LDC, VEO, Secretariat Assistant, and University Assistant tests).

​I. Grammar & Sentence Structure

​1. Neither the boy nor his brothers ______ satisfied. (Police Constable)

• ​(A) is
• ​(B) has
• ​(C) have
• ​(D) are

​Answer: (D) are

Rule: When two subjects are joined by neither... nor, the verb agrees with the closer subject (his brothers, which is plural).




​2. He seldom answers any questions, ______ ? (LDC)

• ​(A) does he?
• ​(B) doesn't he?
• ​(C) did he?
• ​(D) didn't he?

​Answer: (A) does he?

Rule: Words like seldom, hardly, barely, and scarcely have a negative meaning, so they require a positive question tag.




​3. If you went there, you ______ meet him. (Village Field Assistant)

• ​(A) could meet him
• ​(B) can meet him
• ​(C) could have met him
• ​(D) will meet him

​Answer: (A) could meet him

Rule: This is a Type 2 (hypothetical) conditional sentence. The structure is: If + Simple Past, would/could + base verb.




​4. I prefer coffee ______ tea. (Secretariat Assistant)

• ​(A) than
• ​(B) from
• ​(C) to
• ​(D) for

​Answer: (C) to

Rule: The verb prefer is naturally followed by the preposition to, not than.




​5. Change into Passive Voice: "They are following us." (LDC)

• ​(A) We are followed by them
• ​(B) We have been followed by them
• ​(C) We are being followed by them
• ​(D) We were being followed by them

​Answer: (C) We are being followed by them

Rule: For the Present Continuous tense, the passive form uses is/am/are + being + past participle (V3).




​II. Vocabulary, Idioms & One-Word Substitutes

​6. A person who undertakes a commercial venture is a/an ______ . (VEO)

• ​(A) Bureautech
• ​(B) Entrepreneur
• ​(C) Philanthropist
• ​(D) Greenhorn

​Answer: (B) Entrepreneur




​7. Choose the alternative that means the same as the idiom: "A snake in the grass" (Company/Corporation Asst.)

• ​(A) a secret enemy
• ​(B) a poor man
• ​(C) a close friend
• ​(D) a foolish person

​Answer: (A) a secret enemy




​8. He died ______ cholera. (Lab Assistant)

• ​(A) with
• ​(B) of
• ​(C) from
• ​(D) by

​Answer: (B) of

Rule: We use "die of" a specific disease, hunger, or thirst.




​9. Find out the correctly spelt word. (Secretariat Assistant)

• ​(A) Refridgerator
• ​(B) Refriderater
• ​(C) Refrigerator
• ​(D) Referigerator

​Answer: (C) Refrigerator




​10. What is the antonym of the word "Abundance"? (Fireman Trainee)

• ​(A) Plenty
• ​(B) Scarcity
• ​(C) Vacancy
• ​(D) Poverty

​Answer: (B) Scarcity




​III. Words & Usages (Gerunds & Clauses)

​11. "Walking is a good exercise." In this sentence 'walking' is used as a/an ______ . (LDC)

• ​(A) verb
• ​(B) adverb
• ​(C) adjective
• ​(D) noun

​Answer: (D) noun

Explanation: Here, "walking" functions as a Gerund (a verb form ending in -ing that acts as a noun subject).




​12. Identify the complex sentence from the options: (LDC)

• ​(A) Oven's piano plays well.
• ​(B) Oven has a piano and it plays well.
• ​(C) Oven has a piano which plays well.
• ​(D) Oven has a piano but doesn't play well.

​Answer: (C) Oven has a piano which plays well.

Explanation: Option C contains one main independent clause ("Oven has a piano") and one dependent relative clause ("which plays well"), making it a complex sentence structure.




  

 structure.




  

Use of A

 

✅ Rule:

Use A before a singular noun that begins with a consonant sound.

📌 Examples:

I saw a dog.

She is a teacher.

He bought a car.

It is a useful book. (useful → sounds like “you”)

There, their and they're

 There

✅ Meaning:

There is used to talk about a place or to introduce something.

📌 Examples:

The key is there on the table.

We will go there tomorrow.

There is a problem in this sentence.

There are many students in the class.

2️⃣ Their

✅ Meaning:

Their shows possession.

It means belonging to them.

📌 Examples:

This is their house.

Students submitted their assignments.

Their car is very old.

Children forgot their bags.

🧠 Tip:

If the sentence talks about ownership, use their.

3️⃣ They’re

✅ Meaning:

They’re is short for they are.

📌 Examples:

They’re playing outside.

They’re very happy today.

They’re not ready for the test.

They’re my best friends

Its vs It’s

 

Its vs It’s 

 Examples

Do you like its smell? 

I am sorry I don't know its meaning. 

It's = It is. 

It's a little sour. 

It's a bit sour. 

It's slightly sour. 

Toddler years

Every nation in the world now faces one of the most dangerous epidemics of all time. It is obesity and it is causing major financial and health problems. Today’s cultural media and advertising are a large factor in the increasing rates of obesity. We are all eating ourselves to death and our new culture supports these eating disorders. All this happens because we are all slaves to what is called ad which is adding to our troubles in life unconsciously.

One major cause of the rise in obesity is false advertising. We are all continuously bombarded by all kinds of subtle and blunt advertisement from all sides. It comes in the forms of slogans, notices, trademarks, logos, and what not. We see it on the book cover, on movie screens, TV, in cultural shows, public places etc. we are surrounded by it everywhere and we do not realize its hidden implications. Not only commercial products, but also persons and our very thoughts are products of advertisement. Hence it is absolutely essential to be aware of its ill effects on our life.

Advertisement is a systematic effort to influence our opinions, to win us over to a certain point of view. It has nothing to do with truth or falsehood. It simply wants us to believe the messages conveyed. Often it uses subtle deceptions to influence our views. All the advertisements succeed because they appeal to our emotions and not to the intellect. It is hard and difficult to resist temptations and to think boldly and draw our own conclusions. It is comfortable to let others think for us and do for us. These are days when ignorance is bliss.

Obesity in schoolchildren has increased in the last decade. The impact of obesity is that more children are now with lifestyle diabetes as a result of their diets and less exercise. This is a worldwide problem that is not to be overlooked because diabetes and obesity are two of the leading risk factors of heart diseases.

High-calorie, high-fat and ready-made foods are easily available and children, even adults, love them. Fast foods and processed snacks like potato chips and biscuits can be addictive once children’s palates get used to them. TVs, and home computers hooked to the internet are filled with this kind of ads that drive them to go for the type of food that will make them pot bellied and obese .Studies have shown a strong link between overweight and the time spent in front of the TV and the computer. Subliminal advertising Messages are carried by the commercials of fast foods, sugar-loaded drinks and candies. Children as well as grownups bombarded by these advertisements develop an unhealthy desire for unhealthy foods.

Over-emphasis on School Grades - Concerns about doing well in school have led to parents and children becoming more prone to believing in these ads. They start using these advertised products -usually foods of little or no nutritional value, and foods that are simply unhealthy.

 Experts admit that toddler years are very crucial in shaping physical growth as well as forming food habits and preferences. As children approach late childhood, between 7 and 10, it becomes more difficult to change their eating habits or reduce the unwanted kilos.

 

It is during these early years that eating attitudes  develop, including the type of foods considered ‘normal’ and whether meal time should be regarded as a side-activity while watching television when they get loaded with ideas of becoming smart  and intelligent through the words of their icons in life who unfortunately appear in all these ads as propagandists. It is time we realized why these people do as they do and stopped believing in their words and started using our own intellect in choosing the right types of food for kids and ourselves for a better and happy and healthy life.

 

PSC English grammar

1. She ---- waiting there for more than half an hour. 

 A) is b)has been c)have been d)will

 2. You have been living here for twenty years and you ------- know almost everyone here.

 A) will b)can c)must d) have to 

 3. ------ I borrow your map of London? I will be sure to return it after our trip.

 A) must b) will c) do d)may 

 4. She ------ skate amazingly well when she was six years old. 

 A) Have to b) had to c) could d) can 

 5. Since you have n’t eaten all day, you ----be hungry 

 A) Must b) can c) will d) have to 

 6. If these tomatoes were ripe, ------ would make a great sauce 

 A) it b)he c) they d) you 

 7. You must be quiet during the concert, or you will be ---- to leave 

A) Ask b) asked c) asking d) asks 

 8. She showed me ----- she had bought. 

 A) That b)if c)what d)why 

 9. I ------ the bad news when I spoke to him 

 A) don’t know b)have n’t known c) hadn’t known d)didn’t know 

 10. ---- did you speak to? 

 A) Where b) why c) when d) who 

 11. Would you mind ------ this letter? 

 A) to post b)to posting c)posted d)posting 

 12. The older he got, the --- he became.

 A) Happy b)happiest c)happier d)the happiest 

 13. It is time we----- the work. 

 A) start b)starting c)started d)to start 

 14. Plural form of ox A) oxes b)oxen c)ox d) none of these 

 15. Let me ask him, ------? 

 A) Shall I b)will you c)shall we d)will he 

 16. He ------ on the floor 

 A) has lain b)has lied c)had laid d)have lain 

 17. she----- her coat up on the hook yesterday.

 A)hanged b)hung c)had hanged d)has hung 

 18. Between the two sisters, the elder one is ____ beautiful 

 A) Most b) more c) the more d) the most 

 19. The antonym of poverty a) affluence b) plenty c) prudence d) surplus 

 20. She has ----- a lot of money for her days to come. 

 A) put in b) put up c)put by d) put through 

 Answers: a,c,d,c,a,c,b,c,c,d,d,c,c,b,b,a,b,c,a,c

possessive adjectives

When the word one's is in the pattern, it can be replaced by any possessive adjective (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) Example: Pattern: to + one's + noun Someone will come to your aid. Someone will come to his aid. Someone will come to our aid. When no noun determiner is used, the symbol ø is in the pattern. Example: Pattern: verb + against + ø + noun I drive against traffic every morning. The typical verbs, nouns, and adjectives listed with each pattern are the most common words that are used with the preposition. It is a good idea to think of the combinations as units. As an exercise, you may wish to write sentences with the suggested words, following the pattern and keeping the meaning of the combination in mind.