PPSC English Past Paper 2017 Solved MCQs with Answers
Solved English MCQs from the PPSC 2017 past paper, each with the correct answer and a clear explanation. Ideal practice for PPSC, FPSC, NTS, CSS and PMS. All questions are extracted from the actual 2017 paper and verified before publication.
What is the synonym of Posthumous?
Posthumous means occurring after a person's death.
The noun form of the verb excite is?
The noun formed from the verb excite is excitement.
What is antonym of Incongruous?
Incongruous means out of place, so its antonym is harmonious.
Complete the proverb: Better ____ than never.
The proverb is 'Better late than never'.
Meaning of LIMPID is?
Limpid means perfectly clear.
Antonym of Affluence is?
Affluence is wealth and abundance, so its antonym is dearth, meaning scarcity.
Find the correct narration: She asked me, "How do you know that?"
A wh-question in reported speech keeps its question word, takes statement order, and shifts the tense back.
What is the synonym of Fugitive?
A fugitive is one who has fled, that is a runaway.
What is the meaning of the idiom 'To smell a rat'?
'To smell a rat' means to suspect that something is wrong.
What is the synonym of Complex?
Complex means made of many interconnected parts, hence complicated.
Meaning of ENERVATE is?
To enervate is to drain of energy, that is to weaken.
What is the antonym of Subsequent?
Subsequent means coming after, so its antonym is prior.
The synonym of Imbecile is?
Imbecile means stupid or foolish, hence idiotic.
What is the synonym of Abase?
To abase is to humiliate or lower in rank, that is to degrade.
Inquisitive synonym?
Inquisitive means eager to know, that is curious.
The Antonym of FRUGAL is?
Frugal means sparing with money, so its antonym is spendthrift.
What does To lose face mean?
'To lose face' means to be humiliated or lose respect.
Stone is to Hard as Feather is to?
Stone is characteristically hard as a feather is characteristically soft: an object and its defining quality.
Tall is to Short as Treachery is to?
Tall and short are opposites, as treachery and loyalty are opposites.
The synonym of Radiant?
Radiant means shining brightly, hence glowing.
Fill in the blank He did not pay heed ____ his brother's advice?
'Pay heed to' is the fixed collocation.
Prima facie means?
Prima facie is Latin for at first sight, or on the face of it.
Indicate the indirect form Saleem said, "I do not eat mangoes."
In reported speech the present 'do not eat' shifts to the past 'did not eat'.
Antonym of INDOLENT is?
Indolent means lazy, so its antonym is energetic.
What is the synonym of Rebate?
A rebate is a partial refund, that is a discount.
A pleasure seeker is an Epicurean, not a?
An Epicurean seeks pleasure, whereas a Stoic endures without complaint, so the two are opposed.
Complete the idiom: Time is a great ____?
The saying is 'Time is a great healer'.
Synonym of Infinitesimal is?
Infinitesimal means extremely small, hence minuscule.
There is a limit ____ everything in life?
'A limit to' is the fixed preposition.
What is meant by Sine die?
Sine die is Latin for without fixing a day, used of an adjournment with no set date.
The synonym of Ruins is?
Ruins are the remains of what has fallen apart, hence disintegration.
The Synonym of Hypothetical is?
Hypothetical means based on supposition, hence speculative.
Synonym of Scanty is?
Scanty means barely sufficient, hence meagre.
The idiom To bury the hatchet means?
'To bury the hatchet' means to make peace.
Meaning of sub judice is?
Sub judice means under judicial consideration.
School is a group of?
A group of fish is called a school.
JPG extension usually refers to what kind of a file?
A JPG file is an image file.
Synonym of Cheeky is?
Cheeky means impertinent, hence impudent.
Synonym of Obdurate?
Obdurate means stubbornly refusing to change, hence stubborn.
The synonym of Devilish is?
Devilish and satanic both mean characteristic of the devil.
Enormous means?
Enormous means very large, that is huge.
Identify the correct meanings of the idioms To cool ones heels?
'To cool one's heels' means to be kept waiting.
The synonym of Nonchalant is?
Nonchalant means calmly unconcerned, hence dispassionate.
Opposite Democracy is?
Democracy is rule by the people, so its opposite is dictatorship.
What does to break the Ice mean?
'To break the ice' means to start a conversation in an awkward situation.
What is the meaning of the Idiom To be at loggerheads?
'To be at loggerheads' means to be in strong disagreement.
What is the synonym of Lurid?
Lurid means vividly shocking, especially of violence, hence gory.
Synonym of Melancholy is?
Melancholy is a deep, lasting sadness.
Synonym of CARNIVORE is?
A carnivore is a meat eater.
The synonym of Sepulchral is?
Sepulchral means suggestive of the tomb, hence mournful and gloomy.
Complete the saying Truth is stranger than?
The saying is 'Truth is stranger than fiction'.
What is the meaning of idiom To take the bull by the horns?
'To take the bull by the horns' means to confront a difficulty directly.
Which poet wrote the famous line A thing of beauty is a joy forever?
John Keats wrote 'A thing of beauty is a joy forever', the opening of Endymion.
What is the synonym of Notion?
A notion is an idea or belief.
There has been a complete break ____ of law and order?
'Breakdown of law and order' is the fixed noun phrase.
The Da Vinci Code is?
The Da Vinci Code is a bestselling novel by Dan Brown.
The Synonym of Bewilder is?
To bewilder is to confuse thoroughly.
The Synonym of Conjecture is?
A conjecture is an opinion formed without proof, that is a guess.
What is the meaning of the idiom To take with a grain of salt?
'To take with a grain of salt' means to accept with some reservation.
What is the meaning of the idiom To talk through ones hat?
'To talk through one's hat' means to talk nonsense.
Antonym of Economy is?
Economy is careful management of resources, so its antonym is extravagance.
The synonym of Ambiguous is?
Ambiguous means open to more than one meaning, hence unclear.
About the PPSC English Past Paper 2017
Every MCQ above is taken from the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) English papers held in 2017, with the correct answer and a written explanation for each. Past-paper practice is the most dependable way to prepare for PPSC, FPSC, NTS, CSS and PMS, because these papers repeat their themes, and often the questions themselves, from one year to the next.
Questions were checked against reliable sources before publication. Where a circulating source sheet carried a factual or wording error, we corrected it rather than reproducing the mistake. For chapter-wise preparation, work through our English MCQs hub, which also lists every other year’s paper. Further reading: Pakistan Movement and the PPSC official website.
How to Use This Paper
Attempt the full quiz before looking at any answer, then read the explanation for every question you got wrong, including those you guessed correctly. A past paper is only useful if you close the gaps it exposes. Pro members can download the complete paper as a PDF with all answers and explanations for offline revision.