PPSC English Past Paper 2016 Solved MCQs with Answers
Solved English MCQs from the PPSC 2016 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 2016 paper and verified before publication.
The work will be finished ______ Friday afternoon.
'By' a time means at or before that point.
The Synonym of Delete is?
To delete is to remove.
She said Leave me alone?
An imperative in reported speech takes 'told' with the infinitive.
The Synonym of Deficit is?
A deficit is a shortfall, that is a shortage.
A person who is made to bear the misdeeds of another is called a?
One made to bear the blame for another's misdeeds is a scapegoat.
The Synonym of Despair is?
Despair is the loss of hope, that is hopelessness.
Synonym of HUMILIATE is?
To humiliate is to disgrace.
What is the meaning of ACUMEN?
Acumen is mental sharpness and keen judgment.
The Synonym of Cordial is?
Cordial means warm and friendly, hence pleasant.
The synonym of Realm is?
A realm is a kingdom or domain, hence an empire.
One word substitution of To wipe out is?
'To wipe out' means to eradicate.
A fair weather friend means?
A 'fair weather friend' stands by you only in good times, so a false friend.
The synonym of Homogeneous is?
Homogeneous means of the same kind throughout, hence uniform.
The synonym of Respite is?
A respite is a short rest from something difficult, that is relief.
The Antonym of the word Tranquil is?
Tranquil means calm, so its antonym is turbulent.
What is the synonym of STRENUOUS?
Strenuous means requiring great effort, hence demanding.
Turn to passive voice: The girl is riding the horse?
Present continuous active becomes 'is being ridden' in the passive.
What is the antonym of FRAIL?
Frail means weak and delicate, so its antonym is strong.
What is the synonym of DETRIMENTAL?
Detrimental means causing damage, hence harmful.
What is the antonym of DWARF?
A dwarf is very small, so its antonym is a giant.
A short-sighted person is?
A short-sighted person is myopic.
Correct spelling is?
The correct spelling is beginning, with a double n.
The antonym of Candid is?
Candid means frank and open, so its antonym is devious.
Don't put all your ___ in one basket?
The proverb is 'Don't put all your eggs in one basket': do not risk everything on one venture.
Most appropriate antonym of CELIBATE is?
Celibate means unmarried and abstaining, so its antonym is married.
Most appropriate antonym of PRISTINE is?
Pristine means pure and unspoiled, so its antonym is impure.
The antonym of Apathy is?
Apathy is a lack of interest, so its antonym is concern.
To hit the road means to?
'To hit the road' means to set out on a journey.
The synonym of Decipher is?
To decipher is to make out the meaning of something obscure, that is to interpret.
What represents the shortest pause in a sentence?
The comma marks the shortest pause in a sentence.
Don't count your _______ before they are hatched. Complete the proverb.
The proverb is 'Don't count your chickens before they are hatched'.
Most appropriate antonym of EXTROVERT is?
An extrovert is outgoing, so the antonym is introvert.
Most appropriate synonym of CALLIGRAPHY is?
Calligraphy is the art of beautiful handwriting.
Most appropriate synonym of DENIGRATE is?
To denigrate is to belittle, that is to disparage.
Most appropriate antonym of OBSOLESCENT is?
Obsolescent means becoming out of date, so its antonym is contemporary.
What is the antonym of CONSENT?
To consent is to agree, so its antonym is to deny.
The synonym of Calamity is?
A calamity is a disaster.
Synonym of Ascend is?
To ascend is to rise.
Convert to indirect speech: He asked, "Do I have to do it?"
A yes or no question in reported speech takes 'if', with the tense shifted back.
Synonym of Benign is?
Benign means kindly and mild, hence gentle.
Convert to indirect speech: He advised us, "Do not be late."
A negative imperative in reported speech becomes 'not to' plus the verb.
Synonym of Accuse is?
To accuse is to charge someone with an offence.
Convert to indirect speech: She asked him, "Are you crazy?"
A yes or no question in reported speech takes 'if', with 'are' shifting to 'was'.
Convert to passive voice: We set the table.
Past simple active 'set' becomes 'was set' in the passive.
The synonym of Commence is?
To commence is to begin.
What is the synonym of Fulsome?
Fulsome in its older sense means abundant and lavish, hence exuberant.
What is the synonym of Prerogative?
A prerogative is a special right, that is a privilege.
What is the antonym of Gregarious?
Gregarious means fond of company, so its antonym is solitary.
What is the antonym of Assent?
To assent is to agree, so its antonym is to disagree.
What is the antonym of Fluid?
A fluid flows, so its antonym here is frozen.
What is the antonym of Onerous?
Onerous means burdensome, so its antonym is light.
What is the antonym of Concord?
Concord is agreement, so its antonym is variance.
Justice delayed is justice _______.
The maxim is 'Justice delayed is justice denied'.
What does being 'Under a cloud' mean?
'Under a cloud' means under suspicion or out of favour.
Antonym of VALIDATE is?
To validate is to confirm, so its antonym is to disprove.
Synonym of DEFIANT is?
Defiant means openly resisting, hence disobedient.
The synonym of PARTISAN is?
A partisan is a strong supporter of a party or cause.
Complete the Proverb: Fortune favours the _______.
The proverb is 'Fortune favours the bold'.
Complete the Proverb: Birds of a feather ______ together.
The proverb is 'Birds of a feather flock together'.
Complete the Idiom: Every cloud has a silver ______.
The saying is 'Every cloud has a silver lining'.
What is the Antonym of Opaque?
Opaque means not letting light through, so its antonym is transparent.
What is the Antonym of Paucity?
Paucity means scarcity, so its antonym is abundance.
What is the Synonym of imminent?
Imminent means about to happen, hence upcoming.
What is the synonym of Frugal?
Frugal means sparing with money, hence economical.
What is the Antonym of Virtue?
Virtue is moral goodness, so its antonym is vice.
What is the Synonym of Pragmatic?
Pragmatic means dealing with things practically.
What is the Antonym of Haughty?
Haughty means arrogantly proud, so its antonym is humble.
The most similar word to Gorgeous is?
Gorgeous means strikingly beautiful, hence magnificent.
Synonym of Eminent is?
Eminent means distinguished and well known, hence famous.
Antonym of Profane is?
Profane means irreverent towards sacred things, so its antonym is pious.
Appreciation is to Reward as Crime is to?
Appreciation brings a reward as crime brings punishment: an act and the consequence it earns.
Who wrote the famous line 'A thing of beauty is a joy forever'?
John Keats wrote 'A thing of beauty is a joy forever'.
Fill in the blank: He was meditating _____ the problem.
'Meditate on' means to think deeply about something.
The Synonym of Detestable is?
Detestable means deserving hatred, hence abhorrent.
Enormous means?
Enormous means very large, that is huge.
The antonym of FRUGAL is?
Frugal means sparing, so its antonym is spendthrift.
Pros and cons means?
'Pros and cons' means the arguments for and against.
Terrorism will ______ in the course of time.
'Die down' means to become gradually weaker until it fades away.
De Facto means?
De facto is Latin for in fact or in practice, as opposed to de jure, in law.
About the PPSC English Past Paper 2016
Every MCQ above is taken from the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) English papers held in 2016, 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.