PPSC English Past Paper 2024 Solved MCQs with Answers
Solved English MCQs from the PPSC 2024 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 2024 paper and verified before publication.
I'll be ready to leave ____ twenty minutes?
'In twenty minutes' means after that period has passed. 'Within' would mean before it elapses.
She is looking for accommodation, ____ a flat or a shared house?
'Either … or' presents two alternatives. Note that accommodation is uncountable in British usage, so it takes no article.
Synonym of IMPETUOUS is?
Impetuous means acting hastily without thought, that is rash.
Which is not a punctuation mark?
A hashtag is a social media tag, not a punctuation mark. Full stops, commas and colons are punctuation.
Change voice She will have sung a song?
Future perfect active 'will have sung' becomes 'will have been sung' in the passive.
Antonym of JOCOSE is?
Jocose means playful and joking, so its opposite is serious.
Change Voice She is making tea?
Present continuous active 'is making' becomes 'is being made' in the passive.
Which type of Adverb is used to show how often a thing happened?
An adverb of frequency, such as often, rarely or always, tells how often something happens.
The synonym of Mural is?
A mural is a painting executed directly on a wall.
If you had tried your best you_____?
The third conditional pairs 'had tried' with 'would have succeeded', describing an unreal past.
He paid the dining bill _____ a credit card?
'Pay with' takes the instrument of payment: with a credit card, with cash.
The correct synonym of EXIGENT is?
Exigent means pressing and demanding immediate attention, that is urgent.
The analogy of Top : Bottom is?
Top and bottom are opposites, as knowledge and ignorance are opposites.
Please be careful, the luggage contains _____ items?
Fragile items are easily broken, so they call for care.
The idiom Above the fold means?
'Above the fold' means in the upper half of a newspaper's front page, where the most important news appears.
Antonym of APPROBATE is?
To approbate is to approve, so its antonym is to condemn.
Which punctuation mark is used to indicate the end of a declarative sentence?
A declarative sentence ends with a full stop.
Select the pair which has the same relationship?
A liquid is measured in litres, as other quantities are measured in their proper units: the substance and its unit of measure.
Statue is to sculptor and symphony is to?
A sculptor creates a statue as a composer creates a symphony: the work and its maker.
Change voice Prepare yourself for the worst?
The passive of an imperative uses 'be' plus the past participle: be prepared for the worst.
Select the most appropriate antonym of the word Quell?
To quell is to suppress or put down, so its antonym is to incite.
Choose the meaning of underlined word I will pencil you in for Tuesday?
'Pencil someone in' means to schedule an appointment provisionally, so it can be changed.
We don't want to leave early but they?
The auxiliary 'do' stands in for the full verb phrase, avoiding repetition of 'want to leave early'.
Identify the Adjective?
'Hard' describes a noun here, so it functions as an adjective. It can also serve as an adverb, as in 'work hard'.
His health is broken ____ due to hard work?
'Break down' means to collapse in health or function.
A burnt child ____ the fire?
The proverb is 'A burnt child dreads the fire': one who has suffered avoids the cause.
The children have been vaccinated ____ polio?
'Vaccinated against' names the disease being guarded against.
Change voice She gave me a book?
With two objects, the indirect object can become the passive subject: I was given a book by her.
Fill in the blank with the most suitable word ____ heavy rain outdoor games were held?
'Despite' concedes a contrast and is followed by a noun, unlike 'although' which takes a clause.
He used to regale us with anecdotes meaning?
To regale is to entertain with talk or stories.
Through thick and thin means?
'Through thick and thin' means in all circumstances, good and bad alike.
The synonym of Quiet is?
As nouns, quiet and peace both mean the absence of noise or disturbance.
We fought tooth and nail meaning?
'Tooth and nail' means with every available means and all one's force.
The antonym of Slovenly is?
Slovenly means untidy and careless, so its antonym is tidy.
You cannot have your cake and eat it too means?
'You cannot have your cake and eat it too' means you cannot enjoy two mutually exclusive benefits.
The antonym of Frown is?
A frown expresses displeasure, so its opposite is a smile.
Hit the sack means?
'Hit the sack' means to go to bed.
The antonym of Sojourn is?
A sojourn is a temporary stay, whereas to dwell is to live somewhere permanently.
The synonym of Zest is?
Zest means keen enjoyment, that is enthusiasm.
Tongue in cheek means?
'Tongue in cheek' means said ironically or sarcastically, not meant seriously.
A child born after fathers death is?
A child born after the father's death is posthumous.
What is the correct form of the verb: Neither of the students _____ their homework.
'Neither of' takes a singular verb, so 'has done' is correct.
The antonym of Yoke is?
A yoke is a symbol of bondage and servitude, so its antonym is freedom.
The antonym of Vice is?
Vice is moral failing, so its opposite is virtue.
Eager beaver means?
An 'eager beaver' is someone extremely enthusiastic and hardworking.
The synonym of scampering is?
To scamper is to run quickly with light steps.
They are not interested _____ our proposal.
'Interested in' is the fixed preposition.
Which sentence uses the subjunctive mood?
The subjunctive uses 'were' for all persons in unreal conditions: if he were available.
Neither of the two girls ____ late yesterday?
'Neither of' is singular, so the verb is 'was'.
What does the idiom 'to call a spade a spade' mean?
'To call a spade a spade' means to speak plainly and directly, without softening the truth.
The synonym of Fragile is?
Fragile means easily broken, hence weak.
The phrase 'dies away' means?
'Die away' means to fade gradually until it can no longer be heard or seen.
What is the Synonym of Predecessor?
A predecessor is one who came before, that is an antecedent.
Identify the part of speech of the underlined word: The manager spoke 'confidently' about the project.
'Confidently' modifies the verb 'spoke', so it is an adverb.
The meaning of the given idiom 'A wild-goose chase'?
'A wild goose chase' is a useless or hopeless pursuit.
Example of a gerund phrase?
'Running a marathon' is a gerund phrase: a verb in the -ing form acting as a noun, with its own object.
The antonym of Nonchalant is?
Nonchalant means casually unconcerned, so its antonym is attentive.
The Antonym of Frugal is?
Frugal means sparing with money, so its opposite is extravagant.
The word that is most nearly similar in meaning to IMPART?
To impart is to communicate or pass on, that is to convey.
The synonym of Pensive is?
Pensive means deeply and often sadly thoughtful.
Happening by chance, especially in a fortunate way, is described as?
Fortuitous describes something occurring by chance, and in common usage a happy chance.
The synonym of Affable is?
Affable means pleasant and easy to talk to, that is friendly.
The synonym of Arraign is?
To arraign is to call before a court and formally accuse.
Indirect Narration: He will say, 'I did not know it.'
After a future reporting verb the tense of the original does not shift, so 'did not know' stays as it is.
Choose one word substitution: One who loves books?
A lover of books is a bibliophile.
Guess the closest possible meaning of the idiom 'At sea'?
'At sea' means confused or puzzled, unable to make sense of something.
A pair that has the same relationship: GERMS : INFECTION
Germs cause infection as a downpour causes a flood: a cause and the result it produces.
The antonym of BLOOMING is?
Blooming means flourishing, so its opposite is fading.
The synonym of Ensconce is?
To ensconce is to settle or establish firmly and comfortably.
The antonym of Elevate is?
To elevate is to raise, so its antonym is to depress, that is to lower.
The synonym for grisly is?
Grisly means causing horror and disgust.
Antonym of Enormous is?
Enormous means very large, so its antonym is tiny.
In the sentence 'He is the athlete who has won many competitions,' the word 'who' is a?
'Who' introduces a clause describing 'athlete', so it is a relative pronoun.
The most appropriate meaning of the given idiom 'Cut the mustard'?
'Cut the mustard' means to reach the required standard or come up to expectations.
A bad workman ____ with his tools.
The proverb runs 'A bad workman quarrels with his tools': the incompetent blame their equipment.
Ear is to Deafness as Leg is to?
Deafness is the loss of function of the ear as paralysis is the loss of function of the leg.
Time is running ____.
'Time is running out' means the available time is nearly finished.
Complete the proverb An early bird catches the?
The proverb is 'An early bird catches the worm': those who act promptly gain the advantage.
The synonym of INUNDATE is?
To inundate is to overwhelm or flood.
Out of Sight out of?
The proverb is 'Out of sight, out of mind': what is absent is soon forgotten.
They had worked hard so they passed the exam. This is a _______ sentence.
Two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction 'so' make a compound sentence.
The Green-eyed monster means?
The 'green-eyed monster' is jealousy, a phrase from Shakespeare's Othello.
We are too busy to take more work _____?
'Take on' means to accept additional work or responsibility.
Complete the analogy: Incision : Scalpel :: Furrow : ?
A scalpel makes an incision as a plough makes a furrow: the tool and the mark it cuts.
Choose analogous pair Light : Glint :: ?
A glint is a small flash of light as a whiff is a faint trace of scent: a slight instance of the whole.
Choose analogous pair Poverty : Prosperity :: ?
Poverty and prosperity are opposites, as intelligence and stupidity are opposites.
Glutton for punishment means?
A 'glutton for punishment' is someone who seems to seek out hardship, that is a masochist.
Fifty rupees ____ not a big amount.
A sum of money is treated as a single amount and takes a singular verb: fifty rupees is not a big amount.
Find the synonym of LOQUACIOUS?
Loquacious means talkative, hence verbose.
Change into indirect speech: He said to me, "Will you accompany me?"
A yes or no question in reported speech takes 'if' or 'whether', with statement word order and the tense shifted back.
Synonym of Defer is?
To defer is to put off to a later time, that is to postpone.
_____ is the mother of invention.
The proverb is 'Necessity is the mother of invention': need drives people to find solutions.
The synonym of Outburst is?
An outburst is a sudden violent expression, that is a paroxysm.
Madness : Brain :: Paralysis : ?
Madness is a disorder of the brain as paralysis is a disorder of the nerves: an affliction and the system affected.
If he ________ hard he would have passed the examination?
The third conditional pairs 'had worked' with 'would have passed', describing an unreal past.
About the PPSC English Past Paper 2024
Every MCQ above is taken from the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) English papers held in 2024, 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.