English Previous Year Paper 2017

Question 1. The Substitution Table Method was adopted by:

(a) Dr. West

(b) H. E. Palmer

(c) Prof. C. J. Dodson

(d) O. Jespersen

Answer: (b) H. E. Palmer

H. E. Palmer extensively developed and used substitution tables for practising sentence patterns. A substitution table enables learners to form many correct sentences by replacing words or phrases within a fixed grammatical pattern.

Question 2. Language learning starts from:

(a) Reading

(b) Speaking

(c) Listening

(d) Writing

Answer: (c) Listening

In the natural development of language skills, listening generally comes first, followed by speaking, reading and writing. Listening helps learners understand spoken language and provides the foundation for oral communication.

Question 3. Phonetics is the science of:

(a) Reading

(b) Speaking

(c) Sounds

(d) Pronunciation

Answer: (c) Sounds

Phonetics is the branch of linguistics that studies speech sounds, including their production, transmission and perception.

Question 4. Adjective of 'success' is:

(a) Successful

(b) Succeed

(c) Successfully

(d) Succeeding

Answer: (a) Successful

‘Success’ is a noun, while its adjective form is successful.

Question 5. Complete the following sentence: ___ knowledge is dangerous.

(a) Little

(b) A little

(c) The little

(d) Less

Answer: (b) A little

The correct sentence is: A little knowledge is dangerous. ‘A little’ means some, though not much, and is used with an uncountable noun such as ‘knowledge’.

Question 6. Change the following sentence into Past Perfect Continuous Tense: He is reading the Ramayan.

Answer: He had been reading the Ramayan.

Question 7. Change the following into a complex sentence: Besides being rich, he is not happy.

Answer: Although he is rich, he is not happy.

Question 8. Change the following into a complex sentence: He worked hard but he failed.

Answer: Although he worked hard, he failed.

Question 9. Complete the following sentence using the correct preposition: I congratulate you ___ your success.

Answer: I congratulate you on your success.

Question 10. Complete the following sentence: It has been raining ___ morning.

Answer: It has been raining since morning.

Question 11. Change the following into a negative sentence without changing its meaning: As soon as I reached, the teacher entered the class.

Answer: No sooner had I reached than the teacher entered the class.

Question 12. Fill in the blanks with the correct conjunctions:
(i) He worked hard ___ he failed.
(ii) Either come in time ___ do not come at all.

Answer:

(i) He worked hard but he failed.

(ii) Either come in time or do not come at all.

Question 13. Write one word for each of the following:
(i) One who speaks on behalf of others.
(ii) Which cannot be corrected.

Answer:

(i) One who speaks on behalf of others — Spokesperson.

(ii) Which cannot be corrected — Incorrigible.

Question 14. Write an application to the Principal of your college for changing the subject. (Do not write your name and address.)

Answer:

To,
The Principal,
________ College.

Subject: Application for change of subject.

Respected Sir/Madam,

I beg to state that I am a student of your college. I had opted for Commerce as my optional subject, but after attending the classes for some time, I have realised that it does not suit my interest and aptitude. I would like to study Science instead.

Therefore, I kindly request you to permit me to change my optional subject from Commerce to Science. I shall be grateful to you for your kind consideration.

Yours obediently,
Class: ________
Roll No.: ________
Date: ________

Question 15. Write a composition on 'Pollution' in about 30 words.

Answer:

Pollution

Pollution is the contamination of air, water and soil by harmful substances. It damages human health, animals and nature. We should reduce waste, plant trees and use clean energy.

Question 16. Change the following into indirect speech:
(i) He said to me, "Why have you not done this work?"
(ii) The boys said, "Let us go to play."

Answer:

(i) He asked me why I had not done that work.

(ii) The boys proposed that they should go to play.

Question 17. Complete the following sentences:
(i) If you had worked hard, you ___ passed in the examination.
(ii) He worked hard so that he ___ pass.

Answer:

(i) If you had worked hard, you would have passed in the examination.

(ii) He worked hard so that he might pass.

Question 18. What do you understand by 'Structural Approach'?

Answer: The Structural Approach is an approach to language teaching in which the learner acquires the language through systematic practice of selected and graded sentence structures or patterns. It gives greater importance to mastering the basic structures of the language than to learning isolated words.

Main features of the Structural Approach:

• Language structures and sentence patterns are carefully selected and graded.
• Oral work generally precedes reading and writing.
• Structures are practised repeatedly until they become language habits.
• New structures are taught through meaningful situations.
• Simple and frequently used structures are generally introduced before difficult ones.