NDA / CDS / AFCAT - MCQ Practice Questions
Practice <strong>NDA, CDS, AFCAT, CAPF</strong> MCQ questions covering Mathematics, English, General Knowledge, General Science, and Current Affairs. Perfect for Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force officer aspirants.
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Choose the word that is closest in meaning to the word 'LOQUACIOUS'.
Understanding:
We need to find the synonym of the word 'LOQUACIOUS'.
Step 1: Define the word
'Loquacious' means tending to talk a great deal; talkative. It comes from the Latin 'loquax', meaning 'talkative'.
Step 2: Analyse each option
Answer:
The word closest in meaning to 'Loquacious' is 'Garrulous', as both describe someone who talks excessively.
Quick Tip:
Remember that 'Taciturn', 'Reticent', and 'Laconic' are all antonyms of 'Loquacious' — a common trap in synonym questions.
Select the option that best fills the blank: The general's ______ strategy confused the enemy and led to a decisive victory.
Understanding:
We need to choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence about a strategy that confused the enemy and led to victory.
Step 1: Understand the context
The sentence describes a strategy that was clever enough to confuse the enemy and achieve a decisive outcome. The blank must convey 'cleverly devised'.
Step 2: Analyse each option
Answer:
'Ingenious' is the correct word, as it describes a strategy that is clever, well-planned, and effective.
Quick Tip:
Do not confuse 'Ingenious' (clever) with 'Ingenuous' (naive/innocent) — this is a very common error in NDA/CDS vocabulary questions.
Choose the word most OPPOSITE in meaning to the word 'PERFIDIOUS'.
Understanding:
We need to find the antonym of the word 'PERFIDIOUS'.
Step 1: Define the word
'Perfidious' means guilty of betrayal; deceitful and untrustworthy. It is derived from Latin 'perfidia' meaning faithlessness.
Step 2: Analyse each option
Answer:
The antonym of 'Perfidious' is 'Loyal', as loyalty is the direct opposite of betrayal and faithlessness.
Quick Tip:
Words like 'perfidious', 'treacherous', 'duplicitous', and 'faithless' form a cluster of synonyms — knowing this cluster helps you answer both synonym and antonym questions quickly.
Identify the part of the sentence that has an error: 'The committee have (A) / submitted their report (B) / to the Chairman (C) / yesterday morning. (D)'
Understanding:
We need to identify the grammatically incorrect part of the given sentence.
Step 1: Identify the error
The subject is 'committee', which is a collective noun. In formal written English (especially in Indian examination standards and CDS/NDA usage), collective nouns referring to a group acting as a single unit take a singular verb.
Step 2: Apply the rule
The sentence uses the past tense ('submitted', 'yesterday morning'), so the verb in Part A should be 'has' instead of 'have'. The correct form is: 'The committee has submitted their report to the Chairman yesterday morning.'
Step 3: Confirm other parts
Answer:
The error is in Part A. 'The committee have' should be 'The committee has', as 'committee' is a collective noun treated as singular in standard usage.
Quick Tip:
In NDA/CDS English, collective nouns like 'committee', 'jury', 'army', and 'team' typically take singular verbs when acting as one unit.
Choose the correct indirect speech for the sentence: The officer said to the soldiers, 'March forward and do not look back.'
Understanding:
We need to convert an imperative sentence in direct speech into indirect speech.
Step 1: Identify the type of sentence
The sentence is an imperative (command/instruction): 'March forward and do not look back.' Commands in direct speech use 'said to' with the reporting verb.
Step 2: Apply the rule for imperative sentences
For imperatives, the reporting verb changes to 'told/ordered/commanded/instructed', and the imperative verb changes to an infinitive form: 'to + base verb'. Negative imperatives become 'not to + base verb'.
Step 3: Convert the sentence
Step 4: Check the other options
Answer:
The correct indirect speech is: 'The officer told the soldiers to march forward and not to look back.'
Choose the meaning of the idiom 'To burn the midnight oil'.
Understanding:
We need to identify the correct meaning of the idiomatic expression 'To burn the midnight oil'.
Step 1: Trace the origin
Before electricity, people used oil lamps to read or work at night. 'Burning the midnight oil' referred literally to using an oil lamp well past midnight, implying extended late-night effort.
Step 2: Identify the figurative meaning
Figuratively, it means to stay up late working or studying hard, especially to meet a deadline or prepare thoroughly.
Step 3: Eliminate incorrect options
Answer:
The idiom 'To burn the midnight oil' means to work or study late into the night.
Quick Tip:
Several idioms related to study/hard work appear in NDA/CDS: 'burn the midnight oil' (late-night effort), 'hit the books' (study), and 'keep one's nose to the grindstone' (work hard continuously).
In the following sentence, choose the option that correctly fills both the blanks: 'His ______ attitude towards his duties made him ______ in the eyes of his superiors.'
Understanding:
We need to find two words that are logically consistent with each other and fit the overall meaning of the sentence.
Step 1: Establish logical relationship
The sentence says his attitude towards duties led to a certain perception by his superiors. The two blanks must be logically connected — one describing his attitude and the other describing the consequence.
Step 2: Test each pair
Step 3: Confirm the answer
'Negligent' means failing to take proper care; such an attitude naturally leads to being 'unpopular' with superiors who expect duty and responsibility.
Answer:
The correct pair is 'negligent ... unpopular', as negligence logically results in being viewed unfavourably by superiors.
Choose the word that is spelt CORRECTLY.
Understanding:
We need to identify the correctly spelt word from the given options.
Step 1: Apply the spelling rule
The word 'accommodate' is one of the most commonly misspelt English words. It contains double 'c' and double 'm': ac-com-mo-date.
Step 2: Check each option
Answer:
The correctly spelt word is 'Accommodate' — with double 'c' and double 'm'.
Quick Tip:
A helpful mnemonic: 'Accommodate' has enough room for two Cs and two Ms — 'it can accommodate two Cs and two Ms!'
Select the correct option to fill in the blank: 'Neither the captain nor the players ______ ready for the final briefing.'
Understanding:
We need to choose the correct verb form based on subject-verb agreement when 'neither...nor' is used.
Step 1: Apply the rule for 'neither...nor'
When two subjects are joined by 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the subject that is CLOSER to it (the subject nearest the verb). This is called the 'proximity rule'.
Step 2: Identify the closer subject
In 'neither the captain nor the players', the subject closer to the verb is 'the players', which is plural.
Step 3: Select the verb
Since 'the players' is plural, the verb must be plural. The sentence is in the past tense, so the correct verb is 'were'.
Step 4: Check other options
Answer:
The correct verb is 'were', as it agrees with the plural subject 'players' which is closer to the verb in the 'neither...nor' construction.
Quick Tip:
For 'either...or' and 'neither...nor', always match the verb with the NEARER subject — this is the proximity rule and it frequently appears in NDA/CDS grammar questions.
Choose the option that correctly identifies the figure of speech used in the sentence: 'The pen is mightier than the sword.'
Understanding:
We need to identify the figure of speech in the sentence 'The pen is mightier than the sword.'
Step 1: Analyse the sentence
In this sentence, 'pen' stands for the power of writing and intellectual influence, while 'sword' stands for military force or physical power. Neither 'pen' nor 'sword' is being used in its literal sense.
Step 2: Define the relevant figures of speech
Step 3: Identify correctly
This is a classic example of Metonymy — 'pen' is a substitute for writing/knowledge and 'sword' for military power.
Answer:
The figure of speech used is Metonymy, where 'pen' and 'sword' represent writing and military force respectively.
Quick Tip:
Metonymy differs from synecdoche: in synecdoche, a part represents the whole (e.g. 'boots on the ground' for soldiers). In metonymy, an associated object replaces the concept (e.g. 'pen' for writing).
Choose the most appropriate word from the options to replace the underlined word in the sentence: 'The soldier showed remarkable FORTITUDE during the gruelling training.'
Understanding:
We need to find the best replacement (synonym) for the word 'FORTITUDE' in the given sentence.
Step 1: Define 'Fortitude'
'Fortitude' means courage and strength in bearing pain or adversity; mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty.
Step 2: Analyse each option
Step 3: Verify in context
'The soldier showed remarkable endurance during the gruelling training' — makes perfect sense and preserves the meaning of the original sentence.
Answer:
The best replacement for 'FORTITUDE' is 'Endurance', as both convey the ability to bear difficulty and hardship with courage.
Quick Tip:
Other near-synonyms of 'fortitude' include 'resilience', 'grit', 'tenacity', and 'perseverance' — all useful vocabulary for NDA/CDS English.
Choose the option that best describes the meaning of the one-word substitute: 'A person who is present everywhere at the same time.'
Understanding:
We need to identify the correct one-word substitute for 'a person who is present everywhere at the same time.'
Step 1: Break down the options using Latin/Greek roots
Step 2: Match with the definition
The definition 'present everywhere at the same time' directly corresponds to 'Omnipresent'.
Answer:
The correct one-word substitute is 'Omnipresent', meaning present in all places at all times.
Quick Tip:
The 'Omni-' prefix family is frequently tested: Omnipotent (all-powerful), Omniscient (all-knowing), Omnipresent (everywhere), Omnivorous (eats everything). Learn all four together.
Choose the sentence that is grammatically CORRECT.
Understanding:
We need to identify the grammatically correct sentence involving the structure 'one of those ... who'.
Step 1: Apply the grammar rule
In the construction 'one of those + plural noun + who/that + verb', the relative pronoun 'who' refers to the plural noun (not to 'one'). Therefore, the verb after 'who' must be plural.
Step 2: Identify the antecedent of 'who'
'who' refers to 'those officers' (plural), not to 'He' (singular). So the verb must be 'take' (plural) and the pronoun must be 'their' (plural).
Step 3: Check each option
Answer:
The grammatically correct sentence is Option B: 'He is one of those officers who take their duty seriously.'
Quick Tip:
Always identify what the relative pronoun 'who' refers to. In 'one of those X who', 'who' refers to 'X' (always plural), not to 'one'.
Choose the correct active voice for the sentence: 'The bridge was constructed by the engineers in three months.'
Understanding:
We need to convert a passive voice sentence into its active voice equivalent.
Step 1: Identify the tense of the passive sentence
'Was constructed' — this is Simple Past Passive tense.
The structure is: Object + was/were + past participle + by + Subject.
Step 2: Identify the components
Step 3: Form the active voice
For Simple Past Passive → Simple Past Active:
Subject + past tense verb + object + time phrase.
= 'The engineers constructed the bridge in three months.'
Step 4: Check other options
Answer:
The correct active voice sentence is: 'The engineers constructed the bridge in three months.'
Choose the option that CORRECTLY uses the word 'DISCREET'.
Understanding:
We need to identify the sentence that correctly uses the word 'DISCREET'.
Step 1: Define the two confusable words
Step 2: Analyse each option
Answer:
Option B correctly uses 'discreet' to mean careful and secretive, which is its proper meaning.
Quick Tip:
A useful memory trick: 'discrEEt' — the two Es are 'together' (careful, keeping things together/secret). 'discrEtE' — the Es are 'apart' (separate, distinct).
Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence using the right preposition: 'The regiment was commended ______ its exceptional performance during the exercise.'
Understanding:
We need to select the correct preposition to use with the verb 'commended'.
Step 1: Identify the correct preposition for 'commended'
The verb 'commend' follows the pattern 'commend someone/something FOR something'. This is a fixed prepositional usage in standard English.
Step 2: Test each option
Step 3: Confirm with similar verbs
Verbs like 'praised for', 'rewarded for', 'recognised for', and 'commended for' all take the preposition 'for' to introduce the reason or cause of the commendation.
Answer:
The correct preposition is 'for' — 'The regiment was commended for its exceptional performance during the exercise.'
Quick Tip:
Fixed preposition pairs tested frequently in NDA/CDS: commended for, guilty of, differ from, interfere with, conform to, abide by — build a list and revise regularly.
In the sentence given below, find the part that contains an error: 'If I would have known (A) / about the briefing earlier, (B) / I would have prepared (C) / a detailed report. (D)'
Understanding:
We need to identify the grammatically incorrect part of the sentence, which involves a conditional structure.
Step 1: Identify the type of conditional
The sentence is a Third Conditional (past unreal conditional), used to describe a hypothetical situation in the past and its imagined result.
Step 2: Apply the rule for Third Conditional
Structure: If + Past Perfect ... , would + have + past participle.
Step 3: Identify the error
Part A says 'If I would have known' — using 'would have' in the 'if clause' is a grammatical error. The correct form is 'If I had known'.
Answer:
The error is in Part A. 'If I would have known' should be 'If I had known', as the Third Conditional requires Past Perfect in the 'if clause'.
Quick Tip:
'Would' is NEVER used in the 'if clause' of a conditional sentence. This is one of the most frequently tested grammar errors in NDA/CDS English papers.
Choose the most appropriate option that fills the blank: 'The soldier's ______ behaviour under enemy fire earned him the highest commendation.'
Understanding:
We need to choose the word that best describes behaviour that earns the highest commendation under enemy fire.
Step 1: Understand the context
Earning the highest commendation requires exceptional positive qualities — bravery, courage, and heroism under fire.
Step 2: Analyse each option
Answer:
The correct word is 'Valorous', as it describes great bravery in battle, which would rightly earn a soldier the highest commendation.
Quick Tip:
'Valorous', 'valiant', 'gallant', and 'intrepid' all describe battlefield bravery — useful vocabulary for defence exam English sections.
Choose the option that gives the correct meaning of the underlined phrase: 'The senior officer decided to take the new cadet under his wing.'
Understanding:
We need to find the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase 'take someone under one's wing'.
Step 1: Trace the origin of the idiom
The phrase originates from the image of a mother bird sheltering her young under her wings for protection and care. Figuratively, it means to take someone under one's protection and provide guidance.
Step 2: Identify the meaning
'To take someone under one's wing' means to guide, support, and protect a less experienced person, helping them develop.
Step 3: Match with the context
A senior officer guiding a new cadet perfectly fits the meaning — mentorship, protection, and training.
Step 4: Eliminate wrong options
Answer:
The phrase 'take under his wing' means to protect and guide the cadet, offering mentorship and support.
Quick Tip:
Several idioms involve birds in English: 'take under one's wing' (protect/guide), 'a bird's eye view' (overview), 'kill two birds with one stone' (achieve two things at once) — all commonly tested in NDA/CDS.
Choose the correctly punctuated sentence.
Understanding:
We need to identify the sentence with correct punctuation for a direct speech construction.
Step 1: Rules for punctuating direct speech
Step 2: Evaluate each option
Answer:
The correctly punctuated sentence is Option C: 'The General said, "We will fight until the last man."'
Quick Tip:
In direct speech: reporting verb + comma + open quote + spoken words + full stop + close quote. The full stop always goes inside the closing quotation mark.