Grammar Based Questions - 3 | English for CLAT PDF Download

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
I was questioned several times immediately after my arrest. But they were all formal examinations, as to my identity and so forth. At the first of these, which took place at the police station, nobody seemed to have much interest in the case. However, when I was brought before the examining magistrate a week later, I noticed that he eyed me with distinct curiosity.
Like the others, he began by asking my name, address, and occupation, the date and place of my birth. Then he inquired if I had chosen a lawyer to defend me. I answered, “No,” I hadn’t thought about it, and asked him if it was really necessary for me to have one. “Why do you ask that?” he said. I replied that I regarded my case as very simple.
He smiled. “Well, it may seem so to you. But we’ve got to abide by the law, and, if you don’t engage a lawyer, the court will have to appoint one for you.” It struck me as an excellent arrangement that the authorities should see to details of this kind, and I told him so. He nodded, and agreed that the Code was all that could be desired. At first I didn’t take him quite seriously. The room in which he interviewed me was much like an ordinary sitting room, with curtained windows, and a single lamp standing on the desk. Its light fell on the armchair in which he’d had me sit, while his own face stayed in shadow.
I had read descriptions of such scenes in books, and at first it all seemed like a game. After our conversation, however, I had a good look at him. He was a tall man with clean-cut features, deep-set blue eyes, a big gray mustache, and abundant, almost snow-white hair, and he gave me the impression of being highly intelligent and, on the whole, likable enough. There was only one thing that put one off: his mouth had now and then a rather ugly twist; but it seemed to be only a sort of nervous tic. When leaving, I very nearly held out my hand and said, “Good-by”; just in time I remembered that I’d killed a man.
Next day a lawyer came to my cell; a small, plump, youngish man with sleek black hair. In spite of the heat—I was in my shirt sleeves—he was wearing a dark suit, stiff collar, and a rather showy tie, with broad black and white stripes. After depositing his brief case on my bed, he introduced himself, and added that he’d perused the record of my case with the utmost care.
[Extracted from THE Stranger By ALBERT CAMUS]
Q1: Identify the type of pronoun used in the sentence: "I had read descriptions of such scenes in books, and at first it all seemed like a game."
(a) Demonstrative
(b) Indefinite
(c) Reflexive
(d) Personal
Ans: (d)
Sol: The pronoun 'I' is used here, which is a personal pronoun. Personal pronouns are those that refer to specific persons or things.

Q2: In the sentence: "He was a tall man with clean-cut features," what is the grammatical function of 'tall'?
(a) Noun
(b) Adverb
(c) Adjective
(d) Verb
Ans: (c)
Sol: 'Tall' is an adjective as it describes a characteristic of the noun 'man.' Adjectives are words that modify nouns or pronouns.

Q3: Which tense is used in the following sentence: "I answered, 'No,' I hadn’t thought about it."
(a) Past Perfect
(b) Past Simple
(c) Present Perfect
(d) Past Continuous
Ans: (b)
Sol: The verb 'answered' is in the past simple tense, indicating an action completed in the past. The phrase "I hadn’t thought about it" uses past perfect, but the main verb 'answered' dictates the tense of the sentence.

Q4: Choose the sentence that correctly transforms the given sentence into passive voice: "A lawyer came to my cell."
(a) A lawyer was come to my cell.
(b) My cell was come by a lawyer.
(c) I was come to by a lawyer.
(d) My cell was come to by a lawyer.
Ans: (d)
Sol: In the passive voice, the object of an active sentence becomes the subject. 'My cell' is the object in the active sentence and becomes the subject in the passive sentence. The verb 'came' changes to 'was come to' to fit the passive structure.

Q5: Identify the error in the use of prepositions in the sentence: "After depositing his brief case on my bed, he introduced himself, and added that he’d perused the record of my case with the utmost care."
(a) On
(b) After
(c) With
(d) No error
Ans: (d)
Sol: All prepositions in the sentence are used correctly. 'On' correctly indicates the position of the briefcase, 'after' correctly indicates a sequence of actions, and 'with' is correctly used to indicate the manner in which the record was perused.