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Verbal skills

Written by Sara Ahmed (English)

45 IBA English questions with answers and explanations.

Printable worksheet with answer key

All questions with answers
  1. Choose the word closest in meaning to PRUDENT.

    • 1 Famous
    • 2 Careless
    • 3 Careful
    • 4 Rich
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Careful

    A prudent person thinks before acting.

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  2. Choose the word opposite in meaning to SCARCE.

    • 1 Plentiful
    • 2 Rare
    • 3 Weak
    • 4 Costly
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    Correct answer: Plentiful

    Scarce means in short supply.

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  3. Choose the word closest in meaning to MITIGATE.

    • 1 Ignore
    • 2 Measure
    • 3 Increase
    • 4 Reduce
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    Correct answer: Reduce

    To mitigate is to make less severe.

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  4. Choose the word opposite in meaning to ARTIFICIAL.

    • 1 Cheap
    • 2 Modern
    • 3 Natural
    • 4 False
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Natural

    Artificial means made by people, and natural means found in nature.

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  5. Choose the best word. The company will ___ a new product next month.

    • 1 launder
    • 2 lurch
    • 3 launch
    • 4 lunch
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    Correct answer: launch

    Launch means to introduce a product.

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  6. The committee ___ its decision yesterday.

    • 1 announced
    • 2 announcing
    • 3 announce
    • 4 has announce
    Show answer

    Correct answer: announced

    Yesterday needs the past tense.

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  7. Each of the managers ___ a separate office.

    • 1 have
    • 2 were
    • 3 has
    • 4 are having
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    Correct answer: has

    Each takes a singular verb.

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  8. She is interested ___ learning new skills.

    • 1 for
    • 2 on
    • 3 at
    • 4 in
    Show answer

    Correct answer: in

    The phrase is interested in.

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  9. If the market ___ better, the prices would rise.

    • 1 is being
    • 2 will be
    • 3 was being
    • 4 were
    Show answer

    Correct answer: were

    The unreal condition takes were.

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  10. Which sentence is correct?

    • 1 The number of applicants have increased.
    • 2 The number of applicants has increased.
    • 3 The number of applicants were increasing now.
    • 4 The number of applicants are increased.
    Show answer

    Correct answer: The number of applicants has increased.

    The subject is number, which is singular.

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  11. Doctor is to patient as teacher is to:

    • 1 Lesson
    • 2 School
    • 3 Book
    • 4 Student
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    Correct answer: Student

    A doctor treats a patient, and a teacher teaches a student.

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  12. Hot is to cold as expand is to:

    • 1 Contract
    • 2 Grow
    • 3 Heat
    • 4 Cool
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    Correct answer: Contract

    Expand and contract are opposites.

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  13. Read the passage. Online shopping has grown quickly because it saves time and often offers lower prices. However, buyers cannot touch the goods before they pay. What is the main drawback of online shopping according to the passage?

    • 1 It costs more time
    • 2 It is slow to grow
    • 3 Buyers cannot touch the goods before paying
    • 4 The prices are higher
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    Correct answer: Buyers cannot touch the goods before paying

    The passage names this as the drawback.

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  14. Read the passage. A budget is a plan for the use of money. A family that writes down its income and expenses can see where its money goes and can save more. According to the passage, what is one benefit of a budget?

    • 1 It shows where the money goes
    • 2 It removes all expenses
    • 3 It stops saving
    • 4 It increases the income
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    Correct answer: It shows where the money goes

    The passage says that a family can see where its money goes.

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  15. Which of these is the best word for the blank? The new policy was ___ by most employees because it gave them more freedom.

    • 1 dreaded
    • 2 opposed
    • 3 ignored
    • 4 welcomed
    Show answer

    Correct answer: welcomed

    A policy that gives more freedom is likely to be welcomed.

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  16. Choose the correctly spelled word.

    • 1 Enviroment
    • 2 Environmant
    • 3 Environment
    • 4 Envirnoment
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    Correct answer: Environment

    Environment has the letters r-o-n-m-e-n-t.

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  17. Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation.

    • 1 The manager, who was late apologised, to the team.
    • 2 The manager, who was late, apologised to the team.
    • 3 The manager who was late, apologised to the team.
    • 4 The manager who, was late apologised to the team.
    Show answer

    Correct answer: The manager, who was late, apologised to the team.

    The extra information is set off by commas on both sides.

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  18. The idiom TO MAKE ENDS MEET means:

    • 1 To finish a project early
    • 2 To earn just enough to pay for needs
    • 3 To end a meeting
    • 4 To join two pieces
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    Correct answer: To earn just enough to pay for needs

    It means to manage to live on the money that one has.

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  19. Choose the best word. The report was ___ and left out several important facts.

    • 1 incomplete
    • 2 complete
    • 3 colourful
    • 4 lengthy
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    Correct answer: incomplete

    A report that leaves out facts is incomplete.

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  20. Choose the word closest in meaning to ENHANCE.

    • 1 Improve
    • 2 Measure
    • 3 Reduce
    • 4 Delay
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    Correct answer: Improve

    To enhance is to make better.

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  21. Choose the word closest in meaning to PRAGMATIC.

    • 1 Angry
    • 2 Dreamy
    • 3 Practical
    • 4 Shy
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    Correct answer: Practical

    A pragmatic person deals with things in a realistic way.

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  22. Choose the word closest in meaning to OBSCURE.

    • 1 Unclear
    • 2 Simple
    • 3 Famous
    • 4 Bright
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    Correct answer: Unclear

    Obscure means not clear or not well known.

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  23. Choose the word opposite in meaning to BENEVOLENT.

    • 1 Cruel
    • 2 Kind
    • 3 Generous
    • 4 Wise
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    Correct answer: Cruel

    A benevolent person is kind, and a cruel person is not.

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  24. Choose the word opposite in meaning to VERBOSE.

    • 1 Loud
    • 2 Wordy
    • 3 Careful
    • 4 Concise
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    Correct answer: Concise

    Verbose means using too many words, and concise means using few.

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  25. To CORROBORATE a statement is to:

    • 1 Confirm it
    • 2 Repeat it
    • 3 Deny it
    • 4 Forget it
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    Correct answer: Confirm it

    To corroborate is to support with evidence.

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  26. Choose the word closest in meaning to IMPARTIAL.

    • 1 Unbiased
    • 2 Silent
    • 3 Careless
    • 4 Strict
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    Correct answer: Unbiased

    An impartial judge does not take a side.

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  27. Choose the word closest in meaning to INEVITABLE.

    • 1 Sudden
    • 2 Welcome
    • 3 Unlikely
    • 4 Unavoidable
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    Correct answer: Unavoidable

    Something inevitable is certain to happen.

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  28. Choose the word opposite in meaning to FRUGAL.

    • 1 Careful
    • 2 Poor
    • 3 Wasteful
    • 4 Honest
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    Correct answer: Wasteful

    A frugal person spends carefully, and a wasteful person does not.

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  29. Hardly had he arrived ___ the meeting started.

    • 1 until
    • 2 than
    • 3 while
    • 4 when
    Show answer

    Correct answer: when

    The pattern is hardly when.

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  30. I wish I ___ more time to prepare.

    • 1 would have
    • 2 have
    • 3 had
    • 4 will have
    Show answer

    Correct answer: had

    A wish about the present uses the past form.

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  31. Either of the two plans ___ acceptable.

    • 1 were
    • 2 are
    • 3 have been
    • 4 is
    Show answer

    Correct answer: is

    Either takes a singular verb.

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  32. The more you practise, ___ you become.

    • 1 more better
    • 2 the better
    • 3 the best
    • 4 better
    Show answer

    Correct answer: the better

    The pattern is the more, the better.

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  33. He asked me where ___.

    • 1 do I live
    • 2 I do live
    • 3 I lived
    • 4 did I live
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    Correct answer: I lived

    An indirect question keeps the order of a statement.

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  34. She has been teaching here ___ ten years.

    • 1 since
    • 2 at
    • 3 from
    • 4 for
    Show answer

    Correct answer: for

    For is used with a length of time.

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  35. The manager, together with his assistants, ___ attending the conference.

    • 1 is
    • 2 were
    • 3 have been
    • 4 are
    Show answer

    Correct answer: is

    The verb agrees with the manager, not with the extra phrase.

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  36. Not only the students but also the teacher ___ late.

    • 1 have been
    • 2 was
    • 3 were
    • 4 are
    Show answer

    Correct answer: was

    The verb agrees with the nearer subject, the teacher.

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  37. Which sentence uses the pronoun correctly?

    • 1 Between you and I, the plan is risky.
    • 2 Between I and you, the plan is risky.
    • 3 Between you and me, the plan is risky.
    • 4 Between you and myself, the plan is risky.
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Between you and me, the plan is risky.

    After a preposition the object form me is used.

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  38. Library is to books as museum is to:

    • 1 Visitors
    • 2 Walls
    • 3 Artifacts
    • 4 Tickets
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Artifacts

    A library holds books, and a museum holds artifacts.

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  39. Thermometer is to temperature as scale is to:

    • 1 Height
    • 2 Speed
    • 3 Length
    • 4 Weight
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Weight

    A thermometer measures temperature, and a scale measures weight.

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  40. Read the passage. Remote work saves commuting time, and many employees say that they get more done at home. Some employees, however, report feeling isolated from their colleagues. Which choice best states the main idea?

    • 1 Employees dislike working at home.
    • 2 Remote work has benefits and drawbacks.
    • 3 Remote work is always better.
    • 4 Commuting is enjoyable.
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Remote work has benefits and drawbacks.

    The passage lists advantages and then a disadvantage.

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  41. Read the passage. When the prices of goods rise over time, each unit of money buys less than before. This is called inflation. According to the passage, inflation is:

    • 1 A fall in prices over time
    • 2 A rise in prices that lowers what money can buy
    • 3 A rise in wages
    • 4 An increase in the supply of goods
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    Correct answer: A rise in prices that lowers what money can buy

    The passage defines inflation in its second sentence.

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  42. Read the passage. When a product is scarce and many people want it, its price tends to rise. What can be inferred from the passage?

    • 1 Scarce goods are always cheap.
    • 2 Few people want scarce goods.
    • 3 High demand and low supply tend to raise prices.
    • 4 Prices never change.
    Show answer

    Correct answer: High demand and low supply tend to raise prices.

    The passage links scarcity and demand to higher prices.

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  43. Read the passage. The author lists the costs of the new project but concludes that its long term gains justify them. Which choice best describes the author's attitude?

    • 1 Uninterested
    • 2 Confused
    • 3 Strongly against the project
    • 4 Supportive, while aware of the costs
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Supportive, while aware of the costs

    The author accepts the costs because of the gains.

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  44. Read the sentence. Although the new phone has a better camera, its battery lasts a shorter time than the old model. The word although signals:

    • 1 A time
    • 2 A cause
    • 3 A contrast
    • 4 An example
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A contrast

    Although introduces an idea that contrasts with the main clause.

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  45. Choose the word closest in meaning to AMBIGUOUS.

    • 1 Certain
    • 2 Useful
    • 3 Unclear
    • 4 Careful
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Unclear

    An ambiguous statement can be understood in more than one way.

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