English Language

Writing and Communication Skills

1,464 Questions

This hub tests writing techniques, essay structuring, and effective communication skills. It includes practical exercises on vocabulary replacement, drafting passages, and formatting reports. These English language questions appear in most competitive exams.

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Writing and Communication Skills Questions

Multiple choice story and its elements writing english

You must convey that a character is very clumsy. Which of the following is the best way to do this?

  1. By stating that he/she is very clumsy.

  2. By describing an event when the person accidentally tripped.

  3. By modifying the way the person speaks

  4. By revealing how the other characters perceive him/her
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The best way, out of the given options, to convey the readers that a character is very clumsy is by revealing how the other characters perceive or see him/her. Therefore option D is the correct option.

Option A is incorrect because simply stating that he/she is clumsy not enough for the readers to be convinced that the character is indeed clumsy. It lacks imagination. 
Option B is incorrect because anyone can accidentally trip and with a single incident the readers can't consider it being characteristic of a clumsy person.
Modifying the way the character speaks can in no way be connected him/her being clumsy. Hence option C is also incorrect. 

Multiple choice story and its elements writing english

Fill in the blank with the appropriate option:
While writing a story, the protagonist must ________________ .

  1. be an immediately likable character

  2. never make mistakes

  3. have a wealth of knowledge

  4. be the character around whom the plot revolves
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The protagonist is the central character of a story, and the plot is essentially the series of events that happen to or are caused by this character.

Multiple choice story and its elements writing english

While writing an exposition, one must be careful not to do which of the following?

  1. Use complex sentences

  2. Reveal the plot of the story

  3. Write briefly

  4. Provide useful information
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

An exposition is a literary device used to introduce background information or a backstory of a character or plot.

Option B: An exposition describes a scene, character or plot and hence reveals more information about it.
But, it does not reveal the entire plot of the story. The function of an exposition is to help the reader understand the plot/character better, and not reveal the story itself. Hence option B is correct.
Option A: An exposition can use complex sentences.
Options C and D: An exposition should preferably be brief, and it should provide information useful to the story.
Hence options A, C and D are wrong.

Multiple choice story and its elements writing english

You want to convey to the reader that a character is depressed. Which of the following is the best way to do this?

  1. By stating that the character is depressed

  2. By stating that the character's friends think he/she is depressed

  3. By describing the characters routine

  4. By describing the person's lack of motivation at work
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The best way to describe a character in a story is to make the reader sympathize with him/her. The character's personal experiences, instances that have led him to become depressed, and bringing the other characters' viewpoints about his depression affect the way the reader perceives the character.
Directly stating that the character is depressed does not really produce a desirable effect on the reader. Hence option A is incorrect.
Option B: By using the voices of others, like the character's friends, the narrator can best portray that he/she is depressed. Hence option B is correct.
Option C: The character's routine does not link up with his emotions. Depression is a state of extreme sadness, an emotion. His routine will tell the reader what he does every day. It does not tell the reader how he feels. Hence C is incorrect.
Option D: Similarly, 'the character's lack of motivation at work' is in relation to his profession and not depression. Hence D is also incorrect.

Multiple choice story and its elements writing english

Fill in the blank with a suitable option:

While writing an exposition, one must ______________________ . 

  1. reveal the plot of the story

  2. use as few words as possible to reveal background information

  3. only reveal information that is connected to the characters

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

An exposition is a literary device used to introduce background information or a backstory of a character or plot.

Option B: One must write an exposition in few words. An exposition is an introduction or a backstory, and if it goes into too much detail, the reader would get lost in the past and lose track of the present story. Hence option B is correct.
Options A and C: An exposition introduces the plot, and does not reveal the plot. The latter would be a form of summary to the story.
Also, an exposition can be based on character, setting or plot. It's not necessary that it must only be connected to the characters.
Hence options A and C are wrong.
Option D is wrong because the answer lies in B.

Multiple choice story and its elements writing english

Which option(s) best identifies the use of exposition in literature?

  1. To show a contrast

  2. To express conflicting ideas

  3. To reveal background information

  4. To remove unwanted information
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Option C: An exposition is 'a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory'.

In literature, it's a literary device that introduces background information about events, settings, characters or other elements of a work to the reader. Hence option C is correct.
Options A, B and D: These options do not describe what an exposition is. Hence options A, B and D are wrong.

Multiple choice story and its elements writing english

In what forms may exposition be used in a story?

  1. Through dialogue

  2. Through narration of facts

  3. Through a prologue

  4. All the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

An exposition can be used in various forms:

Dialogue: Characters talking to each other is one way of revealing background information, when they're describing past events or incidents in their conversation.

Narration of facts: Between scenes, the writer can add facts to story for revealing more information about the characters and setting.

Backstory/prologue: Some stories or books have a 'prologue' before the first chapter or scene, to lay out the background information and the events that brought the main character where he is in the start of the story.


Hence option D 'all of the above' is correct.
Options A, B and C are, individually, incorrect.

Multiple choice story and its elements writing english

Choose the best option to complete the sentence:

While writing an exposition, one should ____________________.

  1. only use dialogue

  2. use short phrases and sentences

  3. use a single sentence

  4. 'show' instead of 'telling'
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

An exposition is a literary device used to introduce background information or a backstory of a character or plot.

Option D: An exposition describes a scene, character or plot and hence reveals more information about it.
Hence, it would be best to 'show' a scene' rather than simply 'telling' what happened.
For example, instead of just saying 'I love chocolate' one can say 'I would smack my lips over any food item with chocolate in it'. Hence option D is correct.
Option A: Dialogue is one of the ways of writing an exposition, but not the only way.
Option B: Using short phrases and sentences isn't a necessity while writing an exposition.
Option C: A single sentence may not always be sufficient to introduce a character or plot. Sometimes it may require a few pages, like in a prologue.
Hence options A, B and C are wrong.

Multiple choice story and its elements writing english

Fill in the blank with the most suitable word:

The most important thing to do when you start a narrative is to __________.

  1. name all the characters

  2. say when the action took place

  3. make the reader want to read on

  4. explain where the action took palce
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The primary motive of any author should be to make the narrative engaging for the readers. If the readers like the way events unfold in a narrative, then only will they continue to read. And if they continue to read, they'll slowly come to know what the narrative has in store for them and will find the answers of the other options from the narrative itself. So, Option C is correct and the other options are wrong.

Multiple choice story and its elements writing english

Fill in the blank from the options listed below:


One way to keep events in order when you write a narrative is to ___________ .

  1. write about a real life event

  2. use consistent verb-tenses

  3. look in a family scrapbook for story ideas

  4. choose an interesting place to write about
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Keeping in mind the chronology of events is very important while framing a narrative. So, maintaining the sequence of tenses becomes all the more essential for proper production of a narrative. Thus, option B is correct. The other options are incorrect because they are just certain store-houses where one can get ideas to frame a narrative. They do not say anything about the construction of a narrative.

Multiple choice commercial applications verbal and non-verbal communication spoken (oral) and written communication written and oral communication ways of communicating non-verbal communication non-verbal communication and interpersonal skills

Organizations expect writing to be professional and free from typographical and typing errors so one should _________.

  1. proofread and edit the document carefully

  2. rely on the spell check

  3. depend on others

  4. both a & b
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Professional writing requires accuracy and freedom from errors, which can only be reliably achieved by thorough proofreading and editing. Relying solely on automated spell checkers is risky because they miss context-dependent errors or homophones.

Multiple choice commercial applications communication in commercial organisations barriers to communication communication in a commercial organisation communication

Which of the following is a technical error in a written document rather than a weakness in the document's style?

  1. Misspelled word

  2. Vague request

  3. Legalistic language

  4. Selfish tone
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

A misspelled word is a mechanical or technical error in writing. Vague requests, legalistic language, and selfish tones are stylistic or content-related weaknesses.

Multiple choice character sketch writing english

Which of the following best defines a character sketch?
Select the best option. 

  1. A written analysis of a character's role in a plot

  2. A brief introduction to the story of a character

  3. A written description of the relationships of a character

  4. A written description of the qualities of a character
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Choice D is correct as a charcter sketch descibes the character. Choice A is wrong as the role of the character would tell the story or make the story move forward. Choice B is wrong as an introduction to the story is not a character sketch. Choice C is wrong relationships do not make a character sketch

Multiple choice character sketch writing english

Select the best option to fill in the blank:
You need  ______________ in order to create a character sketch.

  1. all the information about a character

  2. a clear idea of the personality of the character

  3. a detailed account of the history of the character

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

"A character sketch is a description made for the purpose of guiding the writer on such assignments as introducing a particular character to the reader in such a way that both the writer and readers can have a quick overview of the character's attributes; including but not limited to physical appearance, idiosyncratic (individual) tendencies in different circumstances, state of mind as shaped by former experiences and how these will affect their future actions."

Options A and B:
A character sketch gives the reader an idea about the character's personality, rather than everything about it. The sketch is made for the reader to understand how the character thinks and feels. This expresses personality.
You don't need all the information about the character, as it wouldn't help the reader as much to understand the character.
Hence option A is wrong and B is right.
Option C: It is not necessary to know the detailed history of the character, what shapes a character is how he talks, thinks, feels and behaves.
Hence option C is wrong.
Option D is wrong as only one answer is right 'B'.

Multiple choice character sketch writing english

Select the best option to fill in the blank:
A character sketch is usually written ___________ . 

  1. before the character has been identified completely

  2. after planning out the role of the character in the story

  3. from the point of view of someone else

  4. by the character themselves
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

A character sketch is typically written by an author or observer from an external perspective, describing the character's traits, appearance, and motivations.