Tag: writing

Questions Related to writing

Identify the correct headline:

Mumbai University declared yesterday that it would soon provide free Wi-Fi to both staff and students.

  1. Mumbai University is planning free Wi-Fi for staff, students

  2. Mumbai University plans free Wi-Fi for staff, students

  3. Mumbai University plans free Wi-Fi for staff and students

  4. Mumbai University plans to provide free Wi-Fi for staff, students


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The correct headline is Option B. The headline here is precise and provides us with the complete idea of the article. An immediate past event is written in simple present tense which also makes the headline suitable. Option A is incorrect as we avoid using 'be verbs' in a headline. Also the tense of the headline is incorrect. Option C is incorrect due the improper use of the conjunction 'and'. Option D is incorrect as we generally use one 'principal verb' to write a headline.

Identify the error in the headline:

Engineer killed as car, bus catch fire

  1. ,

  2. killed

  3. catch

  4. No error


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

There are no errors in the headline and so the correct answer is Option D. Options A, B and C are incorrect as all the given examples adhere to the format of headline writing. A comma (,) replaces 'and'; past perfect is written as past tense and simple past i written as simple present in a headline.

Select an appropriate headline with respect to the following information:

A doctor from Beawar town was found dead in his hotel room in Ajmer's Shastri Nagar area on Saturday morning. Police have not yet identified the reason behind the suicide but doctors suspect that the deceased was mentally depressed.

  1. A doctor from Beawar was found dead in a hotel room in Ajmer

  2. Beawar doctor found dead in a hotel room in Ajmer

  3. Beawar doctor was found dead in hotel room in Ajmer

  4. Beawar doctor found dead in hotel room in Ajmer


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The correct headline is option D. This headline is accurate, precise and follows the correct format of headline writing. Option A is incorrect due to use of the article 'a' in several places and also the use of a 'be verb' like 'was' in the headline. Such additions are avoided in a headline to make it precise. Option B is incorrect due to improper use of article 'a' in the headline. Option C is incorrect due to the improper use of 'be verb'- 'was' in the headline.

Select the appropriate headline:

The Rajya Sabha received reports on Monday that 34 out of UP's 75 districts are currently over-exploited for groundwater.

  1. Out of 75 UP districts, 34 are 'over-exploited' for groundwater

  2. 34 'over-exploited' UP districts for groundwater

  3. Out of 75 UP districts, 34 'over-exploited' for groundwater

  4. Out of the 75 UP districts, 34 'over-exploited' for groundwater


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

The correct headline is Option C. The headline is precise, accurate and stands by the format of an appropriate headline. Option A is incorrect due to the use of a 'be verb', 'are' in the headline. Option B is precise but only provides incomplete information on the data provided. Option D is incorrect due to the use of the 'article', 'the' in the headline.

Given below is a newspaper headline. Choose the option which explains the headline:
Rain Disrupts Last Day Play Between India-Australia

  1. India-Australia play disrupted by rain.

  2. The rain disrupted the last day's play between India and Australia.

  3. The Australia and India last day's play disrupted by rain.

  4. None of the above.


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

In newspaper headlines, the auxiliary verbs (helping verbs) are generally omitted, because headlines are designed to be short, in order to attract attention. Hence the English rules used will be slightly different than the normal spoken language.
In the given newspaper headline, the tense has been changed from simple past tense to simple present 'disrupts'.
Option B explains the headline by using the past tense form of the verb, 'disrupted'. Hence B is the correct option.
Option A: The explanation has left out a specific detail 'last day'. This changes the meaning of the headline. Hence option A is incorrect.
Option C is incorrect because it does not give the clear meaning of the headline. The hyphen sign '-' means 'between' and not 'and': The Australia and India last day's play.
Option D is incorrect because the answer lies in B.

Given below is a newspaper headline. Choose the option which explains the headline:
Al staff to go on an indefinite strike

  1. The Al staff will go on an indefinite strike.

  2. Indefinite strike goes on Al.

  3. Both A and B.

  4. None of the above.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

In newspaper headlines, the future tense is generally changed to a to-infinitive phrase, because headlines are designed to be short, in order to attract attention. Hence the English rules used will be slightly different than the normal spoken language.
In the given newspaper headline, the future tense has changed to an infinitive phrase "to go on an indefinite strike".
Option A explains the headline by using the future tense form of the verb 'go'. Hence A is the correct option.
Option B: This has changed the meaning of the headline. Also, the meaning of this sentence is incoherent. Hence B is incorrect.
Option C is incorrect because B is not the correct option.
Option D is incorrect because the answer lies in A.

Given below is a newspaper headline. Choose the option which explains the headline:
Dr. APJ Kalam Awarded Bharat Ratna 

  1. Bharat Ratna was awarded to Dr. APJ Kalam.

  2. Dr. APJ Kalam awards the Bharat Ratna.

  3. Both A and B.

  4. None of the above.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

In newspaper headlines, the auxiliary verbs (helping verbs) are generally omitted, because headlines are designed to be short, in order to attract attention. Hence the English rules used will be slightly different than the normal spoken language.
In the given newspaper headline, the helping verb has been omitted.
Option A explains the headline by introducing the helping verb 'was'. Hence A is the correct option.
Option B: This has changed the meaning of the headline. Also, the tense is changed from past to present. Headlines do not mention present events, they can only mention events that have taken place in the past. Hence B is incorrect.
Option C is incorrect because B is not the correct option. It has changed the meaning of the headline.
Option D is incorrect because the answer lies in A.

Given below is a newspaper headline. Choose the option which explains the headline:
Several Terrorists Arrested by Police 

  1. The police has been arrested by the terrorists.

  2. Several terrorists have been arrested by police.

  3. Both A and B.

  4. None of the above.


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

In newspaper headlines, the auxiliary verbs (helping verbs) are generally omitted, because headlines are designed to be short, in order to attract attention. Hence the English rules used will be slightly different than the normal spoken language.
In the given newspaper headline, the helping verbs have been omitted.
Option B explains the headline, by introducing the helping verbs 'have been'. Hence B is the correct option.
Option A has changed in meaning, compared to the original headline. The headline is in passive voice, where the subject "Terrorists" receives the action "arrested" from the object "police". But, option A has swapped the position of the subject and object, without changing the passive verb form 'has been arrested by'. Hence A is incorrect.
Option C is incorrect because A isn't the correct option.
Similarly, option D is incorrect because the answer lies only in B.

Given below is a newspaper headline. Choose the option which explains the headline:
Hurricane Laila Hits Andhra Coast

  1. Andhra coast was hit by Hurricane Laila.

  2. Hurricane Laila coast hit by Andhra.

  3. Both the above mean the same.

  4. None of the above.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

In newspaper headlines, the auxiliary verbs (helping verbs) are generally omitted, because headlines are designed to be short, in order to attract attention. Hence the English rules used will be slightly different than the normal spoken language.
In the given newspaper headline, the helping verb has been omitted.
Also, the tense is changed from simple past tense to simple present.
Option A explains the headline by introducing the helping verb 'was' and using the past tense form of the verb 'hit'. Hence A is the correct option.
Option B: This has changed the meaning of the headline. The name of the coast is not 'Hurricane Laila', it's Andhra. Hence B is incorrect.
Option C is incorrect because A and B do not mean the same. The latter has changed the meaning of the headline.
Option D is incorrect because the answer lies in A.

(Also, the headline is in active voice, the subject 'Hurricane' performs the action 'hits' against the object 'Andhra coast'. The explanation in A has changed in passive voice, without changing the meaning of the headline. In passive voice, the object A.C takes the place of the subject H.L, and receives the action 'hit by'.)

Select the appropriate headline for the following:

The police have finally arrested the serial killer and closed the case on the abductions.

  1. Police arrest serial killer and close case on abductions

  2. Police arrest serial killer -- close case on abductions

  3. The police arrest serial killer -- close case on abductions

  4. Police arrest serial killer to close case on abductions


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The correct headline for the given context is Option B. This headline depicts the central idea and stands by the norms of a headline. Option A is incorrect as conjunctions are replaced by punctuation in a headline. Option C is incorrect due to the use of an article which is omitted in a headline. Option D denotes a different meaning due to the use of an infinitive, the statement is in past tense but 'to' in the headline denotes future tense.