Category: Professional Communication Objective Questions

Professional Communication Multiple Choice Questions on “Types of Tenses”.

1. Which of these is not a type of tense?
a) Present
b) Language
c) Past
d) Future
Answer: b
Clarification: A tense shows the time of action and its degree of completeness. It is broadly classified into three types: present, past and future tense.

2. Which of these is not a type of present tense?
a) Simple
b) Continuous
c) Imperfect
d) Perfect
Answer: c
Clarification: A particular tense can further be divided into four types. They are: simple, continuous, perfect, perfect continuous.

3. A perfect tense denotes an action which has been completed, and is in a perfect state.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The perfect form (in present, past or future) denotes an action which has been completed, and is in a perfect state. For example: I have loved, I had loved, I shall have loved.

4. Which of these statements belongs to perfect continuous tense?
a) I was loving
b) I had written
c) I had been writing
d) I shall be writing
Answer: c
Clarification: The perfect continuous tense combines the meanings of the both the perfect and continuous tense. For example: I have been writing, I had been writing, I shall have been writing. I was loving is past continuous tense, I had written is past perfect tense, and I shall be writing is future continuous tense.

5. The statement I have written a letter belongs to which of these tenses?
a) Simple present tense
b) Present perfect tense
c) Present continuous tense
d) Present perfect continuous tense
Answer: b
Clarification: The present perfect tense denotes an action which has been completed, and is in a perfect state in the present form. For example, I have written a letter, I have loved, I have been to Chennai. Simple present tense would be: I write letters. Present continuous tense would be: I am writing a letter. Present perfect continuous tense would be: I have been writing a letter.

6. Which of these statements belong to present continuous tense (plural)?
a) We are writing a letter.
b) She is writing a letter.
c) They were writing a letter.
d) We were writing a letter.
Answer: a
Clarification: The correct statement is: We are writing a letter. In the present continuous form the event denotes an action that is still continuing or is yet not completed. It can be in singular or plural form.

7. To which of these tenses does the following statement belong?
We were watching television all day.
a) Simple past tense
b) Past continuous tense
c) Past perfect tense
d) Past perfect continuous tense
Answer: b
Clarification: The past continuous tense is used to denote an action going on at some time in the past. The time of the action may or may not be indicated. For example: We were watching television all day.

8. Fill in with past perfect tense: I _______ my homework when my uncle arrived.
a) completed
b) had completed
c) was completing
d) had been completing
Answer: b
Clarification: The past perfect tense describes an action completed before a certain moment in the past. For example, I had completed homework when my uncle arrived.

9. Which of these is an example of simple present tense?
a) I am going to Delhi tomorrow.
b) There she goes!
c) He has just gone out.
d) I am reading the gita.
Answer: b
Clarification: The simple present tense is used in exclamatory sentences, to express what is actually taking place in the present. For example: There she goes!

10. Choose the correct statement:
a) I am a student for over three years now.
b) I have been a student for over three years now.
c) I am being a student for over three years now.
d) I was a student for over three years now.
Answer: b
Clarification: The correct statement is: I have been a student for over three years now. To refer to something which began in the past and which has continued upto now, we used the present perfect tense.

Professional Communication Multiple Choice Questions on “The Conjunction”.

1. A conjunction is a word which merely joins together sentences and words.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. A conjunction is a word which merely joins together sentences and words. They are also known as sentence connectives.

2. Coordinating clauses are clauses of ______ rank.
a) equal
b) unequal
c) different
d) varied
Answer: a
Clarification: Conjunctions can broadly be classified into two types. They are: Co-ordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions. Coordinating clauses are clauses of equal rank.

3. Which of these is not a coordinating conjunction?
a) Cumulative
b) Adversative
c) Possessive
d) Alternative
Answer: c
Clarification: Co-ordinating conjunctions can be classified into four types. They are: Cumulative, adversative, alternative and illative.

4. Which of these is not a type of subordinating conjunction?
a) Result
b) Time
c) Cause
d) Age
Answer: d
Clarification: Subordinating conjunctions can be classified into seven types. They are: time, cause, purpose, result, condition, concession and comparison.

5. Which of these words is not an example of subordinating conjunction related to time?
a) Before
b) Till
c) Because
d) Since
Answer: c
Clarification: Subordinating conjunctions which are related to time are indicated by words like before, till, since. For example, “She reached here after he had left.” ‘Because’ is a conjunction related to reasoning. It joins two clauses wherein one clauses states something and the other clauses provides reason to support the first clause.

6. Choose the correct statement:
a) He wants to win. But he doesn’t have the skills to do so.
b) He wants to win, but he doesn’t have the skills to do so.
c) He wants to win and he doesn’t have the skills to do so.
d) He wants to win as he doesn’t have the skills to do so.
Answer: b
Clarification: The correct statement is: He wants to win, but he doesn’t have the skills to do so. We don’t place the coordinating conjunctions and, or and but at the beginning of the sentence.

7. Choose the correct statement:
a) Either the action was just or unjust.
b) The action was either just or unjust.
c) The action was just or unjust.
d) The action was just or the action was unjust.
Answer: b
Clarification: The correct statement is: The action was either just or unjust. In correlative conjunctions, each member of the pair should be placed before the same part of the speech.

8. Fill in the blank :
The man was looking for a _________ girl.
a) smart and beautiful
b) smart beautiful
c) smart or beautiful
d) smart but beautiful
Answer: b
Clarification: The correct statement is: The man was looking for a smart beautiful girl. Two adjectives used before a noun are linked with and only if the belong to the same class.

9. Choose the correct statement:
a) These men are poor hence they are weak.
b) These men are poor and so they are weak.
c) These men are poor because they are weak.
d) These men are poor since they are weak.
Answer: b
Clarification: The correct statement is: These men are poor and so they are weak. Hence is an adverb, not a conjunction. It can’t be used to link clauses.

10. Fill in the blank:
My son, _____ is only ten, has started playing rugby.
a) which
b) that
c) who
d) whom
Answer: c
Clarification: The correct statement is: son, who is only ten, has started playing rugby. A relative class which tells us which person the speaker is talking about can begin with who or what, but if a relative clause simply adds a comment, it can’t begin with that.

Basic Professional Communication Questions and Answers focuses on “Definitions”.

1. Information is required to describe an object.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. Information is required to describe an object. It is also needed to explain processes involved in technical operations.

2. Which of these terms do not need a definition?
a) Principles
b) Concepts
c) Processes
d) Names
Answer: d
Clarification: Terms which involve principles, concepts or processes need to be defined. It is done so that ambiguities can be removed and information can be made available to others.

3. A definition usually consists of ___ statement(s).
a) three
b) one
c) four
d) five
Answer: b
Clarification: A definition usually consists of one statement, though more than one statement might sometimes be necessary.

4. A definition consists of how many parts?
a) Two
b) Three
c) Four
d) Five
Answer: a
Clarification: A definition must contain: The class to which the term belongs and the thing which separates it from other members of the same class.

5. A definition excludes everything which is unimportant.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. A definition excludes everything which is unimportant, but without taking away anything from the main information that needs to be conveyed.

6. Which of these must be eliminated by a writer while defining?
a) Facts
b) Knowledge
c) Prejudices
d) Information
Answer: c
Clarification: While defining something a writer must eliminate his prejudices and limitations of knowledge in that field. He must give an objective and complete definition of a term.

7. Which of these is a representation of an object drawn by lines?
a) Drawing
b) Picture
c) Illustration
d) Photo
Answer: a
Clarification: A drawing is a representation of an object drawn by lines, shade, etc..A picture is different from a drawing and an illustration.

8. A _____ is a representation of an object on another surface.
a) drawing
b) image
c) illustration
d) picture
Answer: d
Clarification: The correct statement is: A picture is a representation of an object on another surface. A drawing is a representation of an object drawn by lines, shade, etc.

9. What does LASER stand for?
a) Light Amplification of Stimulated Emission of Radiation
b) Light Amplification of Stimulated Emission by Radiation
c) Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation
d) Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission by Radiation
Answer: c
Clarification: LASER stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. It is a device which produces an intense, high direction beam of light of a very pure colour.

10. Thermostat is a combination of ___ and ___
a) therm, ostat
b) thermo, stat
c) therm, stat
d) therms, tat
Answer: b
Clarification: The word thermostat is a combination of thermo = heat and stat = regulation. Thus thermostat is an automatic device for regulating temperatures.

To practice basic questions and answers on all areas of Professional Communication,

Professional Communication Multiple Choice Questions on “A Discussion and its Ingredients”.

1. Which of these should be avoided in an interview?
a) Clarity
b) Smile
c) Confusion
d) Confidence
Answer: c
Clarification: The interviewee should speak clearly and effectively. He/she should not be confused while he/she speaks and instead should speak confidently and with a smile.

2. Which of these is not a characteristic of a group personality?
a) Spirit of conformity
b) Respect for group values
c) Collective power
d) Disrespect
Answer: d
Clarification: A group personality must have five characteristics. They are: spirit of conformity, respect for group values, respect to change, group prejudice and collective power.

3. The word discuss is derived from _______
a) discutere
b) discuter
c) discutera
d) discutare
Answer: a
Clarification: The word discuss is derived from the latin word discutere that means to shake or strike. The word discussion is a noun.

4. Which of these is not an ingredient of a discussion?
a) Purpose
b) Planning
c) Rudeness
d) Leadership
Answer: c
Clarification: A discussion has five ingredients. They are: purpose, planning, participation, informality and leadership.

5. Which of these is the first ingredient in a group discussion?
a) Planning
b) Purpose
c) Informality
d) Leadership
Answer: b
Clarification: The first ingredient of an effective discussion is purpose. Unless there is a clear purpose there will not be any discussion.

6. Planning is the _______ ingredient of discussion.
a) first
b) second
c) third
d) fifth
Answer: b
Clarification: The correct statement is: Planning is the second ingredient of discussion. We can’t rely on any random or on the sop expression of feelings or ideas.

7. Participation is the third ingredient of a group discussion.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. Participation is the third ingredient of a group discussion. Participation is the very life of a meaningful discussion.

8. Which of these is the fourth ingredient in a group discussion?
a) Participation
b) Informality
c) Leadership
d) Planning
Answer: b
Clarification: Informality is the fourth ingredient in a group discussion. Informality and cordiality are essential to encourage the fullest possible participation.

9. Which of these is the final ingredient in a group discussion?
a) Purpose
b) Planning
c) Participation
d) Leadership
Answer: d
Clarification: Leadership is the final ingredient in a group discussion. Every group discussion has to be piloted by a leader.

10. In a group discussion, a leader is assisted by a secretary.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. A leader is indispensable for a group discussion. It is to be pointed out that a leader has to be assisted by a secretary.

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