Category: Professional Communication Objective Questions

Professional Communication Multiple Choice Questions on “Seminars and Conferences”.

1. A seminar discusses in a small group on original research.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. A seminar discusses in a small group on original research or advanced study through oral or written reports.

2. In a symposium, a small group of experts discuss a problem.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. In a symposium, a small group of experts discuss different aspects of a problem for the benefit of an audience.

3. In a ________ , each member speaks on a pre-planned subject.
a) seminar
b) conference
c) panel discussion
d) symposium
Answer: c
Clarification: The correct statement is: In a panel discussion, each member speaks on a pre-planned subject, which is normally in the form of a question.

4. In which of these people with similar interests contribute with their knowledge?
a) seminar
b) conference
c) symposium
d) convention
Answer: b
Clarification: In a conference, people with similar interests contribute with their knowledge. It ends in a set of suggestions or recommendations which are based on the central theme of the conference.

5. A ______ is a fellowship meeting of a fraternal group.
a) conference
b) symposium
c) seminar
d) convention
Answer: d
Clarification: The correct statement is: A convention is a fellowship meeting of a fraternal group. Only matters of professional interest are discussed in it.

6. Which of these is not used to organise a seminar?
a) Oral reports
b) Written reports
c) Exchange of ideas
d) Recommendations
Answer: d
Clarification: A seminar discusses in a small group on original research or advanced study through oral or written reports. It may also be organised through exchange of ideas.

7. A conference is not attended by ________
a) invited guests
b) common people
c) permitted observers
d) people with common interests
Answer: b
Clarification: In a conference, people with similar interests contribute with their knowledge. A conference is only attended by invited guests or permitted observers.

8. We learn maximum by _____.
a) hearing
b) seeing
c) speaking
d) feeling
Answer: b
Clarification: Hearing is not the most crucial learning sensory perception available to man. A mere 11% of the knowledge that we pick us is through hearing. The eyes account for nearly 83% of our learning.

9. Which of these must be avoided in a meeting?
a) Patience
b) Tact
c) Leadership
d) Criticism
Answer: d
Clarification: A successful meeting needs patience, tact and leadership. It is better not to criticise a remark which appears irrational or silly.

10. Before the meeting is concluded, there must be a ______
a) summary
b) question
c) discussion
d) agenda
Answer: a
Clarification: Before the meeting is concluded there must be a summary and analysis of the discussion and the decisions taken. Members must feel that something concrete and substantial has been achieved.

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Professional Communication Interview Questions and Answers focuses on “Omission and Repetition of Articles”.

1. Articles are usually omitted before proper nouns.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: Articles are usually omitted before proper nouns. For example, Shakespeare had a comprehensive soul. An article used before a proper noun makes it a common noun.

2. In which of these cases, the article is not omitted?
a) Before names of materials
b) Before names of relations
c) Before the names of certain books
d) Before languages
Answer: c
Clarification: Before the names of certain books, the definite article the is used. For example, The Mahabharat . Before languages, names of materials and relations, articles are omitted.

3. What does the word in bold letters refer to?
His second composition was little better than his first.
a) Hardly
b) Not much
c) Scarcely
d) Wasn’t
Answer: b
Clarification: little is used chiefly with better or more in formal english. For example, His second composition was little (= not much) better than his first.

4. Choose the correct statement.
a) Her brother is an engineer.
b) Her brother is a engineer.
c) Her brother is the engineer.
d) Her brother is engineer.
Answer: a
Clarification: When we define or classify someone or something we use a/an + singular count noun. In the above question, the noun starts with a vowel, so we use an.

5. When we mention someone or something for the first time, we use the.
a) True
b) False
Answer: b
Clarification: When we mention someone or something for the first time, we use a/ an not the. When we mention the same person or thing again, we use the. For example: I saw a dog on the street today. The dog looked hungry.

6. Correct the statement :
Family is an unit of society.
a) Family is the unit of society.
b) Family is a unit of society.
c) Family is unit of society.
d) The family is unit of society.
Answer: b
Clarification: The correct statement is : Family is a unit of society. We use a or an as per the sound of the vowel and not the actual vowel. Here the vowel u is pronounced as yoo.

7. Fill in the blank : He is ___ honest lawyer.
a) a
b) an
c) the
d) very
Answer: b
Clarification: Usually, if the first letter of the word is a consonant, it is preceded by the article a. However, there are some exceptions. The word honest is one such exception. Its first letter is a consonant, but the first syllable of the word is a vowel-like sound. Hence, it should be preceded by an.

8. Little as an adverb can’t be used with which one of these?
a) Verbs
b) Unfavourable adjectives
c) Countable nouns
d) Comparative adverbs
Answer: c
Clarification: The word little has different usages as an adverb. It can be used as with verbs (Eg: The sun came out a little during the day.), with unfavourable adjectives (Eg: His looked a little worse today compared to yesterday.), and so on. However, when dealing with magnitudes and quantities, the word little can only be used if the quantity can’t be counted or assigned a proper value.

9. Find the correct statement.
a) Sun rises in the east.
b) The sun rises in the east.
c) Sun rises in east.
d) The sun rises in east.
Answer: b
Clarification: We use the before names of things that are unique like the sun, the sky, the sea, etc. We also use the when we emphasise to a specific direction.

10. Fill in the blanks : ___ more you concentrate, ___ better you become.
a) the, a
b) the, the
c) a, a
d) the, then
Answer: b
Clarification: The is always used an adverb with comparative. Here as the sentence is comparative, we use the in both the places.

Professional Communication for Interviews,

Professional Communication Multiple Choice Questions on “Interchange of Active and Passive Voice”.

1. The passive of an active tense is formed by inserting the verb ‘to be’ into the same tense as the active verb and adding the past participle of the active verb.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. The passive of an active tense is formed by inserting the verb ‘to be’ into the same tense as the active verb and adding the past participle of the active verb. For example, active voice: He threw the ball. Passive voice: The ball was thrown by him.

2. Convert the following sentence in active voice to passive voice :
He is writing the book.
a) The book has been written by him.
b) The book is being written by him.
c) The book is written by him.
d) The book was written by him.
Answer: b
Clarification: The correct statement is : The book is being written by him. The passive of continuous tenses requires the present continuous form of “to be”. And the verb ‘writing’ needs to be converted to its past participle form, that is, ‘written’.

3. Auxiliary + infinitive combinations are made passive by using a passive infinitive.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. Auxiliary + infinitive combinations are made passive by using a passive infinitive. Example : Active : You must write this letter. Passive : This letter must be written by you.

4. Verbs of which of these do not form their passive with the passive infinitive?
a) Liking
b) Loving
c) Wanting
d) Advice
Answer: d
Clarification: Verbs of liking/ loving/ wanting/ wishing etc + object + infinitive form their passive with the passive infinitive.

5. Verbs of which of these form their passive by using the passive form of the main verb.
a) Wanting
b) Wishing
c) Liking
d) Command
Answer: d
Clarification: Verbs of advice, command etc + indirect object + infinitive form their passive by using the passive form of the main verb.

6. Convert the following active form to passive form :
I was determined to mortgage the car.
a) I was determined that the car should be mortgaged.
b) The car was determined to be mortgaged.
c) I was determined that car will be mortgaged.
d) I am determined that car will be mortgaged.
Answer: a
Clarification: The correct statement is: I was determined that the car should be mortgaged. Agree/ be anxious/ arrange/ be determined/ determine/ decide + infinitive + object are usually expressed in the passive by that…should.

7. Which of these is not an use of the passive voice?
a) When we know about the doer of the action.
b) When the subject of the active verb would be people.
c) To avoid awkward or ungrammatical sentences.
d) When an active form would create problems for the speaker.
Answer: a
Clarification: The passive voice has a lot of uses. Some of them are : When we don’t know about the doer of the action, when the subject of the active verb would be people, to avoid awkward or ungrammatical sentences, etc.

8. Which of these is not a part of speech?
a) Noun
b) Verb
c) Preposition
d) Object
Answer: d
Clarification: There are eight parts of speech. They are : Noun, pronoun, verb, adverb, adjective, preposition, conjunction and interjection.

9. In the following sentence, replace the verb by a noun :
He fought bravely.
a) He put up a brave fight.
b) A fight was put up bravely.
c) A brave fight was put up.
d) A fight is put up bravely.
Answer: a
Clarification: The correct statement is: He put up a brave fight. Here fought is a verb and fight is a noun. So there is interchange of part of speech.

10. In the following sentence, replace the adverb with a noun:
He watched the girl carefully.
a) He watched her with care.
b) He watched the girl with great care.
c) With care he watched her.
d) Care was taken while watching her.
Answer: b
Clarification: The correct statement is: He watched the girl with great care. Here, carefully is an adverb and care is a noun.

Professional Communication Multiple Choice Questions on “Enumeration”.

1. Pronoun governing a Gerund should be put in possessive case.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. Pronoun governing a Gerund should be put in possessive case. For example, “ Please forgive my being late.”

2. Adverbs must be placed next to the words they modify.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. Adverbs must be placed next to the words they modify. For example, “ He had reached almost to the top when the rope broke.”

3. Which of these combinations destroy each other?
a) Positive + positive
b) Positive + negative
c) Negative + negative
d) Negative + positive
Answer: c
Clarification: Two negatives destroy each other. They must never be used together unless we wish to make an affirmation. For example: I didn’t do nothing. This is incorrect, as it has two negatives. The correct sentence is: I didn’t do anything.

4. Which of these should not be used for adverbs?
a) Nouns
b) Adjectives
c) Prepositions
d) Verbs
Answer: b
Clarification: Adjectives can’t be used for adverbs. We should say, “ He came more quickly ( not quicker) than I expected.”

5. In which of these ly is not added?
a) First
b) Second
c) Third
d) Final
Answer: a
Clarification: In an enumeration say first, secondly, thirdly. First, being itself an adverb, does not need the ly that is frequently added.

6. ______ must not be used with a Correlative.
a) Adjective
b) Noun
c) Adverb
d) Pronoun
Answer: c
Clarification: An adverb of degree must not be used with a correlative, unless the usage is colloquial. For example, “ He is very weak.”

7. _____ should not be used instead of so.
a) On the contrary
b) That
c) But
d) However
Answer: b
Clarification: That should not be used instead of so as an adverb. For example: I could reach only so (not that) far.

8. Choose the correct statement.
a) He bought two dozen mangoes.
b) He bought two dozens mangoes.
c) He bought two dozen mango.
d) He bought two dozens mango.
Answer: a
Clarification: The correct statement is: He bought two dozen mangoes. The word dozen is singular here as it is a collective noun.

9. Choose the correct statement.
a) Who was it written by?
b) Who was it written?
c) By whom was it written?
d) By who was it written?
Answer: c
Clarification: The correct statement is: By whom was it written? Whom should be used to refer to the object of a verb or preposition.

10. Fill in the blank.
The policemen have committed _____ on innocent students.
a) access
b) accesses
c) excess
d) excesses
Answer: d
Clarification: The correct statement is: The policemen have committed excesses on innocent students. Excess is used as a noun or an adjective. When used as a noun, excess means something that is more than enough. Excesses shows extremity of excess.

Professional Communication Multiple Choice Questions on “Adjustment Letters”.

1. An adjustment letter usually follows a letter of ____
a) enquiry
b) application
c) complaint
d) invitation
Answer: c
Clarification: An adjustment letter usually follows a letter of complaint. There is need to rationally assess a letter of complaint to establish whether or not the complaint is justified.

2. If the letter of complaint is in order, it must be assessed whether the money can be refunded or not.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. Once it is established that the letter of complaint is in order, it must be assessed whether the money can be refunded or not.

3. If the letter of complaint is in order, it must be assessed whether substitute items can be supplied or not.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. Once it is established that the letter of complaint is in order, it must be assessed whether substitute items can be supplied or not.

4. Where is the name of the company writing the letter of adjustment mentioned?
a) Top left
b) Top right
c) Bottom left
d) Bottom right
Answer: b
Clarification: The name and address of the company writing the letter of adjustment is mentioned on the top right corner along with the date.

5. Where is the date mentioned in the letter of adjustment?
a) With the name of the company which placed the complaint
b) With name of the company writing the letter
c) After the main body of the letter
d) After the leave-taking
Answer: b
Clarification: The date is mentioned below the name and address of the company writing the letter of adjustment on the top right corner.

6. Where is the name and address of the company that complained mentioned?
a) Top right
b) Bottom right
c) Top left
d) Bottom left
Answer: c
Clarification: The name and address of the company which has placed the company is mentioned in the top left below the address of the company writing the letter of adjustment.

7. Where is the leave-taking mentioned in the letter?
a) Top left
b) Top right
c) Bottom left
d) Bottom right
Answer: d
Clarification: The courteous leave-taking is mentioned in the bottom right corner along with signature and designation below the main body of the letter.

8. If the letter of complaint is in order, which of these need not be assessed?
a) If money can be refunded
b) If substitute items can be supplied
c) If the damage of the goods was the fault of the owner
d) If the loss can be claimed from the insurance company
Answer: c
Clarification: Once it is established that the letter of complaint is in order it must then be assessed whether the damage or loss of goods was the fault of transporters.

9. The fault in a letter of adjustment should be accepted with ____
a) grace
b) disgrace
c) disapproval
d) clumsiness
Answer: a
Clarification: Certain principles are to be observed in letters of adjustment. The fault in a letter of adjustment should be accepted with utmost grace.

10. A letter of adjustment must explain ____
a) excuses
b) lies
c) facts
d) fakeness
Answer: c
Clarification: Certain principles are to be observed in letters of adjustment. It must explain facts, especially if the claim is unjustified.

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