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Competitive English Aptitude
English Paronyms and Heteronyms Aptitude MCQs
This section provides a set of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on English Paronyms and Heteronyms, focusing on understanding words with similar spellings but different meanings (paronyms) and words with the same spelling but different pronunciations and meanings (heteronyms). Each question includes four answer choices, the correct answer, and a detailed explanation to help you improve your vocabulary and language comprehension. Whether you are preparing for exams or enhancing your language proficiency, these English Paronyms and Heteronyms practice questions will assist you in mastering paronyms and heteronyms effectively.
List of English Paronyms and Heteronyms Aptitude MCQs
Here is a list of the top English Paronyms and Heteronyms Aptitude MCQs to test and improve skills:
1. Which of the following words are paronyms?
- Effect and Affect
- Right and Write
- Lead (metal) and Lead (to guide)
- Eight and Ate
Answer: A) Effect and Affect
Explanation:
Paronyms are words that are similar in spelling and pronunciation but have different meanings. "Effect" (a result) and "Affect" (to influence) fit this definition.
2. Which of the following pairs are heteronyms?
- Read (present) and Read (past)
- Peace and Piece
- Break and Brake
- Lose and Loose
Answer: A) Read (present) and Read (past)
Explanation:
Heteronyms are words spelled the same but pronounced differently. "Read" (present /riːd/) and "Read" (past /rɛd/) are an example.
3. What is the correct meaning of the paronym pair "Eminent" and "Imminent"?
- Both mean "famous"
- Eminent means "distinguished," and Imminent means "about to happen"
- Both mean "upcoming"
- Eminent means "immediate," and Imminent means "permanent"
Answer: B) Eminent means "distinguished," and Imminent means "about to happen"
Explanation:
"Eminent" refers to someone distinguished or famous, while "Imminent" means something that is about to occur.
4. Which of these words are heteronyms?
- Bow (to bend) and Bow (weapon)
- Flour and Flower
- Capital and Capitol
- Fair and Fare
Answer: A) Bow (to bend) and Bow (weapon)
Explanation:
Heteronyms have the same spelling but different pronunciations. "Bow" (to bend forward) is /baʊ/, while "Bow" (weapon) is /boʊ/.
5. Identify the correct pair of paronyms:
- Principle and Principal
- Desert and Dessert
- Hour and Our
- Site and Cite
Answer: A) Principle and Principal
Explanation:
Paronyms are similar-sounding words with different meanings. "Principle" means a fundamental truth, while "Principal" means the head of a school or the main part of something.
6. What does the heteronym "Wind" mean in different pronunciations?
- Moving air and to twist
- A type of storm and a body part
- A whistle and a spinning motion
- A direction and a song note
Answer: A) Moving air and to twist
Explanation:
"Wind" (air movement) is pronounced /wɪnd/, while "wind" (to twist) is pronounced /waɪnd/.
7. Which of these is a pair of paronyms?
- Stationary and Stationery
- Road and Rode
- Bear and Bare
- Lose and Loose
Answer: A) Stationary and Stationery
Explanation:
"Stationary" means not moving, while "Stationery" refers to office supplies like paper.
8. What is the heteronym pair for "Tear"?
- A drop of liquid and to rip
- To pull and to hear
- To tie and to run
- A sound and a shape
Answer: A) A drop of liquid and to rip
Explanation:
"Tear" (crying) is pronounced /tɪr/, while "tear" (to rip) is pronounced /tɛr/.
9. Identify the correct meaning of the paronym pair "Dairy" and "Diary":
- Both mean "related to milk"
- Dairy is a place for milk products, and Diary is a journal
- Dairy is a farm, and Diary is a disease
- Both are spelling variations of the same word
Answer: B) Dairy is a place for milk products, and Diary is a journal
Explanation:
"Dairy" relates to milk products, while "Diary" is a personal journal.
10. Which of the following is a heteronym?
- Lead (to guide) and Lead (metal)
- Bear and Bare
- Cell and Sell
- Steel and Steal
Answer: A) Lead (to guide) and Lead (metal)
Explanation:
"Lead" (to guide) is pronounced /liːd/, while "Lead" (metal) is pronounced /lɛd/.
11. Which of the following pairs are paronyms?
- Conscious and Conscience
- Principle and Principal
- Lose and Loose
- Desert and Dessert
Answer: A) Conscious and Conscience
Explanation:
Paronyms are words that have similar spelling and pronunciation but different meanings. "Conscious" means aware, while "Conscience" refers to moral sense.
12. Which of these words is a heteronym?
- Refuse (garbage) and Refuse (to deny)
- Peace and Piece
- Plain and Plane
- Complement and Compliment
Answer: A) Refuse (garbage) and Refuse (to deny)
Explanation:
Heteronyms are words that have the same spelling but different pronunciations. "Refuse" (trash) is /ˈrɛfjuːs/, while "Refuse" (deny) is /rɪˈfjuːz/.
13. What is the difference between "Precede" and "Proceed"?
- Both mean "to continue"
- Precede means "to come before," and Proceed means "to move forward"
- Precede means "to follow," and Proceed means "to stop"
- They are synonyms
Answer: B) Precede means "to come before," and Proceed means "to move forward"
Explanation:
Paronyms "Precede" and "Proceed" sound similar but have different meanings: "Precede" means to happen before, while "Proceed" means to continue forward.
14. Which pair represents heteronyms?
- Lead (to guide) and Lead (metal)
- Bear and Bare
- Stationary and Stationery
- Steel and Steal
Answer: A) Lead (to guide) and Lead (metal)
Explanation:
"Lead" (to guide) is pronounced /liːd/, while "Lead" (metal) is pronounced /lɛd/.
15. Which of the following words are NOT paronyms?
- Respective and Respectful
- Eligible and Illegible
- Site and Cite
- Buy and By
Answer: D) Buy and By
Explanation:
"Buy" and "By" are homophones, not paronyms. Paronyms have similar spellings but different meanings, such as "Eligible" (qualified) and "Illegible" (not readable).
16. What is the correct meaning of "Bass" in different pronunciations?
- A fish and a musical sound
- A string and a type of tree
- A shape and a building part
- A tool and a profession
Answer: A) A fish and a musical sound
Explanation:
"Bass" (fish) is pronounced /bæs/, while "Bass" (low sound) is pronounced /beɪs/.
17. What is the correct difference between "Allusion" and "Illusion"?
- Allusion refers to a reference, and Illusion means a false perception
- Both mean the same
- Allusion means "false idea," and Illusion means "reference"
- Illusion refers to literature, while Allusion refers to magic
Answer: A) Allusion refers to a reference, and Illusion means a false perception
Explanation:
"Allusion" is an indirect reference, while "Illusion" is a false idea or perception.
18. What is the difference between "Compliment" and "Complement"?
- Compliment means a praise, while Complement means something that completes
- Both mean "to appreciate"
- Compliment means "to add," and Complement means "to remove"
- They are synonyms
Answer: A) Compliment means a praise, while Complement means something that completes
Explanation:
"Compliment" is a polite expression of praise, while "Complement" means something that completes or enhances another thing.
19. Which of the following is a pair of heteronyms?
- Row (to paddle) and Row (a line)
- Hour and Our
- Flour and Flower
- Meet and Meat
Answer: A) Row (to paddle) and Row (a line)
Explanation:
"Row" (a line) is pronounced /roʊ/, while "Row" (to paddle) is pronounced /raʊ/.
20. What is the correct meaning of "Minute" as a heteronym?
- A unit of time and something very small
- A document and a job position
- A type of number and a kind of measure
- A shape and a sound
Answer: A) A unit of time and something very small
Explanation:
"Minute" (time unit) is pronounced /ˈmɪnɪt/, while "Minute" (very small) is pronounced /maɪˈnuːt/.
21. Which of the following pairs are paronyms?
- Effect and Affect
- Piece and Peace
- Pray and Prey
- Steel and Steal
Answer: A) Effect and Affect
Explanation:
Paronyms have similar spelling and pronunciation but different meanings. "Effect" is a noun meaning result, while "Affect" is a verb meaning to influence.
22. Which of these words is a heteronym?
- Tear (to rip) and Tear (a drop of liquid from the eye)
- To and Too
- Where and Wear
- Buy and Bye
Answer: A) Tear (to rip) and Tear (a drop of liquid from the eye)
Explanation:
"Tear" (to rip) is pronounced /tɛə(r)/, while "Tear" (crying) is pronounced /tɪə(r)/.
23. What is the correct meaning of "Capital" and "Capitol"?
- Capital refers to a city or wealth, while Capitol is a government building
- Both mean the same
- Capital means "lowercase letter," while Capitol means "a business"
- They are synonyms
Answer: A) Capital refers to a city or wealth, while Capitol is a government building
Explanation:
"Capital" refers to the main city of a country or financial assets, while "Capitol" is a building where a legislature meets.
24. Which of the following words are NOT paronyms?
- Stationary and Stationery
- Eligible and Illegible
- Accept and Except
- Sea and See
Answer: D) Sea and See
Explanation:
"Sea" and "See" are homophones, not paronyms. Paronyms have similar spelling but different meanings, such as "Eligible" (qualified) and "Illegible" (not readable).
25. Which of the following is a pair of heteronyms?
- Wind (breeze) and Wind (to twist)
- Hear and Here
- Brake and Break
- Right and Write
Answer: A) Wind (breeze) and Wind (to twist)
Explanation:
"Wind" (breeze) is pronounced /wɪnd/, while "Wind" (to twist) is pronounced /waɪnd/.
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