SSC CHSL 2025 PYQs

Concept: Second-person pronouns change according to the object of the reporting verb; if there is no object, they stay.

Solution:

1. 'Neha said' has no object → 'you/your' remain 'you/your'.
2. Past reporting verb: will → would, must → had to, tomorrow → the day after.
3. Result: Neha said that you would finish the exercises the day after to improve your stamina as you had to perform well in the trial.

Trick: SON rule: 1st person → subject, 2nd → object, 3rd → No change. No object → 'you' unchanged; this removes A, B, C at once.

Answer: (D) Neha said that you would finish the exercises the day after to improve your stamina as you had to perform well in the trial.

Concept: Going back to direct speech: undo the back-shift and restore question word order.

Solution:

1. 'was' → 'is' (present tense returns).
2. Interrogative order: What + is + subject → 'What is the timeline for the project?'
3. Quotation marks must be correct (C mixes ' and "), A changes 'what' to 'when', B keeps statement order.

Trick: Indirect → direct: past → present, statement order → question order, add '?'.

Answer: (D) The intern inquired, "What is the timeline for the project ?"

Concept: Some verbs take fixed prepositions.

Solution:

1. Pride + reflexive pronoun → on: The company prides itself on …
2. Conform → to: conforms strictly to industry regulations.
3. Only option C gives 'on, to'.

Trick: Pride oneself ON, take pride IN, be proud OF. Conform TO / comply WITH.

Answer: (C) at, on

Concept: Reverse all indirect-speech changes: tense, pronoun and time words.

Solution:

1. intended → intend.
2. she/her → I/my (speaker's own words).
3. that evening → this evening.
4. Result: She said, "I intend to meet my relatives this evening."

Trick: Check the time word first: only A has 'this evening' with 'my' – done in 5 seconds.

Answer: (A) She said, "I intend to meet my relatives this evening."

Concept: Every passive verb in the sentence must become active.

Solution:

1. First clause: 'should have been completed' → active with subject 'They' + 'should have completed'.
2. 'was rejected due to missing details' → 'missing details led to its rejection' (active form).
3. Option B keeps 'it was rejected' (still passive); A and C keep both passives.

Trick: Scan options for leftover 'was/been + V3' – any option still containing it is out.

Answer: (D) They should have completed the application by the due date, but missing details led to its rejection.

Concept: Spot the misspelt word.

Solution:

1. Part B has 'conscientous'; correct is conscientious (careful and dutiful).
2. acquiesce, benevolent, hierarchy are spelt correctly.

Trick: Conscientious = conscience + -tious → keep the 'i': consc-i-ent-i-ous.

Answer: (B) B

Concept: Present continuous passive = is/am/are + being + V3.

Solution:

1. Object 'an exciting match' (singular) becomes subject.
2. are playing → is being played.
3. 'An exciting match is being played by them today.'

Trick: Look for 'being' + present helping verb: only D has 'is being'. C has 'was being' (past).

Answer: (D) An exciting match is being played by them today.

Concept: Past perfect passive = had + been + V3; in a question 'Had' comes first.

Solution:

1. Object 'all the financial records' → subject.
2. had reviewed → had … been reviewed.
3. The 'before they finalized' clause stays unchanged.

Trick: Tense must stay past perfect: 'were' (A) and 'has' (C) change tense; D misses 'been'.

Answer: (B) Had all the financial records been reviewed by the experienced auditors before they finalized the report?

Concept: The verb agrees with the head noun of the subject.

Solution:

1. Subject = 'Gold-plated accessories'; head noun 'accessories' is plural.
2. Plural subject → have been.
3. 'Gold-plated' is just an adjective; 'alternative' is the complement, not the subject.

Trick: Find the noun right before the verb's group, ignore describing words → plural noun = 'have'.

Answer: (A) Because "accessories" is a plural subject

Concept: 'The' points to a specific, already-known thing.

Solution:

1. Paragraph 1 mentions the base metals 'underneath' the plating.
2. So 'the base metal' = that particular metal under the gold layer.
3. It is not a general statement, not about price, and an article never works as a conjunction.

Trick: 'The' = something already mentioned or clearly identifiable.

Answer: (A) It refers to the specific metal underneath the plating

Concept: Locate the word in the passage that means 'mixtures of metals'.

Solution:

1. Para 2: 'Low-quality plating over reactive alloys …'.
2. Alloy = metal made by mixing two or more metals; here it is the base under the gold.
3. Pure = unmixed (opposite); polished/plated describe surfaces.

Yaad rakhein: Brass (copper + zinc) and bronze (copper + tin) are common alloys.

Answer: (B) Alloy

Concept: Find the word meaning 'balanced and limited use'.

Solution:

1. Para 3: '… wear them in moderation'.
2. Moderation = avoiding excess; using within limits.
3. Frequent and daily mean the opposite (too often); avoiding = not using at all.

Yaad rakhein: Moderation ↔ excess; 'moderate' = not too much, not too little.

Answer: (B) Moderation

Concept: The main idea must sum up all paragraphs, not one detail.

Solution:

1. Para 1: benefits (rich look, low cost, safer from theft).
2. Para 2: problems (tarnish, skin reaction, layer wearing off).
3. Para 3: advice – check base metal, use with care.
4. Only C combines benefits + careful use.

Trick: Reject extreme words: 'superior' (A), 'should be avoided' (B), 'only' (D) – the passage is balanced.

Answer: (C) Plated ornaments have benefits but require careful use and quality checks.

Concept: Ordinary = common, usual, nothing special. Need a word meaning unusual.

Solution:

1. Quaint = attractively unusual or old-fashioned → opposite of ordinary.
2. Normal = synonym; Courteous = polite; Gust = a sudden rush of wind.

Trick: Eliminate the synonym (Normal) and the unrelated words – the one left is the answer.

Answer: (C) Quaint

Concept: Criticise = find fault; its opposite shows approval.

Solution:

1. Praise = express approval or admiration → antonym.
2. Censure, Obloquy (strong public blame) and Condemnation all mean disapproval → synonyms.

Trick: Three options share one meaning (blame) – the odd one out is the antonym.

Answer: (B) Praise

Concept: A synonym keeps the same sense as the word in its sentence.

1. Assured here = made sure / fully certain.
2. Convinced = firmly believing something is true → same sense.
3. Cynical, Skeptical, Doubtful all show doubt – the reverse idea.

Trick: Three options share one 'doubt' family – the odd one out with positive certainty is the answer.

Answer: (A) Convinced

Concept: Pick the single word that names a person who talks too much.

1. Garrulous = over-talkative, chattering on and on.
2. Taciturn / Reserved = speaks very little (opposite).
3. Precipitous = very steep or hasty – unrelated.

Yaad rakhein: Similar words: loquacious, voluble, chatty – all mean talkative.

Answer: (C) Garrulous

Concept: A beginner who is learning a skill is called an apprentice.

1. Clue: 'as a beginner', 'learn the basics'.
2. Apprentice = learner / trainee at the start.
3. Veteran, Expert = highly experienced; Mentor = one who guides others.

Trick: Beginner → Apprentice (also novice, tyro); experienced → veteran/expert.

Answer: (B) Apprentice

Concept: If + had + V3 → main clause must use would have + V3.

1. 'If he had spoken' = past perfect → Type-3 (imaginary past).
2. Main clause 'he would tell him' is wrong form.
3. Correct: 'he would have told him where I was.'

Trick: See 'had + V3' in the if-part? The other part must have 'would/could have + V3'.

Answer: (B) tell him

Concept: Check the letters of the commonly misspelt word 'exaggerate'.

1. Correct form: exaggerate.
2. It has a double 'g' and ends with '-erate'.
3. Others misplace 'a/e' or double the wrong letter.

Trick: Break it: ex + ag + ger + ate – 'g' twice, 'e' after the g's.

Answer: (A) Exaggerate