SSC CPO Paper I 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 PYQs

Concept: The verb ask takes the preposition for when we request something: ask somebody for something.

1. 'When Ramu was working' – past continuous, correct.
2. 'as a clerk' – correct use of 'as' for a role.
3. 'he asked me money' – the object 'money' needs 'for': he asked me for money.

Yaad rakhein: ask for (request) money/help/permission; ask a question (no 'for').

Answer: (D) he asked me money

Concept: A lagoon is a stretch of salt water separated from the sea by a low sandbank, rocks or a coral reef.

1. The description 'saltwater lake separated from the sea by rocks and sand' exactly defines a lagoon.
2. A river flows (fresh water); a ditch is a narrow trench; the sea is not separated from itself.

Yaad rakhein: Lagoon = sea-water lake behind a sand bar, e.g. Chilika Lake (Odisha).

Answer: (A) lagoon

Concept: The correct spelling is Bureaucracy (bu-reau-cra-cy), from French bureau (office) + -cracy (rule).

1. Rhinoceros, Acquaintance and Miscellaneous are spelt correctly.
2. 'Bueraucracy' swaps the letters: it must be bu-REAU, not bu-ERAU.

Trick: Think of 'bureau' (a desk/office) + 'cracy' → bureaucracy.

Answer: (B) Bueraucracy

Concept: Choose 'a/an' by the first sound, not the first letter. 'SDO' is read 'es-dee-o' – it begins with a vowel sound.

1. Blank 1: 'es' starts with a vowel sound → An SDO.
2. Blank 2: 'government' starts with the consonant sound /g/ → a government organisation.
3. So: 'An SDO is the head of the sub-division of a government organisation.'

Trick: Abbreviations like MLA, SDO, FIR, MP take 'an' because the letter name starts with a vowel sound.

Answer: (D) an; a

Concept: Conundrum means a confusing and difficult problem or question.

1. Looking after small children while working is a difficult problem for parents.
2. Peace, plan and pacification (calming) do not mean a puzzle or difficulty.

Yaad rakhein: Conundrum = puzzle / riddle / dilemma / problem.

Answer: (C) problem

Concept: The correct spelling is Withering (wither + -ing), meaning drying up or fading.

1. Notation, Gallantry and Vagabond are spelt correctly.
2. The base verb is 'wither' with an e, so the -ing form is withering, not 'witharing'.

Trick: Keep the root unchanged: wither → withering, like gather → gathering.

Answer: (B) Witharing

Concept: Before a word beginning with a vowel sound we use an, not 'a'.

1. 'international' begins with the vowel sound /ɪ/.
2. So 'a international' must be 'an international'.
3. Correct sentence: Mrs. Rani works for an international school.

Yaad rakhein: a + consonant sound, an + vowel sound (an apple, an hour, an international).

Answer: (C) a international

Concept: After the possessive 'His' and before 'of' we need a noun. 'Interpretation' (noun) is replaced by the noun/gerund understanding.

1. 'His understands', 'his understand', 'his understood' are verb forms – they cannot follow 'His' here.
2. 'Understanding of realities' = interpretation of the facts → 'His understanding of realities was impressive.'

Trick: Possessive (his/her/my) + noun + of … – pick the option that is a noun.

Answer: (D) understanding of realities

Concept: Nip in the bud = to stop something (usually bad) at an early stage, before it develops.

1. A bud is a flower before it opens; nipping it stops the flower from ever growing.
2. E.g. The police nipped the riot in the bud.
3. Option B talks about stopping something 'beyond limit' – the idea of the early stage is missing.

Yaad rakhein: Bud = beginning stage → nip in the bud = kill it at the start.

Answer: (D) To suppress something at an early stage

Concept: Future continuous tense = will be + V-ing. A modal + be is never followed by the base verb.

1. 'I will be drive' is wrong – it should be 'I will be driving'.
2. B (will be driving), C (might drive) and D (could be driving) are all grammatically correct.

Trick: will be / could be / might be → always V-ing after 'be'.

Answer: (A) I will be drive into town later on.

Concept: A mercenary is a soldier hired to fight for money, often in a foreign army.

1. Marine – a soldier serving on ships/naval infantry.
2. Veteran – an ex-soldier with long experience.
3. Admiral – a top-ranking naval officer. Only 'mercenary' fits 'fights for money'.

Trick: Mercenary comes from Latin merces = wages/pay.

Answer: (C) Mercenary

Concept: For a verb ending in a single vowel + single consonant with stress on the last syllable, double the final consonant before -ing.

1. be-GIN: stress on 'gin', ends in vowel 'i' + consonant 'n'.
2. So 'n' is doubled: begin → beginning (double g is wrong, single n is wrong).

Yaad rakhein: begin → beginning, run → running, admit → admitting.

Answer: (B) Beginning

Concept: Habitual means done constantly or as a habit; regular and repeated.

1. A habitual action goes on regularly and repeatedly – closest is continuous.
2. Considerate = thoughtful; Diverse = varied; Pertinent = relevant – none means 'regular/constant'.

Yaad rakhein: Habitual = regular, constant, persistent, customary.

Answer: (B) Continuous

Concept: Oligarchy (Greek oligos = few + -archy = rule) is government by a small group of people.

1. Plutocracy – rule by the wealthy.
2. Democracy – rule by the people.
3. Autocracy – rule by one person. 'Government by the few' = oligarchy.

Trick: Oligo = few (oligopoly = few sellers) → oligarchy = rule of few.

Answer: (D) Oligarchy

Concept: Fettered means restrained, chained or restricted (a fetter is a chain for the feet).

1. The recession restricted the company from investing.
2. Opposite of restricted/chained = liberated (set free).
3. Concealed = hidden; valuable = precious; depended = relied – not opposites.

Yaad rakhein: Fetter (bind) ↔ unfetter / liberate / free.

Answer: (D) Liberated

Concept: First conditional: If + simple present, … will + V1. 'Will' is not used in the if-clause.

1. Main clause 'he will buy' is future, so the if-clause takes simple present.
2. Subject 'his father' is singular → gives.
3. 'give' (plural form) and 'gave' (second conditional) are wrong.

Trick: If-clause never takes 'will' for a real future condition.

Answer: (D) If his father gives money

Concept: Insipid means lacking flavour; also dull and uninteresting.

1. Insipid food has no taste → tasteless.
2. Dismal = gloomy; Obscure = unclear; Idle = lazy/inactive.

Yaad rakhein: Insipid = bland, flavourless, tasteless.

Answer: (B) Tasteless

Concept: Insist is followed by the preposition on, and a verb after a preposition takes the -ing (gerund) form.

1. 'insisted to go' is wrong; correct form: insisted on going.
2. Option A ('insisting'), C ('insist to going') and D ('insisted go') are all ungrammatical.

Yaad rakhein: insist on, persist in, object to + V-ing.

Answer: (B) Error is in the sentence formation. Preposition and gerund are required: Mohan insisted on going there.

Concept: Spill the beans = to reveal secret information, often carelessly.

1. Example: Don't spill the beans about the surprise party.
2. Other options (accomplish a lot, be cornered, tremble) have no link with disclosing information.

Yaad rakhein: Spill the beans = let the cat out of the bag.

Answer: (A) Reveal a secret

Concept: A collective noun like committee acting as one body takes a singular verb. 'Most of the + singular noun' also takes a singular verb.

1. 'Most of the committee' refers to a part of one body (singular noun 'committee').
2. So the verb should be singular: 'is here to', not 'are here to'.
3. Correct: Most of the committee is here to decide the fate of this ancient building.

Trick: Most of + singular noun → singular verb; most of + plural noun → plural verb.

Answer: (A) are here to