This is the first in our SSC CGL Tier 1 Free Mock Test series — a 25-question English Comprehension set built to mirror the real exam's difficulty and question mix. In the actual Tier 1 exam, the English section carries 25 questions in 25 minutes (each section has its own 15-minute-plus sectional timer under the current pattern), with 0.50 negative marking per wrong answer.
How to use this test: Set a 20-minute timer, attempt all 25 questions on paper or in your head, and only then tap each question to reveal the answer. Don't peek early — the whole point is an honest baseline of where you stand.
A transparency note: a handful of these questions are drawn directly from our verified real PYQ dataset (2019–2025), and the rest are original practice questions built on the same recurring patterns and difficulty level. This is a practice set designed to mirror the real exam — not a claim that all 25 are verbatim past questions.
Section: English Comprehension (25 Questions, 20 Minutes)
Directions (Q1–5): One-word substitution
Q1. A person who is a great lover of books
a) Philanthropist b) Bibliophile c) Bibliographer d) Philologist
Answer: b) Bibliophile
Q2. Incapable of being corrected
a) Incorrigible b) Indelible c) Inevitable d) Insufferable
Answer: a) Incorrigible
Q3. One who walks in their sleep
a) Insomniac b) Somnambulist c) Narcoleptic d) Lethargic
Answer: b) Somnambulist
Q4. A short story with a moral, usually with animals as characters
a) Anecdote b) Parable c) Fable d) Allegory
Answer: c) Fable
Q5. Impossible to satisfy
a) Insatiable b) Indignant c) Inexorable d) Indifferent
Answer: a) Insatiable
Directions (Q6–10): Choose the correct synonym
Q6. AUDACIOUS
a) Timid b) Bold c) Careful d) Reserved
Answer: b) Bold
Q7. METICULOUS
a) Careless b) Rapid c) Careful/Precise d) Vague
Answer: c) Careful/Precise
Q8. CANDID
a) Frank b) Secretive c) Angry d) Confused
Answer: a) Frank
Q9. ADVERSITY
a) Prosperity b) Hardship c) Agreement d) Friendship
Answer: b) Hardship
Q10. BENEVOLENT
a) Cruel b) Kind c) Wealthy d) Powerful
Answer: b) Kind
Directions (Q11–15): Choose the correct antonym
Q11. FRUGAL
a) Thrifty b) Extravagant c) Modest d) Simple
Answer: b) Extravagant
Q12. TRANSPARENT
a) Clear b) Obscure c) Visible d) Bright
Answer: b) Obscure
Q13. DILIGENT
a) Hardworking b) Lazy c) Sincere d) Punctual
Answer: b) Lazy
Q14. ABUNDANT
a) Plentiful b) Scarce c) Ample d) Rich
Answer: b) Scarce
Q15. HUMBLE
a) Modest b) Arrogant c) Shy d) Polite
Answer: b) Arrogant
Directions (Q16–20): Spotting the error — identify which part of the sentence has an error, or select "No error"
Q16. Neither of the two boys (a) / have completed (b) / their homework on time. (c) / No error (d)
Answer: (b) — should be "has completed," since "neither" takes a singular verb
Q17. She is one of the (a) / best student (b) / in the entire class. (c) / No error (d)
Answer: (b) — should be "best students" (plural after "one of the")
Q18. He along with his friends (a) / are going (b) / to the market. (c) / No error (d)
Answer: (b) — should be "is going," since "along with" doesn't make the subject plural
Q19. The news of his promotion (a) / were welcomed (b) / by everyone in the office. (c) / No error (d)
Answer: (b) — should be "was welcomed," since "news" is treated as singular
Q20. Each of the players (a) / were given (b) / a new uniform. (c) / No error (d)
Answer: (b) — should be "was given," since "each" takes a singular verb
Directions (Q21–25): Idioms and phrases — choose the correct meaning
Q21. To "let the cat out of the bag" means
a) To adopt a pet b) To reveal a secret c) To cause trouble d) To escape a situation
Answer: b) To reveal a secret
Q22. To "burn the midnight oil" means
a) To waste resources b) To work or study late into the night c) To cause a fire d) To relax completely
Answer: b) To work or study late into the night
Q23. To "hit the nail on the head" means
a) To cause an injury b) To say something exactly right c) To fail at a task d) To act violently
Answer: b) To say something exactly right
Q24. To be "in hot water" means
a) To be in trouble b) To be angry c) To be exhausted d) To be excited
Answer: a) To be in trouble
Q25. To "turn a blind eye" means
a) To lose eyesight b) To deliberately ignore something c) To look carefully d) To become confused
Answer: b) To deliberately ignore something
Scoring Guide
Each correct answer: +1 mark. Each wrong answer: −0.25 marks (this test uses a lighter negative marking than the real exam's 0.50, to keep practice scoring approachable — the actual Tier 1 exam deducts 0.50 per wrong answer). Unattempted questions: 0.
| Score |
What It Means |
| 20–25 | Strong — you're at or above the level of recent Tier 1 English cutoffs |
| 15–19 | Solid — a few focused revision sessions on your weak sub-types will close the gap |
| Below 15 | Normal for early-stage prep — revisit the error-spotting and idiom sections first, they're the most learnable with repetition |
Brush up first with our Top 50 One-Word Substitutions list and Common Errors guide — several question types here draw directly from those patterns.
Quick FAQ
Q: Is this the same difficulty as the real exam?
A: We've built it to match the real exam's mix of question types and general difficulty level, based on our PYQ analysis of 2019–2025 papers. It's a practice tool, not an official SSC-released paper.
Q: Will there be more mock tests?
A: Yes — this is Day 1 of an ongoing mock test series. Future tests will cover more sections as our PYQ analysis of Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude is completed.
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