NDA Parts of speech previous year questions with solutions

Answer: (d) Adverb

Method. adverbial phrase of frequency: here the single class offered is adverb

'Now and again' means 'occasionally' and answers 'how often?' of 'have told'. Test: it modifies the verb, so it works as an adverb (an adverb phrase); no noun or clause follows, so it is not a preposition or conjunction.

Answer: (a) Noun

Method. noun as subject of the sentence

The underlined word is 'Adders' (not 'only'), the subject of 'are'. Test: it names a kind of animal, takes a plural -s, and is the subject, so a noun. (The word 'only' in this sentence is not what is underlined.)

Answer: (a) Noun

Method. compound noun after a preposition

'Take-off' follows the preposition 'for' and names an event, as in 'ready for the take-off'. Test: it can take 'the' and a plural ('take-offs'), so it is a noun. A gerund would be the -ing form 'taking off', which also has verb force.

Answer: (a) Noun

Method. noun: names a thing (a dwelling)

'Abode' is a place-name word; it is the object of 'visit' and is modified by the adjectives 'my' and 'humble'. Test: it names a thing and takes an adjective before it, so it is a noun (Oxford Learner's Grammar, nouns).

Answer: (b) Adverb

Method. adverb of manner modifying a verb

'Nicely' tells how he dry-cleaned the coat. Test: it modifies the verb 'dry-cleaned' and answers 'how?', so an adverb (-ly from the adjective 'nice').

Answer: (a) Determiner

Method. quantifying determiner before a noun

'Both' stands before the noun 'candidates' and states how many. Test: it is followed by a noun, so it is not a pronoun (which stands alone: 'both of them'). It is a determiner (Swan, PEU: both is a determiner/⁠predeterminer); 'adjective' is the old label.

Answer: (b) Adjective

Method. modifier between possessive and noun: attributive adjective

'His' is already the determiner of the noun phrase 'his half share'. 'Half' sits after it, directly before 'share', and tells what kind of share (a half one); it cannot be a second determiner in that slot. Test: a word modifying a noun inside the noun phrase, after the determiner, is an adjective. 'Half' is a determiner only when it precedes the determiner ('half the share', 'half his share'). Not an adverb, and the noun is 'share'.

Answer: (b) Determiner

Method. demonstrative determiner before a noun

'Those' comes directly before the noun 'books' and points to them. Test: a demonstrative with a noun following is a determiner (Swan, PEU); the older school label is 'demonstrative adjective'. It is not a modal or a noun, and Determiner is the modern class offered.

Answer: (c) Determiner

Method. demonstrative determiner before a noun

'That' stands directly before the noun 'man' and points to it. Test: a demonstrative with a noun following is a determiner (Swan, PEU). It is not an article (only a/⁠an/⁠the), not an adverb, and joins no clauses, so not a conjunction.

Answer: (a) Determiner

Method. demonstrative determiner before a noun

'This' stands before the noun phrase 'new item' and points to it; it does not stand alone as a pronoun. Test: a demonstrative placed before a noun and ahead of the adjective 'new' is a determiner (Swan, Practical English Usage, 'determiners'; the old school label is 'demonstrative adjective'). Determiner is the modern class and the option offered.

Answer: (d) Preposition

Method. preposition + noun phrase

'Despite' is followed by the noun phrase 'the heavy rain' and shows concession. Test: a noun phrase follows as its object, so a preposition. A conjunction would take a clause ('although it rained').

Answer: (a) Preposition

Method. preposition + noun phrase

'Beyond' is followed by the noun phrase 'everyone's expectation' and shows relation to 'were'. Test: it takes an object, so a preposition. It would be an adverb only without an object.

Answer: (c) Prepositional phrase

Method. 'by dint of' = compound preposition

'By dint of' means 'by means of' and is followed by the noun phrase 'perseverance and sheer hard work'. Test: a group of words that works as one preposition taking an object is a prepositional phrase (complex preposition). Whole 'by dint of …' acts adverbially, but the underlined words are the preposition group. No clause follows, so not a conjunction.

Answer: (c) Conjunction

Method. 'since' + clause: subordinating conjunction

'Since' is followed by the full clause 'he has been in town'. Test: it joins a clause to the main clause and gives a time reference, so a conjunction. A preposition needs a noun phrase ('since Monday'); an adverb stands alone ('ever since'). 'Once' here is the adverb 'at one time'.

Answer: (b) Adverb

Method. adverb of time modifying the predicate

'Now' tells when it is too late; it modifies 'too late' and takes no object. Test: no noun or clause follows and it answers 'when?', so an adverb (Oxford Learner's Grammar, adverbs of time).

Answer: (d) Preposition

Method. preposition: word before a noun phrase showing relation

'Beyond' is followed by the noun phrase 'our control' and links it to 'is'. Test: a noun phrase follows and is its object, so a preposition. It would be an adverb only with no object ('looked beyond'); a conjunction would need a clause.

Answer: (d) Conjunction

Method. 'except that' + clause: conjunction

'Except' is followed by the clause 'that I needed the money' (subject + verb), not by a noun phrase. Test: it joins a clause to the main clause, so a conjunction ('except that' is listed as a conjunction in standard dictionaries). Before a noun ('nothing except water') it would be a preposition.

Answer: (d) Noun

Method. noun as object of a preposition

'Silence' follows 'in' and names a state. Test: it is the object of the preposition 'in' and names a thing, so a noun. It is not an adjective ('silent') nor an adverb ('silently').

Answer: (b) Adverb

Method. adverb of direction modifying a verb

'Forward' tells in which direction he crawled. Test: it modifies 'crawled' and takes no object, so an adverb. It would be an adjective only before a noun ('a forward move') and a preposition only with an object.

Answer: (b) Gerund

Method. gerund: -ing form used as a noun

'Swimming' is the subject of 'is'; it names an activity. Test: an -ing word doing the work of a noun (subject) is a gerund. It is not a verb here (no subject of its own) nor a participle, since it modifies nothing.