CUET 2026 May 31 Shift 1 English Question Paper (Memory-Based) with Solutions - Vocabulary & Grammar Practice

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by kopisore

CUET 2026 May 31 Shift 1 English question paper (memory-based) with solutions focuses on advanced vocabulary and grammar accuracy. It includes multiple-choice tasks such as finding meanings close to “intransigent” and the antonym of “equivocal,” plus selecting grammatically correct sentences. Solutions explain concepts, compare options, and highlight common exam traps like subject-verb agreement with “neither…nor” and inversion patterns with “hardly…when.”

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

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CUET 2026 English Question Paper (Memory-Based) with Solutions

Vocabulary: Intransigent & Equivocal

Grammar: Neither...nor & Hardly...when

CUET 2026 May 31 Shift 1 English Question Paper (Memory-Based) with Solutions Conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) 1. Choose the word that is closest in meaning to “intransigent” as used in the sentence: “The negotiations failed because both parties remained intransigent despite repeated attempts at compromise.” (A) Reconciliatory (B) Obstinate (C) Persuasive (D) Pragmatic Correct Answer: (B) Obstinate Solution: Concept: The word intransigent refers to a person who refuses to change opinions or compromise. Step 1: Analyze contextual meaning. The sentence indicates refusal to compromise. Step 2: Compare options. • Reconciliatory = willing to restore harmony • Obstinate = stubborn and unwilling to change • Persuasive = convincing • Pragmatic = practical Therefore, Obstinate Quick Tip: Intransigent, obdurate, adamant, and obstinate are high-frequency advanced vocabulary words tested in competitive exams. 2. Choose the sentence that is grammatically correct. (A) Neither the principal nor the teachers was aware of the discrepancy. (B) Neither the principal nor the teachers were aware of the discrepancy. (C) Neither the principal nor the teachers has been aware of the discrepancy. (D) Neither the principal nor the teachers is aware of the discrepancy. Correct Answer: (B) Solution: Concept: With Neither...nor, the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it. Teachers is plural. Therefore: Neither the principal nor the teachers were aware is correct. Quick Tip: For Either...or and Neither...nor constructions, verb agreement follows the subject closest to the verb. 3. Choose the word that is opposite in meaning to “equivocal” as used in the sentence: “The witness gave an equivocal response that created further confusion during the investigation.” (A) Ambiguous (B) Vague (C) Explicit (D) Dubious Correct Answer: (C) Explicit Solution: Concept: Vocabulary questions at the difficult CUET level often test subtle distinctions between closely related words. The word equivocal refers to something that is open to more than one interpretation, deliberately unclear, ambiguous, or uncertain in meaning. Such words are frequently confused with related terms like vague, dubious, or ambiguous. To answer correctly, it is necessary not only to know the meaning of the given word but also to identify its true opposite. Step 1: Understand the meaning of the given word. The sentence states: “The witness gave an equivocal response that created further confusion during the investigation.”The phrase created further confusion provides a strong contextual clue. Thus, Equivocal = ambiguous = unclear = capable of multiple interpretations An equivocal statement does not communicate a clear and definite meaning. Step 2: Analyze each option carefully. Option (A): Ambiguous Ambiguous means unclear or having multiple possible meanings. This is actually a synonym of equivocal rather than an antonym. Hence, option (A) is incorrect. Option (B): Vague Vague means imprecise, indefinite, or lacking clarity. Again, this is closely related to equivocal. Hence, option (B) is incorrect. Option (C): Explicit Explicit means clearly stated, leaving no room for doubt or confusion. This is exactly opposite to equivocal. Hence, option (C) is a strong candidate. Option (D): Dubious Dubious means doubtful, questionable, or uncertain. Although related to uncertainty, it is not the opposite of equivocal. Hence, option (D) is incorrect. Step 3: Identify the true antonym. Since Equivocal = unclear and Explicit = clear and definite the correct antonym is: Explicit Step 4: Final verification through sentence substitution. Replacing the word in the sentence conceptually: “The witness gave an explicit response.” Such a response would reduce confusion rather than increase it. Therefore the opposite meaning is correctly captured

FAQs

What does “intransigent” mean in the given CUET sentence?

“Intransigent” refers to refusing to change opinions or compromise. In the question, the correct choice is “Obstinate.”

How do you select the correct verb form in “Neither...nor” constructions?

Use verb agreement based on the subject closest to the verb. Therefore, with “Neither the principal nor the teachers were aware,” the plural “teachers” governs agreement.

Why is “Hardly had the lecture begun when the fire alarm rang” grammatically correct?

It follows the fixed inversion structure “Hardly had + subject + past participle + when.” Mixing “when” with the wrong pattern (e.g., “than”) or incorrect word order makes other options incorrect.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by kopisore