Word Usage Questions for Bank Exams

Unlike vocabulary-based questions that focus only on meanings, Word Usage questions evaluate contextual understanding, helping candidates identify whether a word has been used appropriately in a sentence. Regular practice of such questions can significantly improve accuracy and boost scores in the English Language section.

Directions: In each of the following questions, a word has been given and used in three statements. You are supposed to identify which of the statements/s use/s the word correctly and mark that as your answer.

1 . Surplus

1. India recorded a current account surplus during the January–March quarter of FY 2025–26.
2. The company faced a surplus of losses after reporting weak earnings.
3. The government plans to surplus the new highway project next year.

1. Only I
2. Only II
3. Only III
4. Only I and II
5. All of the above

2. Initiative

1. Several digital governance initiatives were recognised at the National Awards for e-Governance.
2. She took the initiative to complete the project before the deadline.
3. III. The department initiative the scheme without obtaining approval.

1. Only I
2. Only II
3. Only I and II
4. Only III
5. All of the above

3. Reappoint

1. The Government reappointed Swaminathan Janakiraman as RBI Deputy Governor.
2. The board decided to reappoint the CEO for another term.
3. III. The minister reappoint the policy after reviewing it.

1. Only I
2. Only II
3. Only I and II
4. Only III
5. All of the above

4. Governance

1. Good governance is essential for effective public service delivery.
2. Several governance reforms were announced during the session.
3. III. The ministry governance the scheme across all districts.

1. Only I
2. Only II
3. Only I and II
4. Only III
5. All of the above

5. Meteorology

1. Meteorology helps scientists predict weather conditions and climate patterns.
2. The Regional Meteorological Centre issued a rainfall forecast for the week.
3. The department meteorology the report before releasing it.

1. Only I
2. Only II
3. Only I and II
4. Only III
5. All of the above

6. Pupil
I. The photographer focused the camera pupil on the magnificent skyline.
II. Numerous studies have revealed that dilated pupils are caused due to recreational drug overdose.
III. Though the commissioner had reached new heights, he always regarded himself as a pupil of the headmaster.

A. Only I and II

B. Only II and III

C. Only II

D. Only I E. Only III

7. Tender
I. The online system enables people to download the tender schedule free of cost and place bids.
II. Having worked on various cases, the detective tendered his resignation to the agency in order to pursue music.
III. Monthly millions of dollars are arriving in the country to schedule the tender.

A. Only II

B. Only I

C. Only III and I

D. Only II and I

E. Only III

8. Season
I. The customer requested the Chef to season the chicken with mixed herbs before roasting it in the oven.
II. The river flowed aimlessly off the season towards the city.
III. During this Olympic season, you may hear from announcers, critics, commentators, and even athletes that the Olympic Games are too commercial.

A. Only III

B. Only III and I

C. Only III and II

D. Only II and I

E. Only II and III

9. Headwind
I. The police got headwind of the illegal drug deal and caught the criminals.
II. Power-plant construction is facing headwinds in the U.S. as renewable energy projects and slack demand throw the economics of new generators into question.
III. IndiGo cited heavy headwind which led to off-loading of some of the checked-in baggage.

A. Only II

B. Only III

C. Only I

D. Only II and I

E. Only II and III

10. Commission
I. He now sits on a medical commission as well as an expert panel to discuss the ill effects of the
medicine.
II. Mozart at last received a commission to write an opera.
III. Typically, when aircrafts fly into headwinds commission, they consume more fuel.

A. Only I

B. Only II and III

C. Only III

D. Only II and I

E. Only II

11. Sleight
I. By the sleight of his hand, the player won three rounds in a row.
II. His sleight of hands won him many awards all over the country.
III. In intellectual sleight of hand, he explained the difference between a free market economy and a democracy.

A. Only II

B. Only III

C. Only I and II

D. Only II and III

E. All of the above

12. Precept
I. The company was a precept between the Industry and the government.
II. Foregoing precepts, he was given one more chance given his stellar past performance.
III. The Regulator issued precepts requiring the companies to provide information about their
financials.

A. Only I

B. Only II

C. Only I and II

D. Only II and III

E. All of the above

13. Ubiquitous
I. When business confidence is ubiquitous due to an uncertain future with low-interest rates, the
government can set up a Bank to mop up the society’s savings.
II. A famous economic historian at Harvard University, famously ubiquitous that the greater the
backwardness of a country, the greater the role of the state in economic development.
III. His ubiquitous influence was felt by the entire family.

A. Only I

B. Only I and III

C. Only II and III

D. Only III

E. None of the above

14. Form
I. The assumptions which form the basis of this book are questionable.
II. Industrialisation of Europe and Asia was financed under the form of German-type universal banks.
III. The application form needs to be filled and submitted before the end of this month.

A. Only I

B. Only II

C. Only I and III

D. Only II and III E. All of the above

15. Slew
I. Development banks often lend at low and stable rates to slew long-term investments with
considerable social benefits.
II. To improve access to long-term finance, it is proposed to slew an organisation to provide credit enhancement for projects.
III. The Minister announced a slew of measures to prop up the local economy.

A. Only II

B. Only III

C. Only I and II

D. Only I and III

E. All of the above

16. Change
I. Social structures will change soon enough and the purpose of education will finally be to learn to reason and find one’s passion.
II. The negotiations would lead to a change of lands between the parties in the presence of the judge to put an end to the dispute.
III. I asked the conductor to keep the change because I despise carrying loose coins in my purse.

A. Only I

B. Only I and III

C. Only I and II

D. Only III E. All are correct

17. Cast
I. When she had cast aside all the clothes she couldn’t wear, there was a lot of room for many other things in her closet.
II. The new blockbuster has a very popular cast including Martin Freeman.
III. The ship’s sail cast a shadow in the water, much like a pale monster lurking just beneath the
surface of the water.

A. Only I

B. Only I and III

C. Only I and II

D. Only III

E. All are correct

18. Accomplished
I. He is such an accomplished striker that he does not need anybody to give him pass from the midfield as he can create goals for himself.
II. It is an accomplished fact that the Sun always rises in the east and sets in the west.
III. The whole job was accomplished well within time and that is why the students got appreciation from the Principal as well.

A. Only I

B. Both I and II

C. Only III

D. Both I and III

E. All of the above

19. Capital
I. Many countries have done away with the capital punishment because it has been experienced that it is not helping the cause at all.
II. Though he did not have enough capital during the initial days of his business he still continued with the same vigor and that is why he is now so successful.
III. The capital was decorated pompously during the occasion of the Independence day but the poverty stricken country failed to emulate the same in other places.

A. Both II and III

B. Both I and II

C. Only III

D. Both I and III

E. All the above

20. Peace
I. The Gautam Buddha achieved mental peace once he had attained the Nirvana and it is very important that we all achieve the same state to be happy in life.
II. Though he was in love with her, he never failed to give her a peace of his mind in certain situations.
III. If parents are unable to control their children, they are not going to have peace of mind in their final days.

A. Both II and III

B. Both I and III

C. Only II

D. Both I and II

E. All the above

21. Temper
I. I hope he can control his temper today because this deal matters a lot to me.
II. My enthusiasm for the venture was tempered by my knowledge of the hard work that would
be involved.
III. If you are allowed to mess with a computer everything is fine, but if you are prohibited you cannot temper with it without repercussions.

A. Only I

B. Only I and III

C. Only I and II

D. Only III

E. All are correct

22. Hatch
I. There’s a bird nest with a couple of eggs in it in a tree outside our window, and we check it every day to see if they have hatched.
II. Without a hatch to climb through, there was no way to get to the underground chamber.
III. The thieves hatched a plan to rob the bank during the Christmas holidays.

A. Only I

B. Only I and III

C. Only I and II

D. Only III

E. All are correct

23. Harbour
I. I don’t harbour any illusions about our chances for success.
II. The people seemed to regard Independence as the harbour of a new era.
III. The home functions as a harbour for runaway teens who need a place to find security and
acceptance.

A. Only I

B. Only I and III

C. Only I and II

D. Only III

E. All are correct