Functional English : (Q & A)

Chapter - 1 (Functional English)

(Question and Answers)

Very Short Answer Questions :

1. How would you describe an outing?

Ans. An outing is a short trip either within or out of the town for recreational purposes.

2. Define story telling.

Ans. The social activity which describes the act of sharing stories with improvisation is called storytelling.

3. What is narration?

Ans. The art of storytelling through written or spoken means is known as narration.

4. What do you understand by descriptive writing?

Ans. Descriptive writing is a form of literary style in which the objects, places and persons are described in such a detail that the readers can almost form a picture in their minds.

5. What is an adjective?

Ans. In English grammar, adjectives are parts of speech that are used to describe the characteristics of the other parts of speech.

Short Answer Questions–I

1. Suppose you want to take a room on rent. What is the difference between ‘commission’ and ‘security’?

Ans. Commission is the amount an agent/broker earns by finalizing the deal or rent agreement.

Security is the amount to be paid to the landlord before taking up the place. Usually, the security deposit equals one-month rent.

2. Write about any three changes you would like to see in your neighborhood.

Ans. The following are the changes people usually like to see in their neighborhood:

• People should stop throwing garbage on the road.
• People should obey traffic rules strictly.
• People should organize meetings regularly to resolve social issues.

3. Do filing a complaint and protesting follow the same  procedure? Justify your answer with appropriate examples.

Ans. A complaint is a written or spoken statement in which someone is accused by somebody of having done something wrong or about something that is not satisfactory. Protesting, on the other hand, means to voice an objection to anything that someone has said or done. For example, you can complaint to a senior if someone is misbehaving with you in the office; whereas, you can protest alone or in the group if you do not like any policy of the office.

4. Write five sentences in the past perfect tense.

Ans. The following sentences are in the past perfect tense:

• After Imran had finished his work, he went to lunch.
•  I didn’t call the police until I understood the matter of dispute clearly.
• Before I could say anything, she had boarded the bus.
•  After she had moved out, I found her belongings.
• Seema had known Meena for a while.

5. What are modals? Explain with examples.

Ans. Modal verbs (also called modals) are auxiliary verbs that are used to express the attitude of the speaker and the strength of that attitude. For example, He should visit Patna. In this sentence, ‘should’ is the modal verb, and ‘visit’ is the main verb. 

Short Answer Questions–II

1. List some points that you must take care of while going for an interview.

Ans. While going for an interview:

• You should dress well.
• You should have prepared academically for the role you applied for.
• You should check for all the necessary documents before leaving for the interview.

2. What is the function of modal verbs? Elaborate with examples.

Ans. Modal verbs are used to express functions such as:

•  Permission
• Ability
•  Obligation
•  Prohibition
• Lack of necessity
•  Advice
•  Possibility
•  Probability

Examples of modal verbs (italicized words):

•  You must stop when the traffic lights turn red.
•  You should see to the doctor.

3. Define preposition. Use some examples to support the definition.

Ans. A preposition is a word that forms a link between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence.

Some examples of prepositions are in, to, after, on, and with.

For example:

1. Sheetal is going to the party.

Here ‘to’ is a preposition, connecting ‘Sheetal’ and ‘party’

2. My school is at the end of the road.

Here, ‘at’ is a pronoun, connecting ‘school’ and ‘road’.)

4. Write two points that you must not forget to include in your resume.

Ans. Your resume should always contain:

•  An impressive yet concise opening statement
•  At least 10-15 positive qualities about your personality and education

5. What do you mean by ‘recounting experience’? Explain with example.

Ans. To recount means to retell or relate events that have already occurred. As the experience/event we usually describe has already occurred, we use the past tense when we narrate it to others. Past experiences mainly talk about what happened, where it took place, when it happened, and why it occurred. For example, people were dancing on the tunes of the piano. This statement may be a part of a recounting experience and is being said in a past continuous tense.

Long Answer Questions

1. Why is it important to learn to say ‘No’? How is it beneficial to your own self-esteem? Explain.

Ans. Often it happens that we cannot say ‘No’ to someone, even if we wish to, because we don’t want that person to feel bad; however, by agreeing to do something contrary to our own inclinations, we do much more harm to ourselves. With time, this tendency of saying ‘Yes’ to everyone at the cost of our own wishes prove detrimental to our self-esteem, cause stress, and may even make us bitter. On the other hand, some people are capable of saying ‘No’ to others, but in that they often sound impolite, rude, or disrespectful, even if they don’t intend any such misdemeanor. So, we must learn to say ‘No’ in any uncomfortable situation in such a way that we don’t hurt feelings. For example, someone calls you

and says they are coming to your home, then you can say ‘No’ indirectly in such a way- “Oh, I am so sorry! I have an appointment with the doctor today.”

2. How are connectors and conjunctions different from each other? Explain with examples.

Ans. Connectors join two separate ideas in two sentences or paragraphs. They usually come at the start of a sentence. We may get confused between a conjunction and a connector as connectors are functionally similar to coordinating and subordinating conjunctions, but the former connects complete

sentences (instead of) nouns, clauses, etc. Some examples of connectors are therefore, however, also, as well as, moreover, furthermore, firstly, secondly, thirdly, finally, eventually, then, etc. Conjunctions are used to join words or groups of words together. Some of the most common conjunctions are and, but, or.

3. What is a cover letter and how is it different from a resume?

Ans. A cover letter is a one-page document addressed to the interviewer that includes the candidate’s contact details, the role applied for and additional details related to the information given in the CV.

A good resume is a must for getting a job. However, it must not be interpreted as the only thing to get a job successfully. One must justify the experience and qualifications mentioned in the resume. It is generally believed that a cover letter is as essential as a resume and at times, it proves even more effective in winning the battle of getting the job due to the following reasons: 

• It is helpful in providing the details of your resume and focusses more on your objectives.
•  It permits recruiters to have a better understanding of your suitability for a position. It helps recruiters to gauge your resume or profile in an easier manner.

4. Imagine yourself as an interviewer. Write a conversation between an interviewer and a candidate (with all the questions and their respective answers).

Ans. Candidate: May I come in, sir?

Interviewer: Come in please….. Have a seat.

Candidate: Thanks.

Interviewer: Please tell us something about you.

Candidate: I passed 12th from CBSE with 75% marks. Now I am pursuing B.Com. from Mumbai University. My hobbies are watching cricket and listening to music.

Interviewer: Why do you want to join a call centre?

Candidate: I like to talk to others and solve their problems. Moreover, career prospects are bright in a big company.

Interviewer: You have mentioned cricket as one of your hobbies. In your opinion, who is better- Kohli or Sachin?

Candidate: In my opinion Sachin is more experienced and a better batsman.

Interviewer: What is your weak point?

Candidate: Eating spicy food.

Interviewer: What is the main strength of your personality?

Candidate: The ability to talk to any person without hesitation.

Interviewer: Where do you see yourself after five years?

Candidate: Working in your company at a senior position.

Interviewer: I am impressed with your answers. Would you like to have your appointment letter just now and join the company from the first of the coming month?

Candidate: Definitely. Thanking you a lot for giving me an opportunity to work with the company.

5. What is a telephonic interview and how is it different from a face-to-face interview? Elaborate your answers with valid reasons.

Ans. In a world where jobs are no longer constrained by radical and environmental boundaries, numerous companies today are conducting phone interviews to shortlist candidates before calling them in for a face-to-face interaction. Such interviews are classically conducted over the phone. A telephonic interview is different from a face-to-face interview in the following ways:

•  The phone interview is generally to judge you and your personality and check whether you are eligible to be called for a face-to-face interview or not. Here are some most common phone interview questions/ statements: “Tell me about yourself.”, “What type of opportunity are you considering?”
•  Telephonic interviews also test you confidence and professional attitude while talking to a person for the first time.
•  They also test your presence of mind in some ways by asking instantaneous questions.

6. What is a telephonic interview? Elaborate your answer.

Ans. Telephonic interviews are conducted over the phone. The phone interview is generally to judge you and your personality and check whether you are eligible to be called for a face-to-face interview

or not. This helps in narrowing down the list of candidates whom they want to call for the next stage of the hiring process. It also helps recruiters to screen the candidate’s experience and salary expectations for the position in the company. Here are some of the most common questions/answers for a telephonic interview:

•  “Tell me about yourself.”
• Be very specific about what you cover in your answer and only cover material as it relates to the specific job at hand.
•  “What type of opportunity are you considering?”
• This question is most frequently asked of applicants who have not provided an objective on their resume. This is a descriptive question to gauge whether or not you are seeking the type of role that is being offered by the employer.
•  “How much do you know about…..?”
• This question can be asked in a diversity of formats, but it is fundamentally a practical question precisely related to the profession. The interviewer is endeavoring to assess your level of knowledge and understanding about something related to the role.

7. Why is it important to write your skills and qualifications in a resume?

Ans. A resume is usually one of the first items along with the cover letter which an employer looks at and is normally used to monitor applicants, often followed by an interview. Your resume is a marketing tool, so it is very important to show your skills and qualifications. It demonstrates that you are  mployable and have the right qualifications and education. A resume should be impressive enough to convince the employer that you would be a great fit for the company and can be called for an interview.

Generally, many applicants apply for a particular position in an organization. Now, the person who has to screen all the resumes has very little time to go through each resume. Your resume will stand out in the pile of other resumes if you mention your skills clearly and concisely.

8. Write a complaint to your society head complaining about the miserable and unhygienic condition of the lift and the lobby area.

Ans.

From

(your name)

(your address)

To

(name of recipient)

(designation)

(name and address of apartment)

Date :( date of writing letter)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am a resident of Flat-No-…(mention number) in this apartment. I wanted to bring it to your notice that the lift and lobby area are not being cleaned properly. This has become a serious hurdle in maintaining the hygiene and overall cleanliness in the society.

I request you to intervene as head of this society and take

immediate action in this regard to make our living in this

apartment congenial and hassle-free.

Yours Sincerely

(Your name)

For Any query, Kindly Comment in the comment section

(Chandrakant Nanda)