CDS · English · UPSC · 2017–2026

Vocabulary Usage — CDS English PYQs

338 questions from this chapter, asked in 9 CDS exams between 2017–2026.

338questions

9CDS exams

2017–2026years covered

Questions asked per year

202650 Qs 202580 Qs 202465 Qs 202320 Qs 202240 Qs 202120 Qs 202040 Qs 201917 Qs 20176 Qs

Practice questions first 10 of 338 — free

Q1MCQ2026

Answer Logic

Pontoon and Platoon

(A)Pontoon means a wooden platform and Platoon means a bamboo structure

(B)Pontoon means a group of soldiers and Platoon means a series of bunkers

(C)Pontoon means a temporary bridge and Platoon means a group of soldiers

(D)Pontoon means a group of people and Platoon means a temporary bridge

Q2MCQ2026

Answer Logic

Invoke and Revoke

(A)Invoke means to invite trouble for doing something and Revoke means to repay debts

(B)Invoke means to use the law to achieve something and Revoke means to officially cancel permission or agreement

(C)Invoke means to use the law to achieve something and Revoke means to ignore legal procedures

(D)Invoke means to usher newness and Revoke means to stick to tradition

Q3MCQ2026

Answer Logic

Imminent and Eminent

(A)Imminent means immobile and Eminent means extremely large

(B)Imminent means extremely large and Eminent means immobile

(C)Imminent means famous and respected, and Eminent means happening soon

(D)Imminent means happening soon and Eminent means famous and respected

Q4MCQ2026

Answer Logic

Liable and Libel

(A)Liable means being legally responsible and Libel means publishing something that is false

(B)Liable means publishing something that is false and Libel means being legally responsible

(C)Liable means the willingness to understand and Libel means being generous

(D)Liable means being generous and Libel means the willingness to understand

Q5MCQ2026

Answer Logic

Incredible and Incredulous

(A)Incredible means impossible to understand something and Incredulous means extremely grateful

(B)Incredible means difficult to believe and Incredulous means not willing to believe something

(C)Incredible means not willing to believe and Incredulous means difficult to believe something

(D)Incredible means extremely grateful and Incredulous means impossible to understand something

Q6MCQ2026

Answer Logic

Climatic and Climactic

(A)Climatic means related to climate and Climactic means the most exciting part of a story or situation

(B)Climatic means the most exciting part of a story or situation and Climactic means related to climate

(C)Climatic means scientific study of climate and Climactic means climbing to the top of something

(D)Climatic means climbing to the top of something and Climactic means the scientific study of climate

Q7MCQ2026

Answer Logic

Cursor and Cursory

(A)Cursor means a handwriting type and Cursory means very rude

(B)Cursor means very offensive and Cursory means related to custom

(C)Cursor means very old norms and Cursory means invoking a curse

(D)Cursor means a pointer and Cursory means something done in haste

Q8MCQ2026

Answer Logic

Affect and Effect

(A)Affect means the origin of something and Effect means the consequence of an action

(B)Affect means to influence and Effect means the result of an action

(C)Affect means to impact something and Effect means to reason

(D)Affect means the consequence of something and Effect means to influence something

Q9MCQ2026

Answer Logic

Hard and Hardly

(A)Hard means difficult to a great degree and Hardly means scarcely

(B)Hard means difficult and Hardly means very difficult

(C)Hard means with great force and Hardly means ever so often

(D)Hard means to a great degree and Hardly means never

Q10MCQ2026

Answer Logic

Conscious and Conscience

(A)Conscious means brightness and Conscience means social awareness

(B)Conscious means awareness and Conscience means being spiritually aware

(C)Conscious means being able to perceive and Conscience means inner sense of right and wrong

(D)Conscious means clarity of purpose and Conscience means perception

Why practise Vocabulary Usage PYQs?

Vocabulary Usage has appeared in 9 CDS English exams we track between 2017–2026. UPSC examiners consistently reuse concepts and question patterns from this topic — practising its previous year questions is the most reliable way to know exactly what to expect in your exam.

Vocabulary Usage — CDS English PYQs

Questions asked per year

Practice questions first 10 of 338 — free

Why practise Vocabulary Usage PYQs?

Other English topics

Sentence Improvement

Ordering of Words in a Sentence

Ordering of Sentences

Fill in the Blanks

Cloze Test

Spotting Errors

Comprehension Passage

Synonyms and Antonyms

Idioms and Phrases

Direct and Indirect Speech

Active and Passive Voice

Sentence Completion

Prepositions