I85PREP
⌘ K
ESIC Stenographer study materials
ESIC Stenographer study resources

ESIC Stenographer practice questions

One question at a time. Build your ESIC Stenographer understanding.

First 50 of 200 questions. Each one lists the choices, the correct answer, and an explanation. The checker at the top of this page saves progress in this browser when it is available.

Continue in the practice tool above to load more questions, 50 at a time.

Question 1General English

In a stenographer's draft, choose the sentence that correctly uses the apostrophe with a plural possessive noun.

  1. The stenographers' notebooks were arranged in strict serial order. Correct answer.
  2. The stenographers's notebooks were arranged in strict serial order.
  3. The stenographers notebooks' were arranged in strict serial order.
  4. The stenographer's notebooks were arranged in strict serial order for all of them.

Explanation

A regular plural noun ending in -s forms the possessive by adding only an apostrophe after the -s, giving 'stenographers''. The sentence refers to notebooks belonging to several stenographers, so the plural possessive is required.

Question 2General English

Which option completes the sentence with the correct form of the verb: 'The minutes of the meeting ___ circulated before the next session began.'

  1. was
  2. has
  3. were Correct answer.
  4. is

Explanation

The subject of the sentence is 'minutes', a plural noun, while 'of the meeting' is only a prepositional phrase modifying it. The verb must therefore agree with the plural subject, giving 'were circulated'.

Question 3General English

A dictation passage reads: 'The chairman, together with the two stenographers, ___ expected to sign the record.' Select the correct verb.

  1. have been
  2. are
  3. is Correct answer.
  4. were

Explanation

When a subject is followed by 'together with', the intervening phrase does not change the number of the subject. The true subject is the singular 'chairman', so the singular verb 'is' is correct.

Question 4General English

Identify the sentence in which the article is used correctly for a shorthand examination context.

  1. She is a unanimous choice for the post of senior stenographer. Correct answer.
  2. She is unanimous a choice for the post of senior stenographer.
  3. She is an unanimous choice for the post of senior stenographer.
  4. She is the unanimous choice for a post of senior stenographer.

Explanation

The choice between 'a' and 'an' depends on the sound that follows, not the letter. 'Unanimous' begins with the consonant sound /juː/, so 'a unanimous' is correct.

Question 5General English

Choose the option that correctly fills the blank: 'The stenographer had hardly begun the dictation ___ the telephone rang.'

  1. when Correct answer.
  2. that
  3. than
  4. then

Explanation

The correlative pattern 'hardly ... when' is the standard pairing for two closely successive past events. 'Hardly' is followed by 'when', not 'than'.

Question 6General English

Which sentence uses the correct preposition after the verb 'comply'?

  1. All stenographers must comply with the office dress code. Correct answer.
  2. All stenographers must comply on the office dress code.
  3. All stenographers must comply for the office dress code.
  4. All stenographers must comply to the office dress code.

Explanation

The verb 'comply' is followed by the fixed preposition 'with'. This collocation must be memorised because other prepositions change the meaning or produce ungrammatical sentences.

Question 7General English

Select the option that best replaces the underlined phrase: 'The report was written by the junior stenographer and checked by her senior.'

  1. written by the junior stenographer and checked by hers senior
  2. written by the junior stenographer and checked by she senior
  3. written by the junior stenographer and checked by her's senior
  4. written by the junior stenographer and checked by her senior Correct answer.

Explanation

The possessive determiner 'her' is the correct form before the noun 'senior'. Possessive determiners take no apostrophe and do not change to 'hers' when a noun follows.

Question 8General English

Which word is spelt correctly for the meaning 'a person who writes shorthand'?

  1. stenographor
  2. stenografer
  3. stenographar
  4. stenographer Correct answer.

Explanation

The correct spelling is 'stenographer', formed from 'stenography' plus the agent suffix '-er'. The '-er' ending marks the person who performs the action.

Question 9General English

Choose the word that is closest in meaning to 'verbose' as used to describe dictation.

  1. concise
  2. rapid
  3. illegible
  4. wordy Correct answer.

Explanation

'Verbose' means using more words than necessary, so 'wordy' is the closest synonym. A verbose dictation is long-winded rather than brief or unclear.

Question 10General English

In the sentence 'The stenographer transcribed the judgment accurately', identify the adverb and its function.

  1. 'accurately' modifies the noun 'judgment'
  2. 'accurately' modifies the article 'the'
  3. 'accurately' modifies the verb 'transcribed' Correct answer.
  4. 'accurately' modifies the subject 'stenographer'

Explanation

An adverb of manner typically modifies the verb, telling how the action was performed. Here 'accurately' describes the manner of transcribing.

Question 11General English

Choose the correctly punctuated version of a court recording note.

  1. The witness said, "I signed the register on Monday".
  2. The witness said 'I signed the register on Monday'.
  3. The witness said, 'I signed the register on Monday.' Correct answer.
  4. The witness, said 'I signed the register on Monday.'

Explanation

A comma separates the reporting clause from the direct speech, and the full stop falls inside the closing quotation mark. This is standard British and Indian English practice for quoted sentences.

Question 12General English

Which option correctly transforms the sentence into the passive voice: 'The senior stenographer typed the confidential report.'

  1. The confidential report is typed by the senior stenographer.
  2. The confidential report was typing by the senior stenographer.
  3. The confidential report has typed by the senior stenographer.
  4. The confidential report was typed by the senior stenographer. Correct answer.

Explanation

The simple past active 'typed' becomes 'was typed' in the passive, with the object promoted to subject. The agent is introduced by 'by'.

Question 13General English

Select the sentence that correctly reports the speech: The officer said to the stenographer, 'Submit the file today.'

  1. The officer told the stenographer to submit the file today.
  2. The officer told the stenographer to submit the file that day. Correct answer.
  3. The officer said the stenographer submit the file that day.
  4. The officer asked the stenographer to submit the file that day.

Explanation

An imperative in reported speech becomes 'told' plus a to-infinitive, and 'today' shifts to 'that day'. 'Asked' would wrongly suggest a question.

Question 14General English

Identify the sentence that uses a correctly formed conditional for an unreal past situation.

  1. If the stenographer has checked the draft, the error would be avoided.
  2. If the stenographer would have checked the draft, the error had been avoided.
  3. If the stenographer had checked the draft, the error would have been avoided. Correct answer.
  4. If the stenographer checked the draft, the error would have been avoided.

Explanation

The third conditional uses 'had' plus past participle in the if-clause and 'would have' plus past participle in the main clause. It describes an unreal past condition and its unreal result.

Question 15General English

Which sentence contains a correctly used non-finite clause?

  1. Having completed the transcript, the filing was done by the stenographer.
  2. Having completed the transcript, the stenographer filed it with the registrar. Correct answer.
  3. Having been completed the transcript, the stenographer filed it.
  4. Completed the transcript, the stenographer filed it with the registrar.

Explanation

A perfect participle clause ('Having completed...') must share its subject with the main clause. Here the stenographer both completed and filed, so the construction is sound.

Question 16General English

Choose the option in which the modal verb expresses obligation in a formal office instruction.

  1. Stenographers might maintain the confidentiality of all proceedings.
  2. Stenographers may maintain the confidentiality of all proceedings.
  3. Stenographers could maintain the confidentiality of all proceedings.
  4. Stenographers shall maintain the confidentiality of all proceedings. Correct answer.

Explanation

In formal and legal registers, 'shall' expresses a binding obligation or requirement. 'May' and 'might' express permission or possibility, and 'could' expresses ability or tentative possibility.

Question 17General English

Select the sentence that uses 'lie' and 'lay' correctly.

  1. The files lie on the table while the clerk laid the pen beside them yesterday.
  2. The files laid on the table while the clerk lay the pen beside them.
  3. The files lay on the table while the clerk lay the pen beside them.
  4. The files lay on the table while the clerk laid the pen beside them. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Lie' is intransitive and its past form is 'lay'; 'lay' is transitive and its past form is 'laid'. The files rest on the table, while the clerk places the pen, so 'lay' and 'laid' are both correct.

Question 18General English

Which option gives the correct plural of 'memorandum' in formal office English?

  1. memorandum's
  2. memoranda Correct answer.
  3. memorandi
  4. memorandums

Explanation

'Memorandum' is a Latin-derived noun whose standard formal plural is 'memoranda'. The form 'memorandums' exists but is less preferred in formal registers.

Question 19General English

Choose the sentence with the correct use of the semicolon.

  1. The stenographer was unwell; nevertheless, she completed the transcript. Correct answer.
  2. The stenographer was unwell, nevertheless; she completed the transcript.
  3. The stenographer was unwell; nevertheless she, completed the transcript.
  4. The stenographer was unwell nevertheless; she completed the transcript.

Explanation

A semicolon joins two independent clauses, and a conjunctive adverb such as 'nevertheless' is followed by a comma. The semicolon belongs before the adverb, not after it.

Question 20General English

Identify the sentence in which the colon is used correctly.

  1. The stenographer needed three things, a pen: a pad and a quiet room.
  2. The stenographer needed three things: a pen, a pad and a quiet room. Correct answer.
  3. The stenographer needed: three things a pen, a pad and a quiet room.
  4. The stenographer needed three things; a pen: a pad and a quiet room.

Explanation

A colon introduces a list after a complete independent clause. The clause before the colon must be grammatically complete, which it is here.

Question 21General English

Which word is the correct antonym of 'legible' as applied to a handwritten draft?

  1. legitimate
  2. readable
  3. illegible Correct answer.
  4. audible

Explanation

'Legible' means clear enough to be read, so its antonym is 'illegible', meaning impossible to read. The prefix 'il-' negates the adjective before l.

Question 22General English

Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence with an appropriate idiom: 'The junior stenographer was asked to ___ the minutes before the hearing resumed.'

  1. read over the line
  2. read up
  3. read into
  4. read out Correct answer.

Explanation

'Read out' means to read something aloud to an audience, which fits the context of announcing the minutes. The other phrasal verbs carry different meanings.

Question 23General English

Select the option that correctly changes the degree of comparison: 'This transcript is clearer than that one.'

  1. This transcript is clearer than any other transcript of the two.
  2. This transcript is clearest than that one.
  3. This transcript is more clear than that one. Correct answer.
  4. This transcript is the clearest of the two.

Explanation

'More clear' is an acceptable alternative to 'clearer' for the comparative, and the sentence keeps the correct comparative structure with 'than'. The comparative is used when exactly two items are compared.

Question 24General English

Which sentence correctly uses 'who' or 'whom' in a formal office note?

  1. The stenographer who the officer praised has filed the record.
  2. The stenographer whom took the dictation has filed the record.
  3. The stenographer whom is senior has filed the record.
  4. The stenographer who took the dictation has filed the record. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Who' is the subject form and is required when the relative pronoun acts as the subject of its clause. Here 'who' is the subject of 'took'.

Question 25General English

Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence with a suitable word: 'The stenographer was praised for her ___ in handling confidential files.'

  1. discreteness
  2. discretion Correct answer.
  3. discreetly
  4. discrete

Explanation

The noun 'discretion' means the quality of being careful about what one says or does, which fits the context of confidential files. The other forms are either adjectives, adverbs or awkward nouns.

Question 26General English

In a formal noting draft, choose the option that correctly completes the sentence: 'The stenographer was entrusted ___ the preparation of the day's minutes.'

  1. to
  2. upon
  3. for
  4. with Correct answer.

Explanation

The verb 'entrust' takes the fixed preposition 'with' when it means giving someone responsibility for something: 'entrust someone with a task'. The passive form keeps the same preposition, giving 'was entrusted with the preparation'.

Question 27General English

A stenographer's note reads: 'The witness deposed that he had signed the register.' Which option correctly reports this statement in a simpler past form without changing the meaning?

  1. The witness deposed that he will sign the register.
  2. The witness deposed that he has signed the register.
  3. The witness deposed that he signed the register. Correct answer.
  4. The witness deposed that he would have signed the register.

Explanation

When the reporting verb is in the past ('deposed'), backshift normally changes 'had signed' to 'signed' if the earlier past perfect is not needed for clarity. The simple past keeps the sequence of events clear and is standard in reported deposition notes.

Question 28General English

In a formal office instruction, which sentence uses the modal verb that expresses the strongest obligation on the stenographer?

  1. The stenographer might verify the spellings before filing.
  2. The stenographer may verify the spellings before filing.
  3. The stenographer could verify the spellings before filing.
  4. The stenographer must verify the spellings before filing. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Must' expresses strong obligation or compulsion, which is the register used in formal instructions and office orders. The other modals indicate permission, ability or possibility, and so do not impose a duty.

Question 29General English

Choose the option that correctly supplies the article(s) in this office notice: '___ stenographer was asked to bring ___ inkpad and ___ spare ribbon.'

  1. A / an / a
  2. The / a / an
  3. The / an / a Correct answer.
  4. A / the / the

Explanation

'The stenographer' is definite because a particular person is meant in the notice. 'An inkpad' and 'a spare ribbon' are indefinite singular countable nouns introduced for the first time, so the indefinite article is used, with 'an' before the vowel sound.

Question 30General English

Which option correctly completes the sentence with a phrasal verb meaning 'to record in writing': 'The clerk asked the stenographer to ___ the dictation before the lunch recess.'

  1. take over
  2. take down Correct answer.
  3. take up
  4. take off

Explanation

'Take down' means to write down or record spoken words, which fits dictation work exactly. The other phrasal verbs have unrelated meanings such as removing, assuming control, or beginning a hobby.

Question 31General English

A stenographer writes: 'The counsel's argument was not only lengthy but also repetitive.' Which option correctly identifies the correlative conjunction pair and its function?

  1. 'not only ... but also' joins two noun phrases in apposition.
  2. 'not only ... but also' introduces a subordinate clause of condition.
  3. 'not only ... but also' joins two parallel adjectives describing the argument. Correct answer.
  4. 'not only ... but also' joins two independent clauses.

Explanation

Correlative conjunctions must connect grammatically parallel elements. Here 'lengthy' and 'repetitive' are both adjectives modifying 'argument', so the pair joins parallel adjectives.

Question 32General English

Choose the option that correctly rewrites the sentence using an infinitive phrase: 'The stenographer attended the hearing so that she could take a verbatim record.'

  1. The stenographer attended the hearing for taking a verbatim record.
  2. The stenographer attended the hearing to take a verbatim record. Correct answer.
  3. The stenographer attended the hearing so as taking a verbatim record.
  4. The stenographer attended the hearing in order that take a verbatim record.

Explanation

A purpose clause with 'so that ... could' can be reduced to an infinitive of purpose: 'to take a verbatim record'. The infinitive expresses the same purpose concisely and grammatically.

Question 33General English

Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly in a formal office record?

  1. The stenographer's association met, and its members' were present.
  2. The stenographers association's met to discuss norms.
  3. The stenographers' association met to discuss the new transcription norms. Correct answer.
  4. The stenographer's' association met to discuss the new norms.

Explanation

A plural noun ending in -s takes the apostrophe after the s to show possession: 'stenographers''. This correctly indicates an association belonging to several stenographers.

Question 34General English

Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence with a suitable adverb: 'The stenographer transcribed the deposition so ___ that not a single word was disputed.'

  1. accurately Correct answer.
  2. accuracy
  3. accurateness
  4. accurate

Explanation

The verb 'transcribed' is modified by an adverb, and the 'so ... that' construction requires an adverb before it: 'so accurately that'. 'Accurately' is the adverbial form of 'accurate'.

Question 35General English

Which sentence correctly uses the participle clause to avoid a dangling modifier?

  1. Having checked the transcript twice, the errors were few.
  2. Having checked the transcript twice, there were only two errors.
  3. Having checked the transcript twice, it was found that errors were few.
  4. Having checked the transcript twice, the stenographer found only two errors. Correct answer.

Explanation

A participial phrase must refer to the subject of the main clause. In the correct sentence, 'the stenographer' is the one who checked the transcript, so the modifier is properly attached.

Question 36General English

Choose the option that correctly uses the past perfect tense to show the order of events in a hearing note.

  1. By the time the judge arrived, the stenographer had already set up the machine. Correct answer.
  2. By the time the judge arrived, the stenographer has already set up the machine.
  3. By the time the judge arrived, the stenographer was already set up the machine.
  4. By the time the judge arrived, the stenographer already sets up the machine.

Explanation

The past perfect ('had set up') marks the earlier of two past actions, while the simple past ('arrived') marks the later one. This correctly shows that the setup was completed before the judge came in.

Question 37General English

Which option correctly completes the sentence using a subjunctive form appropriate to formal legal English? 'The committee recommended that the transcript ___ without delay.'

  1. was verified
  2. is verified
  3. will be verified
  4. be verified Correct answer.

Explanation

Verbs of recommendation, such as 'recommend', 'insist' and 'suggest', take the mandative subjunctive in formal English: 'that the transcript be verified'. The base form 'be' is used regardless of the subject.

Question 38General English

Choose the option in which the adverb 'hardly' is placed correctly for formal written English.

  1. The stenographer had begun hardly when the power failed.
  2. Hardly had the stenographer begun when the power failed. Correct answer.
  3. The stenographer hardly had begun when the power failed.
  4. Hardly the stenographer had begun when the power failed.

Explanation

When a negative adverb such as 'hardly', 'scarcely' or 'no sooner' begins a clause, inversion of the auxiliary and subject is required: 'Hardly had the stenographer begun'. This is standard in formal narrative writing.

Question 39General English

Which sentence correctly uses a relative pronoun to define a noun in a formal office circular?

  1. The stenographer whom took the minutes has been transferred.
  2. The stenographer who took the minutes has been transferred. Correct answer.
  3. The stenographer, that took the minutes, has been transferred.
  4. The stenographer which took the minutes has been transferred.

Explanation

For a person acting as the subject of the relative clause, the correct relative pronoun is 'who'. 'Who took the minutes' is a defining clause identifying the stenographer.

Question 40General English

Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence with a word meaning 'using few words' in a note about dictation style.

  1. The officer's dictation was so ambiguous that the stenographer captured every point in a few lines.
  2. The officer's dictation was so concise that the stenographer captured every point in a few lines. Correct answer.
  3. The officer's dictation was so redundant that the stenographer captured every point in a few lines.
  4. The officer's dictation was so illegible that the stenographer captured every point in a few lines.

Explanation

'Concise' means brief but comprehensive, which matches the idea of capturing every point in a few lines. The word describes economy of expression, which is the quality being praised here.

Question 41General Intelligence and Reasoning

In a reasoning test for stenographers, the term 'coding-decoding' primarily requires the candidate to identify which element of a given set of letters or numbers?

  1. The number of repeated characters in the input
  2. The total number of vowels present in the input
  3. The alphabetical position of the last letter only
  4. The underlying pattern or rule that transforms the input Correct answer.

Explanation

Coding-decoding questions test whether a candidate can detect the rule by which a word or number is converted into a code, then apply the same rule to a new input. Counting vowels, positions of a single letter, or repeated characters are only possible clues, not the objective.

Question 42General Intelligence and Reasoning

A series of letters follows the order A, C, F, J, O. Which letter should come next in this series?

  1. V
  2. T
  3. U Correct answer.
  4. S

Explanation

The gaps between successive letters increase by one each time: A to C skips 1 letter, C to F skips 2, F to J skips 3, and J to O skips 4. The next gap must skip 5 letters, so from O we pass P, Q, R, S, T and land on U.

Question 43General Intelligence and Reasoning

If the word STENOGRAPHER is coded by shifting each letter one place forward in the alphabet, what is the coded form of the first five letters STENO?

  1. TUFOP Correct answer.
  2. SUFOP
  3. TUEPO
  4. TUFNP

Explanation

Shifting each letter one step forward gives S to T, T to U, E to F, N to O and O to P, producing TUFOP. Every letter must move exactly one place, so the result is fixed and unambiguous.

Question 44General Intelligence and Reasoning

Pointing to a photograph, a stenographer says, 'She is the daughter of my grandfather's only son.' How is the girl in the photograph related to the speaker?

  1. Aunt
  2. Niece
  3. Cousin
  4. Sister Correct answer.

Explanation

The grandfather's only son must be the speaker's father, since a single son leaves no other male sibling. The daughter of the speaker's father is therefore the speaker's sister.

Question 45General Intelligence and Reasoning

A stenographer faces north, turns 90 degrees clockwise, then turns 180 degrees clockwise again. Which direction is the stenographer now facing?

  1. East
  2. West Correct answer.
  3. South
  4. North

Explanation

Starting from north, a 90-degree clockwise turn faces east, and a further 180-degree clockwise turn reverses that to west. Net rotation is 270 degrees clockwise, which from north gives west.

Question 46General Intelligence and Reasoning

Which number should replace the question mark in the series 3, 6, 11, 18, 27, ?

  1. 40
  2. 38 Correct answer.
  3. 36
  4. 35

Explanation

The differences between consecutive terms are 3, 5, 7 and 9, increasing by 2 each time. The next difference must be 11, so 27 plus 11 equals 38.

Question 47General Intelligence and Reasoning

In a certain code, if MOUSE is written as NVPWF, how is the word PEN written in the same code?

  1. OFO
  2. QEN
  3. QFP
  4. QFO Correct answer.

Explanation

Each letter of MOUSE is shifted one place forward to give NVPWF, so the same rule applies to PEN: P becomes Q, E becomes F and N becomes O. The coded word is therefore QFO.

Question 48General Intelligence and Reasoning

A stenographer's seating arrangement places four colleagues in a row: A is to the left of B, C is to the right of B, and D is to the left of A. Who occupies the leftmost seat?

  1. A
  2. D Correct answer.
  3. B
  4. C

Explanation

The conditions give the order D, A, B, C from left to right, since D is left of A, A is left of B and C is right of B. The leftmost position therefore belongs to D.

Question 49General Intelligence and Reasoning

Which of the following words cannot be formed using only the letters of the word STENOGRAPHY, with each letter used at most as often as it appears in that word?

  1. ANGRY Correct answer.
  2. STONE
  3. GRAPH
  4. PHONE

Explanation

The word STENOGRAPHY contains no letter R, so ANGRY cannot be built from it. GRAPH, STONE and PHONE each use only letters present in STENOGRAPHY within the allowed counts.

Question 50General Intelligence and Reasoning

A stenographer notes that in a certain month, the 3rd day is a Tuesday. What day of the week will the 24th day of the same month be?

  1. Wednesday
  2. Tuesday Correct answer.
  3. Monday
  4. Thursday

Explanation

The difference between the 24th and the 3rd is 21 days, which is exactly three weeks. Adding a whole number of weeks returns the same weekday, so the 24th is also a Tuesday.