UGC NET December 2026 – English Paper II

Mock Test 9: Unit V – Language: Basic Concepts, Theories and Pedagogy

This mock test contains 20 original multiple-choice questions on language structure, linguistic theories, semantics, pragmatics, sociolinguistics, second-language acquisition, language teaching, and assessment. It includes matching questions, statement-based questions, assertion–reason items, and practical applications.

Examination Instructions

Total Questions: 20

Maximum Marks: 40

Suggested Time: 25 minutes

Marks per Question: 2

All 20 questions are compulsory.
Each question has four options: (A), (B), (C), and (D).
Select the single best answer.
There is no negative marking in this practice test.
Attempt the questions before consulting the answer key and explanations.

This is an original practice test based on established concepts relevant to UGC NET English. It is not an official NTA paper, a verbatim collection of previous-year questions, or a prediction of the exact December 2026 examination.

Section A: Multiple-Choice Questions

Question 1

Which of the following best describes the distinction between langue and parole in Ferdinand de Saussure's theory?

(A) Langue refers to individual speech, whereas parole refers to the shared language system.

(B) Langue refers to the shared system of linguistic conventions, whereas parole refers to individual acts of language use.

(D) Langue refers to language history, whereas parole refers to language acquisition.

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of suppletion in English morphology?

(A) walk → walked

(B) book → books

(D) play → playing

Question 3

Consider the following statements about phonemes and allophones.

Phonemes can distinguish meaning in a language.
Allophones are phonetic variants of a phoneme.
Allophones always distinguish the meanings of words.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(A) 1 only

(B) 1 and 2 only

(D) 1, 2 and 3

Question 4

Which sentence illustrates entailment?

(A) “Rita may arrive tomorrow” entails “Rita will arrive tomorrow.”

(B) “The king of France is bald” entails that France has a king.

(D) “John regrets leaving” entails that John is happy.

Question 5

Match List I with List II.

List I: Linguistic term	List II: Meaning
a. Deixis	1. A relationship in which one expression refers back to an earlier expression
b. Anaphora	2. A word or expression whose interpretation depends on context
c. Collocation	3. Words that commonly occur together
d. Entailment	4. A meaning relation in which one proposition necessarily follows from another

Choose the correct answer.

(A) a–2, b–1, c–3, d–4

(B) a–1, b–3, c–4, d–2

(D) a–3, b–4, c–2, d–1

Question 6

A language teacher asks students to identify their own mistakes, explain why the mistakes occurred, and revise their work. Which learning approach is most directly encouraged?

(A) Rote memorisation

(B) Reflective learning and learner autonomy

(D) Mechanical repetition alone

Question 7

Which of the following best represents the Interaction Hypothesis associated with Michael Long?

(A) Language acquisition depends exclusively on memorising grammatical rules.

(B) Negotiation of meaning during interaction can support language acquisition.

(D) Language learning is unaffected by communication with other speakers.

Question 8

In sociolinguistics, diglossia traditionally refers to a situation in which:

(A) Two or more varieties have distinct functions within a community.

(B) A speaker forgets a previously learned language.

(D) All speakers use identical linguistic forms in every setting.

Question 9

Which of the following is the clearest example of a performative utterance?

(A) “The sun rises in the east.”

(B) “I promise to return the book tomorrow.”

(D) “The road is very narrow.”

Question 10

Consider the following statements about language change.

Language change can affect pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and meaning.
Language change necessarily makes a language less systematic.
Language change may occur gradually across generations.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(A) 1 only

(B) 1 and 2 only

(D) 1, 2 and 3

Question 11

A teacher uses a short story to teach vocabulary, grammar, interpretation, and speaking. Students discuss the story and connect it with their experiences. Which principle does this activity best illustrate?

(A) Language should be taught only through isolated grammar rules.

(B) Language learning can integrate linguistic skills and meaningful context.

(D) Literary texts cannot be used in language teaching.

Question 12

Which statement best distinguishes inductive from deductive grammar teaching?

(A) Inductive teaching begins with examples from which learners infer a rule; deductive teaching presents the rule before examples.

(B) Inductive teaching prohibits examples; deductive teaching uses examples exclusively.

(D) Inductive teaching requires translation; deductive teaching forbids translation.

Question 13

In language assessment, backwash or washback refers to:

(A) The influence of assessment on teaching and learning.

(B) The process of translating an answer into a first language.

(D) The number of questions included in a test.

Question 14

Assertion (A): A learner-centred language classroom gives learners meaningful opportunities to participate actively in learning.

Reason (R): Learner-centred teaching requires the teacher to avoid all guidance, feedback, and instructional support.

Choose the correct answer.

(A) Both A and R are true, and R correctly explains A.

(B) Both A and R are true, but R does not correctly explain A.

(D) A is false, but R is true.

Question 15

Which of the following best illustrates lexicalisation?

(A) A speaker changes the stress pattern of a sentence.

(B) A sequence or expression becomes established as a conventional lexical item in a language.

(D) A listener interprets a pronoun using the previous sentence.

Question 16

Match List I with List II.

List I: Scholar	List II: Associated contribution
a. Ferdinand de Saussure	1. Universal Grammar and generative linguistics
b. Noam Chomsky	2. Language as a social semiotic and systemic functional linguistics
c. M. A. K. Halliday	3. Signifier and signified
d. Michael Halliday's functional approach	4. Language functions in social contexts

Choose the best answer.

(A) a–3, b–1, c–2, d–4

(B) a–1, b–3, c–4, d–2

(D) a–4, b–2, c–3, d–1

Question 17

A teacher wants to assess whether learners can use English to make a complaint politely in a hotel, explain a problem, and respond appropriately to the receptionist. Which assessment task is most suitable?

(A) A multiple-choice test on verb forms alone

(B) A role-play simulating a hotel complaint

(D) A spelling test without spoken interaction

Question 18

Which of the following best describes interlanguage in second-language acquisition?

(A) A fully developed native language that never changes.

(B) A learner's developing linguistic system, influenced by both the first language and the target language.

(D) A system in which learners reproduce only memorised sentences.

Question 19

Which concept refers to the ability to choose language appropriately according to the social context, participants, and communicative purpose?

(A) Phonemic awareness

(B) Pragmatic competence

(D) Morphological segmentation

Question 20

Assertion (A): Using peer feedback can support language learning when learners are guided to give constructive, task-related comments.

Reason (R): Peer feedback can help learners notice strengths and weaknesses in their own and others' language use.

Choose the correct answer.

(A) Both A and R are true, and R correctly explains A.

(B) Both A and R are true, but R does not correctly explain A.

(D) A is false, but R is true.

Correction to Question 16: For a clearer one-to-one matching question, read item (d) as Dell Hymes and item (4) as Communicative competence. The intended correct answer remains (A).

Section B: Answer Key

Question	Correct Answer	Key Concept
1	B	Langue and parole
2	C	Suppletion
3	B	Phonemes and allophones
4	C	Entailment
5	A	Semantics and pragmatics
6	B	Reflective learning
7	B	Interaction Hypothesis
8	A	Diglossia
9	B	Performative utterance
10	C	Language change
11	B	Contextualised language learning
12	A	Inductive and deductive teaching
13	A	Washback
14	C	Learner-centred teaching
15	B	Lexicalisation
16	A	Major linguistic scholars
17	B	Role-play assessment
18	B	Interlanguage
19	B	Pragmatic competence
20	A	Peer feedback

Section C: Detailed Answers and Explanations

Question 1 — Answer: (B) Langue and parole

Ferdinand de Saussure distinguished between two aspects of language:

Langue: The shared system of linguistic conventions within a speech community.
Parole: The individual use of that system in actual speech or communication.

For example, English grammar belongs to the shared linguistic system, whereas a person's particular utterance is an instance of parole.

Question 2 — Answer: (C) good → better

Suppletion occurs when different grammatical forms of a word are formed from unrelated or historically distinct roots.

The English adjective good has the comparative form better. The relationship between these forms is suppletive.

By comparison, walked, books, and playing involve recognisable inflectional suffixes.

Question 3 — Answer: (B) 1 and 2 only

A phoneme is a sound category that can distinguish meaning. For example, /p/ and /b/ distinguish pat from bat.

An allophone is a phonetic variant of a phoneme. Allophones typically do not distinguish word meanings in the language concerned.

Therefore, statements 1 and 2 are correct, while statement 3 is incorrect.

Question 4 — Answer: (C) “All the children passed” entails “Some children passed.”

Entailment is a semantic relationship in which the truth of one proposition guarantees the truth of another, given the stated assumptions.

If all the children passed and the group contains at least one child, it follows that some children passed.

The other options involve possibilities, presuppositions, or meanings that do not necessarily follow from the original statements.

Question 5 — Answer: (A) a–2, b–1, c–3, d–4

Deixis: Expressions such as I, here, and tomorrow, whose interpretation depends on context.
Anaphora: A relationship in which an expression refers back to something previously mentioned.
Collocation: Words that commonly occur together, such as heavy rain.
Entailment: A meaning relationship in which one proposition necessarily follows from another.

These terms are important for distinguishing contextual meaning from relationships between lexical items and propositions.

Question 6 — Answer: (B) Reflective learning and learner autonomy

Reflective learning encourages learners to examine their own work, identify problems, and make improvements.

When learners analyse errors and revise their writing, they develop greater awareness of their learning processes. This can promote learner autonomy and more effective language development.

Question 7 — Answer: (B) Negotiation of meaning during interaction can support language acquisition.

Michael Long's Interaction Hypothesis emphasises the role of interaction in second-language acquisition.

During communication, learners may ask for clarification, request repetition, confirm understanding, or reformulate their expressions. Such negotiation of meaning can make language input more accessible and support learning.

Question 8 — Answer: (A) Two or more varieties have distinct functions within a community.

Diglossia traditionally describes a situation in which two varieties of a language have different social functions.

A high variety may be used in formal education, official speeches, or religious contexts, while a low variety may be used in everyday conversation.

The distinction concerns the social distribution of varieties, not the absence of grammatical rules.

Question 9 — Answer: (B) “I promise to return the book tomorrow.”

A performative utterance performs an action through the act of speaking, rather than merely reporting an event.

For example, saying “I promise” can constitute the act of making a promise when the appropriate conditions are met.

Other examples include apologising, naming, and formally declaring something.

Question 10 — Answer: (C) 1 and 3 only

Languages change over time in several ways:

Phonological change: Changes in pronunciation or sound systems.
Lexical change: The addition, loss, or alteration of words.
Grammatical change: Changes in sentence structure or grammatical patterns.
Semantic change: Changes in meaning.

Language change does not necessarily make a language less systematic. Languages continue to develop organised patterns as they change.

Question 11 — Answer: (B) Language learning can integrate linguistic skills and meaningful context.

A story can provide meaningful contexts for vocabulary, grammar, reading, speaking, and interpretation.

Discussing the story also allows learners to connect language with their own experiences. This approach treats language as a resource for communication rather than merely a collection of isolated rules.

Question 12 — Answer: (A) Inductive teaching begins with examples; deductive teaching presents the rule first.

The two approaches differ in how learners encounter grammatical rules.

Inductive approach: Learners examine examples and infer the underlying rule.
Deductive approach: The teacher presents the rule explicitly, followed by examples and practice.

Both approaches can be effective. The choice depends on learning objectives, learners' needs, and the complexity of the language feature.

Question 13 — Answer: (A) The influence of assessment on teaching and learning.

Washback, also called backwash, describes the effects of testing on classroom teaching and learner behaviour.

Positive washback may encourage meaningful communication and broad skill development. Negative washback may encourage excessive memorisation or narrow preparation focused only on likely examination questions.

Question 14 — Answer: (C) A is true, but R is false.

Learner-centred teaching encourages active participation, meaningful tasks, collaboration, and responsibility for learning.

However, it does not require teachers to withdraw all guidance. Teachers may still provide explanations, feedback, scaffolding, and support while allowing learners to participate actively.

Question 15 — Answer: (B) A sequence or expression becomes an established lexical item.

Lexicalisation refers broadly to a linguistic expression or pattern becoming established as a conventional lexical item.

For example, a multiword expression may acquire a recognised meaning and be stored or treated as a unit by speakers. The exact scope of the term varies across linguistic approaches.

The other options describe stress, inflection, or anaphoric reference rather than lexicalisation.

Question 16 — Answer: (A) a–3, b–1, c–2, d–4

The intended matches are:

Ferdinand de Saussure: The linguistic sign, signifier, and signified.
Noam Chomsky: Generative linguistics and Universal Grammar.
M. A. K. Halliday: Systemic functional linguistics.
Dell Hymes: Communicative competence.

Halliday's functional approach examines how language functions in social contexts; Hymes's concept of communicative competence concerns knowing how to use language appropriately in particular situations.

Question 17 — Answer: (B) A role-play simulating a hotel complaint

Role-play provides a practical way to assess language use in context.

A hotel complaint role-play can test whether learners can explain a problem, make a request, use appropriate politeness strategies, and respond to another speaker.

This is more suitable for assessing communicative performance than a multiple-choice test of verb forms alone.

Question 18 — Answer: (B) A learner's developing linguistic system

Interlanguage is the evolving language system that a second-language learner develops while learning the target language.

It may contain features of the learner's first language, elements of the target language, and patterns that are distinctive to the learner's developing system.

Interlanguage changes as learners receive input, practise, and revise their understanding of the target language.

Question 19 — Answer: (B) Pragmatic competence

Pragmatic competence is the ability to use and interpret language appropriately in context.

It includes understanding how to make requests politely, adjust language according to the listener, interpret implied meanings, and select expressions suited to the communicative situation.

A grammatically correct sentence may still be pragmatically inappropriate if it ignores social context.

Question 20 — Answer: (A) Both A and R are true, and R correctly explains A.

Peer feedback allows learners to comment on one another's work using agreed criteria.

When feedback is constructive and specific, learners can recognise strengths, identify weaknesses, and consider how to improve their own language use. Teachers can support this process by providing clear guidelines and modelling useful feedback.

Section D: Score Evaluation

Calculate Your Score

Enter your number of correct answers to calculate your score out of 40.

Correct answers (0–20)

Your score

30/40

Good: Revise the explanations for the questions you answered incorrectly.

These are practice-study bands, not official UGC NET qualifying cutoffs. A score of 15 falls between the bands listed below.

High-Priority Revision Topics

Saussure: Langue, parole, signifier, and signified.
Morphology: Suppletion, inflection, derivation, and morphemes.
Semantics and pragmatics: Entailment, deixis, anaphora, collocation, and performative utterances.
Sociolinguistics: Diglossia, language variation, and social context.
Second-language acquisition: Interaction Hypothesis and interlanguage.
Language pedagogy: Inductive and deductive approaches, learner autonomy, and contextualised learning.
Language assessment: Washback, role-play, and peer feedback.
Communicative competence: Appropriate language use across social situations.

Preparation tip: For every major concept, remember its definition, associated scholar where applicable, and one clear example. Practise explaining why the correct option fits and why the distractors do not. This approach is especially helpful for statement-based and assertion–reason questions.

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