UGC NET December 2026 – English Paper II

Mock Test 3: Unit V – Language: Basic Concepts, Theories and Pedagogy

Examination Instructions

Subject

English – Paper II

Unit

Unit V – Language

Total Questions

20 MCQs

Maximum Marks

40 marks

Suggested Time

25 minutes

Each question carries 2 marks.
Select the single best answer from options (A), (B), (C), and (D).
There is no negative marking in this practice test.
Attempt all questions before consulting the answer key.

Coverage: Structuralism, generative grammar, language acquisition, phonology, morphology, semantics, pragmatics, sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, language teaching methods and classroom assessment.

This is an original practice test based on established UGC NET English syllabus themes. It is not an official NTA paper, and its questions are not claimed to be verbatim previous-year questions or guaranteed predictions for December 2026.

Section A: Multiple-Choice Questions

Question 1. Structural Linguistics

According to Ferdinand de Saussure, the relationship between the signifier and the signified in a linguistic sign is generally:

(A) Natural and biologically determined.

(B) Arbitrary and based on linguistic convention.

(D) Determined exclusively by the speaker's intention.

Question 2. Generative Grammar

Which of the following best describes the concept of recursion in language?

(A) The replacement of one sound by another sound.

(B) The repetition of a word without any grammatical purpose.

(C) The capacity to embed linguistic structures within other structures, potentially producing indefinitely many expressions.

(D) The process of changing a noun into a verb through derivation.

Question 3. Assertion–Reason: Language Acquisition

Assertion (A): Noam Chomsky challenged the view that language acquisition could be explained entirely through imitation and reinforcement.

Reason (R): Children develop grammatical knowledge that enables them to produce and understand sentences they have not previously encountered.

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 4. Phonetics: Place of Articulation

Which of the following English consonants is a voiced bilabial plosive?

(A) /p/

(B) /b/

(D) /m/

Question 5. Match the Following: Linguistic Concepts

Match List I with List II.

List I	List II
(a) Phoneme	(i) Smallest meaningful linguistic unit
(b) Morpheme	(ii) Study of language use in context
(c) Pragmatics	(iii) Distinctive sound unit in a language
(d) Syntax	(iv) Study of sentence structure

Choose the correct code:

(A) (a)–(iii), (b)–(i), (c)–(ii), (d)–(iv)

(B) (a)–(i), (b)–(iii), (c)–(iv), (d)–(ii)

(D) (a)–(iv), (b)–(ii), (c)–(iii), (d)–(i)

Question 6. Language Acquisition: Behaviourism

Which classroom practice most closely reflects a behaviourist approach to language learning?

(A) Encouraging learners to formulate hypotheses about grammar independently.

(B) Providing repeated stimulus-response practice and reinforcement for correct language patterns.

(D) Allowing students to develop linguistic competence without any feedback or practice.

Question 7. Statement-Based Question: Competence and Performance

Consider the following statements:

Linguistic competence refers to a speaker's underlying knowledge of language.
Linguistic performance refers to actual language use.
Performance may be affected by fatigue, memory limitations and hesitation.
Competence and performance are interchangeable terms in Chomsky's theory.

Which statements are correct?

(A) 1 and 2 only

(B) 1, 2 and 3 only

(D) 1, 3 and 4 only

Question 8. Semantics: Types of Meaning

The sentence “The child is a little angel” describes a child by associating the child with the qualities conventionally attributed to an angel.

The figurative interpretation primarily involves:

(A) Metaphorical meaning

(B) Phonological assimilation

(D) Grammatical agreement

Question 9. Pragmatics: Deixis

Consider the utterance:

“I will meet you here tomorrow.”

Which set contains the deictic expressions in this sentence?

(A) Meet, you, will

(B) I, meet, tomorrow

(D) Will, meet, here

Question 10. Sociolinguistics: Code-Switching

A bilingual speaker uses Hindi while discussing a familiar topic with a friend and shifts to English when discussing a technical subject. This is best described as:

(A) Code-switching

(B) Phonemic neutralisation

(D) Morphological reanalysis

Question 11. Grice's Maxims

A person asks, “Where is the university library?”

The reply is, “It is next to the main administrative building.”

Assuming the answer is accurate and relevant, which of Grice's maxims is most directly illustrated?

(A) Maxim of Quantity

(B) Maxim of Quality

(D) Maxim of Manner

Question 12. Case Study: Teaching Grammar Communicatively

An English teacher wants students to learn the present perfect tense. Instead of beginning with a lengthy grammatical explanation, the teacher asks students to interview one another about life experiences using questions such as “Have you ever visited Delhi?” and “Have you ever read this novel?”

Which approach does this activity most clearly reflect?

(A) Grammar-Translation Method

(B) Communicative Language Teaching

(D) Audiolingual memorisation without meaningful context

Question 13. Discourse Analysis: Cohesion and Coherence

Read the following passage:

“Rita bought a new dictionary. She uses it every day because the book helps her improve her vocabulary.”

Which feature most clearly contributes to cohesion?

(A) The use of pronouns and lexical repetition linking sentences.

(B) The reader's personal opinion about dictionaries.

(D) The historical origin of the word dictionary.

Question 14. Assertion–Reason: Linguistic Relativity

Assertion (A): Linguistic relativity suggests that the language people speak may influence habitual patterns of thought and perception.

Reason (R): Linguistic relativity necessarily claims that people cannot think about concepts for which their language has no single word.

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. Error Analysis: Second-Language Learning

A learner repeatedly says, “She doesn't likes coffee” instead of “She doesn't like coffee.”

What is the most appropriate linguistic explanation of this error?

(A) The learner has applied the third-person singular marker -s even though the auxiliary does already carries that marking.

(B) The learner has correctly formed the standard English sentence.

(D) The error demonstrates that the learner has no knowledge of English syntax.

Question 16. Match the Following: Language Acquisition and Pedagogy

Match List I with List II.

List I	List II
(a) Noam Chomsky	(i) Zone of Proximal Development
(b) Lev Vygotsky	(ii) Input Hypothesis
(c) Stephen Krashen	(iii) Universal Grammar
(d) Dell Hymes	(iv) Communicative competence

Choose the correct code:

(A) (a)–(iii), (b)–(i), (c)–(ii), (d)–(iv)

(B) (a)–(i), (b)–(iii), (c)–(iv), (d)–(ii)

(D) (a)–(iv), (b)–(ii), (c)–(iii), (d)–(i)

Question 17. Morphology: Allomorphs

The English plural morpheme is pronounced differently in words such as cats, dogs and buses.

The different pronunciations of the plural ending are examples of:

(A) Homophones

(B) Allomorphs

(D) Minimal pairs

Question 18. Application-Based Question: Language Assessment

An English teacher uses a rubric to assess students' presentations. The rubric includes grammatical accuracy, fluency, pronunciation, organisation and appropriateness for the audience.

Which assessment principle is most clearly demonstrated?

(A) Assessment based exclusively on grammatical accuracy.

(B) Holistic evaluation of multiple dimensions of communicative performance.

(D) Norm-referenced ranking without explicit criteria.

Question 19. Language Teaching: The Direct Method

Which of the following is most characteristic of the Direct Method?

(A) Systematic translation of all target-language sentences into the first language.

(B) Teaching vocabulary and grammar primarily through the first language.

(D) Avoiding spoken interaction and focusing only on written examinations.

Question 20. Integrated Application: Sociocultural Theory

A teacher gives students a challenging English-speaking task. Initially, the teacher provides prompts, examples and guiding questions. As the students become more capable, the teacher gradually withdraws the support.

Which concept best explains this practice?

(A) Scaffolding within a sociocultural approach to learning.

(B) Mechanical repetition without learner participation.

(D) The Grammar-Translation Method.

Section B: Answer Key

Question	Correct Answer	Topic
1	B	Saussure and the linguistic sign
2	C	Recursion
3	A	Chomsky and language acquisition
4	B	Place and manner of articulation
5	A	Branches of linguistics
6	B	Behaviourism
7	B	Competence and performance
8	A	Metaphorical meaning
9	C	Deixis
10	A	Code-switching
11	C	Grice's Maxim of Relation
12	B	Communicative Language Teaching
13	A	Cohesion
14	C	Linguistic relativity
15	A	Grammatical overgeneralisation
16	A	Theorists and their contributions
17	B	Allomorphs
18	B	Communicative assessment
19	C	Direct Method
20	A	Scaffolding

Section C: Detailed Explanations

1. B — Saussure and the linguistic sign

Saussure distinguished between the signifier, the form of a linguistic sign, and the signified, the concept it represents. Their relationship is generally arbitrary because it depends on linguistic convention rather than a necessary natural connection.

2. C — Recursion

Recursion enables linguistic structures to be embedded within other structures. For example, a relative clause can be embedded in a noun phrase, allowing speakers to construct increasingly complex sentences.

3. A — Chomsky and language acquisition

Chomsky challenged explanations that relied entirely on imitation and reinforcement. Children's ability to construct novel grammatical sentences supports the view that they acquire productive knowledge of linguistic rules.

4. B — Voiced bilabial plosive

The sound /b/ is produced with both lips closing and then releasing the airflow, while the vocal folds vibrate. It is therefore a voiced bilabial plosive. /p/ is voiceless, /f/ is a voiceless labiodental fricative, and /m/ is a voiced bilabial nasal.

5. A — Branches of linguistics

Phoneme: A contrastive sound unit.
Morpheme: The smallest linguistic unit carrying grammatical or lexical meaning.
Pragmatics: The study of meaning in context.
Syntax: The study of sentence structure and the arrangement of linguistic elements.

6. B — Behaviourism

Behaviourist approaches emphasize practice, environmental stimuli, imitation and reinforcement. Repeated pattern practice is associated with habit formation in traditional behaviourist accounts of language learning.

7. B — Competence and performance

Competence concerns underlying linguistic knowledge, whereas performance concerns actual language production and comprehension. Performance may be affected by memory, attention, fatigue and hesitation.

8. A — Metaphorical meaning

Calling a child an “angel” is not normally a literal statement that the child is a supernatural being. The expression metaphorically attributes qualities such as innocence, kindness or goodness.

9. C — Deixis

Deictic expressions depend on the context of an utterance. In this sentence, I identifies the speaker, you identifies the addressee, here indicates location, and tomorrow identifies a time relative to the utterance.

10. A — Code-switching

Code-switching involves alternating between languages or language varieties within a conversation or discourse. Speakers may switch according to topic, audience, social identity or communicative purpose.

11. C — Maxim of Relation

Grice's Maxim of Relation, also called the Maxim of Relevance, advises speakers to make contributions relevant to the conversation. Giving the location of a nearby building directly answers the question.

12. B — Communicative Language Teaching

The teacher creates a meaningful situation in which students use the target grammatical structure to exchange information. This integrates grammar learning with communication rather than treating grammar as an isolated body of rules.

13. A — Cohesion

Pronouns such as she and it, together with lexical repetition such as dictionary and book, help link parts of the passage. Cohesion concerns these explicit linguistic connections, whereas coherence concerns the overall meaningful interpretation of a text.

14. C — Linguistic relativity

The assertion is true: linguistic relativity proposes that language may influence habitual patterns of thought or perception. The reason is false because the theory does not necessarily claim that speakers cannot think about concepts for which their language lacks a single word.

15. A — Grammatical overgeneralisation

The learner incorrectly retains the third-person singular -s on likes after using doesn't. In standard English, the auxiliary does carries the third-person singular marking, so the main verb remains in its base form: “She doesn't like coffee.”

16. A — Theorists and their contributions

Noam Chomsky: Universal Grammar and generative grammar.
Lev Vygotsky: Zone of Proximal Development and sociocultural learning.
Stephen Krashen: Input Hypothesis and other hypotheses concerning second-language acquisition.
Dell Hymes: Communicative competence.

17. B — Allomorphs

Allomorphs are different phonological forms of the same morpheme. The English regular plural ending has different pronunciations, such as /s/ in cats, /z/ in dogs, and /ɪz/ in buses.

18. B — Communicative assessment

The rubric evaluates several dimensions of oral performance rather than focusing exclusively on grammar. Explicit criteria help learners understand the expectations and allow teachers to assess communication more systematically.

19. C — Direct Method

The Direct Method emphasizes using the target language in the classroom, teaching vocabulary through demonstration and context, and developing oral communication. It traditionally minimizes translation into the first language.

20. A — Scaffolding

Scaffolding involves providing temporary support to help learners perform a task they cannot yet complete independently. The teacher gradually reduces assistance as learners develop greater competence.

Section D: Performance Evaluation

Score Guide

34–40

Excellent

26–32

Good

16–24

Needs revision

0–14

Revise fundamentals

These are practice benchmarks, not official UGC NET qualifying cut-offs. Each correct answer carries 2 marks.

Important Revision Topics for December 2026

Saussure: signifier, signified, langue and parole.
Chomsky: Universal Grammar, recursion, competence and performance.
Skinner: behaviourism and reinforcement.
Krashen: Input Hypothesis and Acquisition–Learning Hypothesis.
Vygotsky: ZPD and scaffolding.
Phonetics and phonology: articulation, phonemes, allophones and minimal pairs.
Morphology: morphemes, allomorphs, inflection and derivation.
Semantics and pragmatics: metaphor, deixis, implicature and speech acts.
Sociolinguistics: code-switching, dialect, register and communicative competence.
Discourse analysis: cohesion and coherence.
Language teaching: Grammar-Translation, Direct Method, Audio-Lingual Method and Communicative Language Teaching.
Assessment: formative assessment, communicative competence and performance-based evaluation.

Preparation tip: For Unit V, focus on understanding the differences between related concepts and applying theories to practical classroom situations. Assertion–Reason, statement-based, matching and case-study questions are especially useful for testing conceptual clarity.

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