This page covers the three grammar areas Punjab Police asks again and again: articles (a, an, the), prepositions (the small fixed words like of, on, before), and parts of speech, especially spotting an adjective and putting adjectives in the right order. These are rule-based, so once you know the rule you rarely guess. Read each question line to see what is wanted — fill the blank, identify a word, or improve a sentence. Every quiz below is a real Punjab Police SI or Constable question.
49
Past questions on this page
Punjab Police SI & Constable
3
areas: articles, prepositions, POS
8
parts of speech in English
Articles: a, an, the
Use sound (not spelling) for a/an, and 'the' for something specific.
KEY TERM
A / An / The
Use a before a consonant sound, an before a vowel sound — it is the sound that counts, not the letter (a European, because 'European' starts with a 'y' sound; an hour, because 'h' is silent). Use the for something specific or already known (the water in that jug), for a family name as a group (the Nehrus), and before superlatives. Many proper nouns take no article (India, Europe as a continent).
QUICK CHECK
Select the most appropriate article to fill in the blank. German is _____ easy language to learn.
Tap an option to answer
Answer: A — an
Punjab Police Sub Inspector 2023. 'German is ___ easy language' — 'easy' starts with a vowel sound /iː/, so we use an: an easy language. The spelling begins with a consonant, but the sound decides.
QUICK CHECK
Select the most appropriate article to fill in the blank.
He is planning to move to ____ European country for his higher studies.
Tap an option to answer
Answer: A — a
Punjab Police Sub Inspector 2023. 'move to ___ European country' — 'European' begins with a 'yoo' (consonant) sound, so the article is a, not 'an'. Again, sound over spelling.
QUICK CHECK
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. __________ water in that jug is not suitable for drinking.
Tap an option to answer
Answer: B — The
Punjab Police Sub Inspector 2023. '___ water in that jug' points to specific, known water (the one in that jug), so we use the. 'A/An' would be for something general and uncountable water rarely takes 'a'.
QUICK CHECK
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. ______ Nehrus have made a mark in Indian history.
Tap an option to answer
Answer: C — The
Punjab Police Sub Inspector 2023. A surname used for the whole family takes the: The Nehrus = the Nehru family. Plural family names always take 'the'.
QUICK CHECK
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. An apple a day, keeps _________ doctor away.
Tap an option to answer
Answer: C — the
Punjab Police Sub Inspector 2023. In the proverb 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away', 'the doctor' refers to doctors in general as a known idea, so the is correct.
Prepositions
Learn the fixed word that follows a verb; don't translate from Punjabi/Hindi.
KEY TERM
Prepositions
Many verbs and nouns take a fixed preposition that you simply learn: accused of, afraid of, good at, married to, before/after for time order. A common trap is translating word-for-word from your mother tongue, which gives the wrong preposition. Also note phrasal verbs: 'catch a fever', 'turn off the lamp' — the particle changes the meaning.
QUICK CHECK
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. He accused me _______ cheating.
Tap an option to answer
Answer: D — of
Punjab Police Constable 2025. The fixed phrase is accused of: 'He accused me of cheating.' 'Accuse' always takes 'of' before the wrongdoing — not at/in/on.
QUICK CHECK
Select the most appropriate preposition to fill in the blank. He received the scholarship six months _________ joining the college.
Tap an option to answer
Answer: C — before
Punjab Police Sub Inspector 2023. The scholarship came six months before joining the college — 'before' shows the earlier time. 'Ago' needs a point like 'six months ago' (no following verb); 'from' and 'across' don't fit the time order here.
QUICK CHECK
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.
I ________ a fever from my colleague.
Tap an option to answer
Answer: B — caught
Punjab Police Sub Inspector 2023. You catch an illness from someone: 'I caught a fever from my colleague.' 'Catch a fever/cold' is a fixed phrasal use; had/made/got do not carry 'from a person' naturally here.
QUICK CHECK
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. Mani will be reaching the place on _________ 5^{th} of May 2021.
Tap an option to answer
Answer: B — the
Punjab Police Sub Inspector 2023. A specific date takes the: 'on the 5th of May'. We say 'the fifth of May', so the article is 'the', not a/an/this.
Parts of speech and adjective order
An adjective describes a noun; multiple adjectives follow a fixed order.
KEY TERM
Adjective (and its order)
An adjective describes a noun — it tells which, what kind, or how many (that boy, a healthy exercise, the next house). When several adjectives stack up, English uses a fixed order: opinion → size → shape → age → colour → origin → material. So 'small, round, creamy' feels right and 'creamy, round, small' feels wrong.
QUICK CHECK
Identify the adjective in the given sentence. I don’t like that boy.
Tap an option to answer
Answer: B — That
Punjab Police Sub Inspector 2023. In 'I don't like that boy', the word describing the noun 'boy' (telling which boy) is That — a demonstrative adjective. 'Like' is a verb, 'don't' is a helping verb, 'boy' is the noun.
QUICK CHECK
Identify the adjective in the given sentence. Swimming is a healthy exercise.
Tap an option to answer
Answer: B — Healthy
Punjab Police Sub Inspector 2023. In 'Swimming is a healthy exercise', the adjective is Healthy — it describes the noun 'exercise'. 'Swimming' here is a noun (gerund), 'is' a verb, 'exercise' the noun.
QUICK CHECK
Identify the adjective in the given sentence. My uncle lives in the next house.
Tap an option to answer
Answer: B — Next
Punjab Police Sub Inspector 2023. In 'My uncle lives in the next house', the adjective is Next — it describes 'house' (which house). 'Uncle' and 'house' are nouns, 'lives' is a verb.
QUICK CHECK
Select the correct order of adjectives to fill in the blank: Cupcakes are _______________ cakes.
Tap an option to answer
Answer: C — small, round, creamy
Punjab Police Constable 2024. The natural adjective order is size → shape → opinion/quality, so small, round, creamy is correct. Starting with 'creamy' or 'round' breaks the order English speakers expect.
QUICK CHECK
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blanks with the adjectives in the order in which they would appear. She was a _________ and _________ , __________-skinned, ________ woman.
Tap an option to answer
Answer: A — beautiful; slim; brown; Egyptian
Punjab Police Sub Inspector 2023. Following opinion → size → colour → origin, the order is beautiful, slim, brown, Egyptian. 'Beautiful' (opinion) comes first and 'Egyptian' (origin) last, right before the noun 'woman'.
QUICK CHECK
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. This photograph is _________ of the two.
Tap an option to answer
Answer: D — better
Punjab Police Constable 2025. When comparing exactly two things, use the comparative, not the superlative: 'This photograph is better of the two', not 'best'. 'Best' is for three or more.
COMMON TRAPS
a / an is decided by the SOUND, not the first letter (a European, an hour).
Use 'the' for something specific or already known; most country names take no article.
Verbs carry fixed prepositions (accused of, afraid of) — don't translate from your mother tongue.
'Catch'/'turn off' are phrasal — the particle changes the meaning.
For exactly TWO things use the comparative (better), not the superlative (best).
Fill the blank: 'She is the ______ of the two sisters.' (a) tallest (b) taller (c) tall (d) more tall
Show answer
(b) taller. With only two people you use the comparative (-er) form, so 'the taller of the two'. 'Tallest' would be right only for three or more; 'more tall' is never correct for a short adjective.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When do I use 'a' and when 'an'?
Use 'a' before a consonant sound and 'an' before a vowel sound — the sound matters, not the letter (a university, an hour).
When do I use 'the'?
For something specific or already known, for superlatives, and for family names as a group (the Nehrus). Most proper nouns take no article.
Why is it 'a European' but 'an hour'?
'European' starts with a 'yoo' consonant sound, so 'a'; 'hour' has a silent h and starts with a vowel sound, so 'an'. Sound decides.
How do I choose the right preposition?
Learn the fixed pair with the verb or adjective (accused of, good at, married to). Don't translate word-for-word from Punjabi or Hindi.
What is an adjective?
A word that describes a noun — it tells which, what kind, or how many (that boy, healthy exercise, three apples).
Is there a fixed order for adjectives?
Yes: opinion → size → shape → age → colour → origin → material, then the noun. 'A nice small round old brown Italian wooden table.'
Comparative or superlative for two things?
Comparative (-er / more) for two; superlative (-est / most) for three or more. 'The better of the two', 'the best of all'.
What is a phrasal verb?
A verb plus a small word (particle) that together make a new meaning: turn off (switch off), catch a cold, give up (quit).
How many parts of speech are there?
Eight: noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction and interjection.
Do these questions come often in Punjab Police?
Yes. Articles, prepositions and parts-of-speech together make up a steady share of the English section in every SI and Constable paper.