Q1:

Phrasal Verbs

Medium

Match the phrasal verbs given in List-I with their meanings given in List-II:

LIST-ILIST-II
A.Hold backI.To remain strong
B.Hold onII.Wait
C.Hold offIII.To restrain oneself
D.Hold upIV.To postpone an action

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options
Option 2
Correct Answer
Explanation for 2026: 23 May Shift 2 ENG question 1

Q2:

Grammar

Easy

Choose the grammatically correct sentence from the option given below:

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for 2026: 23 May Shift 2 ENG question 2

Q4:

Grammar

Easy

Choose the most appropriate word to fill in the blank:

He didn't take the umbrella __________ it was raining heavily.

Answer options
Option 2
Correct Answer
Explanation for 2026: 23 May Shift 2 ENG question 4

Q5:

Phrasal Verbs

Medium

Choose the correct option to fill in the blank in the given sentence:

His friends expected that he would __________ with a fine.

Answer options
Option 2
Correct Answer
Explanation for 2026: 23 May Shift 2 ENG question 5

Q6:

Idioms

Easy

Identify the meaning of the Idiom from the options given below:

To spill the beans

Answer options
Option 4
Correct Answer
Explanation for 2026: 23 May Shift 2 ENG question 6

Q7:

Literary Devices

Easy

Match the expressions given in List-I with the correct figures of speech given in List-II

LIST-ILIST-II
A.Time is a thiefI.Simile
B.The wind whispered through the treesII.Metaphor
C.Life is a like a game of cardsIII.Oxymoron
D.O heavy lightness! Serious vanityIV.Personification

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options
Option 2
Correct Answer
Explanation for 2026: 23 May Shift 2 ENG question 7

Q8:

Grammar

Medium

Choose the correct sentence in indirect speech for the following sentence:

She said to me, "When I met him, he was playing in the park."

A. She told me that when she met him he was playing in the park.

B. She narrated to me that he has been playing in the park when she met him.

C. She asked me to see him in the park where he was playing.

D. She told me that he had been playing in the park when she had met him.

Answer options
Option 3
Correct Answer
Explanation for 2026: 23 May Shift 2 ENG question 8

Q9:

Grammar

Easy

Identify the sentence which has the correct use of the underlined word.

(underlined word: heaviest)

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for 2026: 23 May Shift 2 ENG question 9

Q10:

Rearrangement

Medium

Rearrange the phrases to form a meaningful sentence:

A. it is the large creatures who will emerge victorious

B. from the struggle for survival

C. humans like to think that

D. as the rulers of the planet

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q11:

Antonyms

Easy

Choose the correct antonym for the underlined word in the given sentence:

He has a penchant for writing satirical poems.

Answer options

Q13:

Rearrangement

Medium

Rearrange the following phrases to form a meaningful sentence:

A. because urban living is more isolated and anonymous living

B. to crime and riots are stronger in

C. urban communities than in rural areas

D. the forces that generate conditions that are conducive

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q14:

Grammar

Medium

Fill in the blanks given in List-I with the appropriate words given in List-II

LIST-ILIST-II
A.The noise outside __________ me up.I.awake
B.He was already __________ when I knocked at his door.II.awaken
C.Please __________ up on time.III.woke
D.There is an urgent need to __________ the masses .IV.wake

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q15:

Grammar

Easy

Choose the most appropriate option to fill in the blank:

I'd like to play inside __________ go out with my friends.

Answer options

Q17:

Grammar

Easy

Fill in the blanks in the sentences given in List-I with appropriate options given in List-II

LIST-ILIST-II
A.She didn't attend the meeting __________ she was unwell.I.if
B.He worked hard __________ he might win the competition.II.so that
C.We can start the project __________ the funds are approved.III.unless
D.You won't succeed __________ you keep trying sincerely.IV.because

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q19:

Word Usage

Medium

Choose any two word that are suitable to fill in the blank in the given sentence:

The __________ roar of the spectators proved to be a befitting reward for the players.

A. antagonizing

B. triumphant

C. cajoling

D. exciting

Answer options

Q20:

Idioms

Easy

Match the idioms given in List-I with their appropriate meanings given in List-II :-

LIST-I (IDIOMS)LIST-II (MEANING)
A.Play second fiddleI.To take revenge
B.An apple of discordII.Unexpected shock
C.Bolt from the blueIII.Cause of quarrel
D.Pay off old scoresIV.Be in an inferior place

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q22:

Literary Devices

Medium

Match the sentences given in List-I with a similar usage of figures of speech in sentences given in List-II

LIST-ILIST-II
A.Rays of the sunlight danced through the trees.I.He was a lion in the battlefield
B.You are the apple of my eye.II.He hummed a beautiful hymn.
C.She could handle ten thousand tasks in a jiffyIII.Earth is a kind being.
D.Betty bought some butter.IV.He ran faster than lightning.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q24:

Antonyms

Medium

Match the words in List-I with their antonyms in List-II

LIST-ILIST-II
A.predicamentI.rejoice
B.piqueII.endearing
C.odiousIII.upright
D.nefariousIV.resolution

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q25:

Rearrangement

Medium

Rearrange the following phrases to form a meaningful sentence:

A. and participation of women in the workforce

B. organise and enjoy celebrations in the social life

C. modern lifestyle, busy work schedule, nuclear family system

D. have resulted in less manpower and time to plan,

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q26:

Phrasal Verbs

Easy

Choose the correct option to replace the underlined word:

He was badly injured but the doctor said that he would recover soon.

Answer options

Q27:

Rearrangement

Medium

Rearrange the following phrases to form a meaningful sentence:

A. on the needs and desires of the consumer

B. to have a competitive edge in the market

C. but needs to create a product that is based

D. a company does not only need to innovate

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q29:

Word Usage

Medium

Choose the correct word from the given options as one word substitution for the given phrase:

An instrument that records heart's action.

Answer options

Q30:

Antonyms

Easy

Choose the most appropriate antonym of the underlined word:

The teachers appreciated her for giving a concise answer.

Answer options

Q31:

Grammar

Medium

Choose the correct passive construction for the following sentence from the given options :

People say that the minister will resign soon.

Answer options

Q33:

Word Usage

Easy

Choose the correct word to substitute the following group of words:

A resting place of a wild animal.

A. apiary

B. lair

C. hive

D. den

Answer options

Q34:

Synonyms

Easy

Choose the option which is closest in meaning to the underlined word in the given sentence:

The manager was praised for his meticulous planning.

Answer options

Q35:

Rearrangement

Medium

Rearrange the following phrases to complete the beginning of a sentence:

Health care is-

A. but it includes a multitude of services

B. not just about medical care during illness

C. maintain, monitor and restore good health

D. that should help to promote well being to

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:-

Answer options

Q36:

Idioms

Easy

Choose the most appropriate option which best expresses the meaning of the given idiom:

Bury the hatchet

Answer options

Q39:

Synonyms

Medium

Choose the option which is closest in meaning to the underlined word in the given sentence:

The speaker's eloquent speech moved the audience to tears.

Answer options

Q40:

Grammar

Medium

Choose the correct option to fill in the blank in the given sentence:

Although the task seemed __________ at first , consistent efforts made it manageable.

Answer options

Q41:

Passage

Easy

The cybersecurity industry is booming thanks to our increasingly digital, auto-mated world. And while this does create a digital landscape that is predatory in nature, it also provides more avenues for techies looking to specialise in a particular field of study – while providing opportunities to do some good in our world.

Cybersecurity specialists we spoke to say that artificial intelligence is speeding up both sides of this domain. Offence is quicker at finding weak points while defence is sharper at spotting trouble early. That is why careers are clustering around two complementary specialisms: red teams that think like attackers and blue teams that run the defence. "Red teams are cybersecurity professionals authorised to work on the offensive side, simulating real-world cyberattacks and helping test an organisation's existing defences,” says Zubair Chowgale, sales engineering manager, for APMEA at Securonix. “They document their findings and provide actionable recommendations to the blue team.” Blue teams, he adds, monitor the network, contain threats and respond.

Inspira Enterprise's managing director Chetan Jain describes how this plays out across people and technology. He says red teams gather information, run ethical attacks – including phishing campaigns and even tests of physical access – and try to move through a company as a real intruder would. Blue teams, by contrast, spend their days hunting for suspicious signs in logs, investigating alerts and hardening systems so weak spots are removed. In plain words: one side safely breaks while the other side calmly fixes.

The best programmes make both sides work together. “Purple team” drills, says Jain, “foster collaboration between red and blue teams,” with both sharing insights in real time, tuning detection rules and building new playbooks together. His team found that continuous feedback loops enabled immediate learning and a shared understanding of where defences needed to improve. Think of it as lessons moving instantly from the attack to the fix.

What is the benefit of continuous feedback loops in cybersecurity as mentioned in the article?

Answer options

Q42:

Passage

Easy

The cybersecurity industry is booming thanks to our increasingly digital, auto-mated world. And while this does create a digital landscape that is predatory in nature, it also provides more avenues for techies looking to specialise in a particular field of study – while providing opportunities to do some good in our world.

Cybersecurity specialists we spoke to say that artificial intelligence is speeding up both sides of this domain. Offence is quicker at finding weak points while defence is sharper at spotting trouble early. That is why careers are clustering around two complementary specialisms: red teams that think like attackers and blue teams that run the defence. "Red teams are cybersecurity professionals authorised to work on the offensive side, simulating real-world cyberattacks and helping test an organisation's existing defences,” says Zubair Chowgale, sales engineering manager, for APMEA at Securonix. “They document their findings and provide actionable recommendations to the blue team.” Blue teams, he adds, monitor the network, contain threats and respond.

Inspira Enterprise's managing director Chetan Jain describes how this plays out across people and technology. He says red teams gather information, run ethical attacks – including phishing campaigns and even tests of physical access – and try to move through a company as a real intruder would. Blue teams, by contrast, spend their days hunting for suspicious signs in logs, investigating alerts and hardening systems so weak spots are removed. In plain words: one side safely breaks while the other side calmly fixes.

The best programmes make both sides work together. “Purple team” drills, says Jain, “foster collaboration between red and blue teams,” with both sharing insights in real time, tuning detection rules and building new playbooks together. His team found that continuous feedback loops enabled immediate learning and a shared understanding of where defences needed to improve. Think of it as lessons moving instantly from the attack to the fix.

What is the primary role of the red team in cybersecurity?

Answer options

Q43:

Passage

Easy

The cybersecurity industry is booming thanks to our increasingly digital, auto-mated world. And while this does create a digital landscape that is predatory in nature, it also provides more avenues for techies looking to specialise in a particular field of study – while providing opportunities to do some good in our world.

Cybersecurity specialists we spoke to say that artificial intelligence is speeding up both sides of this domain. Offence is quicker at finding weak points while defence is sharper at spotting trouble early. That is why careers are clustering around two complementary specialisms: red teams that think like attackers and blue teams that run the defence. "Red teams are cybersecurity professionals authorised to work on the offensive side, simulating real-world cyberattacks and helping test an organisation's existing defences,” says Zubair Chowgale, sales engineering manager, for APMEA at Securonix. “They document their findings and provide actionable recommendations to the blue team.” Blue teams, he adds, monitor the network, contain threats and respond.

Inspira Enterprise's managing director Chetan Jain describes how this plays out across people and technology. He says red teams gather information, run ethical attacks – including phishing campaigns and even tests of physical access – and try to move through a company as a real intruder would. Blue teams, by contrast, spend their days hunting for suspicious signs in logs, investigating alerts and hardening systems so weak spots are removed. In plain words: one side safely breaks while the other side calmly fixes.

The best programmes make both sides work together. “Purple team” drills, says Jain, “foster collaboration between red and blue teams,” with both sharing insights in real time, tuning detection rules and building new playbooks together. His team found that continuous feedback loops enabled immediate learning and a shared understanding of where defences needed to improve. Think of it as lessons moving instantly from the attack to the fix.

The 'Purple team' in the passage does not assist in

Answer options

Q44:

Passage

Easy

The cybersecurity industry is booming thanks to our increasingly digital, auto-mated world. And while this does create a digital landscape that is predatory in nature, it also provides more avenues for techies looking to specialise in a particular field of study – while providing opportunities to do some good in our world.

Cybersecurity specialists we spoke to say that artificial intelligence is speeding up both sides of this domain. Offence is quicker at finding weak points while defence is sharper at spotting trouble early. That is why careers are clustering around two complementary specialisms: red teams that think like attackers and blue teams that run the defence. "Red teams are cybersecurity professionals authorised to work on the offensive side, simulating real-world cyberattacks and helping test an organisation's existing defences,” says Zubair Chowgale, sales engineering manager, for APMEA at Securonix. “They document their findings and provide actionable recommendations to the blue team.” Blue teams, he adds, monitor the network, contain threats and respond.

Inspira Enterprise's managing director Chetan Jain describes how this plays out across people and technology. He says red teams gather information, run ethical attacks – including phishing campaigns and even tests of physical access – and try to move through a company as a real intruder would. Blue teams, by contrast, spend their days hunting for suspicious signs in logs, investigating alerts and hardening systems so weak spots are removed. In plain words: one side safely breaks while the other side calmly fixes.

The best programmes make both sides work together. “Purple team” drills, says Jain, “foster collaboration between red and blue teams,” with both sharing insights in real time, tuning detection rules and building new playbooks together. His team found that continuous feedback loops enabled immediate learning and a shared understanding of where defences needed to improve. Think of it as lessons moving instantly from the attack to the fix.

What does the author mean by one side safely breaks while the other side calmly fixes?

Answer options

Q45:

Passage

Easy

The cybersecurity industry is booming thanks to our increasingly digital, auto-mated world. And while this does create a digital landscape that is predatory in nature, it also provides more avenues for techies looking to specialise in a particular field of study – while providing opportunities to do some good in our world.

Cybersecurity specialists we spoke to say that artificial intelligence is speeding up both sides of this domain. Offence is quicker at finding weak points while defence is sharper at spotting trouble early. That is why careers are clustering around two complementary specialisms: red teams that think like attackers and blue teams that run the defence. "Red teams are cybersecurity professionals authorised to work on the offensive side, simulating real-world cyberattacks and helping test an organisation's existing defences,” says Zubair Chowgale, sales engineering manager, for APMEA at Securonix. “They document their findings and provide actionable recommendations to the blue team.” Blue teams, he adds, monitor the network, contain threats and respond.

Inspira Enterprise's managing director Chetan Jain describes how this plays out across people and technology. He says red teams gather information, run ethical attacks – including phishing campaigns and even tests of physical access – and try to move through a company as a real intruder would. Blue teams, by contrast, spend their days hunting for suspicious signs in logs, investigating alerts and hardening systems so weak spots are removed. In plain words: one side safely breaks while the other side calmly fixes.

The best programmes make both sides work together. “Purple team” drills, says Jain, “foster collaboration between red and blue teams,” with both sharing insights in real time, tuning detection rules and building new playbooks together. His team found that continuous feedback loops enabled immediate learning and a shared understanding of where defences needed to improve. Think of it as lessons moving instantly from the attack to the fix.

According to the passage, what is the main reason for the boom in the cybersecurity industry?

Answer options

Q46:

Passage

Easy

Dr Solomon Margolin took a last look in the mirror and left the house. He felt refreshed by the half-hour nap he had had after dinner. Despite his age, he still wanted to impress people with his appearance-even the Senciminers. He had his illusions. In Germany he had taken pride in the fact that he looked like a Junker, and in New York he was often aware that he could pass for an Anglo-Saxon. He was tall, slim, blond, blue-eyed. His hair was thinning, had turned somewhat grey, but he managed to disguise these signs of age. He stooped a little, but in company was quick to straighten up. Years ago, in Germany he had worn monocle and though in New York that would have been too pretentious, his glance still retained a European severity. He had his principles. He had never broken the Hippocratic Oath. With his patients he was honourable to an extreme, avoiding every kind of cant; and he had refused a number of dubious associations that smacked of careerism. Gretl claimed his sense of houour amounted to a mania. Dr Margolin's car was in the garage - not a cadillac like that of most his colleagues - but he decides to go by taxi. He was unfamiliar with Brookyln and the heavy snow made driving hazardous. He waved his hand and at once a taxi pulled over to the curb. He was afraid the driver might refuse to go as far as Brownsville, but he flicked the meter on without a word.

The pointer of Dr Solomon's advancing age is his:

Answer options

Q47:

Passage

Medium

Dr Solomon Margolin took a last look in the mirror and left the house. He felt refreshed by the half-hour nap he had had after dinner. Despite his age, he still wanted to impress people with his appearance-even the Senciminers. He had his illusions. In Germany he had taken pride in the fact that he looked like a Junker, and in New York he was often aware that he could pass for an Anglo-Saxon. He was tall, slim, blond, blue-eyed. His hair was thinning, had turned somewhat grey, but he managed to disguise these signs of age. He stooped a little, but in company was quick to straighten up. Years ago, in Germany he had worn monocle and though in New York that would have been too pretentious, his glance still retained a European severity. He had his principles. He had never broken the Hippocratic Oath. With his patients he was honourable to an extreme, avoiding every kind of cant; and he had refused a number of dubious associations that smacked of careerism. Gretl claimed his sense of houour amounted to a mania. Dr Margolin's car was in the garage - not a cadillac like that of most his colleagues - but he decides to go by taxi. He was unfamiliar with Brookyln and the heavy snow made driving hazardous. He waved his hand and at once a taxi pulled over to the curb. He was afraid the driver might refuse to go as far as Brownsville, but he flicked the meter on without a word.

Evidently Dr Solomon kept his medical profession __________.

Answer options

Q48:

Passage

Medium

Dr Solomon Margolin took a last look in the mirror and left the house. He felt refreshed by the half-hour nap he had had after dinner. Despite his age, he still wanted to impress people with his appearance-even the Senciminers. He had his illusions. In Germany he had taken pride in the fact that he looked like a Junker, and in New York he was often aware that he could pass for an Anglo-Saxon. He was tall, slim, blond, blue-eyed. His hair was thinning, had turned somewhat grey, but he managed to disguise these signs of age. He stooped a little, but in company was quick to straighten up. Years ago, in Germany he had worn monocle and though in New York that would have been too pretentious, his glance still retained a European severity. He had his principles. He had never broken the Hippocratic Oath. With his patients he was honourable to an extreme, avoiding every kind of cant; and he had refused a number of dubious associations that smacked of careerism. Gretl claimed his sense of houour amounted to a mania. Dr Margolin's car was in the garage - not a cadillac like that of most his colleagues - but he decides to go by taxi. He was unfamiliar with Brookyln and the heavy snow made driving hazardous. He waved his hand and at once a taxi pulled over to the curb. He was afraid the driver might refuse to go as far as Brownsville, but he flicked the meter on without a word.

'He wanted to impress people by his appearance.' This suggested that Dr Solomon was __________ by temperament.

Answer options

Q49:

Passage

Medium

Dr Solomon Margolin took a last look in the mirror and left the house. He felt refreshed by the half-hour nap he had had after dinner. Despite his age, he still wanted to impress people with his appearance-even the Senciminers. He had his illusions. In Germany he had taken pride in the fact that he looked like a Junker, and in New York he was often aware that he could pass for an Anglo-Saxon. He was tall, slim, blond, blue-eyed. His hair was thinning, had turned somewhat grey, but he managed to disguise these signs of age. He stooped a little, but in company was quick to straighten up. Years ago, in Germany he had worn monocle and though in New York that would have been too pretentious, his glance still retained a European severity. He had his principles. He had never broken the Hippocratic Oath. With his patients he was honourable to an extreme, avoiding every kind of cant; and he had refused a number of dubious associations that smacked of careerism. Gretl claimed his sense of houour amounted to a mania. Dr Margolin's car was in the garage - not a cadillac like that of most his colleagues - but he decides to go by taxi. He was unfamiliar with Brookyln and the heavy snow made driving hazardous. He waved his hand and at once a taxi pulled over to the curb. He was afraid the driver might refuse to go as far as Brownsville, but he flicked the meter on without a word.

The word closest in meaning to cant is:

Answer options

Q50:

Passage

Easy

Dr Solomon Margolin took a last look in the mirror and left the house. He felt refreshed by the half-hour nap he had had after dinner. Despite his age, he still wanted to impress people with his appearance-even the Senciminers. He had his illusions. In Germany he had taken pride in the fact that he looked like a Junker, and in New York he was often aware that he could pass for an Anglo-Saxon. He was tall, slim, blond, blue-eyed. His hair was thinning, had turned somewhat grey, but he managed to disguise these signs of age. He stooped a little, but in company was quick to straighten up. Years ago, in Germany he had worn monocle and though in New York that would have been too pretentious, his glance still retained a European severity. He had his principles. He had never broken the Hippocratic Oath. With his patients he was honourable to an extreme, avoiding every kind of cant; and he had refused a number of dubious associations that smacked of careerism. Gretl claimed his sense of houour amounted to a mania. Dr Margolin's car was in the garage - not a cadillac like that of most his colleagues - but he decides to go by taxi. He was unfamiliar with Brookyln and the heavy snow made driving hazardous. He waved his hand and at once a taxi pulled over to the curb. He was afraid the driver might refuse to go as far as Brownsville, but he flicked the meter on without a word.

Hippocratic oath is taken by the __________.

Answer options

CUET English 2026 23 May Shift 2 Past Year Question Paper

Every question from the CUET English 2026 23 May Shift 2 paper is here in full, with the correct answer and a step by step solution for each one. It is completely free, there is no login and no paywall, and you can read the whole paper online or download it to revise offline.

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CUET English past year questions (PYQs) are the closest thing to the real exam, so working through them is the quickest way to learn the paper pattern, the marking scheme and the level of difficulty to expect on the day.