Mettl Verbal Ability 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Choose the word most similar in meaning to 'DILIGENT'.
- Lazy
- Industrious (Correct answer)
- Careless
- Negligent
Correct answer: Industrious
'Diligent' means showing careful and persistent work or effort. 'Industrious' means hardworking — the closest synonym.
Vocabulary questions test your understanding of word meanings. 'Diligent' (adjective) means having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties. Synonyms include: industrious, hardworking, assiduous, sedulous, painstaking. Antonyms include: lazy, negligent, careless, indolent. In Mettl verbal ability sections, synonym/antonym questions test breadth of vocabulary, which is essential for professional communication.
Question 2: Select the correct sentence:
- Neither the manager nor the employees was present.
- Neither the manager nor the employees were present. (Correct answer)
- Neither the manager nor the employees is present.
- Neither the manager nor the employees are was present.
Correct answer: Neither the manager nor the employees were present.
With 'neither...nor,' the verb agrees with the noun closest to it. 'Employees' (plural) is closest, so use 'were.'
Subject-verb agreement with 'neither...nor' follows the proximity rule: the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. In 'Neither the manager nor the employees...', the subject nearest the verb is 'employees' (plural), so the verb must be 'were' (plural). If reversed — 'Neither the employees nor the manager' — it would be 'was.' This rule also applies to 'either...or' constructions. Grammar rules like this are commonly tested in Mettl verbal ability sections.
Question 3: Fill in the blank: The committee __ to reach a consensus after hours of deliberation.
- failed (Correct answer)
- failure
- failing
- fail
Correct answer: failed
The sentence is in simple past tense ('after hours of deliberation' indicates a completed action). 'Failed' is the correct past tense form.
Tense consistency is crucial in written communication. The phrase 'after hours of deliberation' describes a completed past event, requiring simple past tense. 'Failed' is the simple past form of 'fail.' 'Failure' is a noun, 'failing' is a gerund/present participle, and 'fail' is the base form. In professional contexts tested by Mettl, correct tense usage reflects clear, accurate communication.
Question 4: Read the passage: 'Despite the heavy rainfall, the marathon runners completed the race.' What does 'Despite' indicate?
- Reason
- Contrast/Concession (Correct answer)
- Result
- Condition
Correct answer: Contrast/Concession
'Despite' introduces a contrast — the runners completed the race even though there was heavy rainfall. It shows concession.
Understanding connectives and discourse markers is essential for reading comprehension. 'Despite' (preposition) introduces a concession — it shows that something happened even though a potential obstacle existed. Synonyms: 'in spite of,' 'notwithstanding,' 'even though.' Structure: Despite + [obstacle], [outcome occurred]. This differs from 'because' (reason), 'so' (result), or 'if' (condition). Mettl verbal ability tests frequently assess comprehension of such logical relationships in passages.
Question 5: Choose the correctly spelled word:
- Accomodate
- Accommodate (Correct answer)
- Acommodate
- Acomodate
Correct answer: Accommodate
'Accommodate' has double 'c' and double 'm': ac-com-mo-date.
Spelling accuracy reflects attention to detail and language proficiency. 'Accommodate' is one of the most commonly misspelled English words. Memory trick: it can 'accommodate' two c's AND two m's (double c, double m). The full breakdown: a-c-c-o-m-m-o-d-a-t-e. Other commonly misspelled words on Mettl tests include: 'occurrence,' 'parallel,' 'necessary,' 'separately.' Spelling questions in Mettl verbal sections test fundamental language competence.
Question 6: Identify the figure of speech: 'The wind whispered through the trees.'
- Simile
- Metaphor
- Personification (Correct answer)
- Hyperbole
Correct answer: Personification
Personification attributes a human quality (whispering) to a non-human thing (wind). The wind cannot literally whisper.
Figures of speech enhance language expressiveness. Personification attributes human characteristics to non-human entities. Here, 'whispered' is a human action given to the wind. Compare: Simile uses 'like/as' (e.g., 'wind like a whisper'), Metaphor directly equates two things (e.g., 'the wind was a whisper'), Hyperbole exaggerates (e.g., 'the wind was so loud it shook the earth'). Literary device questions appear in Mettl verbal ability and reading comprehension sections.
Mettl Verbal Ability 2
Choose the word most similar in meaning to 'DILIGENT'.