Free Literary Terms and Devices MCQs with Answers

• A. Only one
• B. Two
• C. Three
• D. Four

Explanation: Morphemes are broadly divided into two classes: free morphemes, which can stand alone, and bound morphemes, which must attach to another…

• A. Phonology
• B. Morphology
• C. Semantics
• D. Syntax

Explanation: Phonology studies how a language selects, organizes, and patterns its speech sounds.

• A. Intonation
• B. Stress
• C. Pitch
• D. JuncturE

Explanation: Intonation is the pattern of pitch movement across an utterance or sentence, and it can signal questions, statements, attitude, or…

• A. Semantics
• B. Syntax
• C. Sentence__stress
• D. None of the above

Explanation: Sentence stress is the prominence given to selected words within a sentence, usually through greater force, length, or pitch.

• A. Emphasis
• B. Loudness
• C. Double meaning
• D. None of the above

Explanation: Stress commonly gives emphasis or prominence to a syllable or word, helping listeners identify the important part of an utterance.

• A. Suprasegmentals
• B. Morphemes
• C. Allomorphs
• D. Allophones

Explanation: Suprasegmentals are features extending over individual speech sounds, including stress, intonation, pitch, rhythm, and juncture.

• A. Syllabic consonants
• B. Sibilants
• C. Suffixes
• D. None of the above

Explanation: In the pronunciation of “prism,” the final /m/ can carry its own syllable, represented as /m̩/, so it is a syllabic consonant.

• A. Philology
• B. Haplology
• C. Phonology
• D. Semiology

Explanation: Philology is the older, historical study of languages and their written records, especially how languages change over time.

• A. To study the nature of language
• B. To establish a theory of language
• C. To propound stories of the origin of language
• D. To describe a language and all languages

Explanation: Linguistics scientifically describes language, investigates its nature, and formulates theories about its structure.

• A. Systematic gathering and analysis of data
• B. Determination of causal relationship between facts
• C. Chronological presentation of data
• D. Verification, validation and generalization.

Explanation: Linguistics is scientific because it gathers data systematically, tests relationships, and verifies and generalizes findings.

• A. Socio__linguistics
• B. Psycho__linguistics
• C. Neuron__linguistics
• D. Physio -linguistics

Explanation: Psycholinguistics examines how mentally represented grammar is used when people produce and understand speech.

• A. Multilingual
• B. Poly__lingual
• C. Bilingual
• D. Poly__langual

Explanation: A multilingual person uses more than one language, and the term commonly includes someone who uses three or more languages.

• A. Dialect
• B. Idiolect
• C. Register
• D. Slang

Explanation: A dialect is a variety of language associated with a region or social group and may affect mutual intelligibility.

• A. Monologue
• B. Monolingual
• C. Monologal
• D. None of the above

Explanation: Monolingual means able to use only one language. Monologue refers to an extended speech by one person, so it is not the name for a…

• A. Dialect
• B. Idiolects
• C. Register
• D. Slang

Explanation: An idiolect is one person’s distinctive language variety; a dialect develops from shared features across a group of similar idiolects.

• A. Language
• B. Parole
• C. Competence
• D. Both langue and Competence

Explanation: Both Saussure’s langue and Chomsky’s competence refer to the underlying system of rules governing language, unlike parole, which is actual…

• A. Arbitrariness.
• B. Recursiveness
• C. Displacement
• D. TransferencE.

Explanation: Arbitrariness means that the sound or form of a linguistic sign has no natural connection with its meaning.

• A. Onomatopoeia
• B. Homophones
• C. Homonyms
• D. Portmanteau

Explanation: Onomatopoeia is an exception to complete arbitrariness because the word imitates or suggests the sound it denotes.

• A. Onomatopoeia
• B. Homophones
• C. Homonyms
• D. Portmanteau

Explanation: Onomatopoeia names words whose sounds imitate or represent their referents, as in buzz, hiss, and thud.

• A. The Yo__He__Ho Theory
• B. The Gesture theory
• C. The Poo__Pooh theory
• D. Ding__Dong theory.

Explanation: The Yo-He-Ho theory connects language with rhythmic cries made during collective physical labour, such as pulling or lifting together.