MCQs- English as a Global Language

1. What is the primary reason English is considered a global language?

A. It has the simplest grammar among all languages.

B. It is the official language of every country.

C. It is widely used in international business, science, and diplomacy.

D. It is the oldest language in the world.

Answer: C

 

2. Which historical factor contributed most to the global spread of English?

A. The Roman Empire’s conquests

B. The British Empire’s colonization

C. The French Revolution

D. The invention of the printing press in Germany

Answer: B

 

3. Which organization primarily uses English as its working language?

A. United Nations (UN)

B. European Union (only French)

C. African Union (only Swahili)

D. ASEAN (only Mandarin)

Answer: A

 

4. What percentage of the world’s internet content is estimated to be in English?

A. Around 25%

B. Around 50%

C. Around 75%

D. Over 90%

Answer: B (Estimates suggest 49.4% of online content is in English.)

 

5. According to Crystal (2012), English in India is considered a:

A. Foreign language

B. Second language

C. Pidgin language

D. Dead language

Answer: B

 

6. What term describes variations of English that develop in non-native speaking countries (e.g., Indian English, Nigerian English)?

A. Creole

B. Pidgin

C. Dialect

D. variety

Answer: D

 

7. Which country has the largest number of English speakers (including non-native speakers)?

A. United States

B. India

C. China

D. United Kingdom

Answer: A (United States has approx. 300 million English speakers.)

 

8. What is the difference between a "dialect" and a "register"?

A. Dialect is regional, register is situational

B. Dialect is formal, register is informal

C. Dialect is written, register is spoken

D. No difference—they mean the same thing

Answer: A

 

9. Which of the following is a criticism of English as a global language?

A. It promotes cultural diversity equally.

B. It threatens the survival of minority languages.

C. It is too difficult for most people to learn.

D. It has no influence on education systems.

Answer: B

 

10. What is "Globish"?

A. A simplified version of English used for international communication

B. A dialect spoken only in the UK

C. The official language of the internet

D. A mix of English and Latin

Answer: A

 

11. What is a "lingua franca"?

A. A language spoken only by royalty

B. A native language used in local communities

C. A language adopted for communication between speakers of different native languages

D. A dialect used for religious ceremonies

 

12. Which linguist proposed the "Three Circles Model" to describe English’s global spread?

A. Noam Chomsky

B. David Crystal

C. Braj Kachru

D. Ferdinand de Saussure

Answer: C

 

13. What is "pidgin"?

A. A fully developed language with native speakers

B. A simplified language used for communication between different language groups

C. A formal written language

D. A dead language

Answer: B

 

14. What is the key difference between pidgin and creole?

A. Pidgin is only for writing, creole for speaking

B. Creole has native speakers, pidgin does not

C. Pidgin has complex grammar than a creole

D. Pidgin develops from Creole

Answer: B

 

15. Which model describes English’s global spread using "Inner, Outer, and Expanding Circles"?

A. McArthur’s Wheel Model

B. Kachru’s Three Circles Model

C. Stevens’ Tree Model

D. Gorlach’s Circle Model

Answer: B

 

16. Which circle in Kachru’s model includes countries like India and Nigeria?

A. Inner Circle

B. Outer Circle

C. Expanding Circle

D. None of the above

Answer: B

 

17. Who among the following defined English as a second language used intentionally for administration and education?

A. David Crystal

B. Yardi

C. Kaplan

D. Hall

Answer: B. Yardi

Explanation: Yardi (1997) described English in India as a second language used for official purposes.

 

18. Which of the following best describes the “Outer Circle” in Kachru’s Three Circles of English?

A. Countries where English is used as a native language

B. Countries where English has no official role

C. Countries where English has an institutional role but is not a native language

D. Countries that ban the use of English

Answer: C. Countries where English has an institutional role but is not a native language

 

19. Which variety of language is associated with a particular social setting or communicative situation?

A. Idiolect

B. Dialect

C. Register

D. Lexicon

Answer: C. Register

Explanation: Register refers to language used for a specific purpose or context, e.g., legal, medical.

 

20. A 'regional dialect' is associated with:

A. A particular social group

B. A specific place or geographical area

C. Formal speech situations

D. Individual speech patterns

Answer: B. A specific place or geographical area

 

21. 'Register' refers to:

A. The unique language use of an individual

B. A variety of language used for a particular purpose or social setting

C. A language used for communication between groups without a common language

D. The vocabulary of a specific profession

Answer: B. A variety of language used for a particular purpose or social setting

 

22. Who first introduced the term 'register' in linguistics?

A. Noam Chomsky

B. T. B. W. Reid

C. Braj Kachru

D. Robert Hall

Answer: B. T. B. W. Reid

 

23. Which of the following is NOT a key factor in determining a register?

A. Field (what is being talked about)

B. Tenor (relationship between participants)

C. Mode (spoken or written)

D. Lexicon (word inventory)

Answer: D. Lexicon (word inventory)

 

24. 'Style' in linguistics is best described as:

A. The grammar rules shared by a group

B. The choice of words or expressions used by an individual

C. A simplified language used for trade

D. The vocabulary of a particular profession

Answer: B. The choice of words or expressions used by an individual

 

25. What is 'idiolect'?

A. A variety of language used by a professional group

B. An individual's unique usage of language, including vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation

C. A regional form of a language

D. A simplified language used between groups with no common language

Answer: B. An individual's unique usage of language, including vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation

 

26. One possible negative effect of English as a global language is:

A. Increased intercultural communication

B. Linguistic imperialism and loss of minority languages

C. Easier access to global literature

D. Better global job opportunities

Answer: B. Linguistic imperialism and loss of minority languages

 

27. Which statement is TRUE about pidgin languages?

A. They have native speakers.

B. They have complex grammar and vocabulary.

C. They serve as a second language or lingua franca.

D. They are official languages of countries.

Answer: C. They serve as a second language or lingua franca.

 

28. What differentiates a creole language from a pidgin?

A. A creole has no native speakers, while a pidgin does

B. A creole is spoken as a first language and has fully developed grammar, while a pidgin is simplified and has no native speakers

C. A pidgin has a full grammar, creole does not

D. Creoles are always written, pidgins are not

Answer: B. A creole is spoken as a first language and has fully developed grammar, while a pidgin is simplified and has no native speakers

 

29. Which of the following is an example of a creole language?

A. Chinese Pidgin English

B. Hawaiian Creole English

C. British English

D. Indian English

Answer: B. Hawaiian Creole English

 

30. What happens when a Pidgin becomes the native language of a community?

A. It remains a pidgin

B. It becomes a jargon

C. It becomes a Creole

D. It disappears

Answer: C. It becomes a Creole

Explanation: A creole arises when children acquire a pidgin as their first language.

 

31. Which term refers to the vocabulary of a language or a specific field of study?

A. Jargon

B. Lexicon

C. Register

D. Dialect

Answer: B. Lexicon

Explanation: Lexicon refers to the set of vocabulary items of a language or field.

 

32. The term "jargon" refers to:

A. Common everyday speech

B. Simplified contact language

C. Technical terms used by a profession

D. Personal language use

Answer: C. Technical terms used by a profession

Explanation: Jargon is the specialized vocabulary of a specific group.

 

33. Who said, “Britain and America were two countries divided by a common language”?

A. Oscar Wilde

B. George Bernard Shaw

C. Braj Kachru

D. Tom McArthur

Answer: B. George Bernard Shaw

 

34. Oscar Wilde famously remarked about the similarity between Britain and America that they have everything in common except:

A. Culture

B. Politics

C. The language

D. Food habits

Answer: C. The language

 

35. Which of the following is the American English equivalent of the British English word "Autumn"?

A. Summer

B. Fall

C. Winter

D. Spring

Answer: B. Fall

 

36. In American English, a "Period" corresponds to what in British English?

A. Full Stop

B. Exclamation Point

C. Question Mark

D. Comma

Answer: A. Full Stop

 

37. Which American English term corresponds to the British English "Loo"?

A. Restroom

B. Bathroom

C. Toilet

D. Powder Room

Answer: B. Bathroom

 

38. The American English word "Resume" corresponds to which British English term?

A. CV (Curriculum Vitae)

B. Portfolio

C. Biography

D. Cover Letter

Answer: A. CV (Curriculum Vitae)

 

39. What is the British English term for the American English "Flashlight"?

A. Torch

B. Lantern

C. Spotlight

D. Beacon

Answer: A. Torch

 

40. According to Braj Kachru's Three Circles model, which circle represents countries where English is a native language?

A. Outer Circle

B. Expanding Circle

C. Inner Circle

D. Peripheral Circle

Answer: C. Inner Circle

 

41. Which of the following countries is NOT part of Kachru’s Inner Circle?

A. United States

B. India

C. Australia

D. Great Britain

Answer: B. India

 

42. The Outer Circle in Kachru's model is described as:

A. Norm-providing

B. Norm-developing

C. Norm-dependent

D. Norm-free

Answer: B. Norm-developing

 

43. Which circle includes countries where English is primarily a foreign language, without historical colonization?

A. Inner Circle

B. Outer Circle

C. Expanding Circle

D. Peripheral Circle

Answer: C. Expanding Circle

 

44. According to Kachru, the Expanding Circle is:

A. Norm-providing

B. Norm-developing

C. Norm-dependent

D. Norm-creating

Answer: C. Norm-dependent

 

45. Which linguist portrayed the spread of English as an upside-down tree diagram in 1992?

A. Tom McArthur

B. Braj Kachru

C. Stevens

D. Gorlach

Answer: C. Stevens

 

46. Tom McArthur’s 1987 model on the varieties of English used a:

A. Tree diagram

B. Wheel with hub, spokes, and rim

C. Circle model

D. Pyramid model

Answer: B. Wheel with hub, spokes, and rim

 

47. In Tom McArthur’s model, which group represents Standard English (ENL - English as Native Language)?

A. First Group

B. Second Group

C. Third Group

D. Fourth Group

Answer: A. First Group

 

48. Which of the following is NOT listed as a Regional Variety in Tom McArthur’s model?

A. Caribbean English

B. East Asian English

C. Scandinavian English

D. South Asian English

Answer: C. Scandinavian English

 

49. English is often called a global language because:

A. It has the largest number of native speakers

B. It is grammatically simpler than other languages

C. It is widely used in international business, science, and diplomacy

D. It replaced Latin in the 17th century

Answer: C. It is widely used in international business, science, and diplomacy

 

50. Who is the author of the influential book English as a Global Language (1997)?

A. Noam Chomsky

B. David Crystal

C. Edward Sapir

D. Benjamin Whorf

Answer: B. David Crystal