SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 21 September 2025, Shift 1 · English Comprehension · Question 15 of 99

We transcribed this text from the pictures on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; the answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 13 September 2026.

Where this paper and its answers come from

SSC does not publish CGL question papers or a public answer key. From 2025 the candidate response sheet prints every question and option as a picture, so the text here is transcribed from those pictures for this shift and checked against them independently; where the layout carries meaning, the picture is shown as well. Each answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. SSC released a tentative key for challenge and later its final one, both only to candidates behind a login, and the sheet does not say which of the two it carries. The solutions are written by UnlockIAS.

Select the correct option: ___ the enormity of the challenge, the volunteers pressed on resolutely.

(a)Given
(b)For
(c)Because
(d)Granted

Answer

Why

Correct — A. The blank is followed by the enormity of the challenge, a noun phrase with no verb of its own. So the blank needs a word that can take a noun phrase directly.

Given can: as a preposition it means considering, 'in view of' (Given the circumstances, …).

Read back: considering how enormous the challenge was, the volunteers pressed on resolutely → option (a).

Why the others are wrong

(b)
For — For does not fit here: 'For the enormity of the challenge, the volunteers pressed on' is not idiomatic. The related idiom for all (meaning despite) needs a second word the blank cannot hold.
(c)
Because — Because is a conjunction and must be followed by a clause with its own verb (because the challenge was enormous). Before a noun phrase it needs because of, and 'of' is missing.
(d)
Granted — Granted concedes a point and normally introduces a clause: 'Granted, the challenge was enormous' or 'Granted that it was enormous'. Here the blank is followed by a bare noun phrase.

Concept

This item is decided by what follows the blank.

A preposition takes a noun phrase (Given the enormity, Despite the rain). A conjunction takes a full clause with its own verb (Because the task was enormous).

Given, like considering and including, is a participle that also works as a preposition, meaning 'taking into account'. Because needs a clause, Granted normally introduces one, and For would need all to form an idiom.

A concessive word such as Despite would also suit the meaning (the challenge was huge, yet they kept going), but it is not offered. Of the four, Given is the one that is both grammatical and idiomatic in the slot.

Key facts

Given (preposition) = considering: Given the circumstances, we did well.
Because takes a clause, and because of takes a noun phrase.
For all + noun phrase = despite: For all his wealth, he was unhappy.
Granted admits a point before a clause: Granted, it is expensive, but it lasts.

Study next

Prepositions vs conjunctions: despite / although, because of / becauseParticiple prepositions: given, considering, including

Common traps

Choosing Because for its sense of reason, and missing that it needs a verb after it.
Choosing Granted because the sentence feels concessive, without checking what follows the blank.

Here SSC sets it as a one-blank 'Select the correct option' sentence whose four choices differ in what they can be followed by: a noun phrase or a full clause.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Fill in the blank — all 96 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.