SSC CGL 2025 Tier-II · Paper-I, 19 January 2026 · English Language and Comprehension · Question 44 of 150

We transcribed this text from the pictures of a candidate's response sheet for this paper; the answer is the key SSC marked with a green tick on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 11 September 2026.

Where this paper and its answers come from

SSC does not publish CGL question papers or a public answer key. This paper reaches us as a candidate's response sheet saved as pictures, so we transcribed the text from those pictures, and a second reader checked every question against them; where the layout carries meaning, we show the picture too. Each answer is the key SSC marked with a green tick 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. UnlockIAS wrote the solutions.

In the following question, some of the words in the passage have been left out. Read the passage carefully and choose the correct word for each blank, out of the four alternatives and fill in the blanks.
After falling consistently __________ (1) the U.S. dollar for a major part of the year, the rupee has __________ (2) somewhat over the last few weeks. It has risen by almost 5% from its lowest levels __________ (3) in October. Even with this recent improvement, the rupee is still down about 11% since the start of the year. The rupee’s performance has been closely _________ (4) to global crude oil prices. This makes sense, as imported oil accounts for about 80% of India’s total demand. The value of the rupee dropped when oil prices climbed earlier this year, a trend that lasted until early October. Since then, as global crude prices have fallen, the rupee has __________ (5) against the dollar.

What should come in blank (4) ?

(a)tightly
(b)morally
(c)tied
(d)amicably

Answer

Why

Correct — C. The frame is 'has been closely ___ (4) to global crude oil prices'. Has been needs a past participle, and closely already fills the adverb slot, so the blank must be the verb.

'Tied to' means closely linked to, dependent on.

The next sentence explains the link: 'This makes sense, as imported oil accounts for about 80% of India's total demand' → option (c).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
tightly — Tightly is an adverb. 'Closely tightly to' stacks two adverbs and leaves 'has been' without the participle that completes it.
(b)
morally — Morally is an adverb about right and wrong. It leaves 'has been closely' without a participle, and oil prices raise no moral question here.
(d)
amicably — Amicably means in a friendly way — another adverb. 'Has been closely amicably to' has no verb to carry 'to global crude oil prices'.

Concept

Read the words on both sides of a blank. Before it: has been closely, a passive present perfect waiting for its participle, with the adverb already in place. After it: to.

A participle that takes 'to' and means linked is tied — tied to, like linked to or bound to.

Three options are adverbs, so part of speech alone eliminates them.

Key facts

Tied to means closely connected with, or dependent on.
Has been + past participle = present perfect passive: has been tied, has been linked.
An adverb such as 'closely' modifies the participle — it cannot replace it.

Study next

Present perfect passive: has been + past participleParticiple + preposition collocations: tied to, linked to, based onWhy a verb slot cannot take an adverb

Common traps

Choosing 'tightly' because 'tightly tied' sounds natural — the blank replaces 'tied', not 'closely'.

A word + to pairing also decides 24 Sep 2024, 12:30, English Q.21, where 'performed according ___ the tenets' takes 'to'. In this passage, 19 Jan 2026, 11:00 AM, English Q.43 also takes a past participle, 'reached'.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Cloze test — all 185 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.

In the following question, some of the words in the passage have been left out. Read the passage carefully and choose the correct word for each blank, out of the four alternatives and fill in the blanks.
After falling consistently __________ (1) the U.S. dollar for a major part of the year, the rupee has __________ (2) somewhat over the last few weeks. It has risen by almost 5% from its lowest levels __________ (3) in October. Even with this recent improvement, the rupee is still down about 11% since the start of the year. The rupee’s performance has been closely _________ (4) to global crude oil prices. This makes sense, as imported oil accounts for about 80% of India’s total demand. The value of the rupee dropped when oil prices climbed earlier this year, a trend that lasted until early October. Since then, as global crude prices have fallen, the rupee has __________ (5) against the dollar.