Match the Following questions test your ability to correctly pair items from two lists based on meaning, usage, or relationship. In CUET English 2024-2025, this topic consistently appears with 3-6 questions covering one-word substitution, idioms, phrasal verbs, prepositions, adverbs, homonyms, and word-definition matching.
1. What is Match the Following?
A Match the Following question presents two columns — List-I (usually sentences or words) and List-II (meanings, phrasal verbs, or words) — and you must correctly pair each item in List-I with its corresponding item in List-II.
- Purpose: To test your vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension skills in an integrated format.
- Structure: List-I has 4 items (A, B, C, D) and List-II has 4 items (I, II, III, IV) — not necessarily in order.
- Skills tested:
- Vocabulary (one-word substitution, synonyms, definitions)
- Grammar (prepositions, verb forms, adverbs)
- Idioms & Phrasal Verbs (meaning and usage)
- Homonyms (words with same spelling/pronunciation but different meanings)
Real CUET Example (2024, Q3): Matching ''Theocracy'' with ''A government by divine guidance'' — testing one-word substitution.
2. Types of Match the Following Questions in CUET
| Type | Description | CUET Example (2024-2025) |
|---|---|---|
| One-Word Substitution | Match a word with its precise definition | ''Numismatist'' → ''One who collects coins'' (2024, Q41) |
| Idioms & Phrases | Match an idiom with its meaning | ''Blow the gaff'' → ''Divulge a secret'' (2024, Q14) |
| Phrasal Verbs | Match a phrasal verb with its meaning in context | ''Put away'' → ''Save money'' (2025, Q29) |
| Prepositions | Match a sentence with the correct preposition | ''Delighted ___ the present'' → ''with'' (2024, Q42) |
| Adverbs | Match a sentence with the correct adverb | ''It was ___ affordable'' → ''reasonably'' (2024, Q44) |
| Homonyms | Match a sentence with the correct homonym | ''Waited with ___ breath'' → ''bated'' (2025, Q33) |
| Word Meaning (Contextual) | Match words from a passage with their meanings | ''Harangued'' → ''Long aggressive speech'' (2025, Q49) |
3. Common Question Patterns in CUET PYQs
Based on analysis of CUET 2024 and 2025 papers, here are the recurring patterns:
- Pattern 1: One-Word Substitution — 4 words with 4 definitions. Tests specialized vocabulary. e.g., ''Theocracy, Megalomania, Apothecary, Antiquarian'' (2024, Q3).
- Pattern 2: Idioms — 4 idioms with 4 meanings. Tests figurative language. e.g., ''At the end of your tether, Be full of beans, Blow the gaff, Want to curl up and die'' (2024, Q14).
- Pattern 3: Phrasal Verbs — 4 sentences with blanks + 4 phrasal verbs. Tests contextual usage. e.g., ''Put away, Put off, Put up with, Put in'' (2025, Q29).
- Pattern 4: Prepositions — 4 sentences + 4 prepositions. Tests collocation. e.g., ''Indistinguishable from, Affinity for, Not dissimilar to, Mistake for'' (2024, Q15).
- Pattern 5: Homonyms — 4 sentences + 4 homonyms. Tests spelling and meaning. e.g., ''Bated/Baited, Discreet/Discrete'' (2025, Q33).
- Pattern 6: Words from Passage — Words extracted from a passage matched to definitions. e.g., ''Harangued, Amplified, Conspicuous, Venture'' (2025, Q49).
4. Step-by-Step Strategy for Match the Following
- Read all items in both lists carefully: Understand what each item means. For List-I, identify the type (word, idiom, sentence with blank). For List-II, note the meanings/words.
- Start with the easiest match: Find a pairing you are 100% confident about. Eliminate that option from both lists.
- Look for contextual clues: For phrasal verbs or prepositions, read the full sentence and see which option fits grammatically and semantically.
- Use elimination: If you are unsure about a match, eliminate options that clearly do not fit, then work with the remaining choices.
- Check for collocations: Some words naturally pair with specific prepositions (e.g., ''succeed in'', ''full of'').
- For homonyms: Pay attention to spelling and the meaning required by the sentence. e.g., ''discreet'' = careful; ''discrete'' = separate.
- For one-word substitution: Match the definition to the word by breaking down the meaning. e.g., ''Philatelist'' = stamp collector (''phil'' = love, ''atel'' = stamp).
- Verify all matches: Once you have a sequence, check that each List-I item logically pairs with its List-II match.
5. One-Word Substitution (CUET Focus)
CUET frequently tests one-word substitution — a single word that replaces a phrase or definition. Here are common ones from actual papers:
| Word | Definition | CUET Year |
|---|---|---|
| Theocracy | A government by divine guidance or religious leaders | 2024, Q3 |
| Megalomania | A morbid delusion of one's power, importance or godliness | 2024, Q3 |
| Apothecary | One who keeps drugs for sale and puts up prescriptions | 2024, Q3 |
| Antiquarian | One who collects and studies objects from the distant past | 2024, Q3 |
| Numismatist | One who collects coins | 2024, Q41 |
| Philatelist | One who collects stamps | 2024, Q41 |
| Itinerant | One who journeys from place to place | 2024, Q41 |
| Cacographist | One who is bad at spellings | 2024, Q41 |
6. Idioms Tested in CUET
Idioms frequently appear in Match the Following questions. Here are the ones from actual CUET papers:
| Idiom | Meaning | CUET Year |
|---|---|---|
| Blow the gaff | Divulge a secret | 2024, Q14 |
| At the end of your tether | Feel unable to deal with something | 2024, Q14 |
| Be full of beans | Be full of energy | 2024, Q14 |
| Want to curl up and die | Feel terribly ashamed and embarrassed | 2024, Q14 |
| To sit on the fence | Delay in making a decision | 2025, Q44 |
| A sitting duck | An easy target for attack or criticism | 2025, Q44 |
| Sit pretty | To be in a good position | 2025, Q44 |
| Sit tight | To not take any action/remain in a place | 2025, Q44 |
7. Prepositions Frequently Tested
CUET often tests preposition usage in Match the Following. Here are common pairs from actual papers:
| Sentence | Preposition | Rule/Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| ''Indistinguishable ________ her first version'' | from | ''Indistinguishable from'' is the correct collocation |
| ''Affinity ________ his prose style'' | for | ''Affinity for'' means a natural liking for |
| ''Not dissimilar ________ mine'' | to | ''Dissimilar to'' is the correct comparison |
| ''Mistake his diffidence ________ his arrogance'' | for | ''Mistake X for Y'' means confuse X with Y |
| ''Arrived ________ bus'' | by | ''By'' indicates mode of transport |
| ''Full ________ mistakes'' | of | ''Full of'' is the correct collocation |
| ''Succeed ________ getting the job'' | in | ''Succeed in'' + gerund |
8. Homonyms Tested in CUET
Homonyms are words that sound the same or are spelled similarly but have different meanings. CUET tests the correct usage in context:
| Homonym Pair | Meaning 1 | Meaning 2 | CUET Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bated vs Baited | Bated = with breath held (waiting anxiously) | Baited = set a trap with bait | ''Waited with ___ breath'' → ''bated'' (2025, Q33) |
| Discreet vs Discrete | Discreet = careful, prudent | Discrete = separate, distinct | ''Make a few ___ enquiries'' → ''discreet'' (2025, Q33) |
| Canons vs Cannons | Canons = principles/rules | Cannons = large guns | ''Believes in the ___ of justice'' → ''canons'' |
| Censor vs Censure | Censor = to suppress/remove objectionable material | Censure = strong disapproval | Both appear in CUET homonym questions |
9. Phrasal Verbs in Match the Following
Phrasal verbs are frequently tested in Match the Following format — you match a sentence with the correct phrasal verb:
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | CUET Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Put away | Save money | ''She has got a few thousand rupees ________ for her retirement.'' (2025, Q29) |
| Put off | Discourage / deter | ''People get ________ by his gruff exterior.'' (2025, Q29) |
| Put up with | Tolerate | ''I wonder how she ________ with his erratic behaviour.'' (2025, Q29) |
| Put in | Contribute (effort/time) | ''She ________ ten to twelve hours of study daily.'' (2025, Q29) |
| Cut up | Upset | ''She was very ________ with him for his offensive remarks.'' (2024, Q43) |
| Give away | Donate / distribute | ''Books to ________ to book lovers.'' (2024, Q43) |
| Give in to | Succumb / surrender | ''People ________ to temptation and ruin their reputation!'' (2024, Q43) |
| Cut down on | Reduce | ''Rahul is trying to ________ on his smoking.'' (2024, Q43) |
10. Sample Walkthrough (CUET 2024, Q3)
Question: Match the words in List-I with their definitions in List-II.
List-I:
(A) Theocracy
(B) Megalomania
(C) Apothecary
(D) Antiquarian
List-II:
(I) One who keeps drugs for sale and puts up prescriptions
(II) One who collects and studies objects from the distant past
(III) A government by divine guidance or religious leaders
(IV) A morbid delusion of one's power, importance or godliness
Step 1 – Understand each word:
- Theocracy: Government by religious leaders → (III)
- Megalomania: Delusion of power/importance → (IV)
- Apothecary: One who sells drugs → (I)
- Antiquarian: One who studies ancient objects → (II)
Step 2 – Verify: Each definition uniquely matches its word. The sequence is (A)-(III), (B)-(IV), (C)-(I), (D)-(II).
Step 3 – Answer: Option (1) — (A)-(III), (B)-(IV), (C)-(I), (D)-(II)
11. Common Traps & How to Avoid Them
- Trap: Confusing similar-sounding words in homonym questions. e.g., ''bated'' vs ''baited'' — one means 'held breath', the other means 'set a trap'. Always check the context of the sentence.
- Trap: Choosing the wrong preposition based on the literal meaning. e.g., ''mistake X for Y'' uses ''for'', not ''as''. Memorize common collocations.
- Trap: Misinterpreting idioms literally. e.g., ''blow the gaff'' does not mean blowing anything — it means ''divulge a secret.''
- Trap: Confusing similar phrasal verbs. e.g., ''put away'' vs ''put off'' vs ''put up with'' — each has a distinct meaning. Understand the context of the sentence.
- Trap: Matching words with definitions that are grammatically correct but not semantically precise. Always choose the most accurate match, not just a plausible one.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing similar-sounding homonyms like 'bated' vs 'baited' or 'discreet' vs 'discrete'.
- Choosing the wrong preposition because of not knowing the collocation (e.g., 'succeed in' not 'succeed to').
- Misinterpreting idioms literally instead of understanding their figurative meaning.
- Confusing phrasal verbs with similar particles (e.g., 'put away' vs 'put off').
- Matching words with definitions that are grammatically correct but not the most precise match.
- Not verifying all matches before selecting the final answer.