Fill in the blank with suitable word from the given options:
______ I switch the air conditioner on?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Should
Complete sentence: Should I switch the air conditioner on? The speaker wants to know whether the listener would like the air conditioner on, so Should fits.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Will | Will I ...? asks about something that is going to happen in the future (Will I need a coat?). It is not used in standard English to offer or to ask for advice. | – |
| (2) Should (answer) | Should I + base verb? asks another person for advice or offers to do something: Should I wait? Should I call him? | Should I close the window for you? |
| (3) Am | Am cannot be followed by the base verb "switch". It needs an -ing form (Am I switching ...?). | – |
| (4) Does | Does goes with he, she and it. With "I" the helping verb is "do". | – |
Note: In the original NTA paper, Option 4 read "Shall". NTA accepted this option as a correct answer as well. To leave only one correct answer and avoid confusion for students, it has been changed here to "Does".
Advice for the exam: In the real exam, mark the answer that is grammatically or factually correct. If NTA’s provisional answer key marks a different option, challenge it during the answer-key challenge window and give the reason in one or two lines.