Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word from the options given below:-
She worked _______ while her colleagues were busy gossiping in the cafeteria.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → diligently
Diligently means with steady, careful and hard work. The sentence sets her against colleagues who "were busy gossiping": while they wasted time, she kept working hard, so the blank needs an adverb that shows serious effort.
Example: He studied diligently and topped his class.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: lately — Incorrect. Lately means recently; it tells us when, not how, she worked.
Example: I have not been sleeping well lately.
Option 3: early — Incorrect. Early means before the usual time; it says nothing about the effort that the contrast with gossiping calls for.
Example: She reached the station early.
Option 4: rarely — Incorrect. Rarely means not often. If she rarely worked, there would be no contrast with her gossiping colleagues.
Example: He rarely eats outside.
The following words have also been asked in other CUET (UG) English papers:
| Word | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| diligent | 24-05 S1 | – | – | 05-06 S1 | 10-08 S1 17-08 S1 |