Emma MCQs

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Author: Nasir Iqbal | Assistant Professor of English Literature

Emma MCQs
Updated on: October 23, 2025
Estimated Reading Time: 17 min

Emma MCQs

1. What three qualities described Emma Woodhouse at the novel’s opening?

A. Rich, vain, and beautiful.
B. Handsome, clever, and rich.
C. Young, well-bred, and witty.
D. Sweet-tempered, witty, and rich.

B. Handsome, clever, and rich.
The novel famously opens: Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich…

2. How far was Mrs. Weston’s new home, Randalls, located from Hartfield?

A. One mile
B. Two miles
C. Half a mile
D. A short walk

C. Half a mile
Mrs. Weston’s marriage only moved her half a mile away, but Emma still felt the loss keenly.

3. What term described Mr. Woodhouse’s lifelong health habit?

A. Hypochondriac
B. Valetudinarian
C. Ailing gentleman
D. Chronic invalid

B. Valetudinarian
He was a valetudinarian all his life, meaning he was obsessively anxious about his health.

4. What activity did Emma introduce to help her father get “tolerably through the evening”?

A. Reading aloud
B. Card games
C. Backgammon
D. Music

C. Backgammon
Emma and her father played backgammon every evening as a gentle, familiar routine.
5. How far did Mr. Knightley live from Highbury?

A. Half a mile
B. About a mile
C. Three miles
D. At Donwell Abbey

B. About a mile
Mr. Knightley’s estate, Donwell Abbey, was located about a mile from Highbury.

6. How old was Mr. Knightley at the beginning of the novel?

A. Early twenties
B. About fifty
C. Seven or eight and thirty
D. Early sixties

C. Seven or eight and thirty
At 37 or 38, he was sixteen years older than Emma, allowing him to act as her critic.

7. How long before the marriage did Emma claim to have made the match between Mr. and Mrs. Weston?

A. One year
B. Four years ago
C. Since she was twelve
D. Six months

B. Four years ago
Emma boasts to Mr. Knightley that she had predicted the match four years earlier.

8. What act of gallantry confirmed Emma’s plan for the Weston match?

A. Mr. Weston singing
B. Mr. Weston offering money
C. Mr. Weston riding to town
D. Borrowing two umbrellas

D. Borrowing two umbrellas
Mr. Weston’s borrowing of two umbrellas convinced Emma he was planning to propose.

9. What did Mr. Knightley argue Emma’s supposed match-making success truly was?

A. Clever manipulation
B. Good intention
C. A lucky guess
D. Interference

C. A lucky guess
Mr. Knightley dismisses her claim, arguing it was a lucky guess that she now takes credit for.
10. Who did Emma immediately determine to match-make for next?

A. Mr. Knightley
B. Miss Bates
C. Mr. Elton
D. Harriet Smith

C. Mr. Elton
After her success, Emma immediately decides the vicar, Mr. Elton, was evidently in want of a wife.

11. What had been Mr. Weston’s military rank in the county militia?

A. Sergeant
B. Colonel
C. Captain
D. Lieutenant

C. Captain
He was Captain Weston of the militia, a rank which gave him an air of respectability.

12. The gentleman who married Miss Churchill was expected to visit his father because it was considered what?

A. An indulgence
B. A proper attention
C. A necessary evil
D. A quick duty

B. A proper attention
Frank Churchill’s failure to pay this proper attention to his father is a source of gossip.

13. The Martins of Abbey-Mill Farm rented a large farm from whom?

A. Mr. Weston
B. Mr. Woodhouse
C. Mr. Knightley
D. Mr. Elton

C. Mr. Knightley
The Martins were respectable tenants on Mr. Knightley’s estate, Donwell Abbey.

14. What central quality did Emma believe Harriet Smith lacked?

A. Elegance
B. Good manners
C. Penetration
D. Fortune

C. Penetration
Emma felt Harriet had no penetration, meaning she was naive and lacked critical judgment.
15. What specific book, besides Agricultural Reports, was Mr. Martin known to read to himself?

A. The Romance of the Forest
B. The Vicar of Wakefield
C. The Children of the Abbey
D. Fordyce’s Sermons

B. The Vicar of Wakefield
Harriet reports he reads this novel, a sign of his good taste and sensibility.

16. What was Mr. Martin’s age?

A. Thirty
B. Twenty-one
C. Four-and-twenty
D. Eighteen

C. Four-and-twenty
Mr. Martin was twenty-four years old, a suitable age for a young farmer.

17. When Emma first met Mr. Martin, she judged his entire want of gentility to be comparable to what?

A. His handsome face
B. His rich land
C. His being very clownish
D. His quiet voice

C. His being very clownish
Emma unfairly dismissed him as very clownish, judging his manners rather than his character.

18. What made Emma feel Mr. Elton was a better role model than Mr. Knightley or Mr. Weston?

A. His wealth
B. His decisiveness
C. His sarcastic wit
D. His gentleness/softness

D. His gentleness/softness
Emma valued Mr. Elton’s softness of manner over the more abrupt sincerity of Knightley.

19. Besides his vicarage, Mr. Elton was known to possess what?

A. An estate near London
B. Some independent property
C. A vast library
D. Shares in trade

B. Some independent property
He was a young man of good character… and independent property, which made him a good match.
20. What relationship between Emma and Harriet did Mr. Knightley lament?

A. Emma’s need to teach Harriet
B. Harriet’s delightful inferiority
C. Harriet’s low birth
D. Emma’s excessive reading

B. Harriet’s delightful inferiority
Mr. Knightley saw that Emma enjoyed Harriet’s company because Harriet was inferior and easy to lead.

21. What did Mrs. Weston call Emma’s eye color?

A. Deep grey
B. Bright blue
C. True hazel eye
D. Sparkling green

C. True hazel eye
Mrs. Weston defends Emma’s eyes to Mr. Knightley, calling them the true hazel eye.

22. What object did Emma refuse to finish sketching after her sister criticized it?

A. Her brother, Mr. John Knightley
B. Her father
C. Little Henry
D. Mrs. Weston

A. Her brother, Mr. John Knightley
Isabella’s mild criticism that the sketch was too strong caused Emma to abandon it.

23. What did Mr. Martin leave for Harriet, besides songs, which contained his proposal?

A. A box of walnuts
B. A drawing
C. A letter
D. A book

C. A letter
Robert Martin proposed to Harriet in a well-written and manly letter.

24. What advice did Emma lay down as a general rule regarding accepting a man?

A. Consult friends first.
B. If a woman doubts, she must refuse.
C. Always wait six weeks.
D. Consider his connections carefully.

B. If a woman doubts, she must refuse.
This was the manipulative advice Emma gave Harriet to convince her to reject Robert Martin.
25. Where did the letter from Frank Churchill state he was writing from?

A. Enscombe
B. Highbury
C. Weymouth
D. London

C. Weymouth
His letter from Weymouth described his meeting with Jane Fairfax, a crucial plot point.

26. Mr. Woodhouse suggested going to which sea-bathing location instead of South End?

A. Brighton
B. Bath
C. Cromer
D. London

C. Cromer
Mr. Woodhouse suggests Cromer as a healthier, though less fashionable, seaside alternative.

27. Who was Emma’s most intimate and unreserved confidante after Mrs. Weston’s marriage?

A. Harriet Smith
B. Miss Bates
C. Mrs. Weston
D. Her father

C. Mrs. Weston
Despite the marriage, Mrs. Weston remained the person Emma trusted most with her thoughts.

28. Mr. Weston told Emma that Frank Churchill would be visiting Highbury within what timeframe?

A. A week
B. A fortnight
C. The next day
D. By Christmas

B. A fortnight
Mr. Weston excitedly announces Frank’s visit is expected within two weeks.

29. Mr. Weston attributed Frank’s delayed visit to Enscombe to the temper of whom?

A. His uncle
B. Miss Darcy
C. Mrs. Churchill
D. Miss Taylor

C. Mrs. Churchill
Mrs. Churchill’s ill-tempered and controlling nature was the public excuse for Frank’s absence.
30. Who delivered the news to the Randalls party that the ground was covered in snow?

A. Mr. Weston
B. Frank Churchill
C. Emma
D. Mr. John Knightley

D. Mr. John Knightley
Mr. John Knightley, the practical one, was the first to notice the snow and insist on leaving.

31. How did Mr. Elton excuse his attentions to Harriet after Emma realized his error?

A. He was slightly drunk.
B. He only paid attention to Emma’s friend.
C. He was testing her.
D. He was being kind.

B. He only paid attention to Emma’s friend.
He claimed he only ever thought of Harriet as Emma’s friend, not as a romantic interest.

32. Mrs. Elton was the youngest of two daughters of a gentleman involved in what line of work?

A. Trade
B. Bristol merchant
C. The military
D. Farming

B. Bristol merchant
Her father was a merchant, living in a very good style in Bristol, with a fortune from trade.

33. Frank Churchill returned from London after traveling sixteen miles twice over for what minor reason?

A. To buy new gloves
B. To visit a friend
C. To have his hair cut
D. To send a letter

C. To have his hair cut
This seemingly frivolous trip was a ruse; he actually went to London to buy a piano for Jane.

34. Who did Mr. Weston believe would be offended if Mr. Frank Churchill did not call early on Jane Fairfax?

A. Her grandmother
B. Emma
C. Colonel Campbell
D. His father (Mr. Weston)

D. His father (Mr. Weston)
Mr. Weston was the one offended, as he felt it was a slight to Jane’s connections.
35. What did Miss Bates reveal Mr. Knightley had given her family after they worried about its shortage?

A. Wine
B. Flour
C. All his store apples
D. A servant

C. All his store apples
Mr. Knightley’s generous gift of all his apples highlights his practical, unshowy kindness.

36. What was the solution found for holding the ball, replacing the use of Randalls?

A. Hartfield
B. The Crown Inn
C. Donwell Abbey
D. The church hall

B. The Crown Inn
The ball was moved to the Crown Inn, which was seen as a more neutral and spacious venue.

37. Frank Churchill was recalled to Enscombe due to the sudden illness of whom?

A. Mr. Churchill
B. Mrs. Churchill
C. Miss Fairfax
D. Colonel Campbell

B. Mrs. Churchill
His aunt’s sudden illness forced him to leave Highbury abruptly, interrupting the party’s plans.

38. The charade solution “Courtship” was clearly meant for Harriet, but what word did she suggest as a guess?

A. Woman
B. Empire
C. Shark
D. Love

C. Shark

39. What word did Frank Churchill put before Jane Fairfax during the alphabet game that made her visibly blush and angry?

A. Blunder
B. Dixon
C. Weston
D. Enscombe

B. Dixon
He presented the name Dixon, a cruel private joke about the man Jane was rumored to admire.
40. Mr. Knightley scolded Emma at Box Hill for laughing at Miss Bates, whose situation he said should secure Emma’s what?

A. Respect
B. Compassion
C. Pity
D. Courtesy

B. Compassion
He tells Emma that Miss Bates’s poverty and low status deserve her compassion.

41. Jane Fairfax accepted a position as a governess with whose children?

A. Mrs. Weston’s
B. Mrs. Suckling’s
C. Mrs. Smallridge’s
D. Mrs. Goddard’s

C. Mrs. Smallridge’s
In her despair, she accepted a position with Mrs. Smallridge, a friend of Mrs. Elton’s.

42. How did Emma learn that Mr. Knightley already knew about the Frank Churchill/Jane Fairfax engagement?

A. He called at Mrs. Goddard’s.
B. Mrs. Weston told him.
C. He received a brief account from Mr. Weston by post.
D. Jane Fairfax wrote to him.

C. He received a brief account from Mr. Weston by post.
Before Mrs. Weston could visit him, Mr. Knightley received a short letter from Mr. Weston announcing the news.

43. What phrase, concerning his own feeling, did Mr. Weston use when he came to Emma regarding the secret engagement?

A. I am overjoyed.
B. It is horrible news.
C. It concerns only myself.
D. It is a scandal.

C. It concerns only myself.
Mr. Weston tried to downplay the scandal, insisting to Emma that he was the only one truly affected by Frank’s deception.

44. When Emma learned Harriet’s true attachment was to Mr. Knightley, what sudden realization “darted through her”?

A. She was relieved.
B. She was right about Frank Churchill.
C. Mr. Knightley must marry no one but herself.
D. She must leave Hartfield.

C. Mr. Knightley must marry no one but herself.
This is the novel’s climax; Harriet’s confession acted as the catalyst, forcing Emma to finally realize her own love for Mr. Knightley.
45. Upon reflecting on her past actions, Emma accused herself of “unpardonable” what?

A. Anger
B. Arrogance
C. Ill-breeding
D. Ignorance

B. Arrogance
Emma reflected on her manipulations and poor judgments, seeing them all as the result of her unpardonable arrogance and vanity.

46. What conviction made Mr. Knightley decide to ride home immediately from London?

A. Frank Churchill was a fool.
B. Isabella was worried about Emma.
C. The history of Jane Fairfax.
D. Mr. Woodhouse needed him.

C. The history of Jane Fairfax.
Learning the truth about Frank and Jane made him concerned for Emma, as he believed she was attached to Frank and would be heartbroken.
47. Mr. Knightley’s plan for marrying Emma while respecting her father’s comfort involved what arrangement?

A. Mr. Woodhouse moving to Donwell
B. Emma moving to London
C. Mr. Knightley being received at Hartfield
D. Moving to Randalls

C. Mr. Knightley being received at Hartfield
To avoid upsetting Mr. Woodhouse, Mr. Knightley made the sacrifice of agreeing to move from his own estate, Donwell Abbey, into Hartfield.

48. When reading Frank Churchill’s explanation letter, Mr. Knightley commented on the “beauty” of what two traits?

A. Love and devotion
B. Truth and sincerity
C. Politeness and discretion
D. Wealth and good taste

B. Truth and sincerity
Despite his anger at Frank’s deception, Mr. Knightley reluctantly admitted to Emma that the letter itself was well-written and felt truthful.

49. What did Mr. Knightley confess about Frank Churchill’s engagement when speaking to Emma?

A. He was jealous of Frank Churchill.
B. He had been jealous of Frank Churchill.
C. He regretted leaving Highbury.
D. He had secretly aided Frank.

B. He had been jealous of Frank Churchill.
He confesses to Emma that his strong dislike of Frank was partly fueled by his jealousy over Emma’s apparent preference for him.
50. What news did Mr. Knightley share with Emma that caused her great relief regarding Harriet?

A. Harriet decided to move away.
B. Harriet refused to marry.
C. Robert Martin had proposed and been accepted by Harriet.
D. Harriet was moving to Brunswick Square.

C. Robert Martin had proposed and been accepted by Harriet.
This news resolved Emma’s great guilt, as it confirmed Harriet would be happy and well-settled, removing her as a (mistaken) rival.

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Brief Overview

Emma is a novel by Jane Austen. It focuses on Emma Woodhouse, a beautiful, clever, and wealthy young woman who lives in a small English village. Because she has money and status, Emma believes she knows what is best for everyone.

The central conflict of the novel is Emma’s major flaw: her conviction that she is an excellent matchmaker. She decides to stop focusing on her own love life and instead arranges marriages for her friends and neighbors. Her first target is her new, sweet, but simple friend, Harriet Smith.

Emma tries to match Harriet with the local vicar, Mr. Elton. This plan fails when Mr. Elton proposes to Emma instead. Her long-time family friend, Mr. Knightley, is the only person who openly criticizes Emma’s arrogance and manipulation.

Emma continues her meddling, especially after two new people arrive in the village: Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax. She mistakenly encourages Harriet to believe that Frank is in love with her. This causes Harriet great emotional distress and humiliation.

Emma finally begins to realize the serious consequences of her arrogant interference. She understands her own feelings when she mistakenly fears that Mr. Knightley is in love with Harriet.

The novel concludes with Emma recognizing her errors and accepting that she is in love with Mr. Knightley. They marry after Emma learns the valuable lesson of humility and self-knowledge.

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