ব্যাখ্যা
Correct Answer: (D) occasionally
Idiomatic expressions involving prepositions and adverbs are a staple of NTRCA English vocabulary sections.
Meaning of 'off and on':
— "Off and on" (also written "on and off") means: sometimes; not regularly; intermittently; at irregular intervals
— It implies that something happens occasionally, not consistently
— Example: "She visits her parents off and on." = She visits her parents occasionally / sometimes
— Synonym: occasionally, intermittently, sporadically, from time to time
Why other options are wrong:
✗ regularly: means consistently, in a fixed pattern — opposite of "off and on"
✗ frequently: means often, many times — "off and on" suggests infrequent, not frequent
✗ never at all: means not even once — "off and on" means it does happen, just not regularly
Similar time-related idioms:
— Now and then = occasionally
— Every now and again = from time to time
— Once in a blue moon = very rarely
— Day in, day out = every day without variation (regularly)
Source: Oxford Dictionary of Idioms; Cambridge English Idioms in Use; Past NTRCA Question Bank.