English Language

Spotting Errors

4,734 Questions
All Noun, Article, and Determiner Usage 629 Subject-Verb Agreement 529 Preposition and Phrasal Verb Choice 510 Tense and Time Sequence 429 Pronoun Agreement and Case 415 Adjective and Adverb Form 372 Idiom and Confusable Word Choice 367 Verb Complement and Mood 347 Sentence Structure and Modifier Placement 296 Conjunction and Connector Choice 228 Parallel Structure 220 Redundancy and Negation 148

Spotting Errors Questions

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been broken in three parts (A), (B) and (C). If there is any grammatical error in any of these parts, that is the answer. If there is no error, the answer is (D).

He is a real good (A)/ boxer and has won (B)/ many tournaments. (C)/ No error (D).

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

  5. .
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct option as this part of the sentence has the error. In this sentence, the word ‘real’ is used to modify an adjective ‘good’. But, ‘real’ is an adjective. Only adverbs can modify adjectives. Thus, the adjective (real) should be replaced with the adverb (really).

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been broken in three parts (A), (B) and (C). If there is any grammatical error in any of these parts, that is the answer. If there is no error, the answer is (D).

If one decides to break (A)/ the rules, he must be (B)/ willing to pay the penalties. (C)/ No error (D).

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

  5. .
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct option as this part of the sentence has the error. The sentence contains multiple pronouns which do not match. The pronoun ‘one’ does not matches with the pronoun ‘he’. Thus, to match the pronouns, ‘he’ should be changed to 'one'. The correct sentence would be, “If one decides to break the rules, one must be willing to pay the penalties”.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been broken in three parts (A), (B) and (C). If there is any grammatical error in any of these parts, that is the answer. If there is no error, the answer is (D).

After selling all the tickets, (A)/ the children left quickly, (B)/ quietly and happily. (C)/ No error (D).

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

  5. .
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct option as the sentence has no error. The sentence is in accordance to the rule of parallelism.

Multiple choice

Directions: Correct the error (if any) for the underlined part of the following sentence. If there is no error then choose option 4.

He has said so out of affection; do not take it to heart.

  1. in heart

  2. it in the heart

  3. by the heart

  4. No improvement needed
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Taking something to heart means to be strongly affected by something that someone says to you, to take something seriously, to be upset by something. It conveys the correct meaning of the sentence. Hence, the sentence is correct both grammatically and conceptually.

Multiple choice

Directions: Correct the error (if any) for the underlined part of the following sentence. If there is no error then choose option 4.

Young men and women should be habituated to reading and writing about current affairs.

  1. prepared

  2. get used

  3. trained

  4. No improvement needed
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Idiomatic error. 'Should get used to' is a better choice as it means 'to get down into' the practice of something. Moreover, the correct usages are - 'habituated of', 'prepared for', and 'used to'. So, usage of 'to' is the clue here.

Multiple choice

Directions: Correct the error (if any) for the underlined part of the following sentence. If there is no error then choose option 4.

I waited for half an hour for my friend, but the train didn't turn in.

  1. turn about

  2. turn around

  3. turn up

  4. No improvement needed
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

'Turn up' is an idiom  that means 'to come about; happen'. 'Turn in' means 'make a turn into; enter'. Considering the difference, 'turn up' seems to be the right option.

Multiple choice

Directions: Correct the error (if any) for the underlined part of the following sentence. If there is no error then choose option 4.

No sooner he had returned home than his mother felt happy.

  1. did he return home then

  2. he had returned home then

  3. had he returned home than

  4. No improvement needed
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Error of sentence formation. 'No sooner' is followed by 'had/did' and the subject comes after the auxilary. Moreover, 'no sooner' takes coordinative conjunction 'than', and not 'then'. Thus, option 3.

Multiple choice

Directions: Correct the error (if any) for the underlined part of the following sentence. If there is no error then choose option 4.

In the modern world it is difficult to live through one's ideals.

  1. to live up to

  2. to live by

  3. to live for

  4. No improvement needed
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

'To live up to' is an idiom that means 'to live or act in accordance with (one‘s ideals, reputation, etc.)'. As it conveys the meaning of the sentence, so it should be the choice.  

Multiple choice

Directions: Correct the error (if any) for the underlined part of the following sentence. If there is no error then choose option 4.

All the allegations levelled against him were found to be baseless.

  1. levelled for

  2. levelled about

  3. leveling with

  4. <font face="Arial">No improvement needed </font>
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

'Levelling allegations against somebody' means 'acccusing somebody of something'. As this idiom conveys the meaning of the sentence, so the sentence needs no correction.

Multiple choice

Directions: Correct the error (if any) for the underlined part of the following sentence. If there is no error then choose option 4.

Any able bodied man is eligible for the job.

  1. Any able-bodied men are

  2. Each able-bodied man is

  3. Any able-bodied men have been

  4. No improvement needed
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Error of sentence formation. The sentence implies that every person who is able bodied is eligible. 'Any' is a negative word, and needs to replace with positive words like 'each' or 'every'. Though 'every' is a better choice, but in its absence from the option list, 'each' seems to be the correct option.

Multiple choice

Directions: Correct the error (if any) for the underlined part of the following sentence. If there is no error then choose option 4.

Never has the inadequacy of police been in clearer focus than in the communal violence that flared up recently.

  1. higher

  2. stronger

  3. sharper

  4. <font face="Arial">No improvement needed </font>
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Error of adjectival usage. 'Sharper focus' means clearly highlighted or perfectly visible. As it better conveys the sentence, so it shouls be the right choice.