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 split into four parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or syntax. Select the part having the error. If there is no error, select (5).

  1. The light from a firefly is said to be “cold”

  2. because the insect's utilization of the energy

  3. is so efficient that

  4. a little of it is converted into heat.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Error of adjective usage. A little means some, little means next to nothing, which is the sense applied here.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into four parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or syntax. Select the part having the error. If there is no error, mark (5)

  1. Most adolescents struggle

  2. to be free both of

  3. parental domination

  4. but also from peer pressure.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The phrase “but also” implies a contrast between two ideas, but no such contrast is supported by the sentence. We need to use the simple conjunction “and”, to make it clear that the two ideas are parallel. 'Both' is always followed by conjunction 'and'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into four parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or syntax. Select the part having the error. If there is no error, mark (5)

  1. Both the children are playing

  2. in the sand and

  3. two fishermen were leaning against

  4. an uprooted boat.

  5. No error

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

‘The two fishermen are’ - The tense of the sentence is in present tense, therefore, the tense of this clause must be present. 

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following sentence some parts have been underlined and labelled A, B, C and D. Identify the part that contains an error. If there is no error in any part of the sentence, mark your answer as E.

(A) Hardly had we reached the ground, (B) than match started and (C) the audience started clapping (D)enthusiastically. (E) No error.

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

The correct usage is 'when the match started'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into four parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or syntax. Select the part having the error. If there is no error, mark (5)

  1. We can conceive the relation of end to duty

  2. in two ways; either starting from the end

  3. to find the dutiful actions; and conversely,

  4. setting out from these actions to find the end.

  5. No error
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Either should be followed by 'or', not by 'and'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into four parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or syntax. Select the part having the error. If there is no error, mark (5)

  1. It is perhaps unfair to expect the Finance Ministry report,

  2. the first quarter review mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility

  3. and Management Act, to forecast

  4. the shape of the economic recovery in 2007-2008.

  5. No error
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Both 'first' and 'quarter' need to function as adjectives to qualify the noun 'review'. And the correct adjective form is quarterly.