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

Direction: The sentence below has been divided into three parts a, b and c.The sentence has no more than one error, select the part whic contains the error as your answer. If there is no error, then choose (d) as your answer.

Everyone of the clerks (a) / have applied (b) / for casual leave today. (c) / No error. (d)

  1. (a)

  2. (b)

  3. (c)

  4. (d)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

'Everyone' will be followed by a singular verb. It should be ' has applied'.

Multiple choice

Direction: The sentence below has been divided into three parts a, b and c.The sentence has no more than one error, select the part which contains the error as your answer. If there is no error, then choose (d) as your answer.

When the ship arrived in port,(a)/ the crew was taken into custody (b) / on a charge of mutiny. (c) / No error (d)

  1. (a)

  2. (b)

  3. (c)

  4. (d)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

 It should be ' the crew were taken into custody'. If the collective noun (crew) is being regarded as a collection of individual members, then the collective noun is followed by a plural verb. Singular verbs are used when the group is being thought of a single unit.

Multiple choice

Direction: The sentence below has been divided into three parts a, b and c.The sentence has no more than one error, select the part which contains the error as your answer. If there is no error, then choose (d) as your answer.

Anyone is welcome (a) / as long as they are willing (b) / to contribute to the cause. (c) / No error. (d)

  1. (a)

  2. (b)

  3. (c)

  4. (d)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

'Anyone' is singular, hence the corresponding pronoun will be singular as well.  It should be ' as long as he/she is willing'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into 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).

The little children in play-way schools (A)/ are taught how to read, how to write (B)/ and to speak basic English. (C)/ No error (D)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

This is the correct option as this part of the sentence has the error. This sentence violates the rule of parallelism that demands consistency in a sentence’s structure. Any ideas, places, activities, etc. must be written in the same grammatical form. Thus, the correct sentence will be, ”The little children in play-way schools are taught how to read, how to write and how to speak basic English”.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into 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).

Rahul told the (A)/ shopkeeper that there had been no (B)/ supply of milk yesterday. (C)/ No error (D)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

This is the correct option as this part of the sentence has the error. According to the rules of grammar, in indirect speech, the adverbs of nearness should be put into those of distance. Thus, ‘yesterday’ should be changed to ‘the previous day’ to make the sentence grammatically correct.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into 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).

The boxer, together with (A)/ his teammates and the coach, (B)/ are going to the tournament. (C)/ No error (D)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

This is the correct option as this part of the sentence has the error. This sentence has subject–verb disagreement between the singular subject (the boxer) and plural verb (are going). For the sentence to be correct, the verb should also be singular (is going). The sandwiched phrase will not, in any way, alter the grammatical relationship between the subject and the verb.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into 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).

The décor of the main (A)/ bedroom has been done up (B)/ very nice by the architect. (C)/ No error (D)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

This is the correct option as this part of the sentence has the error. Here, an adjective (nice) is used to modify a verb, whereas only an adverb (nicely) can be used. Thus, the correct sentence would be, “The décor of the main bedroom has been done up very nicely by the architect".

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into 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).

The alumni association (A)/ meeting was attended (B)/ by Rohit and I. (C)/ No error (D)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

This is the correct option as this part of the sentence has the error. The sentence is incorrect because of the usage of an incorrect pronoun ‘I’. Thus, to make the sentence correct, the pronoun ‘I’ should be changed to ‘me’.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into 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).

Either of the two designated (A)/ officers were not available (B)/ to the general public. (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. In this sentence, the pronoun and its verb do not agree in number. The pronoun ‘either’ is singular, but the verb ‘were’ is plural. To make the sentence grammatically correct, the verb used should be singular (was).

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into 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 (A)/ to cheat the law, (B)/ he must be ready to face the authorities. (C)/ No error (D)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

This is the correct option as this part of the sentence has the error. The sentence has the error of having multiple pronouns (‘one’ and ‘he’), which do not match. So, to make the sentence correct, ‘he’ should be changed to ‘one’.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into 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).

You will know the (A)/ averse effects of drinking (B)/ alcohol in the long run. (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. Here, an incorrect word 'averse' has been used which is a homonym of 'adverse'. Adverse is something harmful, and averse is a strong feeling of dislike. The correct sentence would be, "You will know the adverse effects of drinking alcohol in the long run".

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into 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).

Rahul told Tim (A)/ that he can do that (B)/ work in no time. (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. This sentence contains the error of reported speech. In indirect form, ‘can’ is changed to ‘could’. Thus, the correct sentence would be, “Rahul told Tim that he could do that work in no time”.