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: In the following sentence, four words or phrases have been underlined. Only one underlined part is not acceptable in Standard Written English. Pick up the part (A) or (B) or (C) or (D). If there is no mistake, mark (E).

(A) Seafood is found in (B) the beaches, (C) in five star hotels and (D) in various small restaurants. (E) No Error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

Replace ‘in’ in part A with ‘at’. (Prepositional Error)

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into five parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or syntax. Select the part having the error.

  1. A perpendicular tower

  2. added a satisfying feature

  3. to the whole cluster of courts,

  4. but the feature was toned down

  5. by the action of weather.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

This part of sentence does not bear any error. Use past perfect (passive) 'had been' in place of (past indefinite) 'was'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into five parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or syntax. Select the part having the error.

  1. Being themselves ignorant and

  2. without having studied physiology, even in its rudiments,

  3. they do not appear to consider that

  4. they should at least abstain from teaching others

  5. till they have got something certain for themselves.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

There is error of parallelism. Part (1) uses adjective 'ignorant'; part (2) verb 'having studied'. Use an adjective, say, 'unschooled' in physiology.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into five parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or syntax. Select the part having the error.

  1. A strange legal dilemma,

  2. which cudgels our brains

  3. is to find the marks of distinction

  4. between attempted and contemplated crime,

  5. and then ignoring it.

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

There is error of parallelism. ‘To find’ should be followed by ‘to ignore’. Replace 'and then ignoring' by 'and then to ignore'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into five parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or syntax. Select the part having the error.

  1. Every being, not contented with the national gods,

  2. made each to himself one or more gods,

  3. which he supposed presided exclusively over his own household,

  4. from whom he supposed he derived his own peculiar happiness,

  5. from whom he attributed all his domestic misfortunes.

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

The word 'attributed' takes the preposition 'to' and hence 'from' should be replaced by 'to'. It means 'to whom he ascribed or assigned'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into five parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or syntax. Select the part having the error.

  1. In order to think correctly it is necessary to consider

  2. the whole of numeration, computation, and mathematical processes,

  3. as the division of the unit,

  4. into its component parts and

  5. the establishment of relations between these parts.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

The number of parts is not known. The preferred use will, therefore, be 'among these parts'.

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 no change is required select (5).

  1. But there are some things

  2. that need to pass over,

  3. to appreciate

  4. the profound skill of the architects.

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

Things don’t need to pass over. We need to pass over them. So, use passive ‘to be passed over’. 

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into five parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or syntax. Select the part having the error.

  1. Among different languages, even if we cannot suspect the least connection or communication,

  2. yet it is found that the words, expressive of ideas, the most compounded,

  3. do nearly correspond to each other:

  4. a certain proof that the simple ideas, comprehended in the compound ones,

  5. were bound together by some universal principle, which had an equal influence on all mankind.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

There is error of correlative conjunction. ‘Yet’ in (2) should be preceded by ‘though’ in place of ‘if’ in (1).

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into five parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or syntax. Select the part having the error.

  1. The capillaries of the part adjacent to the wound

  2. began to throw out minute buds and fine processes,

  3. which bridge the gap

  4. and form a firmer, but still temporary,

  5. connection between the two sides.

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

Parts (3) and (4) are in present tense. Why should (2) be in the past tense? Hence 'began' should be replaced by 'begin'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into five 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. In the past, the flexibility agenda has tended to be defined by management,

  2. and in the longer term flexibility is only likely to be sustained

  3. if management take account of employee interests

  4. as well as its own objectives.

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

Since a contrast, is being shown, therefore instead of ‘and’,’ but’ should be used. 

Multiple choice

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

  1. If you want to reduce economic inequality

  2. instead of just improving the

  3. overall standard of living,

  4. it's not just enough to raise up the poor.

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

The problem lies in the incorrect usage of adverbial expression.  The correct expression is 'enough just'. If you want to do x, it is just not enough to do y.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence tests your ability to recognise grammar and usage errors. The sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. The sentence does not contain more than one error. The error, if there is one, is underlined and lettered. If the sentence contains an error, select any one from the underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence is correct, select option (E). In choosing your answer, follow the requirements of standard written English.

(A) Neither did she attend the class (B) nor he attended (C) and subsequently (D) both were fined. (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 'nor did he attend'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence tests your ability to recognise grammar and usage errors. The sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. The sentence does not contain more than one error. The error, if there is one, is underlined and lettered. If the sentence contains an error, select any one from the underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence is correct, select option (E). In choosing your answer, follow the requirements of standard written English.

My pen is (A) as good, if not (B) better, than yours; (C) that's why it (D) writes so beautifully. (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

This is an error of correlative conjunction. The complete correlative is 'as good as'. Here, the second 'as' is amiss. The best way to correct the sentence is: My pen is  as good, if not (B) better, as yours. Second best: My pen is as good as, if not better, than yours.