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 sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. The sentence does not contain more than one error. If the sentence contains an error, select the underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence is correct, select choice (E). In choosing the answer, follow the requirements of standard written English.

(A) The goal of unemployment insurance is to support workers who have lost their (B) jobs until they are (C) reabsorption into (D) industry. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

'Reabsorbed' should be used instead of ‘reabsorption’.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. The sentence does not contain more than one error. If the sentence contains an error, select the underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence is correct, select choice (E). In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

“A Raisin in the Sun”, the (A) highly (B) acclaimed Broadway play by Lerraine Hansberry, (C) dealing with the serious and comic (D) events in the life of a Black family in modern America. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

'Deals' (present indefinite tense) should be used instead of 'dealing'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. The sentence does not contain more than one error. If the sentence contains an error, select the underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence is correct, select choice (E). In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

The selection of products available through (A) mail (B) order companies (C) are large and (D) varied. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

Option (3): 'is' should be used, as the subject 'selection' is singular, so the verb used should also be singular.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. The sentence does not contain more than one error. If the sentence contains an error, select the underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence is correct, select choice (E). In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

Soprano Minnie Hauk is often (A) credit with starting a trend in opera (B) away from the old Italian style towards (C) more realistic, dramatic (D) interpretations. (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

'Credited' will be the correct usage in part A as the sentence is in passive voice (somebody else is crediting Soprano Minnie Hauk with something). So, the past form of credit will be used.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. The sentence does not contain more than one error. If the sentence contains an error, select the underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence is correct, select choice (E). In choosing the answer, follow the requirements of standard written English.

From a (A) youngest age, children begin a (B) continuous process of evaluating (C) themselves in the light of the opinions and comments of those (D) around them. (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

Option (1): young – as no comparison is being highlighted. Hence, we must change it to 'young'.

Multiple choice

Directions: In this question, a sentence has been divided into 3 parts. Out of them, only one part has an error. Find out which part of the sentence has an error and mark it as your answer.

(a) Relationships depend on /(b) trust and righteousness /(c) prevail in the family. /(d) No error

  1. (a)

  2. (b)

  3. (c)

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

Explanation for option 4: As the two qualities need to be existing or be present at all times, the continuous form is to be used.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence given below has three underlined parts named A, B and C. Choose the part of the sentence that contains an error as your answer. If there is no error, mark (D).

(A) Had (B) he invited me, (C) I would attend the function. (D) No error.

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The error is in part (C). This is a Type 3 conditional sentence (unreal past). When the if-clause uses 'Had he invited' (past perfect), the main clause should use 'would have + past participle' (would have attended), not 'would attend'. The correct sentence should be 'Had he invited me, I would have attended the function.'

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence given below has three underlined parts named A, B and C. Choose the part of the sentence that contains an error as your answer. If there is no error, mark (D).

If (A) he came to me, I (B) would have given him (C) a pen. (D) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The error is in part (A). This is a Type 3 conditional sentence where the result clause uses 'would have + past participle'. Therefore, the if-clause should use past perfect 'had come' instead of simple past 'came'. The correct sentence is 'If he had come to me, I would have given him a pen.'

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence given below has three underlined parts named A, B and C. Choose the part of the sentence that contains an error as your answer. If there is no error, mark (D).

(A) If a monkey (B) comes here, what (C) you will do? (D) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The error is in part (C). In a question beginning with 'what', the auxiliary verb 'will' should come before the subject 'you', not after. The correct question word order is 'what will you do?', not 'what you will do'. This is a basic subject-verb inversion rule for questions.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence given below has three underlined parts named A, B and C. Choose the part of the sentence that contains an error as your answer. If there is no error, mark (D).

(A) If (B) he had telephoned me I (C) would have gave him the address. (D) No error.

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The error is in part (C). The verb phrase 'would have gave' is grammatically incorrect. After 'would have', we must use the past participle form 'given', not the past tense form 'gave'. The correct phrase is 'would have given him the address'. This is a common error confusing past tense and past participle forms.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence given below has three underlined parts named A, B and C. Choose the part of the sentence that contains an error as your answer. If there is no error, mark (D).

(A) If he will work (B) hard, (C) he will get promotion. (D) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The error is in part (A). In conditional sentences (Type 1), the if-clause should use simple present tense, not 'will'. The correct structure is 'If he works hard, he will get promotion'. Using 'will' in both the if-clause and main clause is redundant and grammatically incorrect. The simple present 'works' is required in the if-clause.