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, identify the underlined part that has a grammar or syntax error. If, there is no error in the sentence, mark (5).

The company has thirteen branches all through the country and also exports to the entire subcontinent.

  1. has

  2. all through

  3. also exports

  4. to the

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

'all through' has a different meaning than what the sentence is conveying here. The correct usage would be throughout.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following sentence, identify the underlined part that has a grammar or syntax error. If, there is no error in the sentence, mark (5).

The streets that have been paved with cement are more durable and more stronger than the ones paved with tar.

  1. that have

  2. with cement

  3. more stronger

  4. paved with tar

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

'more stronger' is redundant. When using comparatives, there should be a more prefix or a -er suffix, and not both.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following sentence, identify the underlined part that has a grammar or syntax error. If, there is no error in the sentence, mark (5).

The number of buses in Chennai has increased manifold; but, travelling by public transport remains a nightmare.

  1. has increased

  2. manifold; but,

  3. by

  4. remains

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

Semicolon and But should not be used together. Both a semicolon and a but are used as conjuctions; using both would be redundant.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following sentence, identify the underlined part that has a grammar or syntax error. If, there is no error in the sentence, mark (5).

Samosas have become so popular throughout the world so that the word has now been added in the Oxford Dictionary.

  1. so popular

  2. so that

  3. has now

  4. in the

  5. no error <o:p></o:p>
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

so popular....that is the correct usage. This so is redundant and therefore incorrect.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following sentence, identify the underlined part that has a grammar or syntax error. If, there is no error in the sentence, mark (5).

Archaeological evidence indicate that the first humans walked on the landmass that we now know as Africa.

  1. indicate that

  2. walked on

  3. landmass that

  4. as Africa

  5. no error
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

'evidence' is singular whereas indicate is a plural verb. The sentence should have used the verb indicates.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following sentence, identify the underlined part that has a grammar or syntax error. If, there is no error in the sentence, mark (5).

Although based on the most powerful and oldest source of energy, solar power's usage is still under research and a number of solar products are in the process of development.

  1. the most powerful

  2. solar power's usage

  3. under research

  4. are in the process

  5. no error
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

There is no error in this sentence. 

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. Athletes warm up before

  2. each performance doing

  3. jogging and stretching exercise,

  4. and it reduces the chance of injury.

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

'It' in (4) lacks a referent. It seems to refer to something in the first part of the sentence, but there is no noun there that it can replace. We need to supply a noun like 'this routine'.

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. Many times movie stars,

  2. professional athletes will

  3. endorse a product and a trend will start,

  4. making them turn into a cult.

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

Making 'whom' turn into a cult? The product, not the stars. Singular noun 'product' will take a singular pronoun 'it'.

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. In light of the increasing evidence

  2. of the growing crime rate in the city,

  3. they now realize that their approach

  4. to curbing crime has not been too effective.

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

'They' in (3) has no antecedent. So, here we have to supply a noun (the police) for the sake of clarity.