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

The descriptions of the plight of the miserable were very touching.

Directions: In the question below, a sentence is given with a part of it printed in bold type. That part may contain grammatical error. This sentence is followed by phrases. Find out which phrase should replace the phrase given in bold to correct the error if there is any, and to make the sentence grammatically meaningful and correct if the sentence is correct as it is and no correction is required, mark (5) as the answer.

  1. Was very touching

  2. Were very touchy

  3. Had very touching

  4. Had been very touchy

  5. No correction required

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

 The subject 'descriptions' is plural. Hence, plural verb 'were' is correct.

Multiple choice

He was devoted his time meticulously for the good of his people

Directions: In the question below, a sentence is given with a part of it printed in bold type. That part may contain grammatical error. This sentence is followed by phrases. Find out which phrase should replace the phrase given in bold to correct the error if there is any, and to make the sentence grammatically meaningful and correct if the sentence is correct as it is and no correction is required, mark (5) as the answer.

  1. Was meticulous to be devoted his time

  2. Devoted his time meticulously

  3. Was meticulous in his time to devote

  4. Had been devoted his time meticulously

  5. No correction required

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

The original phrasing is clunky and grammatically awkward. 'Devoted his time meticulously' is the correct active voice construction.

Multiple choice

Newton states that he could not have made his discoveries his predecessors had not shown him the right path.

Directions: In the question below, a sentence is given with a part of it printed in bold type. That part may contain grammatical error. This sentence is followed by phrases. Find out which phrase should replace the phrase given in bold to correct the error if there is any, and to make the sentence grammatically meaningful and correct if the sentence is correct as it is and no correction is required, mark (5) as the answer.

  1. if his predecessors were not shown

  2. had his predecessors not been shown

  3. had his predecessors not shown

  4. if his predecessors had not been shown

  5. No correction required

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

It is a conditional sentence. 'Had' is misplaced. Correct phrase is given in option 3.