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: In the following question, a sentence has been divided into four parts and marked 1, 2, 3 and 4. One of these parts contains an error of grammar, idiom or syntax. Identify that part and mark it as the answer.

  1. Having answered the question paper well in time,

  2. the supervisor allowed me

  3. to leave the hall quietly

  4. without disturbing the others.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

(2) 'I was allowed by the supervisor'. Error of modifier. If the modifying clause does not have a subject, the modified clause should begin with the subject. Who answered? I. So modified clause should begin with 'I'.

Multiple choice

Direction: In the following sentence four words or phrases have been underlined. Only one underlined part in each sentence is not acceptable in standard English. Pick up the underlined part that contains an error.

This year (A) the monsoons failed (B) which caused a (C) terrible famine (D) in the country.

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

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

Which has. Present perfect tense should be used as the action started in the past and continues in the present.

Multiple choice

Direction: In the following sentence four words or phrases have been underlined. Only one underlined part in each sentence is not acceptable in standard English. Pick up the underlined part that contains an error.

(A) Hearing the strange noises, it (B) at once occurred (C) to me that thieves (D) had entered the house.

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

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

Error of modifier. If the modifying clause does not have a subject, the modified clause begins with the subject. Else the subject has to be introduced in the modifying clause. 'Who hears? I. Here the modified clause begins with 'it'. So we have to change modifying clause When I heard or On my hearing.

Multiple choice
Direction: In the following sentence four words or phrases have been underlined. Only one underlined part in each sentence is not acceptable in standard English. Pick up the underlined part that contains an error.
The (A) building, the work of the (B) most famous among (C) the living architect, which has been completed after many years is (D) to be formally inaugurated.

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

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

'the living architects'. Plural noun will be used as we are talking about more than one people. This is made clear by the use of conjunction “among”.

Multiple choice
Direction: In the following sentence four words or phrases have been underlined. Only one underlined part in each sentence is not acceptable in standard English. Pick up the underlined part that contains an error.
A necklace of diamonds, (A) presented by the friends of the bride (B) were among (C) the presents (D) on view.

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

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

'was'. Since the subject “a necklace” is singular, a singular verb will be used.

Multiple choice
Direction: In the following sentence four words or phrases have been underlined. Only one underlined part in each sentence is not acceptable in standard English. Pick up the underlined part that contains an error.
(A) Most of the critics, all over the world, (B) agree that this (C) is one of the most interesting novels (D) that has recently appeared.

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

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

That have. For the plural noun “novels” plural verb will be used. One of the many means plural.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following sentence, four words or phrases have been underlined. Only one underlined part in the sentence is not acceptable in standard English. Pick up the underlined part that contains an error.

He is (A) trying his best to please his master (B) whom he fears (C) may be seriously offended (D) by what has happened.

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

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

Who.... may be seriously offended or may have been seriously offended. 'Whom' cannot be offended.