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: The following question consist of a set of sentences or parts thereof. One or more of these sentences/parts contain an error from the view point of requirements of Standard English grammar and/or usage. Select the sentence(s)/part(s) having an error.

(A) The commander with the entire regiment were overpowered by the enemy's sudden attack (B) No one in that group appears to have made reports up to date in spite of sufficient notice given to them. (C) Consideration of the scheme for widening the roads and providing more lights was postponed for want of funds (D) To err is human, to forgive is divine.

  1. A only

  2. C only

  3. A and C

  4. B and C

  5. A and D
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Replace 'were' in A with 'was'. Delete repetitive 'is' in D.

Multiple choice

Directions The following question consist of four statements. Some or all the statements may have an error of grammar or syntax. Identify only the statements having an error.

(A) Eugene is as good a player as, if not better than anyone in his class.
(B) He came on the off chance for finding me at home. (C) The lady who I have mentioned often is the one whose friendship I would wish to acquire. (D) He warned the government that attempts to curb terrorism should not mean the loss of civil liberties.

  1. A and B

  2. B and C

  3. C and D

  4. A and C

  5. B and D
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Needed 'anyone else' in A; 'whom I have often mentioned' in C.

Multiple choice

Directions The following question consist of four statements. Some or all the statements may have an error of grammar or syntax. Identify only the statements having an error.

(A) The author's remarkable first book is the story of her meandering journey up the river Indus from its mouth near Karachi to its source in Tibet. (B) There was a time when this subject was much in the air and a number of people were writing about it. (C) Even though Sarah is senior than me not only in service but also in age, it was difficult to find her trustworthy enough. (D) Scientists have made the world a better place to live

  1. A and B

  2. B and C

  3. C and D

  4. A, B and C
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Needed 'senior to me' in C and 'to live in' in D.

Multiple choice

Directions Given below are three sentences. One, two or all the sentences may have error(s) of grammar or syntax or Standard English usage. Identify only the sentences that are incorrect.

(A) To enjoy life means doing an honest day's labour, being true to your conscience and giving yourself up in the hands of destiny. (B) We generally find it easier to put off things than to do them as and when the need arises. (C) With years of on-hand experience behind him, the mechanic still comes across problems that seem rather elusive.

  1. Only A

  2. Only B

  3. Only C

  4. Both A & B
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Replace 'to enjoy' with 'enjoying'.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following sentence, some parts have been underlined and labelled as (A), (B) and (C). Identify the underlined part that contains an error. If there is no error in any part, mark your answer as (D).

He (A) has been working (B) in this firm (C) from the past twenty years. (D) No error.

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

  5. (E)

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

The tense is present perfect continuous and the time reference is period (twenty years). The preposition 'for' is correct which indicates how long something continues to happen. Hence, C is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following sentence, some parts have been underlined and labelled as (A), (B) and (C). Identify the underlined part that contains an error. If there is no error in any part, mark your answer as (D).

He said (A) that he (B) can (C) do anything to get rich. (D) No error.

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

  5. (E)

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

In indirect form of narration, the antecedent is in the past tense 'said'. Hence, the modal 'can' should also be in the past tense 'could'.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following statement, a part has been underlined. If the underlined part contains an error, choose the option that should replace it to make the sentence correct. If there is no error in the underlined part, mark your answer as (5).

It is one of the most expensive restaurant in the city.

  1. one of most expensive restaurant

  2. one of the most expensive restaurants

  3. the most expensive restaurants

  4. among the most expensive restaurant

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

'One of the' means there are others also. So, the correct usage is 'restaurants'.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following sentence, some parts have been underlined and labelled as (A), (B) and (C). Identify the underlined part that contains an error. If there is no error in any part, mark your answer as (D).

The child (A) did not (B) take the medicine because (C) it tasted bitterly. (D) No error.

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

  5. (E)

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

An adjective always follows a sense verb or a verb of appearance like; feel, taste, sound, look, smell, seem and appear, when it modifies the noun before the verb.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following sentence, some parts have been underlined and labelled as (A), (B) and (C). Identify the underlined part that contains an error. If there is no error in any part, mark your answer as (D).

(A) It was she (B) who we expected (C) to score the highest marks in the exam. (D) 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 subject here is 'we'. Put in the assertive form, the sentence would read: 'we expected 'her' to'. Hence, the correct usage is objective 'whom'' in place of subjective 'who'. The best way to check up the applicability of who or whom is to get the answer for the question involved. For example: Who are you? The answer is I am X. Whom do you want to see? The answer is I want to see him. In the first case, who stands for the subject I, in the second case it stands for the object him.
 

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following sentence, some parts have been underlined and labelled as (A), (B) and (C). Identify the underlined part that contains an error. If there is no error in any part, mark your answer as (D).

(A) Ashok as well as (B) his friend Dara (C) are going to take CAT exam this year. (D) No error.

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

  5. (E)

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

For conjunctions 'as well as'; 'along with'; 'together with' that emphasize the importance of the first subject, the verb always connects with the first subject only, which is singular 'Ashok' in this case.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following sentence, some parts have been underlined and labelled as (A), (B) and (C). Identify the underlined part that contains an error. If there is no error in any part, mark your answer as (D).

Stephen (A) is good (B) at Mathematics. He (C) makes a few mistakes in Math. (D) No error.

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

  5. (E)

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

The meaning that is conveyed here is 'almost no mistakes'. 'Few' means next to none; 'a few' means some; 'the few' is specific to the group already referred to. Thus, Few is the right answer.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following sentence, some parts have been underlined and labelled as (A), (B and (C). Identify the underlined part that contains an error. If there is no error in any part, mark your answer as (D).

(A) His performance in the exam (B) was far better than (C) other students. (D) No error.

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

  5. (E)

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

The comparison is between performances. Hence, the correct usage will be performance is better than 'that of other students'.