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

(A) He said that (B) if he had the information booklet (C) he would know (D) what to do. (E) No error

Direction:
The following questions test your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. Each sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. No sentence contains more than one error. The error, if there is one, is underlined and lettered. If the sentence contains an error, select the one 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.

Example:
To suggest the virtues of a home grown language (A) over  (B) all else (C) have little to do with nationalism and (D) much to do will ostrich mindset. (E) No error
                                              

Answer: (C)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

Delete 'that' to correct the error of indirect speech. Reported speech beginning with if' or 'whether' is not preceded by that.

Multiple choice

(A) The agitating (B) opposition members (C) were demanding for resignation (D) of the defense minister. (E) No error

Direction:
The following questions test your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. Each sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. No sentence contains more than one error. The error, if there is one, is underlined and lettered. If the sentence contains an error, select the one 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.

Example:
To suggest the virtues of a home grown language (A) over  (B) all else (C) have little to do with nationalism and (D) much to do will ostrich mindset. (E) No error
                                              

Answer: (C)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

Delete preposition 'for' because 'demand' when used as a verb is not followed by a preposition.

Multiple choice

(A) The black ladies purse (B) which is on sale has (C) a very beautiful pattern (D) carved on it. (E) No error

Direction:
The following questions test your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. Each sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. No sentence contains more than one error. The error, if there is one, is underlined and lettered. If the sentence contains an error, select the one 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.

Example:
To suggest the virtues of a home grown language (A) over  (B) all else (C) have little to do with nationalism and (D) much to do will ostrich mindset. (E) No error
                                              

Answer: (C)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

'The ladies black purse' is the correct expression because in the sentences black (adj.) is not meant for ladies but for purse.

Multiple choice

They had to (A) break-up (B) in the middle of (C) their argument when someone (D) came into the room. (E) No error

Direction:
The following questions test your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. Each sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. No sentence contains more than one error. The error, if there is one, is underlined and lettered. If the sentence contains an error, select the one 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.

Example:
To suggest the virtues of a home grown language (A) over  (B) all else (C) have little to do with nationalism and (D) much to do will ostrich mindset. (E) No error
                                              

Answer: (C)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

Change 'to break-up' to 'to break-off' to correct the error. 'Break-off' means 'stop talking suddenly'.

Multiple choice

(A) The nine-men committee (B) had (C) a two-hour long deliberation on (D) disinvestment issue this morning. (E) No error

Direction:
The following questions test your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. Each sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. No sentence contains more than one error. The error, if there is one, is underlined and lettered. If the sentence contains an error, select the one 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.

Example:
To suggest the virtues of a home grown language (A) over  (B) all else (C) have little to do with nationalism and (D) much to do will ostrich mindset. (E) No error
                                              

Answer: (C)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

Change ‘nine-men’ to nine man’ because after a definite numeral adjective, noun should be singular.

Multiple choice

He was (A) one of those victorious (B) candidates (C) who attributed (D) his victory to the people. (E) No error

Direction:
The following questions test your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. Each sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. No sentence contains more than one error. The error, if there is one, is underlined and lettered. If the sentence contains an error, select the one 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.

Example:
To suggest the virtues of a home grown language (A) over  (B) all else (C) have little to do with nationalism and (D) much to do will ostrich mindset. (E) No error
                                              

Answer: (C)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

Change 'his' to 'their' because subject of the relative pronouns 'who' is 'candidates' (plural) so the pronoun in the clause will be according to 'candidates' not he.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentences may have one or more grammatical errors. Select the grammatically incorrect option from among those given below the set of sentences.

(A) None except her and her father arrived at the venue in time. (B) Either you, or your brother or sister ought to have informed me. (C) Let you and I go for a walk.

  1. Only A

  2. Only B

  3. Only C

  4. Both A and B

  5. Both A and C
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Both (A) and (B) are correct. Both the pronouns following preposition 'let' in (C) should be in the objective case.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentences may have one or more grammatical errors. Select the grammatically incorrect option from among those given below the set of sentences.

(A) Everybody spoke up in unison for their rights. (B) One has to reckon with the fact that he is ultimately responsible for his own deeds. (C) Let us not chortle at others' discomfiture.

  1. Only A

  2. Only B

  3. Only C

  4. Both A and B

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

Both (A) and (B) are incorrect. 'Everybody' should be followed by singular pronoun in the possessive case and not 'their', which is plural. Similarly, 'One' should be followed by the pronoun 'one' or 'one's' and not by 'he' or 'his'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentences may have one or more grammatical errors. Select the grammatically incorrect option from among those given below the set of sentences.

(A) There are lesser students in the class today than there were yesterday. (B) Before I could move a limb, the reckless driver had run over the poor little pup. (C) Little did I know that events will take such a course.

  1. Only A

  2. Only B

  3. Only C

  4. Both A and B

  5. Both A and C
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

'Lesser' is used with uncountable nouns. Students are countable; 'fewer' should be used for the comparison.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentences may have one or more grammatical errors. Select the grammatically incorrect option from among those given below the set of sentences.

(A) He found out to his utter dismay that his son failed in the examination. (B) He did not, and never intended to, return the book. (C) I, for one, am not in favor.

  1. Only A

  2. Only B

  3. Only C

  4. Both A and B

  5. Both A and C
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

'Had' is missing before failed. Therefore, (A) is incorrect.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentences may have one or more grammatical errors. Select the grammatically incorrect option from among those given below the set of sentences.

(A) What I have been able to imply from this article is that mathematics is at the root of most physical sciences. (B) Many of the most energetic students end up as under-achievers in life because of the lack of focus on their goals. (C) Despite hard work he could not clear the exam.

  1. Only A

  2. Only B

  3. Only C

  4. Both A and B

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

'Imply' in (A) should be replaced by 'infer'. Replace 'despite' in (C), by 'in spite of'. 'Despite' connotes a negative force. For a positive force like 'hard work', we ought to use 'in spite of'.