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: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The 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.

Prudence requires that we (A) should meet the dangers (B) that threaten us, (C) by turning all our philosophy, science, and art, (D) into practical common sense. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

Delete 'should'.  This part has an error of importance. If the modifying clause emphasizes importance of an act, the modified clause should not use auxiliary verb.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The 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.

In this modern age there is a growing trend (A) of viewing a country as (B) a whole, with its people, topography, and general conditions in natural relation (C) with (D) each other. (E) 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 sentence has prepositional error. Replace preposition 'with' by 'to'. Things are to be viewed in relation to, not in relation with.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The 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.

By letting some land (A) lay idle you can (B) get two birds with one stone: check the clogging (C) of the cities, and manage (D) the switch to organic agriculture. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

Error of diction. 'Lay' is 'to cause to lie or put down'. 'Lie' is a horizontal position of rest.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The 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.

(A) Only (B) those schemes can succeed (C) which promise to deliver (D) the goods. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

We are talking about particular schemes. Change 'which promise' to (those) 'that promise' because 'which' is nonrestrictive while 'that' is restrictive.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The 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.

Art must be the faithful expression (A) for a society, since (B) it is an undeniable witness of (C) its spirit and manners (D) for future generations. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

Prepositional error is there in this part. The appropriate preposition is 'of' - art is a representation of the society.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The 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.

He insisted (A) at (B) contesting the election, (C) though he was sure (D) of his defeat. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

This part bears prepositional error. Change 'at' to 'on' to correct the error.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The 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.

Residents of Canary Islands said that an island with high mountains (A) on it could be seen (B) from the west on clear days, but (C) no one (D) could ever find it. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

Replace 'from' by 'to', as the island could be seen to or toward the west.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The 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.

There are a few rules (A) with regard to costuming which (B) put one a long way on the road (C) toward elegance and (D) has economic value as well. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

This part of the sentence bears error of subject-verb agreement. Plural subject 'rules' should be followed by plural verb 'have' in place of 'has'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The 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.

To show the excellence of the art and the (A) lovability of the artist (B) rather than (C) to hunt for defects is the duty and (D) the delight of the teacher of literature. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

This is the correct answer because the sentence is correct as given.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The 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.

(A) The question (B) here is not of autonomy (C) but devolution of (D) power to the grass root level. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

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

This part of sentence has error of parallelism. The question is “not 'of' autonomy but 'of' devolution of power.”

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The 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.

(A) Looking at the dilapidated condition of the building of my school, I (B) could not imagine (C) it was the same school where (D) I studied for so long. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

The sentence bears the error of tense. Where two actions in the past are in sequence, the earlier action is put in past perfect tense. Change 'I studied' to 'I had studied' to rectify the error.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The 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.

It is past (A) that (B) unfortunately historians insisted (C) on clinging (D) to. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

The sentence is correct as given. Thus (5) is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The 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.

The (A) Way of Nature is a cycle which involves neither progress (B) or development; wild animals commit themselves (C) to this cycle and (D) live out their lives this way. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

Replace 'or' by 'nor' to correct the error of coordinating conjunction because 'neither' is followed by 'nor', not by 'or'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The 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.

(A) The latest piece of fiction from the maestro is (B) liable to become a best seller (C) because it is full of (D) revelry and entertainment. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

'Liable' has negative connotations. Here the book is likely to become a best seller. Change 'liable to' to 'likely to' to correct the error.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The 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.

He (A) complied with the order (B) that (C) all the students of the school (D) should follow the dress code. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

Delete 'should' to rectify the error of importance. Order exhibits importance of the action to follow. So, auxiliary/modal 'should' needs to be deleted.