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: Four parts of the sentence given below have been underlined. Identify the part having an error. If no part has an error, mark (5).

Discovery of the magnetic (1) effect of coils in the 19th century (2) had opened the realms of possibilities for the scientists to (3) try measuring an (4) electric current. (5) No error

  1. (1)

  2. (2)

  3. (3)

  4. (4)

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

While referring to specific time in the past, we should use simple past tense. Here 'had opened' should be replaced by 'opened'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Four parts of the sentence given below have been underlined. Identify the part having an error. If no part has an error, mark (5).

If you (1) knew the facts, why (2) were you not quick to interrupt him (3) when he was so recklessly criticizing me for something I (4) did not do? (5) No error

  1. (1)

  2. (2)

  3. (3)

  4. (4)

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

An event preceding an event in simple past should be phrased in past perfect tense. Replace 'did not do' by 'had not done'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Four parts of the sentence given below have been underlined. Identify the part having an error. If no part has an error, mark (5).

  1. When he

  2. returned to the office

  3. the visitors left

  4. and the peon was sitting idle

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

 The visitors ‘had left’. When two events in the past are in sequence, the earlier event is put in the past perfect tense. The visitors had left before he returned to office.

Multiple choice

Directions: Four parts of the sentence given below have been underlined. Identify the part having an error. If no part has an error, mark (5).

(1) While studying the chemistry of (2) human body, Dr. Rosalyn Yalow won a Nobel Prize for the research she (3) conducted on the (4) role of hormones. (5) No error

  1. (1)

  2. (2)

  3. (3)

  4. (4)

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

In case of two successive actions in the past tense, the action that occurs earlier uses past perfect tense (remember the example: the patient had died before the doctor came). 

Multiple choice

Directions: Four parts of the sentence given below have been underlined. Identify the part having an error. If no part has an error, mark (5).

(1) Looking at the picture of my school, I (2) could not imagine it was (3) the same school where (4) I studied. (5) No error

  1. (1)

  2. (2)

  3. (3)

  4. (4)

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

Change 'I studied' to 'I had studied'. An event preceding an event in simple past should be phrased in past perfect tense.

Multiple choice

Directions: Four parts of the sentence given below have been underlined. Identify the part having an error. If no part has an error, mark (5).

(1) The light from a firefly is said to be “cold” because the (2) insect's utilization of the energy is so efficient that (3) a little of it (4) is converted into heat. (5) No error

  1. (1)

  2. (2)

  3. (3)

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

Here the sense conveyed is that very little, if any, energy is converted into heat. So the correct usage is 'little', 'Little' means next to nothing; 'a little' means some.

Multiple choice

Directions: Four parts of the sentence given below have been underlined. Identify the part having an error. If no part has an error, mark (5).

He (1) thinks the world (2) believes us more when India (3) was not a nuclear state than (4) it does now. (5) No error

  1. (1)

  2. (2)

  3. (3)

  4. (4)

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

Change ‘believes’ to ‘believed’ to correct the error of tense. A comparison is being made here between how much the world believed us in the past and how much it believes us now.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has an underlined part. The underlined part may have an error of grammar or syntax. There are five options that seek to correct the error (including an option that simply repeats the sentence). Select the option that best replaces the underlined part.

It is a general perception that an uneducated child is more likely to act rude than an educated one.

  1. It is a general perception that an uneducated child is more likely to act rude than an educated one.

  2. It is a general perception that an uneducated child is more likely to act rude rather than an educated one.

  3. It is a general perception that an uneducated child is more likely to act ruder than an educated one.

  4. It is a general perception that an uneducated child is more likely to be rude rather than an educated one.

  5. It is a general perception that an uneducated child is more likely to act rudely than an educated one.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

'Rude' (adjective) here qualifies a verb 'act', which is not recommended grammatically. So, it has to be put in its adverbial form 'rudely'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has an underlined part. The underlined part may have an error of grammar or syntax. There are five options that seek to correct the error (including an option that simply repeats the sentence). Select the option that best replaces the underlined part.

Volcanism occurs on Earth in several geological settings, most of which are associated with the boundaries of the enormous, rigid plates that makes up the lithosphere.

  1. Volcanism occurs on Earth in several geological settings, most of which are associated with the boundaries of the enormous, rigid plates that makes up the lithosphere.

  2. Volcanism occurs on Earth in several geological settings, most of which is associated with the boundaries of the enormous, rigid plates that make up the lithosphere.

  3. Volcanism occurs on Earth in several geological settings, much of which is associated with the boundaries of the enormous, rigid plates that makes up the lithosphere.

  4. Volcanism occurs on Earth in several geological settings, many of which are associated with the boundaries of the enormous, rigid plates that make up the lithosphere.

  5. Volcanism occurs on Earth in several geological settings, much of which are associated with the boundaries of the enormous, rigid plates that make up the lithosphere.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

This option rectifies subject-verb agreement error and uses plural verb for plural subject (make: plates).

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has an underlined part. The underlined part may have an error of grammar or syntax. There are five options that seek to correct the error (including an option that simply repeats the sentence). Select the option that best replaces the underlined part.

More of the funs and excitement in the life comes from use of your senses.

  1. More of the fun and excitement in the life comes from use of your senses.

  2. More of the fun and excitement in the life come from use of your senses.

  3. Many of the funs and excitement in the life comes from use of your senses.

  4. Much of the fun and excitement in the life comes from use of your senses.

  5. Much of the fun and excitement in the life come from use of your senses.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

 Corrects the error of adjective and noun. Replaces 'More of the funs' with 'Much of the fun'.