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)

(1) Hundred thousand competitors (2) have entered in (3) the next (4) civil services examination. (5) No error

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

Change 'entered in' to 'entered for' to correct the error. 'Entered for' here is used in the sense of 'enrolled for', since the exam is yet to take place.

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)

According to classical musical tradition, the term sonata (1) is given to those (2) works that are (3) written for solo piano or for a solo wind or (4) a stringed instrument. (5) No error

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

Delete 'a' before stringed instrument. The other alternative is “for a solo wind instrument or a stringed instrument” (using instrument twice after mentioning each type).

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) At first she would not (2) let her young son ride the bicycle (3) but he was so demanding (4) that eventually she gave up. (5) No error

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

 Use 'gave in' in place of 'gave up' to correct the error of phrasal verb. 'Give in' means 'to yield' while 'give up' means 'to abandon'.

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 India (1) has to prosper in 21st century, then Indians, specifically politicians (2) had better (3) to take a course on what real politic is (4) all about. (5) No error

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

 Change 'to take' to 'take'. 'Had better' is followed by a verb with bare infinitive.

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)

However, (1) even though, she wanted him (2) to come with her on dance floor as her partner, he (3) had to say no because he did not want to (4) give up too soon. (5) No error

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

 Change 'give up' to 'give in' to correct the expression of the sentence. 'Give up' is to forgo a claim; 'give in' is to surrender or yield.

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)

His arthritic knees, which (1) played off in Nagpur, (2) prevented him from (3) being on his feet (4) except for very short period. (5) No error

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

 Change 'played off' to 'played up' to correct the phrasal usage. 'Played up' means 'to cause somebody problem, played off' to put some body in competition.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has a part underlined. 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 part that best represents the replacement for the part underlined.

She is married and has family responsibilities and she manages time to participate in kitty parties.

  1. She is married and has family responsibilities and she

  2. She is married and she has family responsibilities and she

  3. Although she is married and has family responsibilities, she

  4. Being married and having family responsibilities she

  5. Despite being married and family responsibilities, she
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

 The sentence ought to provide a contrast. 'Although' connects the clauses 'family responsibilities' and 'manages time'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has a part underlined. 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 part that best represents the replacement for the part underlined.

Only a careful and hard planning can rebuild a shattered economy and create assets for future super cyclone.

  1. and create assets for future super cyclone.

  2. and create assets about future cyclone.

  3. to create assets about future super cyclone.

  4. and for creating for future super cyclone.

  5. and create assets against future super cyclone.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

 This option corrects prepositional error and conveys proper meaning to the sentence, that you prepare assets to protect yourself

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has a part underlined. 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 part that best represents the replacement for the part underlined.

Distressing trends have dominated Indian politics in the last decade; communalisation of polity and rise of casteism.

  1. in the last decade; communalisation of polity and rise of casteism.

  2. for the last decade; communalisation of polity and rise of casteism.

  3. over the last decade; communalisation of polity and rise of casteism.

  4. in the last decade; the communalisation of polity and the rise of casteism.

  5. over the last decade; the communalisation of polity and the rise of casteism.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

 This sentence corrects the error of preposition, punctuation and definite article. When there is talk of an occurrence throughout a period, preposition 'over' should be used.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has a part underlined. 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 part that best represents the replacement for the part underlined.

Edison was tireless in his persistence to change a subject into something else through trial and error unless he found the idea that worked.

  1. a subject into something else through trial and error unless he found the idea that worked.

  2. a subject into something else through trial and error unless he found the idea that works.

  3. a subject into something else through trial and error until he found the idea that worked.

  4. a subject from something else through trial and error unless he found the idea that worked.

  5. a subject into something through trial and error unless he found the idea that worked.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

 Corrects the error of subordinating conjunction. 'Unless' is a conjunction of condition while 'until' means 'till the time when'.