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) Well-thought-out, (2) it has to be because the channel (3) had to (4) play on with some of its more popular shows. (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

Replace 'play-on-with' to 'play around with'. 'Play-around-with' means to behave in a casual or careless way. Hence, option 4 is correct.

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.

For the old it is only a few benches or steps of old building to sit and brood at days gone away.

  1. to sit and rood at days gone away

  2. to sit and brood for the days gone off

  3. to sit and brood over the days gone by

  4. to sit and brood for the days gone by

  5. to sit and brood at the days gone off
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

This option corrects error of preposition and definite article. When there is talk of more than specified time throughout a period, preposition 'over' should be used.

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.

All its four entrances are clogged by cars.

  1. entrances are clogged by cars

  2. entrances are clogged with cars

  3. entrance is clogged by cars

  4. entrance are clogged by cars

  5. entrances are clogged off by cars
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The option is correct as it rectifies the prepositional error. By is used for a person and with refers to 'by means of or the help of something'.

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.

Of course, socialism was not congruent to communism but nor was it essentially divorced from the latter.

  1. Of course, socialism was not congruent to communism

  2. Of course, socialism was not congruent with communism

  3. Of course, the socialism was not congruent to communism

  4. Of course, the socialism was not congruent of the communism

  5. Of course, socialism was not congruent about communism
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Corrects the error of phrasal; congruent is followed by 'with'. 

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.

When we saw the flames we hastily throw a blanket at him.

  1. we hastily throw a blanket at him

  2. we throw hastily a blanket at him

  3. soon we throw a blanket at him

  4. we hastily threw a blanket over him

  5. hastily we threw a blanket over him
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

This option corrects the error of preposition and verb. The tense of the sentence is 'past' Thus, 'throw' should be replaced by 'threw'. The preposition 'over', carries the sense of 'covering'. To douse the flames, a blanket is thrown over the person.

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.

They all fetched into at her birthday party.

  1. They all fetched into

  2. They all fetched in

  3. They all fetched up

  4. All they fetched up

  5. They all fetched
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

This corrects the error of phrasal verb. 'Fetch up' means 'to arrive at a certain place often by chance'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence has four underlined words or phrases. The four underlined parts of the sentence are marked (1), (2), (3) and (4). Identify the one underlined word or phrase that must be changed in order for the sentence to be correct.

The chairman (1) of Infosys, as well as the CEO of Wipro (2) and the chairman of Satyam, (3) are (4) attending the conference. (5) No error

  1. (1)

  2. (2)

  3. (3)

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

The phrase introduced by 'as well as' will modify the first subject (chairman of Infosys), the other two subjects are under the parenthetical effect. So, the chairman of Infosys… are attending is incorrect.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence has four underlined words or phrases. The four underlined parts of the sentence are marked (1), (2), (3) and (4). Identify the one underlined word or phrase that must be changed in order for the sentence to be correct.

The English books (1) kept on the table (2) has (3) to be sent at Mohan's place, as he has his exam (4) next week. (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

The right subject is 'books'. This can be made clear once you remove the prepositional phrase 'kept on the table'. So, the correct sentence structure will be "the English books kept on the table have".

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence has four underlined words or phrases. The four underlined parts of the sentence are marked (1), (2), (3) and (4). Identify the one underlined word or phrase that must be changed in order for the sentence to be correct.

(1) Neither the president nor the workers (2) was ready to (3) comply with new. (4) policies. (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

 When the subjects are connected with 'neither….nor', the subject that is closer to the verb will determine the nature the verb (whether it is singular or plural).