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 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.

Today, street fights (1) seems (2) more orderly (3) rather compared to the bedlam in parliament and state legislature in (4) the name of democracy. (5) No error

  1. (1)

  2. (2)

  3. (3)

  4. (4)

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

 Change 'seems' to 'seem' to correct the error of subject verb agreement.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence has a part (or whole sentence) underlined. The part may have error of grammar and/or syntax. Identify the error and select the option that rectifies the error. The sun shining on the watery expanse of the sea make a beautiful sight.

  1. The sun shining on the watery expanse of the sea make a beautiful sight.

  2. With the sun shining on the watery expanse of the sea, a beautiful scenery is prepared.

  3. When the sun shines on the watery expanse of the sea, a beautiful sight is prepared.

  4. The sun shining on the watery expanse of the sea makes a beautiful sight.

  5. Watery expense of the sea, when shown with sunshine makes a beautiful sight.

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

 It is correct option as it rectifies the error of subject-verb agreement and provides singular verb 'makes' to the singular subject 'the sun shining'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence has a part underlined. The part may have error of grammar and/or syntax. Identify the error and select the option that rectifies the error.

The chairman of the Reserve Bank, along with his counterparts from the leading industrial nations, are expected to attend next month's economic summit in Milan.

  1. are expected to attend

  2. will attend, so it is expected,

  3. is expected to attend

  4. are expecting to attend

  5. is to attend, as expected,
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

 Whenever a sentence has two or more nouns separated by 'along with' we decide the verb by the first noun. The chairman is singular and verb used in (C) 'is' also singular.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence has a part underlined. The part may have error of grammar and/or syntax. Identify the error and select the option that rectifies the error.

Between I and he, there's nothing more to say.

  1. Between I and he,

  2. Between him and me,

  3. Between me and him,

  4. Between I and him,

  5. Between him and I,
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Between always takes an 'objective case' and I and he are both subjective cases. Though me and him both are in objective cases, the order of persons should be always be you, he and I. Therefore, they should be converted to 'him and me'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence has a part underlined. The part may have error of grammar and/or syntax. Identify the error and select the option that rectifies the error.

Most of us can only imagine the sense of grief and desolation that a homeowner must feel upon finding their house and all its contents destroyed by flood or other natural disaster.

  1. upon finding their house and all its contents

  2. to find his house and all its contents

  3. finding their house and all it contains

  4. when he finds that his house and its contents is

  5. in finding their house, with all its contents,
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

 The noun 'homeowner' should be followed by a related pronoun and not a plural pronoun 'their'. This is changed as 'his' in option (B); hence, (B) is the correct answer.

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) Everyone of the (2) student (3) has paid (4) his tuition fees. (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 ‘student’ to ‘students’. ‘Everyone of’ is followed by a plural noun.

Multiple choice

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

(A) No one came to attend (B) the party (C) but (D) I. (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

 Change 'I' to 'me', because in the given sentence 'but' is not used as a conjunction. As a preposition, 'but' means 'except'.

Multiple choice

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

The police inspector (A) who the home minister praised so (B) highly in the last function (C) has been arrested (D) receiving bribe. (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

 Change 'who' to 'whom'.

Multiple choice

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

The question we (A) have to ask (B) ourselves (C) is whether our pair (D) form community. (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

 Change 'form' to 'forms' because 'our pair' is a singular subject.

Multiple choice

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

Much (A) depends (B) on him (C) getting (D) recovered from his illness. (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

 'On his' is the correct use because gerund is always preceded by noun or pronoun in possessive case.

Multiple choice

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

(A) The captain helps (B) everyone of (C) his team in improving (D) their performance. (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

 Change 'their' to 'his'. Distributive pronoun each and every one, should always be followed by 3rd person singular.

Multiple choice

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

(A) Rich men are (B) not always (C) more happy than (D) unlucky one. (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

 Use plural pronoun 'ones' in place of singular 'one' because the comparison is between 'rich men' and unlucky 'ones'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence has four underlined words or phrases. The four underlined parts of the sentence are marked (A), (B), (C) and (D). Identify the underlined word or phrase that must be changed in order for the sentence to be correct.

(A) If I were him /(B) I would have /(C) saved the life /(D) of the squirrel. /(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

It should be 'If I had been he' instead of 'If I were him'. This is a case of conditional of third degree. The usage of 'he' rectifies the error of nominative case.