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

Magnesium, the lightest of our structural metals, has an important place among common engineering materials because of their weight.

  1. has an important place among common engineering materials because of their weight

  2. have an important place among common engineering materials because of their weight

  3. has an important place between common engineering materials because of their weight

  4. has an important place among common engineering materials because of its weight

  5. has an important place among common engineering materials because of their weights
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

 Pronoun antecedent error is there in the sentence. Magnesium should be followed by singular pronoun; hence, the usage of 'their weight' is incorrect and should be rectified to 'its weight' which is rectified in (D).

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 secondary school childrens' parents were invited to the annual day function.

  1. The secondary school childrens' parents were invited to the annual day function.

  2. The secondary school children's parents were invited to the annual day function.

  3. The parents of secondary school childrens were invited to the annual day function.

  4. The secondary school children had their parents invited to the annual day function.

  5. The secondary school children and parents were invited to the annual day function.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

 'Children' is the correct plural form. Since a possessive case is shown, apostrophe is used.

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 and mark it as your answer.

Every teacher and every student (A) have their (B) own views (C) about deteriorating relationship (D) between teachers and students. (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 ‘have their’ to ‘has his’. When two singular nouns are joined by ‘and’ and are preceded by ‘each’ or ‘every’, the verb or pronoun must be in 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 to correct the sentence. If there is no error then mark (E) as your answer.

More than one student (A) are deciding (B) to complain (C) about the treacherous acts of the maid (D) to the head warden.(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

(is). Refers to clue 10:  The expression “More than one...” always takes a singular verb. 

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 and mark it as your answer.

Mrs. Rao is one of (A) those teachers (B) who (C) has worked in this institute for (D) nearly twenty years. (E) No error

  1. A

  2. B

  3. C

  4. D

  5. <font face="Arial">E</font>
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

(have). In the above sentence, the relative pronoun who takes the place of a plural noun: ‘teachers’. So, the verb used will be also plural.

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.

Peter just (A) heard (B) that he had (C) cleared the entrance exam. (D) This made him jump with joy. (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 news). It is not clear whether 'this' refers to clearing the entrance exam or Peter hearing the news. Logically, the news probably made him happy. Turn the pronoun 'this' into an adjective by adding the noun 'news' to the sentence.

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.

Anil Ambani, (A) chairman of Reliance Energy Ltd. (B) is one of the (C) most known and respected (D) businessman of India. (E) No error

  1. A

  2. B

  3. C

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

(businessmen). In the above sentence, the construction 'One of the most' … must be followed by the plural noun. So, the correct sentence structure will be one of the most known and respected businessmen.

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 mother (B) could not understand why he always made (C) someones problems (D) his own. (E) No error

  1. A

  2. B

  3. C

  4. D

  5. <font face="Arial">E</font>
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

 (Someone's). In order to show the Indefinite Pronouns in the Possessive Case, the Indefinite Pronoun should be followed by an apostrophe and 's'.

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) Their's was (B) the best presentation on the working of the (C) newly designed (D) juicer-mixer-grinder. (E) No error

  1. A

  2. B

  3. C

  4. D

  5. <font face="Arial">E</font>
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

 (Theirs). With personal pronouns used in the possessive case, we do not make use of an apostrophe with 's'.

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) Most of them (B) agreed with the chairman and (C) gave him (D) his approval. (E) No error

  1. A

  2. B

  3. C

  4. D

  5. <font face="Arial">E</font>
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

 (their approval). Indefinite Pronoun Most (of them) is plural. So, a plural pronoun must follow.

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) Whenever a student (B) studies (C) you should study with a (D) complete understanding of the topic. (E) No error

  1. A

  2. B

  3. C

  4. D

  5. <font face="Arial">E</font>
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

(he/she). The sentence starts by talking about some unknown student but then shifts to talking about the reader. Avoid unnecessary shifts in the Pronouns. Replace ‘you’ with an appropriate 3rd person pronoun.

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.

Not only she (A) but also her parents (B) wants her (C) to clear the CAT examination with (D) flying colours. (E) No error

  1. A

  2. B

  3. C

  4. D
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

(want). When conjunctions like, not only … but also, neither … nor, etc are used, the first subject is kept under the parenthetical effect and the verb is used according to the second subject. In the sentence, the second subject 'parents' is plural. So, the verb should be in its plural form 'want'.

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 teacher (A) declared that only two or more (B) students have agreed to give (C) his report (D) on the annual day function. (E) No error

  1. A

  2. B

  3. C

  4. D

  5. <font face="Arial">E</font>
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

 (their). Indefinite Pronouns like both, two, etc. are always plural. Consequently, pronouns that refer to them will always be plural as well.

Multiple choice

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

Despite the court's order, (A) summons (B) have not (C) yet been served (D) on him. (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

This part bears subject-verb agreement error. 'Has' is the correct verb for singular noun 'summons'.

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.

Neither the President (A) nor the members of the committee expressed (B) his views on the (C) issue (D) being discussed. (E) No error

  1. A

  2. B

  3. C

  4. D
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

(their). When two or more antecedents are joined by 'either…..or, or 'neither…..nor', the pronoun should agree with the nearer antecedent. In this sentence the nearer antecedent “members of the committee” is plural, so a plural pronoun should be used.