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 sentences given below have been underlined. Identify the part having an error. If no part has an error, mark (E).

The purpose (A) of traveller's cheques (B) is to protect travellers from (C) theft and accidental (D) lost of money. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

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

The phrase 'accidental lost' is incorrect. After the preposition 'of', we need the noun form 'loss' (meaning deprivation or missing of something), not the verb/adjective form 'lost'. The correct phrase should be 'accidental loss of money'.

Multiple choice

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

(A) Despite their insistence that he (B) will appear when (C) there is an important event, the president (D) schedules press conferences with the news media at his discretion. (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

After 'insistence that', we need the subjunctive mood, which uses the base form of the verb. The phrase should be 'he appear' not 'he will appear'. The subjunctive is used after verbs and nouns expressing demands, suggestions, or necessities.

Multiple choice

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

Martin Luther King Junior's magnificent (A) speaking ability (B) enabling him to (C) effectively express Demands (D) for social justice for Black Americans. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

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

The subject 'Martin Luther King Junior's magnificent speaking ability' is singular, so the verb should be 'enables' (present tense), not 'enabling'. The sentence structure requires a main verb, not a participle.

Multiple choice

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

(A) Although it might take a laboratory analysis to determine the (B) exact proportions of sand, silt, clay, and organic matter in your garden soil, (C) feel the soil's texture to get a good idea of what (D) they are. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

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

The sentence structure is 'Although it might take...feel...to get'. The word 'feel' should be 'feeling' to maintain parallel structure with 'determine' in the first clause. The correct parallel structure is 'it might take...to determine...[and] feeling...to get'.

Multiple choice

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

It is essential that vitamins (A) are supplied either by foods (B) or (C) by supplementary tablets for normal growth (D) to occur. (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

After 'essential that', we need the subjunctive mood, which uses the base form of the verb 'be'. The phrase should be 'vitamins be supplied' not 'vitamins are supplied'. Subjunctive mood is mandatory after adjectives like essential, necessary, important, imperative when followed by 'that'.

Multiple choice

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

(A) When reminded of his obligation under the rules, (B) he complied with the requirement that all graduate students (C) in education (D) should write a thesis. (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

After 'requirement that', we need the subjunctive mood, which uses the base form of the verb. The phrase should be 'write a thesis' not 'should write a thesis'. Using 'should' is redundant in a subjunctive construction - the subjunctive itself implies necessity or obligation.

Multiple choice

Directions: A part of the sentence that has been underlined has an error. Select the option that is the most coherent and precise representation of the underlined part.

The terrorist's demand that the airline provides a plane will not be met by the deadline.

  1. The terrorist's demand that the airline provides a plane will not be met by the deadline.

  2. The terrorist's demand that the airline should provide a plane will not be met by the deadline.

  3. The terrorist's demand that the airline provides a plane will not be met before the deadline.

  4. The terrorist's demand that the airline provide a plane will not be met by the deadline.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

After 'demand that', we need the subjunctive mood, which uses the base form of the verb. The phrase should be 'the airline provide' not 'the airline provides' or 'the airline should provide'. Subjunctive is mandatory after nouns like demand, insistence, suggestion, requirement when followed by 'that'.

Multiple choice

Directions: A part of the sentence that has been underlined has an error. Select the option that is the most coherent and precise representation of the underlined part.

It is not necessary that you must take an entrance examination to be admitted to a university.

  1. you must take an entrance examination to be admitted to a university

  2. you take an entrance examination to be admitted to a university

  3. for you to take an entrance examination to be admitted to a university

  4. you must take an entrance examination for admission to a university

  5. an entrance examination to be taken to be admitted to a university
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

After 'It is not necessary that', we need the subjunctive mood which uses the base form of the verb without 'must'. The phrase 'you must take' is redundant because 'necessary' already conveys obligation. The correct form is simply 'you take'. This is a classic case of redundant modal usage.

Multiple choice

Directions: A part of the sentence that has been underlined has an error. Select the option that is the most coherent and precise representation of the underlined part.

Doctors sometimes have difficulty diagnosing pneumonic cold because the symptoms of this fatal disease are often quite similar to the common cold.

  1. are often quite similar to the common cold

  2. is often quite similar to the common cold

  3. is often quite similar to that of the common cold

  4. are often quite similar to those of the common cold

  5. are often quite similar to the symptoms of common cold
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The sentence incorrectly compares 'symptoms' (plural) to 'the common cold' (disease). We must compare like with like: symptoms to symptoms. The correct comparison is 'symptoms...are similar to those [symptoms] of the common cold'. Option D correctly uses 'those of' to refer to symptoms.

Multiple choice

Directions: A part of the sentence that has been underlined has an error. Select the option that is the most coherent and precise representation of the underlined part.

It is the recommendation of many psychologists that a learner uses mental images to associate words and remember names.

  1. that a learner uses mental images to

  2. for a learner to use mental images to

  3. that mental images are used to

  4. that a learner use mental images to

  5. that a learner should use mental images to
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The phrase 'recommendation that' triggers the subjunctive mood, requiring the base form of the verb. 'Use' is correct, not 'uses' or 'should use'. The subjunctive expresses a recommendation or suggestion rather than a fact.

Multiple choice

Directions: A part of the sentence that has been underlined has an error. Select the option that is the most coherent and precise representation of the underlined part.

During audition, it is hoarse and throaty, but as such it is gentle and coherent.

  1. During audition, it is hoarse and throaty, but as such it is gentle and coherent.

  2. During audition, they are hoarse and throaty, but as such they are gentle and coherent.

  3. During audition, they have hoarse and throaty voice, but as such they are gentle and coherent.

  4. During audition, it is hoarse and throaty, but as such the voice is gentle and coherent.

  5. During audition, the voice is hoarse and throaty, but otherwise it is gentle and coherent.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Multiple choice

Directions: A part of the sentence that has been underlined has an error. Select the option that is the most coherent and precise representation of the underlined part.

During his youth, he used to work out ten times as much as he jogged, but today in his middle age he is doing less of it.

  1. but today in his middle age he is doing less of it

  2. but today in his middle age he is doing less of working out

  3. but today in his middle age he is doing little of it

  4. but today in his middle age he is doing less of either

  5. but today in his middle age he is doing little of both
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Multiple choice

Directions: A part of the sentence that has been underlined has an error. Select the option that is the most coherent and precise representation of the underlined part.

The manager delegated to each of his juniors, who was an effective administrator too, a task commensurate to his strength.

  1. delegated to each of his juniors, who was an effective administrator too,

  2. who was an effective administrator too, delegated to each of his juniors

  3. was an effective administrator too, and delegated to each of his juniors

  4. was an effective administrator too, who delegated to each of his juniors

  5. was an effective administrator, who delegated each of his juniors
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The original sentence awkwardly places a relative clause between 'delegated' and its object 'a task'. Option B restructures the sentence more clearly: 'who was an effective administrator too' modifies 'The manager', followed by the main clause. This creates better flow and clarity.

Multiple choice

Directions: A part of the sentence that has been underlined has an error. Select the option that is the most coherent and precise representation of the underlined part.

In a census conducted recently, it was found that the average Indian makes less than Rs. 100 per day, eats no more than two meals, drinking 8 litres of polluted water daily and breathing 100 m3 of polluted air everyday.

  1. drinking 8 litres of polluted water daily and breathing 100 m3 of polluted air everyday

  2. drinks 8 litres of polluted water daily and breathes 100 m3 of polluted air everyday

  3. drank 8 litres of polluted water daily and breathed 100 m3 of polluted air everyday

  4. drinks 8 litres of polluted water and breathe 100 m3 of polluted air everyday

  5. drank 8 litres of polluted water daily and breathed 100 m3 of polluted air everyday
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Correct Answer: drinks 8 litres of polluted water daily and breathes 100 m3 of polluted air everyday