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 following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. No sentence contains more than one error. The error, if there is one, is underlined and lettered. If the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence is correct, select choice (E). In choosing answers follow the requirements of standard written English.

The book relates in (A) vivid and graphic words the history of Mexico during (B) the time that it served as a (C) milch cow to the insatiable Spanish kings and (D) its satellites. (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 part bears error of incorrect usage of pronoun. Singular pronoun (its) is used for plural subject 'Spanish kings'. Replace 'its' with 'their' to correct the error of subject-verb agreement.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. No sentence contains more than one error. The error, if there is one, is underlined and lettered. If the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence is correct, select choice (E). In choosing answers follow the requirements of standard written English.

It is they who buy and sell, come up with schemes for increasing their profits, curry (A) favor with rulers, deceive the scholars, farmers, (B) and artisans, and (C) are competing with each other in (D) their profit-seeking. (E) No error

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

Replace ‘are competing’ with ‘compete’ to correct the error of parallelism. (Buy and sell,… come up,…curry,…deceive,.. and compete)

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. No sentence contains more than one error. The error, if there is one, is underlined and lettered. If the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence is correct, select choice (E). In choosing answers follow the requirements of standard written English.

Clothes make the man, as they say; but (A) trying to increase one's own value (B) by dressing in fine clothes is a (C) way of advertising (D) your own worthlessness. (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 part of the sentence bears error of shift of pronoun. Replace ‘your’ by ‘one’s’ to correct the error of shifting pronoun. One is always followed by the possessive ‘one’s’.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question tests your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. The sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. No sentence contains more than one error. The error, if there is one, is underlined and lettered. If the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence is correct, select choice (E). In choosing answers follow the requirements of standard written English.

(A) The minister redeemed (B) him in the eyes of the public (C) after (D) the resignation. (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 sentence has error of use of incorrect pronoun. The action comes back to the subject; so reflexive pronoun 'himself' should be used in place of objective pronoun 'him'. Change 'him' to 'himself' to correct the error of reflexive pronoun.

Multiple choice

Directions: Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical mistake/ error in it. The error if any, will be in one part of the sentence. Mark the letter of the part with error as your answer. If there is 'No error', mark (E)

The main advantage of (A) / investing such schemes (B) / is that you will not (C) / have to pay any taxes. (D) No error (E)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

The error is in part B: 'investing such schemes' is incorrect because the verb 'invest' requires the preposition 'in' when followed by the object being invested in. The correct phrase should be 'investing in such schemes' or 'investing in such investment schemes'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical mistake/ error in it. The error if any, will be in one part of the sentence. Mark the letter of the part with error as your answer. If there is 'No error', mark (E)

If his aim is to (A) / buy a house in the (B) / next three years he (C) / should start immediate saving. (D) No error (E)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

The error is in part D: 'should start immediate saving' is grammatically incorrect. 'Immediate' is an adjective modifying a gerund, but should be an adverb. The correct phrasing is 'should start saving immediately' (adverb after verb) or 'should start immediate savings' (noun phrase).

Multiple choice

Directions: Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical mistake/ error in it. The error if any, will be in one part of the sentence. Mark the letter of the part with error as your answer. If there is 'No error', mark (E)

Their company is going to incur (A) / heavy losses this year because (B) / of the big discounts they (C) / offers to customers. (D) No error (E)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

The error is in part D: 'offers' should be 'offer'. The subject is 'they' (referring to 'the big discounts'), which is plural, so the verb must also be plural. 'They offers' is grammatically incorrect; it should be 'they offer'. This is a subject-verb agreement error.

Multiple choice

Directions: Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical mistake/ error in it. The error if any, will be in one part of the sentence. Mark the letter of the part with error as your answer. If there is 'No error', mark (E)

The final decision can (A) / be taken only after (B) / we consider all (C) / the panel suggestions. (D) No error (E)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

The error is in part C: 'we consider all' is incorrect phrasing. The phrase should be 'we have considered all' (present perfect for completed action before decision) or 'considering all' (participial phrase). Alternatively, the structure could be 'we consider all of' before the noun phrase. The current phrasing lacks grammatical cohesion.

Multiple choice

Directions: Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical mistake/ error in it. The error if any, will be in one part of the sentence. Mark the letter of the part with error as your answer. If there is 'No error', mark (E)

The Foreign Investment Promotion Board is (A) / the government body who (B) / regulates investment received (C) / by Indian factories from foreign countries. (D) No error (E)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

The error is in part B: 'who' is incorrect because the Foreign Investment Promotion Board is an institution/organization, not a person. Relative pronouns: 'who' is used for people, while 'which' or 'that' is used for things, institutions, and organizations. The correct phrase is 'the government body which regulates' or 'the government body that regulates'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical mistake/ error in it. The error if any, will be in one part of the sentence. Mark the letter of the part with error as your answer. If there is 'No error', mark (E)

Our company was recently (A) / award the contract (B) / to construct two major (C) / bridges in the state. (D) No error (E)

  1. (A)

  2. (B)

  3. (C)

  4. (D)

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

The passive voice requires the past participle form 'awarded' instead of the base form 'award'. The contract was awarded to the company, not award.