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 below has been divided into four parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or diction. Select the part having the error. If there is no error, choose option (e).

(a) The American civil war, the deadliest in American history, caused (b) 620,000 soldier deaths and an undetermined number of civilian (c) casualties, ended slavery in the United States restoring the (d) Union, and strengthened the role of the federal government (e) No error

  1. a

  2. b

  3. c

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

Error of parallelism is in option (3). Correct usage would be - 'caused…undermined …ended …restored…. and strengthened…'

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has been divided into four parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or diction. Select the part having the error. If there is no error, choose option (e).

(a) The question here (b) is not of autonomy but (c) devolution of power to (d) the grass root level (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

Error of parallelism is found in option (3). The question is 'not of autonomy but of devolution of power'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has been divided into four parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or diction. Select the part having the error. If there is no error, choose option (e).

(a) In the present age we see parallels in the manufacture (b) of such needless, and often harmful, things like trinkets (c) and gewgaws, cars and cameras, televisions, jets, and (d) computers, which only waste resources and spew forth pollution (e) No error

  1. a

  2. b

  3. c

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

'Trinkets and gewgaw' convey the same idea, but cars and cameras don't. Other articles are all joined by comma. Therefore, the correct usage will be 'trinkets and gewgaws, cars, cameras….'

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has been divided into four parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or diction. Select the part having the error. If there is no error, choose option (e).

(a) To consider a diagnosis on the (b) basis of inadequate or misleading (c) evidence is neglecting years of (d) specialized medical training (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

Error of parallelism is in option (1). The correct usage would be ‘To consider….To neglect….’

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has been divided into four parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or diction. Select the part having the error. If there is no error, choose option (e).

(a) The administration needs (b) to focus on reducing interest (c) rates rather than to pursue (d) the reduction in IT fees (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 has an error of parallelism in the third part. The gerund form 'reducing' and the infinitive form 'to pursue' cannot come together. The correct usage would be 'reducing…pursuing…'

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has been divided into four parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or diction. Select the part having the error. If there is no error, choose option (e).

(a) The functions of the Earth - to give life to the plants and animals, (b) regulate the rainwater, purify waste and (c) to return it to the soil -- may be said (d) to form the main artery of Nature's cyclical function (e) No error

  1. a

  2. b

  3. c

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

Delete 'to' before 'return', to correct the error of parallelism: “to give… regulate… purify … and return”

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has been divided into four parts. Identify the part having an error. If no part has an error, mark answer as (e).

(a) Smoking vigourously (b) a big cigar, the baby (c) was admired by (d) his father (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

There's very little chance that any baby would be precocious enough to smoke a cigar. The correct usage would be 'Smoking a big cigar, the father admired his baby'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has been divided into four parts. Identify the part having an error. If no part has an error, mark answer as (e).

(a) Before considering a (b) candidate for selection, (c) he must have team spirit (d) and an organizational attitude (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

There is no clear antecedent to the pronoun 'he'. Ambiguity is there between the two clauses; the first about the selectors, the second about candidate.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has been divided into four parts. Identify the part having an error. If no part has an error, mark answer as (e).

(a) Many directions were (b) passed down by the (c) new incumbent that (d) had an insulting tone (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

The sentence bears modifier error in Option (4). 'That had an insulting tone' is an adjective phrase, which, in the sentence, is affecting 'the new incumbent'.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has been divided into four parts. Identify the part having an error. If no part has an error, mark answer as (e).

(a) Prudence requires that we should (b) meet the dangers that threaten us, (c) by turning all our philosophy, (d) science, and art, into practical common sense (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

Option (2) is correct as the corresponding part has an error of importance. 'should' should be deleted from the sentence as 'requires' already is there to assert importance.

Multiple choice

Directions: The sentence below has been divided into four parts. Identify the part having an error. If no part has an error, mark answer as (e).

(a) The tallest peak in the
(b) world, the weather on (c) Mount Everest is (d) notoriously unpredictable (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

Option (2) is incorrect as there is an error of misplaced modifier. If the modifying clause does not have a subject, the modified clause has to begin with a subject.