In the given article we have discussed spotting errors based on subject-verb agreement, tenses, conjunction, noun, pronoun, adjective, adverb, conditional sentence, inversion model, and preposition. It is critical for a candidate to develop a strong knowledge of English grammar and vocabulary in order to accurately answer the error spotting questions asked in various Government exams. Aspirants who require assistance in this area might use the resources listed below.
Model Questions
1. How will Willard’s resignation effect the government’s plans?
A) How will B) Willard’s resignation
C) effect the D) government’s plans
Explanation: The error is in the use of word ‘effect’ which must be replaced with ‘affect’. Effect is a noun, an effect is the result of a change while affect is a verb, and it means to impact or change. The sentence is about the ‘change’ in the government’s plans. Hence, ‘affect’ is the correct word in place of ‘effect’. The correct sentence will be: ‘How will Willard’s resignation affect the government’s plans?’
Ans: C
2. The problem with this approach is that there is a desperate need of demand stimulus now.
A) The problem with this
B) approach is that
C) there is a desperate need
D) of demand stimulus now
Explanation: The use of preposition ‘of’ here is incorrect. Need may take ‘of’ or ‘for’ after it depending on sentence structure.
Example:
1. After the drought, here is an urgent need for food in Sudan.
2. Sudan, after the drought, is in urgent need of food. We use article a/ an before ‘need’ if we use ‘for’ after it. Hence, ‘need for demand’ must be used in the given sentence. The correct sentence will be: ‘The problem with this approach is that there is a desperate need for demand stimulus now’.
Ans: D
3. He sent me twenty invites in the last six months, until I agreed to come.
A) He sent me
B) twenty invites in the
C) last six months,
D) until I agreed to come
Explanation: Past indefinite & Past perfect tense are both used to talk about things that happened in the past. However, we use past perfect to talk about something that happened before another action in the past, which is usually expressed by the past simple. In the sentence, ‘He sent me twenty invites’ happened before another action ‘I agreed to come’. Hence, first sentence will be in past perfect tense. So, ‘He had sent me’ is the correct phrase. The correct sentence will be: ‘He had sent me twenty invites in the last six months, until I agreed to come’.
Ans: A
4. The boss is impressed with her ability to generate so good ideas.
A) The boss is impressed
B) with her ability
C) to generate D) so good ideas
Explanation: The phrase ‘so good ideas’ must be replaced with ‘such good ideas’ to make the sentence a grammatically correct one. ‘So’ is used to express emphasis before an adjective.
E.g.: The phone becomes so hot after charging.’ The word ‘Such’ is used for the same purpose but followed by ‘Adjective + Noun’ Phrase.
E.g.: ‘Suresh is such a good neighbor’. The correct sentence will be: ‘The boss is impressed with her ability to generate such good ideas’.
Ans: D
5. The police is investigating the murder case
which happened last month.
A) The police is investigating the murder
B) case which
C) happened last month D) No Error
Explanation: Police generally agrees with a plural verb. Hence, ‘The police are investigating’ should be used here. The correct sentence will be: ‘The police are investigating the murder case which happened last month’.
Ans: A
6. Pankaj regards handling the customer honestly as his special expertise.
A) Pankaj regards
B) handling the customer
C) honestly as his
D) special expertise
Explanation: In the given sentence, usage of the word ‘special’ before ‘expertise’ is not correct and make it superfluous. Hence, ‘special’ must be removed. The correct sentence will be: ‘Pankaj regards handling the customer honestly as his expertise’.
Ans: D
7. The teacher has devoted one full hour to explain the reasons behind the transformation.
A) The teacher has devoted
B) one full hour to
C) explain the reasons
D) behind the transformation
Explanation: There’s a grammatical error in (C) in which a verb ‘explain’ is wrongly used; the verb after “devote” will always be a gerund or a noun. The correction: ‘…one full hour to explaining the reasons…’
Ex: He devoted all his energy to completing the work on time. The correct sentence will be: ‘The teacher has devoted one full hour to explaining the reasons behind the transformation’.
Ans: C
8. The social conventions of the day dictate that a child remain at home with parents until attaining adulthood.
A) The social conventions of
B) the day dictate that
C) a child remain at home with parents
D) until attaining adulthood
Explanation: Use of ‘remain’ is not correct. The sentence is in Present indefinite tense and ‘child’ is singular noun. So, singular verb i.e. ‘remains’ will follow it. It should be “…….day dictate that a child remains at home.” The correct sentence will be: ‘The social conventions of the day dictate that a child remains at home with parents until attaining adulthood.’
Ans: C
9. Each of these new students have been assigned a roll number and a file by the office.
A) Each of these new
B) students have been
C) assigned a roll number
D) and a file by the office
Explanation: The error is in (B), in which an unsuitable verb has been used. The determiner “each” takes a singular verb, not a plural verb, as wrongly used in the above sentence. The correction: “Each of these new students has been assigned”. Because ‘each’ is singular, not plural. The correct sentence will be ‘Each of these new students has been assigned a roll number and a file by the office.’
Ans: B
10. We made a short walk to the bakery close by to buy some bread, cake and cheese.
A) We made a short walk
B) to the bakery close by
C) to buy some bread,
D) cake and cheese
Explanation: The error of the sentence is in (A) in which the verb “make” doesn’t collocate with the noun “walk”. We either go for a walk or take a walk. These are the verbs that always collocate with “walk”. The correction: ‘We took a short walk to the bakery; or we went for a walk to the bakery; or we walked to the bakery.
Ans: A
11. Instead of her extremely busy and hectic schedule Neha still spends some time with her family.
A) Instead of her extremely busy
B) and hectic schedule
C) Neha still spends some
D) time with her family
Explanation: Instead of her extremely busy. The error in the use of ‘Instead of’ in 1st part of the sentence. Replace ‘instead’ of by ‘inspite of’ or ‘despite’. If you say that somebody did something even if it is not expected we use ‘inspite of’ or ‘despite’, not ‘instead of’. The correct sentence will be ‘Inspite of her extremely busy and hectic schedule Neha still spends some time with her family.’
Ans: A
12. Deepak didn’t dare go against the will of his mother that why he is a successful businessman today.
A) he is a successful businessman today
B) Deepak didn’t dare go
C) his mother that why
D) against the will of
Explanation: In the above sentence, didn’t is our helping verb and dare is acting as a main verb. So, we need to use the sentence structure ‘dare + to + V1’. Hence, we need to use “to go” in the place “go”. The correct sentence will be: ‘Deepak didn’t dare to go against the will of his mother that why he is a successful businessman today.’
Ans: B
13. In the summer vacations, I went to an island called Fiji and enjoyed very much.
A) I went to
B) and enjoyed very much
C) In the summer vacations,
D) an island called Fiji
Explanation: ‘and enjoyed very much’ has the grammatical incorrect part. Insert myself after the verb enjoyed. The verb ‘enjoy’ either takes an object or a reflexive pronoun after it. So, we will use the reflexive pronoun of I i.e. myself. The correct sentence will be: ‘In the summer vacations, I went to an island called Fiji and enjoyed myself very much.
Ans: B
14. The selectors told the players that one ought to work very hard to fix his place in the team.
A) very hard to fix his
B) place in the team
C) that one ought to work
D) The selectors told the players
Explanation: In the sentence, Option A has the grammatical incorrect part. Replace ‘his’ by one’s. The possessive case of a thing should be according to the noun/ pronoun. The possessive of one is “one’s” not ‘his’. The correct sentence will be: ‘The selectors told the players that one ought to work very hard to fix one’s place in the team.’
Ans: A
