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Error Detection

English Language · Usage & Vocabulary

Useful for: SSC CGL, IBPS Banking, CTET, KVS, NVS, OTET, OSSTET, EMRS

and 9 more exams

UPSC NDA/NA, UPSC CDS, CTSA / STSS, Junior Teacher, OAVS, OSSC Teacher Readiness, Sainik Schools, Special OTET, SSB School Teachers

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Overview

Error spotting asks which part of a sentence contains a grammatical error; sentence improvement asks for the best replacement of an underlined part.

Key points

Check agreement first: the verb must agree with the true subject, not the nearest noun.
Keep tenses consistent unless the time actually changes.
Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in number and gender.
Comparatives: "more better" and "most best" are wrong; use "better", "best".
Redundant words: "return back", "repeat again", "cousin brother" are errors.

Explanation

"Each", "every", "either", "neither" take singular verbs.
"One of the + plural noun" takes a singular verb: "One of the boys is absent."
After "lest", use "should": "Work hard lest you should fail."
If no part has an error, choose "No error" only after checking every rule.

Step by step

Read the whole sentence and find its subject, verb and tense.
Apply the specific rule (agreement, article, preposition, tense).
Re-read the corrected sentence for meaning and style.

Examples

"Each of the boys have done his work" → "has" (each is singular).
"He is senior than me" → "senior to me".
"She returned back home" → "returned home" (back is redundant).

Traps and advanced points

Trap: Matching the verb with the nearest noun instead of the subject.
Trap: Accepting "senior/junior/prior than".
Trap: Missing redundant words.

Quick revision

Agreement → tense → pronoun → preposition.
Senior/junior/prior take "to".
Remove redundancies.

Practice MCQs

Fill in the blank: “The Jaipur office recorded ____ books this month than last month.”
1. fewest
2. fewer
3. less
4. little
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Answer: (b) fewer. Use “fewer” with countable plural nouns.
Fill in the blank: “The Kochi office recorded ____ complaints this month than last month.”
1. fewer
2. less
3. little
4. fewest
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Answer: (a) fewer. Use “fewer” with countable plural nouns.
Spot the error: 'One of my friend / is coming / to the party / tomorrow.'
1. tomorrow
2. One of my friend
3. is coming
4. to the party
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Answer: (b) One of my friend. 'One of' ke baad plural noun aata hai → 'One of my friends' hona chahiye.
Spot the error: 'He is / more cleverer / than his / brother.'
1. He is
2. than his
3. brother
4. more cleverer
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Answer: (d) more cleverer. Double comparative galat hai.
Spot the error: 'The teacher / gave the students / many good / advices.'
1. The teacher
2. gave the students
3. -
4. many good advices
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Answer: (d) many good advices. 'Advice' uncountable noun hai, iska plural 'advices' nahi hota.
Spot the error: 'She is married / with a / rich businessman / from Delhi.'
1. She is married
2. rich businessman
3. from Delhi
4. with a
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Answer: (d) with a. 'Married' ke saath 'to' aata hai, 'with' nahi.
Spot the error: 'Each of / the players / have / a uniform.'
1. a uniform
2. have
3. Each of
4. the players
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Answer: (b) have. 'Each' singular hai → singular verb 'has'.
Spot the error: 'I have been / living here / since / ten years.'
1. living here
2. ten years
3. since
4. I have been
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Answer: (c) since. Time period (ten years) ke saath 'for' aata hai, 'since' nahi.
Spot the error: 'He did not / went / to the / market yesterday.'
1. market yesterday
2. went
3. He did not
4. to the
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Answer: (b) went. 'Did' ke baad base verb (V1) aata hai, V2 nahi.
Spot the error: 'The scenery / of Kashmir / are / very beautiful.'
1. The scenery
2. of Kashmir
3. very beautiful
4. are
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Answer: (d) are. 'Scenery' uncountable/singular hai → singular verb 'is'.
Spot the error: 'She prefers / tea / than / coffee.'
1. tea
2. coffee
3. than
4. She prefers
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Answer: (c) than. 'Prefer' ke saath 'to' aata hai, 'than' nahi.
Spot the error: 'Neither he / nor his friends / was / present.'
1. was
2. Neither he
3. nor his friends
4. present
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Answer: (a) was. 'Neither…nor' me verb nearest subject (friends = plural) se agree karta → 'were'.
From the perspective of definition and scope, which one of the following statements about Error Spotting is correct?
1. Do not rely only on “what sounds right” for Error Spotting.
2. Error Spotting is unrelated to institutions, processes or real-world applications.
3. Error Spotting has no exceptions or limitations in exam analysis.
4. Error Spotting requires standard formal English usage.
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Answer: (d) Error Spotting requires standard formal English usage.. Error Spotting requires standard formal English usage.
Consider the following statements on Error Spotting, focusing on definition and scope: 1. Error Spotting requires standard formal English usage. 2. Error Spotting is tested through context-sensitive usage rather than isolated memorization. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
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Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2. Both statements are correct.
Which option best connects the definition and scope dimension of Error Spotting with its broader exam relevance?
1. Every statement about Error Spotting is absolute and context-free.
2. Error Spotting can be understood without any mechanism, limitation or exception.
3. Context decides the best answer in Error Spotting. Also, Eliminate choices with agreement, tense, modifier or collocation errors.
4. Do not rely only on “what sounds right” for Error Spotting.
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Answer: (c) Context decides the best answer in Error Spotting. Also, Eliminate choices with agreement, tense, modifier or collocation errors.. Context decides the best answer in Error Spotting. Also, Eliminate choices with agreement, tense, modifier or collocation errors.