RULES AND EXAMPLES OF SPOTTING ERRORS - PART - I

1. Some nouns are singular in form, but they are used as plural nouns and always take a plural verb.
Cattle, gentry, vermin, peasantry , artillery, people clergy, company , police.
Example :
1. The cattle is grazing in the ground ( Incorrect )

2. The cattle are grazing in the ground ( correct )

2. Some nouns are always used in a plural form and always take a plural verb.
Trousers, scissors, spectacles stockings, shorts measles, goods, alms, premises, thanks , tidings, annals, chattels,
etc.
Example:
1. Where is my trousers? ( Incorrect)
2. Where are my trousers? ( Correct)
3. There are some nouns that indicate length, measure, money , weight or number. When they are preceded by a numeral,
they remain unchanged in form.
Foot, metre, pair , score, dozen, head , year, hundred, thousand, million
1. It is a three years degree course ( Incorrect)
2. It is a three year degree course ( Correct )
4. Collective nouns such as jury, public, team, committee, government, audience, orchestra, company, etc. are used both as
singular and plural depending on the meaning. When these words indicate a unit, the verb is singular, otherwise the verb
will be plural.
For example:
1. The jury was divided in this case. ( Incorrect)
2. The jury were divided in this case. ( Correct)
5. A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in person, number and gender.
Example :
Every man must being his luggage.
All students must do their home work.
Each of the girls must carry her own bag
6. The pronoun one must be followed by ones.
Example :
One must finish his task in time ( Incorrect)
One must finish ones task in time ( Correct)
7. Whose is used for living persons and which for lifeless objects.
Example:
Which photograph is lying here? ( Incorrect)
Whose photograph is living there? ( Correct)
8. Use of less and fewer
Example:
Less denotes quantity and fewer denotes number.
No less than fifty persons were killed. ( In correct)
No fewer than fifty person were killed. ( Correct)
9. One of always takes a plural noun after it.
Example:
It is one of the important day in my life. ( In Correct)
It is one of the important days in my life. ( Correct )
10. Use of not only and but also Examine the sentences given below.
Example:
He not only comes for swimming but also for coaching the learners. ( In correct )
He comes not only for swimming but also for coaching the learners. ( correct )


1. Without waiting for (1) / the instructions from the Government, (2) / some cable operators in the city had block the news.(3)
/No error (4)

2. The authorities have instructed (1) / that brief notes must be prepared (2) / on all the issues related to customer grievances. (3) / No
error (4)

3. Hindi films are certainly (1) / popular in the last decade but in these days our regional films (2) have attained more popularity. (3) / No
error (4)


4. On account of the high land prices we (1) / are set up the factory (2)/ on the outskirts of the city.(3) / No error (4)

5. Our customers are always visit (1) / our branches to discuss their problems (2) / with staff (3) / No error (4)

6. Just before the demonstration started (1) / the police arrive at the site as if they had (2) / received invitation. (3) / No error (4)

7. The actual conduct of the test (1) / at each venue will be entrusted (2) / to the officer in charge who will be designated as test
conductor. (3) / No error (4)

8. In the early days (1) / I would sit through meetings (2) / and frequently have no idea what a presenter was talking with. (3) / No error
(4)

9. Indias travel and tourism industry is poised (1) / on growth at seven (2)/ percent this year along. (3) / No error (4)

10. After you will return (1)/ from Chennai (2) / I will come and see you. (3) / No error (4)

ANSWERS:
1. Change had block into Has/ had blocked.

2. (4)

3. (1) change are certainly into had certainly been

4. (2 ) : Change are set up into have set up.

5. (1) Change are always visit into always visit. Because present habit always present Indefinite Tense

6. (2 ) Change arrive into arrived

7. (4)

8. (3 ) Change have into had.

9. (1 ) : Change is poised into has poised.

10. (1)Change After you will return into After you return.
WITH EXPLANATIONS
Find out which part of a sentence has an error.
1. One of the questions (1) / he asked me was (2)/ Who did you travel with? (3)/ No error (4)

2. I know (1)/ a doctor (2) / you are referring to (3) / No error (4).

3. the introduction of job oriented courses (1) / in the self financing colleges (2) / attract many students (3) / No error (4)

4. It is better (1)/ to keep ones head in the face of danger than (2) / losing ones courage (3) / No error(4).

5. To die with honour (1)/ is better than (2)/ live with dishonor. (3)/ No Error.(4)

6. It is I (1)/ Who is to blame. (2)/ for this bad situation (3). / No Error.(4)

7. Gowri told me (1)/ his name after (2)/ he left. (3)/ No Error.(4)

8. John would have told (1)/ you the truth (2) if you had asked him. (3) No Error. (4)

9. My sister (1)/ has read (2)/ pages after pages of the Bible. (3)/ No Error.(4)

10. your success in the IAS examinations depends not only on (1)/ what papers you have selected (2) / but on how you have
written them.(3) / No Error (4)

11. Heavy rain (1)/ prevented us (2)/ to go to the cinema. (3) / No Error.(4)

12. If the majority of the individuals in a State (1) / prosper (2) / the State itself would prosper. (3)/ No Error.(4)

13. If motorists do not observe the traffic regulations (1)/ they will be stopped, ticketed (2)/ and have to pay a fine. (3)/ No Error
.(4)

14. He asked (1) / supposing if he fails (2) /what he would do. (3) / No Error.(4)

15. The actress (a) / was shocked (b) / by the news of her dogs death (c) / No error (d).


ANSWERS WITH EXPLANATIONS:
1. (3)
Explanation: Change who into whom. Objective pronoun of who will be used.

2. (2)
Explanation: Change a into the . Definite article is required before a known noun, referring shows a known.

3. (3)
Explanation: Change attract into attracts. The subject The introduction is singular. It requires a singular verb.

4. (3)
Explanation: it should be to lose both side of adjective same preposition is used.

5. (3)
Explanation: The error lies in the part (3) of the sentence. The group of words live with dishonour should be replaced with
to live with dishonour

6. (2)
Explanation: If a sentence has Subject and Relative pronoun (who, which, that), then verb agrees with Antecedent. A Noun
or Pronoun which comes before Relative pronoun is called Relative pronoun is called Antecedent.
For Example:
I am the man who has helped you.

Antecedent verb
It is I who have helped you.

Antecedent verb
Therefore, who is to blame should be replaced with who am to blame, as I is the Antecedent

7. (3)
Explanation: If two actions happened in the past, it may be necessary to show which action happened earlier than the
other. The action happened earlier is expressed in Past Perfect and the later action is expressed in Simple Past.
For Example
Mohan had left before Sohan arrived.
I reached after the train had already left.
Therefore, he left should be replaced with he had left.

8. (4) No Error

9. (3)
Explanation: Page after Page is the correct usage.

10. (3)
Explanation: Some Conjunctions are used in pairs. Not only but also is the correct correlative.

11. (3)
To go to the cinema should be replaced with from going to the cinema. The word prevent is followed by preposition
from
The structure will be:
Subject + Prevent/ed + from + Present Participle
He prevented me from fighting.

12. (4) No error

13. (3)
Explanation: And have to pay a fine should be replaced with and will be fined because the sense of sentence is in
Passive Voice.

14. (2)
Explanation : Three common patterns with if are in vogue which are often called the first, second and third conditionals.
First conditional
If + Present ________ will + infinite
If we play tennis, I will win.
Second conditional
If + Past perfect _____ would have + Past participle
If we had played tennis, I would have won.
Therefore, Supposing if he fails should be replaced with if he failed. Altogether, the principal clause is expressed in Simple
Past.

15. (3)
Explanation: Change by into at. Shocked is followed by preposition at.