More practice of spotting error questions and knowledge of grammar will help you to solve questions more easily. Spotting
errors is a common test and forms a part of almost all important
examinations that have Objective English test on their syllabi.
It
requires an awareness of the basic rules of grammar – parts of speech,
genders, infinitives , participles, subject- verb accord, form of
tenses, use of articles and certain exceptional usages.
1. Some nouns always take a singular verb.
Scenery , advice, information, machinery, stationary, furniture,
abuse, fuel, rice, gram, issue , bedding, repair, news, mischief,
poetry, business, economics, physics, mathematics, classics, ethics,
athletics, innings, gallows.
athletics, innings, gallows.
a) The Scenery of Kashmir are enchanting.(Incorrect)
The Scenery of Kashmir is enchanting. (Correct)
The Scenery of Kashmir is enchanting. (Correct)
b) He has given advices.(Incorrect)
He has given advice.(Correct)
He has given advice.(Correct)
c) The Indian team defeated the English by innings.(Incorrect)
The Indian team defeated the English by an innings.(Correct)
The Indian team defeated the English by an innings.(Correct)
d) Mathematics are a good subject.(Incorrect)
Mathematics is a good subject.(Correct)
Mathematics is a good subject.(Correct)
2.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.
a) The cattle is grazing in the ground.(Incorrect)
The cattle are grazing in the ground.(Correct)
The cattle are grazing in the ground.(Correct)
b) The clergy is in the church.(Incorrect)
The clergy are in the church.(Correct)
The clergy are in the church.(Correct)
3.Some nouns are always used in a plural form and always take a plural verb.
Trousers, scissors, spectacles, stockings, shorts,measles, goods, premises, thanks, tidings, annals, chattels etc.
a) Where is my trousers?(Incorrect)
Where are my trousers?(Correct)
Where are my trousers?(Correct)
b) Spectacles is now a costly item.(Incorrect)
Spectacles are now a costly item.(Correct)
Spectacles are now a costly item.(Correct)
4.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, meter, pair, score, dozen, head, year, hundred, thousand, million.
a) It is a three years degree course.(Incorrect)
It is a three year degree course.(Correct)
It is a three year degree course.(Correct)
5.Some nouns have one meaning in the singular and another in the plural.
authority = command ,authorities = persons in power, good = wise , goods = property, force = strength forces = army
content = satisfaction contents = things contained, physic = medicine physics = physical sciences, iron = metal, irons= fetter, chains.
content = satisfaction contents = things contained, physic = medicine physics = physical sciences, iron = metal, irons= fetter, chains.
Examples :
a) Air is necessary for human life.
b) It is bad to put on airs.
c) I have been eaten one quarter of the cake.
d) I live in the government quarters.
a) Air is necessary for human life.
b) It is bad to put on airs.
c) I have been eaten one quarter of the cake.
d) I live in the government quarters.
6.A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in person , number and gender.
Examples :
a) Every man must bring his luggage
b) All students must do their home work.
c) Each of the girls must carry her own bag.
a) Every man must bring his luggage
b) All students must do their home work.
c) Each of the girls must carry her own bag.
Each student must bring their books.(Incorrect)
Each student must bring his books.(Correct)
Each student must bring his books.(Correct)
7.The pronoun ‘one’ must be followed by ‘ one’s ‘.
a)One must finish his task in time.(Incorrect)
One must finish one’s task in time.(Correct)
One must finish one’s task in time.(Correct)
8.’Who’ denotes the subjects and ‘whom’ is used for the object.
a) Whom do you think won the award?(Incorrect)
Who do you think won the award?(Correct)
Who do you think won the award?(Correct)
b) Who are you talking to?(Incorrect)
Whom are you talking to?(Correct)
Whom are you talking to?(Correct)
9.’Cost’ – amount paid by the shopkeeper.price – amount paid by the customer.
a) The cost of production of automobile items has gone up.
b) Sometimes the buyers have to pay higher price for necessary items.
b) Sometimes the buyers have to pay higher price for necessary items.
10. ‘Cause’ produces a result , while ‘reason’ explains or justifies a cause.
a) Scientists try to find out the cause of a phenomenon.
b) You have a good reason to be pleased with your students.
b) You have a good reason to be pleased with your students.
11. ‘Men’ is plural of man; ‘People’ is used for persons.
a) There are five men in the room.
b) The people of Bihar are simple.
b) The people of Bihar are simple.
12.’House’ is a building to live in; ‘Home’ is one’s native place.
a) Quarters are houses allotted to us for a definite period.
b) My home town is Hyderabad.
b) My home town is Hyderabad.
13.’Customer’- a buyer of goods; ‘Client’- one who avails oneself of a service.
a) The shopkeepers welcome customers with smiles.
b) The lawyers discusses the cases of his clients.
b) The lawyers discusses the cases of his clients.
14. Use of ‘less’ and ‘fewer’ .’Less’ denotes quantity and fewer denotes number.
a) No less than fifty persons were killed.(Incorrect)
No fewer than fifty person were killed.(Correct)
No fewer than fifty person were killed.(Correct)
b) There are no fewer than five liters of water in the jug.(Incorrect)
There are no less than five liters of water in the jug.(Correct)
There are no less than five liters of water in the jug.(Correct)
15.Use of little , a little , the little.
‘Little’ means ‘hardly any’.
a)There is a little hope of his recovery.(Incorrect)
There is little hope of his recovery.(Correct)
There is little hope of his recovery.(Correct)
‘a little’ means ‘some’, though not much.
a)Little knowledge is a dangerous thing.(Incorrect)
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.(Correct)
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.(Correct)
‘The little’ means ‘not much but all there is’ .
a)A little milk that is in the pot may be used for the patient.(Incorrect)
The little milk that is in the pot may be used for the patient.(Correct)
The little milk that is in the pot may be used for the patient.(Correct)
16. Use of ‘elder’, ‘older’
‘Older’ refers to persons as well as things and is followed by ‘than’.
a)Ram is elder than all other boys of his area.(Incorrect)
Ram is older than all other boys of his area.(Correct)
Ram is older than all other boys of his area.(Correct)
‘Elder ‘ is used for members of the family.
a)Suresh is my older brother.(Incorrect)
Suresh is my elder brother.(Correct)
Suresh is my elder brother.(Correct)
17. Normally ‘ than’ is used in the comparative degree, but with words like superior, inferior, senior, junior, prior, anterior, posterior and prefer ‘to’ is used.
a)Shelly is junior than Wordsworth.(Incorrect)
Shelly is junior to Wordsworth.(Correct)
Shelly is junior to Wordsworth.(Correct)
b)I prefer reading than sleeping.(Incorrect)
I prefer reading to sleeping.(Correct)
I prefer reading to sleeping.(Correct)
18. When a comparison is made by using a comparative followed by ‘than’, the word ‘other’ must be used to exclude the thing compared from the class of things with which it is compared from the class of things with which it is compared.
a)He is stronger than any man.(Incorrect)
He is stronger than any other man.(Correct)
He is stronger than any other man.(Correct)
19.’One of’ always takes a plural noun after it.
a)It is one of the important day in my life.(Incorrect)
It is one of the important days in my life.(Correct)
It is one of the important days in my life.(Correct)
20.’Scarcely’ and ‘hardly’ are followed by’ when’ and not by ‘than’.
a)I had scarcely entered the room than the phone rang.(Incorrect)
I had scarcely entered the room when the phone rang.(Correct)
I had scarcely entered the room when the phone rang.(Correct)
21.’Since’ indicates a point of time and ‘for’ stands for the length of time.
a)He has been reading the book since two hours.(Incorrect)
He has been reading the book for two hours.(Correct)
He has been reading the book for two hours.(Correct)
b)It has been raining for Monday last.(Incorrect)
It has been raining since Monday last.(Correct)
It has been raining since Monday last.(Correct)
22. Until expresses time. It has a negative sense. and thus ‘not’ should never be used with it.
a)Wait here until I do not return.(Incorrect)
Wait here until I return.(Correct)
Wait here until I return.(Correct)
23.Use of ‘when’ and ‘while’ : Proper attention must be paid to these words.
‘When’ indicates a general sense and ‘ while’ implies a time during the process of doing a work.
a)When learning to swim, one of the most important things is to relax.(Incorrect)
While learning to swim, one of the most important things is to relax.(Correct)
While learning to swim, one of the most important things is to relax.(Correct)