Question 1

English grammar error-spotting (quantity phrases with ‘‘one and a half’’): Read the sentence split into four parts and choose the erroneous one; if none, select ‘‘No error’’: ‘‘The test will not need / more than one and half hour / to finish. / No e…

Accepted Answer

Given data A: ‘‘The test will not need’’ B: ‘‘more than one and half hour’’ C: ‘‘to finish.’’ D: ‘‘No error’’ Concept / Approach The idiomatic measure phrase is ‘‘one and a half’’ and, despite ‘‘one’’, the head noun is plural in form (‘‘hours’’). Verb choice ‘‘need’’ is acceptable colloquially, though ‘‘take’’ is more natural. Step-by-step evaluation Correct form → ‘‘more than one and a half hours’’.Thus, Part B is the error: ‘‘more than one and half hour’’. Correction ‘‘The test will not need/take more than one and a half hours to finish.’’ Common pitfalls Omitting the article ‘‘a’’ in ‘‘one and a half’’. Keeping the head noun singular after fractional expressions. Final Answer more than one and half hour

Question 2

English grammar error-spotting (article with number + unit; preposition with ‘‘within’’): Identify the erroneous part in the sentence: ‘‘The school is / within hundred yards / from the church. / No error.’’ Consider article use before countable unit…

Accepted Answer

Given data A: ‘‘The school is’’ B: ‘‘within hundred yards’’ C: ‘‘from the church.’’ D: ‘‘No error.’’ Concept / Approach Use an article before singular countable units in measure phrases and prefer ‘‘of’’ after ‘‘within’’ when specifying a distance limit. Step-by-step evaluation Correct phrasing → ‘‘within a hundred yards of the church’’.Thus, Part B is erroneous: ‘‘within hundred yards’’. Correction ‘‘The school is within a hundred yards of the church.’’ Common pitfalls Omitting articles in fixed measure phrases. Using ‘‘from’’ where ‘‘of’’ is idiomatic with ‘‘within’’ + distance limit. Final Answer within hundred yards

Question 3

English grammar error-spotting (connector choice and adverb placement): Read the sentence in parts (A–D) and pick the erroneous segment; if there is no error, choose ‘‘No error’’: ‘‘His father died of cholera / but his mother also, / though very wea…

Accepted Answer

Given data A: ‘‘His father died of cholera’’ B: ‘‘but his mother also,’’ C: ‘‘though very weak, is out of danger.’’ D: ‘‘No error.’’ Concept / Approach The contrastive coordinator ‘‘but’’ clashes with the additive adverb ‘‘also’’. The intended meaning is concessive/additive: the mother, too, is safe despite weakness. Use ‘‘but’’ without ‘‘also’’, or keep ‘‘also’’ and replace ‘‘but’’ with a neutral connector. Step-by-step evaluation Correct: ‘‘His father died of cholera, but his mother, though very weak, is also out of danger.’’ (Move ‘‘also’’ next to the verb.)Therefore, Part B is erroneous: ‘‘but his mother also,’’. Common pitfalls Combining incompatible logical connectors. Placing ‘‘also’’ away from the verb it modifies. Final Answer but his mother also,

Question 4

English grammar error-spotting (phrasal verb with ‘‘break’’ used for raids): Read the sentence in four parts and identify the erroneous segment; select ‘‘No error’’ if none is wrong: ‘‘The police broke upon the robbers / when they were in the lonely…

Accepted Answer

Given data A: ‘‘The police broke upon the robbers’’ B: ‘‘when they were in the lonely place’’ C: ‘‘to divide their booty.’’ D: ‘‘No error.’’ Concept / Approach The idiomatic phrasal verb for a sudden police arrival/raid is ‘‘broke in on/upon’’ or ‘‘came upon’’/‘‘pounced on’’; ‘‘broke upon’’ without ‘‘in’’ is non-idiomatic. Step-by-step evaluation Correct forms include: ‘‘The police broke in upon the robbers …’’ / ‘‘The police came upon the robbers …’’Hence the error is in Part A: ‘‘The police broke upon the robbers’’. Additional notes Part B would also be smoother as ‘‘in a lonely place’’, but the principal idiomatic error tested is the phrasal verb in Part A. Final Answer The police broke upon the robbers

Question 5

English grammar error-spotting (complex sentence with ‘‘either … or …’’ and parallelism): Read the sentence divided into four parts (A–D) and identify the part containing any grammatical error. If there is no error, choose ‘‘No error.’’ Focus on coo…

Accepted Answer

Given data A: ‘‘Since it was his first election campaign, the candidate was confused;’’ B: ‘‘none could clearly understand’’ C: ‘‘either the principles he stood for or the benefits he promised.’’ D: ‘‘No error.’’ Concept / Approach Check clause linkage (‘‘Since …’’), subject–verb agreement, and the correlative conjunction ‘‘either … or …’’ for parallel noun phrases. All three parts A–C are grammatically sound and idiomatic. Step-by-step verification Step 1: Part A correctly sets a causal background with ‘‘Since …’’; semicolon is acceptable (punctuation is to be ignored).Step 2: Part B uses ‘‘none’’ as a singular/collective pronoun with past ‘‘could’’—acceptable and idiomatic.Step 3: Part C maintains parallel structure: ‘‘the principles …’’ (noun phrase) // ‘‘the benefits …’’ (noun phrase), both governed by ‘‘either … or …’’ Common pitfalls Mistaking style issues for grammatical errors. Final Answer No error.

Question 6

Error spotting (exam direction): Identify the erroneous part (A/B/C) in the sentence — choose D if there is no error — 'Jayesh is getting / fatter because he / does not take exercise at all / No error.'

Accepted Answer

Given sentence parts (A–D) A. Jayesh is gettingB. fatter because heC. does not take exercise at allD. No error. Concept/Approach (comparative vs. positive form and idiom) In careful formal usage, we typically say 'is getting fat' or 'is putting on weight'. The comparative 'fatter' normally contrasts explicitly with another state (often marked by 'than …') or is used when a comparative context is established. Since Part B supplies a bare comparative without an overt comparator, many standard keys flag it for improvement. Step-by-step correction 1) Replace comparative with the positive form: 'is getting fatter' → 'is getting fat' (or 'is putting on weight').2) Optional idiom in Part C: 'does not take exercise' can be strengthened to 'does not take any exercise' for naturalness.3) Corrected version: 'Jayesh is getting fat because he does not take any exercise at all.' Verification/Alternative Where a comparative context is explicit (e.g., 'Jayesh is getting fatter than before'), 'fatter' is fine. Without it, the positive adjective reads more idiomatically. Common pitfalls Using a comparative adjective with no clear 'than'-phrase or previously established baseline. Final Answer B — 'fatter because he' (prefer 'is getting fat …').

Question 7

Error spotting (bank/SSC style): Choose the part (A/B/C) that contains a grammatical error — mark D if there is no error — 'He loved / none but / his neighbour's daughter. / No error.'

Accepted Answer

Given sentence parts (A–D) A. He lovedB. none butC. his neighbour's daughter.D. No error. Concept/Approach (idiom 'none but') The phrase none but correctly means 'only'. The verb form and possessive (neighbour's) are standard. Hence, the sentence is grammatically sound. Verification Paraphrase: 'He loved only his neighbour's daughter.' No structural or agreement error arises. Common pitfalls Mistaking 'none but' for a negative that needs subject–verb inversion or additional particles. It does not. Final Answer D — No error.

Question 8

Error spotting (exam direction): Identify the erroneous part — choose D if there is no error — 'The criminal was / caught, convicted the hung / in a short period of time. / No error.'

Accepted Answer

Given sentence parts (A–D) A. The criminal wasB. caught, convicted the hungC. in a short period of time.D. No error. Concept/Approach (linking and verb form) Part B has two errors: (i) missing linker 'then/and then' after a comma between independent events, and (ii) wrong past form of the verb for execution — hanged (judicial execution) not hung (general past of 'hang'). Step-by-step correction 1) Insert proper linker: 'caught, convicted and then …'2) Replace verb: 'hung' → 'hanged'.3) Corrected clause: '…caught, convicted and then hanged…' Verification/Alternative Judicial idiom: 'The prisoner was hanged.' vs general: 'He hung the picture.' Common pitfalls Comma-splicing independent clauses; confusing 'hung' with 'hanged' in legal contexts. Final Answer B — 'caught, convicted the hung' → 'caught, convicted and then hanged'.

Question 9

Error spotting (exam direction): Choose the erroneous part — mark D if there is no error — 'I am thinking of / to go to Agra / for my cousin's marriage. / No error.'

Accepted Answer

Given sentence parts (A–D) A. I am thinking ofB. to go to AgraC. for my cousin's marriage.D. No error. Concept/Approach (verb + preposition + gerund) After the preposition of, use a gerund (-ing form), not an infinitive. Step-by-step correction 1) 'thinking of to go' → 'thinking of going'.2) Correct sentence: 'I am thinking of going to Agra for my cousin's marriage.' Common pitfalls Using 'to + verb' after prepositions (of, in, on, about, for, etc.). Final Answer B — use the gerund: 'thinking of going …'

Question 10

Error spotting (advanced): Identify the erroneous part — choose D if there is no error — 'In management, as you rise higher, / the problems you face becomemore and more unstructured and you can't just fall back on / the tools you had been / No error…

Accepted Answer

Given sentence parts (A–D) A. In management, as you rise higher,B. the problems you face becomemore and more unstructured and you can't just fall back onC. the tools you had beenD. No error. Concept/Approach (typo, spacing, and completeness) Part B contains a typographical error (becomemore → become more) and leaves a preposition (fall back on) without its object unless Part C supplies it. The corrected flow requires both the space and a clear object in Part C (e.g., 'the tools you had been using'). Step-by-step correction 1) Insert space: 'becomemore' → 'become more'.2) Ensure completion: 'fall back on' should be followed by a noun phrase; Part C should read 'the tools you had been using.'3) Corrected: '…the problems you face become more and more unstructured, and you can't just fall back on the tools you had been using.' Common pitfalls Overlooking typographical merges and leaving prepositional verbs without objects. Final Answer B — fix 'becomemore' and complete the 'fall back on …' construction.

Question 11

Error spotting (exam direction): Identify the erroneous part — choose D if there is no error — 'Neeraj said / that he would rather fail than copying / in the examination / No error.'

Accepted Answer

Given sentence parts (A–D) A. Neeraj saidB. that he would rather fail than copyingC. in the examinationD. No error. Concept/Approach (parallelism after 'rather … than') After 'would rather', use the bare infinitive (base verb). The structure is 'would rather verb than verb'. Step-by-step correction 1) 'than copying' → 'than copy'.2) Correct version: 'Neeraj said that he would rather fail than copy in the examination.' Common pitfalls Mixing a bare infinitive with a gerund, breaking parallelism. Final Answer B — write 'would rather fail than copy …'

Question 12

Error spotting (exam direction): Identify the erroneous part — choose D if there is no error — 'I had hoped to have met him yesterday / to discuss the matter with him / but he was not in his house, and so I could not meet him. / No error.'

Accepted Answer

Given sentence parts (A–D) A. I had hoped to have met him yesterdayB. to discuss the matter with himC. but he was not in his house, and so I could not meet him.D. No error. Concept/Approach (perfect infinitive vs simple infinitive) With verbs of desire/plan like 'hope', when the intended action is simultaneous with or follows the hoping, use the simple infinitive: 'hope to meet'. The perfect infinitive 'to have met' implies the action occurred before the hoping, which is illogical here. Step-by-step correction 1) Replace perfect infinitive: 'to have met' → 'to meet'.2) Correct: 'I had hoped to meet him yesterday …' Verification Compare: 'I hoped to meet him yesterday' vs 'I hoped to have met him by yesterday' (different timeline). Final Answer A — use 'to meet', not 'to have met'.

Question 13

Error spotting (exam direction): Identify the erroneous part — choose D if there is no error — 'You will come / to my party tomorrow, / isn't it? / No error.'

Accepted Answer

Given sentence parts (A–D) A. You will comeB. to my party tomorrow,C. isn't it?D. No error. Concept/Approach (question tags) Question tags mirror the auxiliary and polarity of the main clause. With 'You will come …', the tag must be negative with the same auxiliary: 'won't you?' Step-by-step correction 1) Replace 'isn't it?' → 'won't you?'2) Correct: 'You will come to my party tomorrow, won't you?' Common pitfalls Using 'isn't it' as a universal tag regardless of the main verb. Final Answer C — the correct tag is 'won't you?'

Question 14

Error spotting (exam direction): Identify the erroneous part — choose D if there is no error — 'I wonder / how am I / to do it / No error.'

Accepted Answer

Given sentence parts (A–D) A. I wonderB. how am IC. to do itD. No error. Concept/Approach (embedded questions) After reporting/introductory phrases like 'I wonder', the word order reverts to statement order (subject + verb), not interrogative inversion. Step-by-step correction 1) 'how am I' → 'how I am'.2) Correct: 'I wonder how I am to do it.' Common pitfalls Keeping the inversion from the direct question inside indirect speech. Final Answer B — write 'how I am …'

Question 15

Error spotting (exam direction): Identify the erroneous part — choose D if there is no error — 'He is not to blame / for what has happened / for he is in no way connected with it. / No error.'

Accepted Answer

Given sentence parts (A–D) A. He is not to blameB. for what has happenedC. for he is in no way connected with it.D. No error. Concept/Approach (idiomatic expression and conjunction 'for') The idiom 'to be to blame (for …)' is standard: 'He is not to blame for …' The second 'for' introduces a reason (meaning 'because'), which is also correct in formal style. Hence, no grammatical error is present. Verification Alternative phrasing: 'He is not to blame for what has happened, because he is in no way connected with it.' Both versions are acceptable. Common pitfalls Assuming 'to be blamed' is required; both 'to blame' (adjectival complement) and 'to be blamed' (passive) occur, but 'to blame' is idiomatic and concise. Final Answer D — No error.

Question 16

English grammar error-spotting (mixed conditional with inverted ‘‘Had … not’’ and noun phrase): Read the sentence split into four labeled parts (A–D) and choose the part that contains a grammatical/idiomatic error; select ‘‘No error’’ only if the se…

Accepted Answer

Given data A: ‘‘Had you not’’ (inverted third conditional opener meaning ‘‘If you had not …’’) B: ‘‘reached in time’’ (time-phrase is idiomatic) C: ‘‘he would have lost allour belongings.’’ D: ‘‘No error.’’ Concept / Approach This is a past unreal condition (had + past participle → would have + past participle). The grammar of A and B is fine. The error is lexical/orthographic in Part C: the determiner phrase must be written as two words ‘‘all our’’; the concatenation ‘‘allour’’ is incorrect. Step-by-step check Step 1: Inversion after ‘‘Had’’ is correct: ‘‘Had you not reached …’’ = ‘‘If you had not reached …’’Step 2: Result clause form is correct: ‘‘would have lost …’’Step 3: Noun phrase is misspelled: it should be ‘‘all our belongings,’’ not ‘‘allour belongings.’’ Correction ‘‘Had you not reached in time, he would have lost all our belongings.’’ Common pitfalls Confusing punctuation with grammar (punctuation is to be ignored here). Missing lexical spacing errors that change correctness. Final Answer he would have lost allour belongings.

Question 17

English grammar error-spotting (reporting verbs: ‘‘tell’’ vs ‘‘say to’’ complementation): Read the sentence in four labeled parts (A–D) and identify which part contains the error; if none, choose ‘‘No error.’’ Focus on verb + object pattern: ‘‘The m…

Accepted Answer

Given data A: ‘‘The man told to her’’ B: ‘‘that he had not brought his dog’’ C: ‘‘out for a walk as he was afraid that it would rain.’’ D: ‘‘No error.’’ Concept / Approach The verb ‘‘tell’’ takes a direct object without a preposition: ‘‘tell her …’’; ‘‘say’’ can take the preposition: ‘‘say to her …’’. Step-by-step check Step 1: Replace ‘‘told to her’’ → ‘‘told her’’.Step 2: Remaining parts (reported clause in past perfect; reason clause) are fine. Correction ‘‘The man told her that he had not brought his dog out for a walk as he was afraid that it would rain.’’ Common pitfalls Mixing the patterns ‘‘tell + object’’ and ‘‘say to + object’’. Final Answer The man told to her

Question 18

English grammar error-spotting (subjunctive after ‘‘If I were you’’ and conditional consistency): Read the sentence split into parts (A–D) and identify the erroneous segment; select ‘‘No error’’ if all parts are correct: ‘‘If I am you / I would have…

Accepted Answer

Given data A: ‘‘If I am you’’ B: ‘‘I would have seen to it’’ C: ‘‘that I won the prize.’’ D: ‘‘No error.’’ Concept / Approach For unreal/hypothetical comparisons, English uses the subjunctive ‘‘If I were you …’’. Also, match the conditional type: with a present-time hypothetic advice, the natural main clause is ‘‘I would see to it …’’; with past-time hypothetic, use ‘‘If I had been you, I would have seen …’’ Step-by-step check Step 1: Replace A with ‘‘If I were you …’’ (subjunctive).Step 2: Keep or adjust B–C depending on intended time: advice (present) → ‘‘would see’’; counterfactual past → ‘‘had been … would have seen’’. Correction (one natural fix) ‘‘If I were you, I would see to it that I won the prize.’’ Common pitfalls Using ‘‘am’’ after ‘‘If I … you’’. Mixing conditional time frames. Final Answer If I am you

Question 19

English grammar error-spotting (verb after ‘‘addicted to’’ takes a gerund): Read the sentence divided into four parts and pick the erroneous one; choose ‘‘No error’’ only if all parts are correct: ‘‘It is unfortunate that / many youngsters get / add…

Accepted Answer

Given data A: ‘‘It is unfortunate that’’ B: ‘‘many youngsters get’’ C: ‘‘addicted to gamble.’’ D: ‘‘No error.’’ Concept / Approach The preposition ‘‘to’’ after ‘‘addicted’’ requires a gerund/noun, not a bare verb. Therefore use ‘‘gambling’’ (gerund) or a noun phrase (‘‘addicted to gambling/online betting’’). Step-by-step check Replace Part C with ‘‘addicted to gambling.’’ Correction ‘‘It is unfortunate that many youngsters get addicted to gambling.’’ Common pitfalls Using the infinitive/bare verb after ‘‘to’’ when ‘‘to’’ is a preposition (not the infinitive marker). Final Answer addicted to gamble.

Question 20

English grammar error-spotting (parallel comparison ‘‘as … as …’’ requires a like term): Read the sentence parts (A–D) and identify the error, ensuring the second ‘‘as’’ compares like with like: ‘‘Kamala's fountain-pen / is as expensive / as Shyama.…

Accepted Answer

Given data A: ‘‘Kamala's fountain-pen’’ B: ‘‘is as expensive’’ C: ‘‘as Shyama.’’ D: ‘‘No error.’’ Concept / Approach Comparisons must be between comparable entities. Here, a pen is being compared to a person. The second term should be ‘‘Shyama's (fountain-pen)’’ or ‘‘the one Shyama owns’’. Step-by-step check Correct: ‘‘Kamala's fountain-pen is as expensive as Shyama's (pen).’’ Common pitfalls Omitting the possessive in the second term of comparison. Final Answer as Shyama.

Spotting Errors Questions