Question 1

English grammar error-spotting (reciprocal preposition: ‘‘among themselves’’, not ‘‘between themselves’’ for 3+): ‘‘All the four sons / of the old man / quarrelled between themselves. / No error.’’ Mark the erroneous part.

Accepted Answer

Concept / Approach Use ‘‘between’’ for two; ‘‘among’’ for three or more. With four sons, the reciprocal phrase must be ‘‘among themselves’’. Corrections Primary: ‘‘… quarrelled among themselves.’’Stylistic: ‘‘All four sons …’’ is crisper than ‘‘All the four sons …’’ Final Answer quarrelled between themselves.

Question 2

English grammar error-spotting (evaluate tense and complementizer; select ‘‘No error’’ if correct): ‘‘He wanted to work all night / but we saw that he was completely worn out / and so we persuaded him to stop. / No error.’’

Accepted Answer

Analysis All verbs are in a consistent past narrative sequence (wanted → saw → persuaded). ‘‘saw that he was completely worn out’’ is idiomatic; ‘‘worn out’’ functions as an adjective complement after ‘‘was’’. No disagreement or misuse of connectors. Common pitfalls Over-editing to ‘‘had been’’ despite simultaneous state during the seeing. Removing ‘‘that’’ unnecessarily; it is optional and acceptable. Final Answer No error.

Question 3

English grammar error-spotting (collocation with ‘‘accuse’’: ‘‘accused of’’, not ‘‘accused for’’): ‘‘Mr. Smith was accused for murder / but the court found him not guilty / and acquitted him. / No error.’’ Identify the erroneous part.

Accepted Answer

Concept / Approach The fixed preposition is ‘‘accused of’’ (a crime), not ‘‘for’’. Correction ‘‘Mr. Smith was accused of murder …’’ Final Answer Mr.Smith was accused for murder

Question 4

English grammar error-spotting (question tags—match auxiliary, tense, and subject): ‘‘She sang / very well / isn't it? / No error.’’ Choose the erroneous segment.

Accepted Answer

Concept / Approach Question tags must agree with the auxiliary/tense and subject of the main clause. Main clause: simple past (‘‘sang’’) with subject ‘‘she’’; tag → ‘‘didn’t she?’’ Correction ‘‘She sang very well, didn’t she?’’ Common pitfalls Using a present-tense ‘‘isn’t it?’’ tag for a past-tense statement. Final Answer isn't it?

Question 5

English grammar error-spotting (word form ‘‘economise/economize’’ and conditional harmony): ‘‘I am sure that all my monthly expenses / would exceed the income / If I do not economic / No error.’’ Identify the erroneous part.

Accepted Answer

Concept / Approach ‘‘economic’’ is an adjective; the required verb is ‘‘economise/economize’’. Also, for a real present/future condition the apodosis normally uses ‘‘will’’ rather than ‘‘would’’. Primary correction (tested error) ‘‘… if I do not economise.’’ Full polished version (style) ‘‘I am sure that all my monthly expenses will exceed my income if I do not economise.’’ Common pitfalls Using an adjective where a verb is required. Mismatching conditional tense harmony (would … if I do …). Final Answer If I do not economic

Question 6

Error spotting (formal English; idioms with footwear): Identify the erroneous segment (A/B/C) — choose D if there is no error — 'Whenever you go to a temple / you must put off / your shoes at the entrance. / No error.' Focus on the correct phrasal v…

Accepted Answer

Given data (A) Whenever you go to a temple (B) you must put off (C) your shoes at the entrance. (D) No error. Concept/Approach: Idiomatic phrasal verbs for removing clothing/footwear In standard English, the idiom for removing shoes is take off, not 'put off' (which means to postpone or repel). Therefore, (B) is unidiomatic. Step-by-step correction Replace (B) 'put off' → 'take off'.Corrected sentence: 'Whenever you go to a temple, you must take off your shoes at the entrance.' Verification/Alternative Other natural forms: 'remove your shoes', 'leave your shoes at the entrance'. Common pitfalls Confusing 'put off' (postpone) with 'take off' (remove) and 'put on' (wear). Final Answer (B) 'you must put off' is erroneous → 'you must take off'.

Question 7

Error spotting (dangling participle & idiom 'dream of' + correct infinitive): Identify the erroneous segment (A/B/C) — choose D if there is no error — 'Having read a number of stories / about space travel / his dream now is about to visit the moon /…

Accepted Answer

Given data (A) Having read a number of stories (B) about space travel (C) his dream now is about to visit the moon (D) No error. Concept/Approach: Dangling participles and correct verb patterns with 'dream' The introductory participial phrase 'Having read…' must modify the grammatical subject that follows. Here, the subject is 'his dream', which cannot have read stories — that is a classic dangling modifier. In addition, the idiom is 'dream of + -ing' or 'his dream is to + verb'. The phrase 'is about to visit' indicates imminence, which changes meaning. Step-by-step correction 1) Supply the logical subject: 'Having read a number of stories about space travel, he now dreams of visiting the moon.'2) Or keep the 'dream' noun: 'Having read a number of stories about space travel, his dream is to visit the moon.' Verification Both corrected versions fix the modifier and use the idiomatic pattern: 'dream of visiting' / 'dream is to visit'. Common pitfalls Letting a participial opener modify a non-human noun; using 'about to + verb' where simple 'to + verb' or 'of + -ing' is intended. Final Answer (C) 'his dream now is about to visit the moon' is erroneous → revise as above.

Question 8

Error spotting (parallelism after 'state that'; tense sequence): Identify the erroneous segment (A/B/C) — choose D if there is no error — 'The party chief made it a point to state that / the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister should also com…

Accepted Answer

Given data (A) … 'to state that' … (B) '… should also come.' (C) 'and they see what his party men had seen.' Concept/Approach: Maintain the same grammatical framing in coordinated clauses After 'state that', coordinated complements should be parallel. Part (B) uses 'should…', but (C) abruptly shifts to present tense 'they see' with no 'that'. We need either another 'that'-clause with 'should see', or an infinitive coordinated with 'to come': '… to come and see …' Step-by-step correction Correct options include:• '… to state that the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister should also come and should see what his party men had seen.'• '… to state that … should also come and see what his party men had seen.'• '… to state that … should also come, and that they should see what his party men had seen.' Common pitfalls Breaking parallel structure; mixing tenses (present 'see') with a past narrative ('had seen'). Final Answer (C) 'and they see what his party men had seen.' is erroneous → make it parallel ('and see/and should see/and that they should see').

Question 9

Error spotting (collocation with 'prejudicial'): Identify the erroneous segment (A/B/C) — choose D if there is no error — 'It is easy to see that / a lawyer's demeanour in court / may be prejudicial against the interests of his client. / No error.' …

Accepted Answer

Given data & concept In legal and formal English, the adjective 'prejudicial' takes the preposition to, not 'against': 'prejudicial to someone's interests'. Step-by-step correction (C) 'prejudicial against' → 'prejudicial to the interests of his client'.Corrected sentence: 'It is easy to see that a lawyer's demeanour in court may be prejudicial to the interests of his client.' Common pitfalls Using 'against' after adjectives that collocate with 'to' (akin to, detrimental to, prejudicial to). Final Answer (C) is erroneous → write 'prejudicial to the interests of his client'.

Question 10

Error spotting (tense + spelling: writing vs wiring; present perfect progressive with 'for'): Identify the erroneous segment (A/B/C) — choose D if correct — 'He is wiring / for the / last four hours / No error.'

Accepted Answer

Given data The intended meaning is continuous activity over a duration. Two problems occur in (A): the word should be 'writing', not 'wiring'; and with 'for the last four hours', standard English uses the present perfect progressive ('has/have been + -ing'). Step-by-step correction (A) 'He is wiring' → 'He has been writing'.Corrected sentence: 'He has been writing for the last four hours.' Common pitfalls Using present continuous with 'for/since'; typographical confusion between 'writing' and 'wiring'. Final Answer (A) is erroneous → 'He has been writing …'

Question 11

Error spotting (prepositions of motion: in vs. into): Identify the erroneous segment (A/B/C) — choose D if there is no error — 'She walked in / the room where the murder / had taken place. / No error.'

Accepted Answer

Concept/Approach: Prepositions showing movement Use into to show motion from outside to inside. 'Walked in the room' suggests 'walked inside the room' (already there). The intended meaning is entry. Step-by-step correction (A) 'She walked in' → 'She walked into'.Corrected sentence: 'She walked into the room where the murder had taken place.' Common pitfalls Confusing 'in' (location) with 'into' (motion toward the inside). Final Answer (A) is erroneous → use 'into' to show movement.

Question 12

Error spotting (conditional inversion vs. past counterfactual): Identify the erroneous segment (A/B/C) — choose D if there is no error — 'Were he / to see you, / he would have been surprised. / No error.' Ensure correct time reference between the 'i…

Accepted Answer

Concept/Approach: Matching conditional forms 'Were he to see you' (inverted form of 'If he were to see you') describes a hypothetical present/future condition. Its natural result is 'he would be surprised'. Here the result is past counterfactual ('would have been surprised'), which requires a past-unreal condition: 'Had he seen you' or 'If he had seen you'. Step-by-step correction Make the condition past unreal to match the result: (A) 'Were he' → 'Had he'.Corrected sentence: 'Had he seen you, he would have been surprised.' Alternative fix Keep (A) but change the result to present: 'Were he to see you, he would be surprised.' Final Answer (A) is erroneous in this pairing → use 'Had he …' for a past-unreal condition.

Question 13

Error spotting (verb pattern: persist + in + -ing): Identify the erroneous segment (A/B/C) — choose D if there is no error — 'I could not convince them / because they persisted to suggest / that I was lying. / No error.'

Accepted Answer

Concept/Approach: Gerund after 'persist in' The idiomatic construction is 'persist in + -ing': 'persisted in suggesting'. The infinitive after 'persist' is nonstandard here. Correction (B) 'persisted to suggest' → 'persisted in suggesting'.Corrected sentence: 'I could not convince them because they persisted in suggesting that I was lying.' Common pitfalls Using 'to + verb' after verbs that require a preposition + gerund (insist on doing, persist in doing). Final Answer (B) is erroneous → 'persisted in suggesting'.

Question 14

Error spotting (collocation: listen to + object; pronoun agreement): Identify the erroneous segment (A/B/C) — choose D if correct — 'If you listen with / the question carefully / you will be able to answer them easily / No error.'

Accepted Answer

Concept/Approach: Correct preposition with 'listen' We 'listen to' something/someone. Therefore, 'listen with the question' is incorrect; it should be 'listen to the question carefully'. Correction (A) 'listen with' → 'listen to'.Polished sentence: 'If you listen to the question carefully, you will be able to answer it easily.' (Also adjust 'them' → 'it' to match singular 'question'.) Common pitfalls Mismatching prepositions after fixed verbs; pronoun–antecedent disagreement. Final Answer (A) is erroneous → use 'listen to the question …'

Question 15

Error spotting (word choice & idiom: pass the time): Identify the erroneous segment (A/B/C) — choose D if correct — 'It is difficult / for anyone / to past time thus. / No error.' Check verb–noun collocation and correct form of 'pass' vs 'past'.

Accepted Answer

Concept/Approach: Correct verb and idiom The idiom is 'to pass the time' (verb), not 'to past time' ('past' is an adjective/preposition/noun). Also, natural word order is 'to pass the time thus/this way'. Step-by-step correction (C) 'to past time thus' → 'to pass the time thus' or 'to pass the time this way'.Corrected sentence: 'It is difficult for anyone to pass the time thus.' Common pitfalls Confusing 'past' (time already gone by) with the verb 'pass'; omitting article 'the' in the idiom. Final Answer (C) is erroneous → 'to pass the time thus'.

Question 16

English grammar error-spotting (compound numeral adjectives: choose the single erroneous segment among A–D; select ‘‘No error’’ only if the sentence is fully correct): ‘‘The customer handed over / a hundred-rupees note / to the shopkeeper. / No erro…

Accepted Answer

Given data A: ‘‘The customer handed over’’ B: ‘‘a hundred-rupees note’’ C: ‘‘to the shopkeeper.’’ D: ‘‘No error.’’ Concept/Approach When a number + noun acts as a compound adjective before another noun, the unit stays in the singular form and is hyphenated: ‘‘a hundred-rupee note’’, ‘‘a five-kilometre run’’, ‘‘a ten-year plan’’. Step-by-step correction Replace ‘‘rupees’’ with the singular attributive form → ‘‘a hundred-rupee note’’.The rest of the sentence is correct and idiomatic. Verification/Alternative If we place the value after the noun, the plural is fine: ‘‘a note of hundred rupees’’ (no hyphen then). Common pitfalls Writing the unit in plural inside a compound modifier (‘‘hundred-rupees’’). Missing hyphens in stacked modifiers. Final Answer a hundred-rupees note

Question 17

English grammar error-spotting (case of personal pronouns + capitalization of days: identify the single erroneous segment): ‘‘Myself and Gopal / will take care of / the function on sunday. / No error.’

Accepted Answer

Given data & quick scan A uses ‘‘Myself’’ as a subject pronoun. C has ‘‘sunday’’ (lowercase) though proper nouns for days take capitals. Concept/Approach Reflexive forms (myself, yourself, himself, etc.) are not used as simple subjects. Correct is ‘‘Gopal and I’’. Also, write ‘‘Sunday’’ with a capital letter. Step-by-step correction A → ‘‘Gopal and I will take care of …’’C (stylistic fix) → ‘‘… the function on Sunday.’’ Common pitfalls Beginning a compound subject with ‘‘Myself’’ or ‘‘Me’’ in formal English. Forgetting to capitalize days and months. Final Answer Myself and Gopal

Question 18

English grammar error-spotting (cleft sentence with ‘‘It is … that …’’ relative clause): Read the four parts and choose the erroneous one only if present; otherwise mark ‘‘No error’’: ‘‘It is the newspaper / that exposes us to the widest range / of …

Accepted Answer

Grammar check The cleft construction ‘‘It is … that …’’ is correct; subject–verb agreement ‘‘newspaper … exposes’’ is correct; the prepositional phrase ‘‘of human experiences and behaviour’’ is idiomatic. No grammatical/idiomatic error to flag. Common pitfalls Changing ‘‘exposes’’ to ‘‘expose’’—that would break agreement. Forcing ‘‘which’’ for ‘‘that’’—both are acceptable in such object clauses. Final Answer No error.

Question 19

English grammar error-spotting (numerals, rate expression, and comparison clause; pick the single wrong segment or choose ‘‘No error’’): ‘‘A small baby breathes about / 45 times per minute while / a child of about six years breathes about 25 times p…

Accepted Answer

Grammar check All parts are correct: present simple for general truths, ‘‘times per minute’’ is the standard rate expression, and the ‘‘while’’ clause makes a natural comparison. No correction needed. Common pitfalls Replacing ‘‘per’’ with ‘‘in’’ in rate expressions (nonstandard here). Final Answer No error.

Question 20

English grammar error-spotting (‘‘too many’’ vs ‘‘so many’’: semantics of ‘‘too’’ meaning excess): Identify the single erroneous segment; select ‘‘No error’’ only if the sentence is fully correct: ‘‘I have read / too many books / by R. K. Narayan. /…

Accepted Answer

Concept/Approach ‘‘Too many’’ expresses an undesirable excess. Unless the speaker intends a negative evaluation (complaint), neutral/positive counting should use ‘‘so many’’ or simply ‘‘many’’. Exam keys usually flag ‘‘too many’’ in such neutral contexts. Correction ‘‘I have read so many books by R. K. Narayan.’’ (or ‘‘I have read many books …’’) Verification If the intended meaning was indeed negative (more than desirable), then ‘‘too many’’ would be fine; however, such intent is not indicated. Common pitfalls Using ‘‘too’’ when the context is not negative. Final Answer too many books

Spotting Errors Questions