50 Spotting the errors Qs for all exams50 Spotting the errors Qs Explanation
These questions have been asked in various exams over the years and are good for all exams like SBI pre, Mains, SSC, Bank of Baroda, IBPS and other related exams.
1. He asked her that (1)/ whether she knew (2)/ what had happened last week when she was on leave. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Delete that. That is not used after asked such sentences.
2. Until you do not go to the station (1)/ to receive him (1)/ I can hardly feel at ease. (3)/ No error (4)/
Grammar Rule :: (1) Delete do not. Do not is not used with until.
3. I did not know where they were going (1)/ nor could I understand (2)/ why had they left so soon. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Replace why had they with why they had.
4. The distinguished visitor said that he had great pleasure to be with us for some time (1)/ and that the pleasure was all the greater (2)/ because his visit afforded him an opportunity to study the working of an institution of such eminence as ours. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Add that of before ours.
5. Please convey (1)/ my best wishes (2)/ back to your parents. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Remove back.
6. The call of the seas (1)/ have always (2)/ found an echo in me. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Use has in place of have.
7. Hardly, I had left home for Mumbai (1)/ when my son who is settled in Dubai arrived (2)/ without any prior information. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Replace hardly I had with hardly had I.
8. Now, it can be easily said (1)/ that the population of this city is greater (2)/ than any other city in India. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Add that of after than.
9. It is difficult to explain (1)/ why did Rajagopalachari resigned (2)/ from the Congress in 1940. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Write resign in place of resigned.
10. The boss reminded them of the old saying (1)/ that honesty was the best policy (2)/ and told them that they had better be honest in their work. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Write is in place of was.
11. Gullivers Travels are (1)/ the most fascinating adventure story (2)/ that I have ever read. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Use is in place of are.
12. The teenager reassured his father at the station (1)/ ―Don’t worry, dad (2)/ I will pull on very nicely at the hostel.‖ (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Use carry on in place of pull on.
13. The way has behaving (1)/ hell soon spill the beans (2)/ I’m afraid. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (4) Replace behaving with behaving in
14. Most of the developing countries find it (1)/ difficult to cope up with the problems (2)/ created by the sudden impact of technological progress. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Use sudden arrival in place of sudden impact.
15. People blamed him (1)/ for being (2)/ a coward person./ (3) No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Remove person after coward.
16. We swam up to the drowning man, caught hold of his clothes (1)/ before he could go down again (2)/ and pulled him out, safe to the shore. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Use got hold in place of caught hold.
17. Kamna was so tired (1)/ that she could not hardly (2)/ talk to the guests for a few minutes. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Remove not.
18. If I was knowing (1)/ why he was absent, (2)/ I would have informed you. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Use I knew in place of I was knowing.
19. He goes (1)/ to office (2)/ by foot. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Use on foot in place of by foot.
20. The hundred-rupees notes (1)/ that he gave them for the goods bought from them looked genuine (2)/ but later they reliably learnt that the notes were all counterfeit. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) It should be hundred rupee notes in place of hundred rupee notes.
21. Lack of winter rains (1)/ have delayed the sowing of (2)/ wheat crop in this area. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Use has instead of have as the subject lack is singular in number.
22. The teacher let the boy off (1)/ withy a warning though he (2)/ was convinced with his guilt. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Use of instead of with as the verb convinced always takes the preposition of after it.
23. Our first trip was the most interesting one, (1)/ but our second one, (2)/ was even more interesting. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Remove the. Article the is used before a superlative degree adjective only when comparison is made with all. If no comparison is made, the superlative degree adjective is used as positive degree adjective.
24. He has been going to the office (1)/ for a year now, (2)/ and he even can’t understand it’s working. (3)/ No error. (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Remove and and use but or yet. The clauses that show contrary results are joined by the adversative conjunctions not by the cumulative ones.
25. He boasts of having visited Europe many times (1)/ but he can neither speak English (2)/ nor he can speak French. (3)/ No error. (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Remove he can. It is superfluous.
26. Whenever possible, one should avail the opportunity (1)/ that come ones way (2)/ if one wants to
achieve success in life. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Replace come by comes because the subject opportunity is singular in number.
27. When my friends cam to visit us (1)/ at the railway station (2)/ they left some of their luggages. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Replace luggages by items of luggage.
28. As an officer (1)/ he not only was competent (2)/ but also honest. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Use was after he. The clause would be he was not only competent.
29. If you will come tomorrow (1)/ we can go to the market (2)/ and do our own shopping together. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Remove will. In the conditional sentences, where both the acts are to take place in future the clause with if is in present indefinite tense.
30. If we exercise regularly (1)/ we will be (2)/ more healthier. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Remove more. More is not used with an adjective in its comparative degree.
31. News travel (1)/ very fast today (2)/ due to advancement in technology. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Use travels as the noun, News is singular.
32. The Chairman made it clear at the meeting (1)/ that he will not step down (2)/ from his position as
chairman. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Replace will by would as the first clause is in the past tense.
33. We had (1)/ lot of difficulty (2)/ in finding the way here. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Use a before lot of.
34. Just as he was driving along the road, (1)/ a bus pulled up and the driver asked him (2)/ if he has seen
a briefcase on the road. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Replace has by had because the first clause is in the past indefinite tense. In such a case an event that took place earlier than that must be in the past perfect tense.
35. Experience has taught me (1)/ not to ignore any man, high or low, (2)/ not to ignore anything, great
or small. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Remove the words not to ignore and use nor.
36. I have spent (1)/ most of my money, (2)/ so I can travel only bus. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Use the before most. When the preposition of is used afer a superlative degree
adjective like most, best, greatest, the article the is used before it.
37. When he asked me as to why (1)/ I had not finished my work in time, (2)/ I felt confused. (3)/ No
error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Remove as to. The sentence is complex one with noun clause.
38. The Foreign Minister said (1)/ there was no use to criticize the policy of non-alignment (2)/ which
had stood the test of time. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Replace there was no use by it was of no use or it was useless.
39. The train should arrive at (1)/ 7:30 in the morning (2)/ but it was almost an hour late. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Replace should by could or was to.
40. I should do (1)/ the same (2)/ If I were in your place. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Use would in place of should.
41. He has been suffering (1)/ with fever (2)/ for the last six weeks. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Use from in place of with. Suffer from something is used.
42. The examination begins (1)/ from Monday (2)/ next week. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Use on in place of from. On is used to show a day or date.
43. My father says (1)/ that one should always be sincere (2)/ to his duties. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Use ones in place of his.
44. There has been (1)/ a number of railway accidents (2)/ during the last month. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Use have in place of has. A number of always takes a plural noun and a plural verb.
45. Inspite of all efforts to eradicate malaria (1)/ it still prevalent (2)/ in many parts of India. (3)/ No error(4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) say it is still prevalent
46. It is only three days ago (1)/ that (2)/ he has arrived. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Remove has.
47. He has lost (1)/ all what (2)/ I gave him. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) use that in place of what. That is usually used with all, only, etc.
48. I have (1)/ No news from him (2)/ for a long time. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Use of in place of from.
49. Mahatma Gandhi entire life (1)/ was one unrelenting experiment (2)/ on truth. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) use an in place of one.
50. As the thieves ran out of the bank (1)/ they got into the gateway car (2)/ which was waiting with its engine running. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Say which was left with its engine on.
1. He asked her that (1)/ whether she knew (2)/ what had happened last week when she was on leave. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Delete that. That is not used after asked such sentences.
2. Until you do not go to the station (1)/ to receive him (1)/ I can hardly feel at ease. (3)/ No error (4)/
Grammar Rule :: (1) Delete do not. Do not is not used with until.
3. I did not know where they were going (1)/ nor could I understand (2)/ why had they left so soon. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Replace why had they with why they had.
4. The distinguished visitor said that he had great pleasure to be with us for some time (1)/ and that the pleasure was all the greater (2)/ because his visit afforded him an opportunity to study the working of an institution of such eminence as ours. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Add that of before ours.
5. Please convey (1)/ my best wishes (2)/ back to your parents. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Remove back.
6. The call of the seas (1)/ have always (2)/ found an echo in me. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Use has in place of have.
7. Hardly, I had left home for Mumbai (1)/ when my son who is settled in Dubai arrived (2)/ without any prior information. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Replace hardly I had with hardly had I.
8. Now, it can be easily said (1)/ that the population of this city is greater (2)/ than any other city in India. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Add that of after than.
9. It is difficult to explain (1)/ why did Rajagopalachari resigned (2)/ from the Congress in 1940. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Write resign in place of resigned.
10. The boss reminded them of the old saying (1)/ that honesty was the best policy (2)/ and told them that they had better be honest in their work. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Write is in place of was.
11. Gullivers Travels are (1)/ the most fascinating adventure story (2)/ that I have ever read. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Use is in place of are.
12. The teenager reassured his father at the station (1)/ ―Don’t worry, dad (2)/ I will pull on very nicely at the hostel.‖ (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Use carry on in place of pull on.
13. The way has behaving (1)/ hell soon spill the beans (2)/ I’m afraid. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (4) Replace behaving with behaving in
14. Most of the developing countries find it (1)/ difficult to cope up with the problems (2)/ created by the sudden impact of technological progress. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Use sudden arrival in place of sudden impact.
15. People blamed him (1)/ for being (2)/ a coward person./ (3) No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Remove person after coward.
16. We swam up to the drowning man, caught hold of his clothes (1)/ before he could go down again (2)/ and pulled him out, safe to the shore. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Use got hold in place of caught hold.
17. Kamna was so tired (1)/ that she could not hardly (2)/ talk to the guests for a few minutes. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Remove not.
18. If I was knowing (1)/ why he was absent, (2)/ I would have informed you. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Use I knew in place of I was knowing.
19. He goes (1)/ to office (2)/ by foot. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Use on foot in place of by foot.
20. The hundred-rupees notes (1)/ that he gave them for the goods bought from them looked genuine (2)/ but later they reliably learnt that the notes were all counterfeit. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) It should be hundred rupee notes in place of hundred rupee notes.
21. Lack of winter rains (1)/ have delayed the sowing of (2)/ wheat crop in this area. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Use has instead of have as the subject lack is singular in number.
22. The teacher let the boy off (1)/ withy a warning though he (2)/ was convinced with his guilt. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Use of instead of with as the verb convinced always takes the preposition of after it.
23. Our first trip was the most interesting one, (1)/ but our second one, (2)/ was even more interesting. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Remove the. Article the is used before a superlative degree adjective only when comparison is made with all. If no comparison is made, the superlative degree adjective is used as positive degree adjective.
24. He has been going to the office (1)/ for a year now, (2)/ and he even can’t understand it’s working. (3)/ No error. (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Remove and and use but or yet. The clauses that show contrary results are joined by the adversative conjunctions not by the cumulative ones.
25. He boasts of having visited Europe many times (1)/ but he can neither speak English (2)/ nor he can speak French. (3)/ No error. (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Remove he can. It is superfluous.
26. Whenever possible, one should avail the opportunity (1)/ that come ones way (2)/ if one wants to
achieve success in life. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Replace come by comes because the subject opportunity is singular in number.
27. When my friends cam to visit us (1)/ at the railway station (2)/ they left some of their luggages. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Replace luggages by items of luggage.
28. As an officer (1)/ he not only was competent (2)/ but also honest. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Use was after he. The clause would be he was not only competent.
29. If you will come tomorrow (1)/ we can go to the market (2)/ and do our own shopping together. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Remove will. In the conditional sentences, where both the acts are to take place in future the clause with if is in present indefinite tense.
30. If we exercise regularly (1)/ we will be (2)/ more healthier. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Remove more. More is not used with an adjective in its comparative degree.
31. News travel (1)/ very fast today (2)/ due to advancement in technology. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Use travels as the noun, News is singular.
32. The Chairman made it clear at the meeting (1)/ that he will not step down (2)/ from his position as
chairman. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Replace will by would as the first clause is in the past tense.
33. We had (1)/ lot of difficulty (2)/ in finding the way here. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Use a before lot of.
34. Just as he was driving along the road, (1)/ a bus pulled up and the driver asked him (2)/ if he has seen
a briefcase on the road. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Replace has by had because the first clause is in the past indefinite tense. In such a case an event that took place earlier than that must be in the past perfect tense.
35. Experience has taught me (1)/ not to ignore any man, high or low, (2)/ not to ignore anything, great
or small. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Remove the words not to ignore and use nor.
36. I have spent (1)/ most of my money, (2)/ so I can travel only bus. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Use the before most. When the preposition of is used afer a superlative degree
adjective like most, best, greatest, the article the is used before it.
37. When he asked me as to why (1)/ I had not finished my work in time, (2)/ I felt confused. (3)/ No
error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Remove as to. The sentence is complex one with noun clause.
38. The Foreign Minister said (1)/ there was no use to criticize the policy of non-alignment (2)/ which
had stood the test of time. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Replace there was no use by it was of no use or it was useless.
39. The train should arrive at (1)/ 7:30 in the morning (2)/ but it was almost an hour late. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Replace should by could or was to.
40. I should do (1)/ the same (2)/ If I were in your place. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Use would in place of should.
41. He has been suffering (1)/ with fever (2)/ for the last six weeks. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Use from in place of with. Suffer from something is used.
42. The examination begins (1)/ from Monday (2)/ next week. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Use on in place of from. On is used to show a day or date.
43. My father says (1)/ that one should always be sincere (2)/ to his duties. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Use ones in place of his.
44. There has been (1)/ a number of railway accidents (2)/ during the last month. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (1) Use have in place of has. A number of always takes a plural noun and a plural verb.
45. Inspite of all efforts to eradicate malaria (1)/ it still prevalent (2)/ in many parts of India. (3)/ No error(4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) say it is still prevalent
46. It is only three days ago (1)/ that (2)/ he has arrived. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Remove has.
47. He has lost (1)/ all what (2)/ I gave him. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) use that in place of what. That is usually used with all, only, etc.
48. I have (1)/ No news from him (2)/ for a long time. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) Use of in place of from.
49. Mahatma Gandhi entire life (1)/ was one unrelenting experiment (2)/ on truth. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (2) use an in place of one.
50. As the thieves ran out of the bank (1)/ they got into the gateway car (2)/ which was waiting with its engine running. (3)/ No error (4)
Grammar Rule :: (3) Say which was left with its engine on.