Practice Questions For Error Identification
Directions (Q1 – Q15): Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence. The alphabet number of that part is the answer. If there is no error, then the answer is no error.
1. (A) There were / (B) no less than fifty persons / (C) present in the room / (D) No error
- A
- B
- C
- D
Answer: B
Replace "less than" by "fewer than"
2. (A) Few remarks / (B) that he made were / (C) offensive to my friend / (D) No error
- A
- B
- C
- D
Answer: A
Add "a" before "few"
Using "a few" instead of "few" in a sentence changes a sentence's meaning. Whereas "a few" implies a small number of some that is greater than two, "few" implies only a small number. Other words, like "very" or "quite," may also come before "a few" or "few" and further change sentence meaning. Examples can be found below.
3. Before the alarm had stopped (A)/ ringing (B)/ Nisha had telephoned (C)/ the police (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: A
Delete 'had'. In past perfect tense, simple past is used for the work completed later.
4. Pakistan's problems(A)/ are also as(B)/ serious as(C)/ India(D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: D
It should be, 'India's', to make the comparison logical.
5. The teacher of English(A)/ gave him a home work (B)/ to complete that (C)/ by night positively(D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: B
delete 'a' before home work. Home work is an uncountable noun.
6. The board of directors (A)/ want the facilities (B)/ of car and accommodation (C)/ for itself (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: D
Replace 'itself' by 'themselves'. Here, Board of Director is not used as a collective noun, that is why plural verb 'want' (not 'wants') is used.
7. Every teacher (A)/ for this school is determined to do their best (B)/ for the benefit of all (C)/ No error (D).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: C
Replace 'their' by 'his'. Singular pronoun is used when two singular nouns are preceded by each/every.
8. The officer(A)/ as well as the (B)/ clerks absented themselves(C)/ from the office (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: C
Replace 'themselves' by 'him'. When two nouns are joined together with as well as/ besides/ in addition to, the pronoun is governed by the noun that comes first.
9. Any of the (A)/ two photos that reflect (B)/ the natural beauty of Kashmir (C) is worth seeing (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: A
Replace 'any' by 'either'. 'Either' is used for two.
10. Can we rely (A)/on this agency (B)/for the last news (C)/of the day (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: C
Replace 'last' by 'latest'.
11. He ordered(A)/ as if he (B)/ was my (C)/ master (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: C
Replace 'was' by 'were'.
Whenever an imaginative situation is taken, even singular subjects always take plural verbs.
For eg: If I were the Principal, I would have given an exception.
12. If it was so (A)/ poetry(B)/ would cease (C)/ to matter (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: A
Replace 'was' by 'were'.
13. The merit (A)/ of these books (B)/ are known(C)/ to everyone (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: C
Replace 'are' by 'is '. Subject, 'merit' is singular.
14. The teacher told us (A)/ that we should remain (B)/ in the hostel (C)/ if it rains (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: D
Write, 'if it rained'. When reporting verb is in past, the reported speech will also be in past.
15. By this time tomorrow (A)/ she has had/(B) reached (C)/ there positively (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: B
Write, 'will have reached'. Whenever the phrase “By this time” or “By sometime in future” is used, then the that is a sentence in future perfect.
16. A recent survey (A)/ indicates (B)/ that the number of drug addicts (C)/ grew day by day (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: D
Write, 'is growing'. The sentence is in present progressive.
17. Before the alarm (A)/ had stopped ringing, (B)/ Reena had /(C) pulled up the shade (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: B
Write, 'stopped', (delete had).
Remember, the past perfect tense (marked by the use of helping verb "had") is used only when a sentence contains two actions in the past; the helping verb "had" is used with the action in the "greater past". The other past sentence must be in simple past tense.
18. I want you (A)/ to pick up the box (B)/ of glasses gently (C)/ and kept it on the table carefully (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: D
Write, 'keep'. The sentence is in present tense.
19. The ruling party chief made it a point to state that (A)/ the Prime Minister and the union home minister (B)/ should also come (C)/ and see what his party men had seen (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: D
20. Mr. Sharma, our representative, (A)/ will (B)/ attend the meeting (C)/ on our behalf (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- BB
- C
- D
- E
Answer: E
No error.
21. One must use (A)/ his best efforts (B)/ if one (C)/ wishes to succeed (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: B
Write 'one's' instead of 'his'. 'One's' is the progressive pronoun of 'one'.
22. The enmity between the (A)/ two groups had reached a level (B)/ where reconciliation has (C)/ become impossible (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: C
In ‘part C” Use 'had' instead of 'has'. The whole sentence is in the past tense.
23. Even though he found the subject (A)/ rather interesting, Raghu could not (B)/ manage good marks (C)/ in the examination (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: B
Use 'fairly' instead of 'rather'. Rather ' is used in negative or bad sense, while 'fairly' is used in positive sense.
24. It is suggested that (A)/ a ring road (B)/ should be built (C)/ to relieve the congestion (D)/ No error (E).
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Answer: E
No error
25. RRR is one(A)/ of the (B)/ greatest movie(c)/ from Indian film industry(D).
- A
- B
- C
- D
Answer: C
Replace ‘movie’ with ‘movies’. The subject is Plural because of the phrase ‘one of’.The meaning gives one of many.
