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General English "Spotting Errors" - Definitions, Concepts, Shortcuts, Examples Questions & Answers, PDF For All Competitive Exams

Dec 29, 2021, By Careericons

In this English language, We are prone to commit many mistakes. It is because of our ignorance of the fundamental rules of grammar and current usage. On occasions even the knowledgeable, in their weaker moments. It is in fact slippery spot that demands of us a cautious approach.

The following are some of the mistakes commonly made in the use of the English language. You will do well to study them together with clear explanations of how to correct these errors.

What is "Spotting Errors"?

Spotting Errors in which you are given a sentence containing errors. The errors will be mostly grammatically incorrect

Note: Grammatically incorrect in the sense any error can be Noun, Pronoun, Singular, Plural, Adjective, Use of Articles, Parts of Speech, Genders, Infinitives, Participles, Tenses, or anything.

Spotting Error/ Common Error questions are asked in many different ways & answers are also respectively done in different ways. The question will be as,

1. Spot the error or,
2. Correcting errors with adequate replacement or,
3. Identifying the correct answer from the given options.

Some Spotting Errors Example questions with solve examples for all Competitive Exams:

Example 1:

(a) How do you do? Fine, thanks. (Incorrect)

How do you do? How do you do? (Correct)

Explanation:

Don’t be confused How do you do? How are you? It is a formula used when people are formally introduced.

The reply is exactly the same: How do you do?

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Example 2:

(a) I saw her to go. (Incorrect)

I saw her go. (Correct)

(b) I observed him to limp. (Incorrect)

I observed him limp. (Correct)

Explanation:

We usually leave out to, the sign of infinitive, after sensory verbs like feel, hear, see, observe, perceive, mark, behold, survey, view, watch.

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Example 2:

(a) Bring a cold glass of water. (Incorrect)

Bring a glass of cold water. (Correct)

(b) He has purchased a fresh basket of apples. (Incorrect)

He has purchased a basket of fresh apples. (Correct)

(c) I’d love to have a hot cup of tea. (Incorrect)

I’d love to have a cup of hot tea. (Correct)

Explanation:

In the present context the expression, ‘cold glass’, ‘fresh basket’ and ‘hot cup’ are meaningless.

The adjectives cold, fresh and hot qualify the noun ‘water’, ‘apples’ and ‘tea’ respectively.

Hence the correct expressions will be cold water, fresh apples and hot tea.

Example 3:

(a) He is an university professor. (Incorrect)

He is a university professor. (Correct)

(b) It is an unit of measurement. (Incorrect)

It is a unit of measurement. (Correct)

(c) It is an universal truth. (Incorrect)

It is a universal truth. (Correct)

Explanation:

We use ‘a’ before a consonant sound, even if it is written with a vowel.

When a word begins with ‘U’ and is pronounced as ‘yu’, or when a word begins with ‘EU’ and is pronounced as ‘yu’, or when a word begins with ‘o’ and is pronounced as ‘wa’, it is preceded by the article ‘a’ and not ‘an’.

Such words are: unique, united, usual, European, useful, unit, universal, university, useless, one-eyed man, one-rupee not, unilateral, etc.

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Example 4:

(a) He plays violin. (Incorrect)

He plays the violin. (Correct)

(b) Can you play tabla? (Incorrect)

Can you play the tabla? (Correct)

Explanation:

The definite article ‘the’ is used before musical instruments.

When ‘play’ means ‘produce music’, its object is always preceded by an article.

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Example 5:

(a) It is the best of the two books. (Incorrect)

It is the better of the two books. (Correct)

(b) He is the better of the three boys. (Incorrect)

He is the best of the three boys. (Correct)

(c) Which is the best; bread or butter? (Incorrect)

Which is better; bread or butter? (Correct)

(d) Which is better–bread, butter or fruit? (Incorrect)

Which is the best–bread, butter or fruit? (Correct)

(e) Out of these two watches this is the best. (Incorrect)

Out of these two watches this is better. (Correct)

Explanation:

We should use a comparative degree in comparing two things or persons and a superlative degree in comparing more than two things or persons.

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Example 6:

(a) She will wash up before she will go to bed. (Incorrect)

She will wash up before she goes to bed. (Correct)

(b) You won’t know how good pudding is till you will have tasted it. (Incorrect)

You won’t know how good pudding is till you have tasted it. (Correct)

Explanation:

The future simple is not used in time clauses. The simple present tense is used instead.

Nor is a future perfect tense used in time clauses. The present perfect is used instead.

For further more MCQs based on Common Errors / Error Spotting click the below-given link,

What are the Different names & Objectives of Spotting Error types of questions?

In a year various competitive exams are conducted in a cyclic process, General English section has a vital role in the syllabus of BANK, SSC, IBPS, Railway, Defence Examinations.

Here Spotting error based MCQs are mostly asked in different names of topics as,

1. Errors Detection,
2. Error Spotting, &
3. Common Errors.

Spotting errors based on multiple-choice questions are asked in the Verbal Ability English language section of General English for all competitive SSC, BANK, IBPS, IBPS RRB, & RAILWAY exam syllabus. We are asked to spot sentences and errors which are grammatically incorrect.