Pariksha SaathiSpotting Errors Questions with Solutions (English Grammar)
Spotting Errors questions split a sentence into parts and ask which part has a grammar mistake — most of them turn on a small set of recurring rules, not obscure grammar trivia. Here’s the approach, four fully worked examples, and a few to try yourself.
The approach, quickly
- Read the sentence part by part, not as a whole — the error is confined to one segment, and reading in chunks makes it easier to spot.
- Four error types cover most questions: subject-verb agreement, wrong preposition in a fixed phrase (like "married to", "good at"), tense inconsistency, and faulty comparison.
- Watch for disguised-singular subjects: "each of", "neither of", "one of", and "the number of" all take a SINGULAR verb — even though they are followed by a plural noun. ("A number of", meaning "several", is the one common exception — that one is plural.)
- Once you think you’ve found the error, mentally read the corrected sentence back — if it now sounds right end-to-end, you’ve likely found the right segment.
Worked examples
1. Spot the error: (A) Each of the students / (B) have submitted / (C) their assignment / (D) No error
Solution
- "Each of + plural noun" is always treated as a SINGULAR subject — the verb must agree with "each", not with "students".
- "have submitted" is plural; it should be "has submitted".
Answer: (B) — should be "has submitted"
2. Spot the error: (A) He is married / (B) with a doctor / (C) who works in Delhi / (D) No error
Solution
- The fixed idiom is "married TO" someone, not "married WITH" someone.
- Part (B) should read "to a doctor".
Answer: (B) — should be "to a doctor"
3. Spot the error: (A) The number of students / (B) in the class are / (C) increasing every year / (D) No error
Solution
- "The number of X" refers to a single count, and takes a singular verb — "is", not "are".
- This is different from "A number of students ARE..." (meaning "several students"), which correctly takes a plural verb.
- Here it should read "...in the class is increasing", so part (B) is wrong.
Answer: (B) — should be "is"
4. Spot the error: (A) If I was you / (B) I would not accept / (C) that offer / (D) No error
Solution
- This describes a hypothetical, "unreal" situation ("if I were you") rather than a real past fact — so the subjunctive mood is required.
- In the subjunctive mood, "were" is used for every subject, including "I" — "If I were you" is correct; "If I was you" is not.
Answer: (A) — should be "If I were you"
Try these yourself
Read part by part, then check against the answer.
1. Spot the error: (A) Neither of the two boys / (B) were able / (C) to solve the puzzle / (D) No error
Answer: (B) — should be "was able" ("neither" is singular)
2. Spot the error: (A) One of my friends / (B) are going / (C) to Mumbai tomorrow / (D) No error
Answer: (B) — should be "is going" ("one" is singular)
3. Spot the error: (A) He is good / (B) in English / (C) but weak in Maths / (D) No error
Answer: (B) — should be "at English" (the fixed idiom is "good at")
Where this comes up
Spotting Errors is a regular topic in the English Language section of every exam Pariksha Saathi covers — SSC CGL, SSC MTS, SSC CHSL, IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, SBI PO and SBI Clerk.
Practice more Spotting Errors questions
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