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Error Detection Practice Quiz

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Error Detection Practice Quiz

shape Introduction

Error detection questions have always been an integral part of English section and whether it is prelims or mains it always finds its place in the examination. Error detection questions were also not safe in this total makeover of the English section as the style of the questioning and its format was totally changed.
There can be questions in which five different ways of writing a sentence are given and you have to choose the one which is most appropriate and logical or there can be questions in which five different sentences are given and you have to choose the one which is most appropriate or error-free.

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Directions (1-9): In each of the questions below, four sentences are given out of which only one is grammatically correct and has the most appropriate structure. If none follows choose (E) as your choice.
1Q. (A) Recognizing entertainment as an important factor in improving mental and physical health and thereby reducing human misery and poverty. (B) Entertainment being recognized as an important factor in improving mental and physical health and thereby reducing human misery and poverty. (C) Recognition of it being an important factor in improving mental and physical health entertainment reduces human misery and poverty. (D) Entertainment is recognized as an important factor in improving mental and physical health and thereby reducing human misery and poverty. (E) None of these.
Answer: Option (D)
Explanation: Option d is the correct choice as it is following the subject-verb agreement most appropriately and has the best sentence structure.
2Q. (A) To be sure, there would be scarcely any time left for other things if working people should be expected to have considered all sides of every matter on which they had an opinion. (B) There would be scarcely any time left over for other things if working people would have been expected to have considered all sides of every matter on which they had opinions. (C) To be sure, there would be no time left over for other things if school children will be expected to have been considering all sides of every matter on which they had opinions. (D) To be sure, there would be no time left over for other things if school children will be expected to have been considering all sides of every matter on which they had opinions. (E) None of these.
Answer: Option (A)
Explanation: “leftover” and “no time” (because of ‘scarcely’) are wrong expressions.
3Q.(A) Unless present policies are reversed immediately, the world may suffer irreversible damage from the unregulated use of Bioweapons. (B) Unless they reverse present policies immediately, the world may suffer irreversible damage from the unregulated use of Bioweapons. (C) Unless the present policy is reversed, the world may suffer irreversible damage through the unregulated use of Bioweapons. (D) Unless present policies are reversed, the world may suffer irreversible damage through the unregulated use of Bioweapons. (E) None of these.
Answer: Option (A)
Explanation: “damage from” is the correct usage.
4Q. (A) The main problem with the nation of price discrimination is that it is not always a bad thing, but that it is the monopolist who has the power to decide who is charged what price. (B) The main problem with the notion of price discrimination is not that it is always a bad thing; it is the monopolist who has the power to decide who is charged what price. (C) The main problem with the notion of price discrimination is not that it is always a bad thing, but that it is monopolist who has the power to decide who is charged what price. (D) The main problem with the notion of price discrimination is not it is always a bad thing but that it is the monopolist who has the power to decide who is charged what price. (E) None of these.
Answer: Option (C)
Explanation: The use of ‘not’ in the first part and ‘that’ after ‘but’ in the second part are deciding factors.
5Q. (A) A symbiotic relationship develops among the contractors, bureaucracy and the politicians and by a large number of device costs are artificially escalated and black money is generated by underhand deals. (B) A symbiotic relationship develops among contractors, bureaucracy, and politicians, and costs are artificially escalated with a large number of devices and black money is generated through underhand deals. (C) A symbiotic relationship develops among contractors, bureaucracy and the politicians and by a large number of devices costs are artificially escalated and black money is generated on underhand deals. (D) A symbiotic relationship develops among the contractors, bureaucracy, and politicians, and by a large number of devices costs are artificially escalated and black money is generated by underhand deals. (E) None of these.
Answer: Option (B)
Explanation: Use of ‘the’ (definite article, which should not be) after ‘contractors’ etc, and preposition with ‘generated’ are deciding factors.
6Q. (A) Beside the impassioned and objective search for truth, science also has the responsibility of keeping the truth inviolate and uncorrupted. (B) Besides the impassioned and objective search of truth, science has also the responsibility of keeping the truth inviolate and uncorrupted. (C) Besides the impassioned and objective search for truth, science also has the responsibility of keeping the truth inviolate and uncorrupted. (D) Beside the impassioned and objective search for truth, science has the responsibility of also keeping the truth inviolate and uncorrupted. (E) None of these.
Answer: Option (C)
Explanation: In statement, the word beside (meaning by the side of) does not make sense. The preposition ‘besides’ is most appropriate here. In statement B, the word ‘search’ should be followed by ‘for’ and not ‘of’. In statement D, apart from the prepositional error mentioned above, the positioning of the adverb ‘also’ is incorrect. Statement C is grammatically correct.
7Q. (A) Just as the conceptions of heredity among educated people have not caught on with the facts and theories of today’s genetics, so also most of us tend to cling to vague notion about straight-line evolution. (B) Just as the conceptions of heredity among educated people had not yet caught up the facts and theories of today’s genetics, so also most of us tend to cling to vague notions about straight-line evolution. (C) Just like the conceptions of heredity among educated people have not yet caught up with the facts and theories of today’s genetics, so also most of us tend to cling to vague notions about straight-line evolution. (D) Just as the conceptions of heredity among educated people have not yet caught up with the facts and theories of today’s genetics, so also most of us tend to cling to vague notions about straight- line evolution. (E) None of these.
Answer: Option (D)
Explanation: In statement A, the phrasal verb ‘caught on’, to understand something does not make sense. The correct expression is ‘caught’ up (with)’ meaning to reach somebody or something who is ahead of you, by going faster. Statement B has a tense error, the past perfect tense ‘..... had not’ is inapt here. The present perfect tense ‘...... have not’ is the correct tense to be used in this context. Further, ‘caught up’ (with) is the correct phrasal verb to be used in the sentence. In statement C, the expression ‘just like.....’ does not bring out the comparison intended in the sentences. Only statement D is grammatically correct.
8Q. (A) When we see two people with different social traditions respond in different ways to what appears to the outsider to be identical stimulus situations, we realize that experience is much less an objective absolute than we thought. (B) When we see two people with different social traditions respond in different ways to what appear to the outsider to be identical stimulus situations, we realize that experience is much less an objective absolute than we thought. (C) When we see two people with different social traditions respond in a different way to what appear to the outsider to be identical stimulus situations, we realize that experience is much less objective absolute than we thought. (D) When we see two people with different social traditions respond in different ways to what appears to the outsider to be identical stimulus situations, we will realize that experience is much less an objective absolute than we thought. (E) None of these
Answer: Option (B)
Explanation: In statements A and D the verb ‘appears’ does not correspond with the expression ‘identical stimulus situations’. In statement C, the expression in a different way is incorrect because the reference is to the response of two people with different social traditions, hence the correction is ‘in different ways’. Further, the expression ‘....... Objective absolute’, should be preceded by the article ‘an’. Statement D has a tense error. The use of the simple future tense is incorrect here. The simple present tense ‘we realize’ is more appropriate here. Only statement B is grammatically correct.
9Q. (A) Just as a too rapid pace of culture change brings about apathy or hostility or self-destruction so sudden technical innovations lead to vast social erosion within one society. (B) Just as a too rapid pace of culture change brings forward apathy or hostility or self-destruction, so sudden technical innovations lead to vast social erosion within one society. (C) Just as a too rapid pace of culture change brings around apathy or hostility or self-destruction, sudden technical innovations lead to vast social erosion within one society. (D) Just as a too rapid pace of culture change brings in apathy or hostility or self-destruction, sudden technical innovations lead to vast social erosion within one society. (E) None of these
Answer: Option (A)
Explanation: In statement B, the phrasal verb brings forward (to suggest something for discussion) does not make sense. In statement C, the phrasal verb ‘bring around’, meaning to agree to something does not make sense. Further, the verb ‘leads’ does not agree with the plural in’ (to introduce a new law etc.) is incorrect. The phrasal verb ‘bring about’, meaning to make something happen is the apt phrasal verb to be used here. Statement A is the grammatically correct option.
Directions (1-6): In each of the following questions, four different sentences are given and you have to choose the one which has some or any grammatical error in it. If all the sentences are grammatically correct choose option (E) as the correct choice.
1Q. (A) If black money can arouse so much ire, tackling the tangible problem of unaffordable healthcare will get more public support. (B) They exclaimed with delight that it was a very beautiful picture and said that they have never seen such a beautiful picture before. (C) The March quarter’s financial results should give a glimpse of the impact of price controls on coronary stents. (D) Only in recent years have some airlines started plugging punctuality as their unique selling proposition, turning it into a bone of contention. (E) All are correct.
Answer: Option (B)
Explanation: In reported speech, we use past perfect tense in place of the present perfect tense, therefore use ‘had’ in place of ‘have’.
2Q. (A) The group claims that it has identified large assets in diverse sectors including power, steel, infrastructure, and logistics for an operational turnaround that may entail, in specific cases, a change in management. (B) This time around, what is more, disconcerting is the expansion of the jurisdictional domain of the commission from competition to issues of data security, risk, and financial liability. (C) Failing to appreciate that networks and the use of data are not inherently negative, the current debate that data-rich companies often use their resources to tailor products or services and to improve the services perhaps once again needs reaffirmation. (D) If all their conversations in the three months he had been coming to the diner were put together, it was doubtful whether they would make a respectable paragraph. (E) An earlier attempt at highlighting the benefits to consumers of networks found few takers despite a well-reasoned minority order of the Commission
Answer: Option (D)
Explanation: Use ‘that’ in place of ‘whether’ as in the sentences which are either ‘interrogative’ or are assertive negative we use ‘that’.
3Q. (A) Amarinder said in case Sidhu’s work on TV was as per law, he may have to divest him of the culture portfolio lest it would involve a conflict of interest. (B) This is the man that Lilian Wangui would meet and together they created one of the biggest and most complicated real estate scam schemes by any standards. (C) A recording of a virtual conference meeting with the sales team of Simple Homes in December last year which we have obtained depicts him as a man with a desire to make money through whichever means. (D) Those who have dealt with him say he is a smooth talker who likes dropping names of public figures he ‘knows’ while reminding everyone of his famous family name in every sentence he utters. (E) Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said there is no provision in the Constitution to disqualify an MLA or Minister if he engages in private business but added that there is a moral and ethical responsibility as per which a public servant must disassociate from any commercial activity.
Answer: Option (A)
Explanation: Use ‘should’ in place of ‘would’ as after ‘lest’ we use ‘should’.
4Q. (A) The decision, though long in the works, comes within weeks of a landslide win for the BJP in the Uttar Pradesh polls—in which OBCs played a key role for the party. (B) The commission has powers to examine requests for inclusion of any community in the list of backward classes and hear complaints of over-inclusion or under-inclusion, following which it advises the Union government. (C) Ozil took a day’s leave to attend a dear departed friend’s funeral service which was to be conducted by his family priest. (D) This provision empowers the government to make reservations in appointments in favor of “any backward class of citizens. (E) All are correct.
Answer: Option (C)
Explanation: The use of ‘service’ is superfluous as funeral is already a service.
5Q. (A) However, he was known to police and has a range of previous convictions for assaults, including GBH (grievous bodily harm), possession of offensive weapons and public order offenses. (B) Indian companies kept their eyes on the ball and did fairly well in the December quarter, despite the upheaval caused by the November ban on old, high-value banknotes. (C) A government minister was widely praised for trying to resuscitate Palmer, walking away from the scene with blood on his hands and face (D) The Enterprise rental car company said the vehicle used in the attack had been rented from its Spring Hill branch in Birmingham, which is located in the West Midlands. (E) Somebody reported to the contractor that his partner had only died a week before.
Answer: Option (E)
Explanation: Use ‘only’ before ‘a week ago’.
6Q. (A) She was very much engaged in her work when the thieves entered her house and took away a lot of things. (B) Later, she lay in bed, tucked warmly under the covers as his boots clicked away from her on the hardwood floor - down the hall and into the den. (C) Slowly carrying the full cups into the living room, she handed one to Alex. (D) Imagine if someone had come to you on January 1, 1991, and said, “Before the end of the year, the Soviet Union will vote itself into nonexistence and peacefully break into fifteen republics”. (E) Even most futurists have fallen into this trap.
Answer: Option (A)
Explanation: Remove ‘into’ after ‘entered’ as ‘enter’ means ‘come into/go into’. So we can use either of the two in a sentence. For example, He went into the class. Or, He entered the class.
Directions (1-5): In each of the following sentences four options are given. You are needed to identify the best way of writing the sentence in the context of the correct use of standard written English.
1Q. Cubans had welcomed a White House decision to end “wet foot, dry foot” immigration practices that allow undocumented Cuban migrants to remain and become permanent residents of the US.
(A) Cubans welcome a White House decision to end “wet foot, dry foot” immigration practice which allowed undocumented Cuban migrants in remain and becomes permanent residents of the US. (B) Cubans have welcomed a White House decision to end “wet foot, dry foot” immigration practice that allowed undocumented Cuban migrants to remain and become permanent residents of the US. (C) Cubans have been welcomed a White House decision to end “wet foot, dry foot” immigration practices that allow undocumented Cuban migrants to remain and become permanent residents in the US. (D) Cuban has welcomed a White House decisions to end “wet foot, dry foot” immigration practice that allowed undocumented Cuban migrants to remain and become permanent residents of the US. (E) No error.
Answer: Option (B)
Explanation: The given sentence is grammatically incorrect. It can be corrected by replacing “had welcomed” with “have welcomed”, “practices” with “practice”, “allow” with “allowed” and “in remain” with “to remain”.
2Q. The United States will be set to issue a commemorative USD 100 gold coin that depicting Lady Liberty — a national symbol generally portrayed as a white woman — as an African American from the first time.
(A) The United States is set to issue a commemorative USD 100 gold coins that depicted Lady Liberty — a national symbol generally portrayed as a white woman — as an African American for the first time. (B) The United States has set to issue a commemorative USD 100 gold coin which depicts Lady Liberty — a national symbol generally portrayed as a white woman — as an African American from the first time. (C) The United States has yet to issue a commemorative USD 100 gold coins that depict Lady Liberty — a national symbol generally portraying as a white woman — as an African American for the first time. (D) The United States is set to issue a commemorative USD 100 gold coin that depicts Lady Liberty — a national symbol generally portrayed as a white woman — as an African American for the first time. (E) No error.
Answer: Option (D)
Explanation: Replace “will be set” with “is set”, “depicting” with “depicts”, “portray” with “portrayed” and “from the first” with “for the first” to make the sentence grammatically correct.
3Q. SpiceJet has achieved seven consecutive quarters of profit, highest on-time performance and lowest cancellation rates; a record load factor of over 90 percent every month for 20 months in a row - a feat that has no parallel in aviation history.
(A) SpiceJet had achieved seven consecutive quarters of profits, highest on-time performance, and lowest cancellation rates; a record load factor of around 90 percent every month for 20 months in a row - a feat that has no parallel in aviation history. (B) SpiceJet could have achieved seven consecutive quarters of profit, highest on-time performances and lowest cancellation rate; a record load factor of over 90 percent every month for 20 months in one row - a feat that had no parallel in aviation history. (C) SpiceJet achieved seven consecutive quarters of profit, high on- time performance and low cancellation rates; a record load factor of at least 90 percent every month for 20 months in a row - a feat that has no parallel in aviation history. (D) SpiceJet has achieved seven consecutive quarter of profit, highest on-time performance and lowest cancellation rates; the record load factor of over 90 percent every month at 20 months in a row - a feat that has no parallel in aviation history. (E) No error.
Answer: Option (E)
Explanation: The given sentence is grammatically correct.
4Q. Oil prices are ended lower on rising concern over the extent of the OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) members countries implemented the output cut deal.
(A) Oil prices have ended lower on rising concerns over the extent of the OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) member countries implementing the output cut deal. (B) Oil prices have ended low on rising concerns in the extent of the OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) member countries implemented the output cut deal. (C) Oil prices have been ended lowered on rising concerns over the extent of the OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) members countries implement the output cut deal. (D) Oil prices are ending lower rising concerns over the extent of the OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) members country implementing the output cut deal. (E) No error.
Answer: Option (A)
Explanation: Make the sentence grammatically correct by replacing “is ended” with “have ended”, “rising concerned” with “rising concerns”, “members countries” with “member countries” and “implemented” with “implementing”.
5Q. The new year promises to usher in a time when pragmatism, which takes a cold, hard look at the relations among nations at the expense of soft sentimentalism, will be the driving force in many world capitals.
(A) The new year promising to usher in a time when pragmatism, which takes a cold, hard look at the relations among nation at the expense of soft sentiments, will be the driving force in many world capitals. (B) The new year promised to usher with a time when pragmatism, which takes a cold, hard look on the relations among nations at the expense of soft sentiment, could be the driving force in many world capital. (C) A new year promises to usher in a time where pragmatism, which takes a cold, hard look at the relations among nations over the expense of soft sentimentalism, will be the driving forces in many world capital. (D) The new year had promised to usher in a time when pragmatism, which takes a cold, hard look at the relations among nations at the expense of soft sentiments, is the driving force in many world capitals. (E) No error.
Answer: Option (E)
Explanation: The given sentence is grammatically correct.
Direction: Find out the error in each of the following sentences, if there is no error, answer is (E). Avoid punctuation mistake (if any).
1Q. (A) To me it appears / (B) that Anthropology is / (C) the more interesting / (D) of all the subjects / (E) No error
Answer: Option (C)
Explanation: Use superlative degree 'most'.
2Q. (A) Both the rich along with / (B) the poor are / (C) affected equally when / (D) prices of petrol and diesel increase / (E) No error
Answer: Option (A)
Explanation: 'Both' is followed by 'and' and not 'along with'.
3Q. (A) We seldom or ever / (B) go out these / (C) days because it / (D) is too hot now-a-days / (E) No error
Answer: Option (A)
Explanation: 'Seldom or never' is correct phrase.
4Q. (A) A number of students / (B) has qualified / (C) for the clerical posts / (D) in the SBI exam / (E) No error
Answer: Option (B)
Explanation: 'A number of'... this expression takes plural verb. Use 'have qualified'.
5Q. (A) That day when they brought / (B) her back for the last time / (C) there was many old-timers / (D) who were shocked and fearful / (E) No error
Answer: Option (C)
Explanation: Use plural verb 'were' with 'many old timers'.
6Q. (A) The objective of facebook might / (B) be fair but there are / (C) certain unintended consequences / (D) of what are disguised as freebies / (E) No error
Answer: Option (E)
7Q. (A) When the thief broke / (B) into their house they / (C) raised a hue and cry and the / (D) thief caught immediately by the people / (E) No error
Answer: Option (D)
Explanation: Change 'thief caught' into 'thief was caught'. 'Thief caught' means 'thief is the doer of the action'.
8Q. (A) Many of the stresses to / (B) our own Constitution stem / (C) from gaps in governance and / (D) weak imposition of the rule of law / (E) No error
Answer: Option (E)
9Q. (A) He is one of those few post-colonial / (B) writer who believes that this talk about / (C) colonialism has gone too far / (D) and has turned into a cliché / (E) No error
Answer: Option (B)
Explanation: 'One of' will be followed by a plural noun. Hence 'writers' will replace 'writer'. Verb will follow the antecedent (writers) to the relative pronoun (who). Change 'believes' into 'believe'.
10Q. (A) Had the river / (B) overflown its / (C) bank, flood would / (D) have come / (E) No error
Answer: Option (B)
Explanation: V2 of 'overflow' is 'overflowed'
Direction: Find out the error in each of the following sentences, if there is no error, answer is (E). Avoid punctuation mistake (if any).
1Q. (A) My father does / (B) not mind to be / (C) disturbed while he / (D) is reading the newspaper / (E) No error
Answer: Option (B)
Explanation: 'Gerund' will come after 'mind'. Change 'be' into 'being'.
2Q. (A) A really good constitution / (B) holds up the mirror to government / (C) and enables the public as well as / (D) leadership to identify shortfalls / (E) No error
Answer: Option (E)
3Q. (A) If I would have realized / (B) what a bad driver you were / (C) I would not have / (D) come with you / (E) No error
Answer: Option (A)
Explanation: Change 'would have' to 'had'. Formula: If+ Past Perfect, Sub+ would+ have + V3
4Q. (A) He confidently asked the crowd / (B) if they thought that / (C) he was right / (D) and the crowd shouted that they do / (E) No error
Answer: Option (D)
Explanation: Change 'do' to 'did' as sentence starting in the past should stay in the past.
5Q. (A) The father told his son / (B) that he was a lazy boy / (C) and that he has done / (D) his work very badly / (E) No error
Answer: Option (C)
Explanation: Change 'has' to 'had' as sentence starting in past should stay in past.
6Q. (A) If you have a way with words / (B) a good sense design and administration / (C) ability you may enjoy working in / (D) high-pressure world of advertising / (E) No error
Answer: Option (B)
Explanation: 'Administration' is a noun. We need an adjective from here which is 'administrative'.
7Q. (A) The Congress Party stood for / (B) implementation of the / (C) Nuclear Liability Bill and was ready / (D) to stake their political existence / (E) No error
Answer: Option (C)
Explanation: Change 'their' into 'its'. 'Congress Party' is singular and will take the singular adjective 'its'.
8Q. (A) He is the most / (B) intelligent and also / (C) the very talented / (D) student of the college / (E) No error
Answer: Option (C)
Explanation: Change 'very' into 'most'. If two adjectives are joined by a conjunction, both the adjectives should be in the same degree. Hence, use 'most intelligent' with 'most talented'.
9Q. (A) The soul of a constitution lies / (B) in its vision of the kind of / (C) society that the country will seek / (D) to build through its institution / (E) No error
Answer: Option (E)
10Q. (A) No sooner the / (B) teacher enter the / (C) class than the / (D) students stood up / (E) No error
Answer: Option (A)
Explanation: 'No sooner' is followed by a 'helping verb' and then the 'sub'. 'No sooner did the teacher enter' will be the correct way of writing this sentence.
Direction: Find out the error in each of the following sentences, if there is no error, answer is (E). Avoid punctuation mistake (if any).
1Q. (A) He should refrain to / (B) associating himself with / (C) any party because people / (D) have faith in his integrity / (E) No error
Answer: Option (A)
Explanation: Refrain is followed by 'from' and not 'to'.
2Q. (A) I did not know / (B) hardly anyone in / (C) the college and so felt / (D) lonely all the time / (E) No error
Answer: Option (B)
Explanation: Remove 'Hardly'. Hardly cannot take 'not' with it.
3Q. (A) The right to speech / (B) is tempered with / (C) a responsibility to / (D) use it judiciously / (E) No error
Answer: Option (E)
4Q. (A) Knowledge of / (B) atleast two languages / (C) are required to pass / (D) the examination / (E) No error
Answer: Option (C)
Explanation: Here 'Languages' is not the main subject. Rather 'knowledge' is the main subject. Hence verb used must agree with 'knowledge'. Use 'is' in place of 'are'.
5Q. (A) If I were the / (B) Prime Minister of India / (C) I will work for the / (D) welfare of the poor / (E) No error.
Answer: Option (C)
Explanation: Change 'will' to 'would'. The sentence is in past.
6Q. (A) Even after sixty / (B) years of independence / (C) lakhs of people do not / (D) have beds to sleep / (E) No error
Answer: Option (C)
Explanation: Add 'in' after 'sleep'. If 'infinitive' is used after 'noun' then appropriate preposition should follow 'infinitive'.
7Q. (A) They left their / (B) luggages at home / (C) by mistake and went / (D) to railway station / (E) No error
Answer: Option (B)
Explanation: Change 'luggages' into 'luggage'
8Q. (A) It is saddening that / (B) the government is / (C) trying hard to label a group / (D) of students as anti-national / (E) No error
Answer: Option (E)
9Q. (A) The anti-Vietnam war / (B) protests were spontaneous / (C) unlike the politically orchestrated / (D) student activism in India / (E) No error
Answer: Option (E)
10Q. (A) The Ganga is a / (B) river whose origin / (C) has always been a / (D) matter of speculation / (E) No error
Answer: Option (B)
Explanation: Change 'whose origin' into 'the origin of which' because 'whose' is not used for 'non-living things.'