Directions (1 - 5): In the following question, some part of the sentence may have errors. Find out which part of the sentence has an error and select the appropriate option. If a sentence is free from error, select 'No Error'.
1. Once appointed by the President, (A)/the council of ministers (B)/as responsible (C)/to the house. (D)/No error (E)

A. Once appointed by the President B. the council of ministers C. as responsible D. to the house E. No error

Answer: Option C
Explanation: Change ‘are’ to ‘is’ because the subject ‘council of ministers’ is considered as one unit.
2. The time has come for policy makers (A) / in India to understand the damage (B) / which is caused as a result of (C) / a vast gap in perception and reality. (D)/No error (E)

A. The time has come for policy makers B. in India to understand the damage C. which is caused as a result of D. a vast gap in perception and reality E. No error

Answer: Option A
Explanation: 'They had been'
3. Any coalition (A)/which contains Miss Jayalalitha as a major ally (B)/and Ms. Mamta as a minor partner (C)/do not need outside support. (D)/No error (E)

A. Any coalition B. which contains Miss Jayalalitha as a major ally C. and Ms. Mamta as a minor partner D. do not need outside support E. No error

Answer Option D
Explanation: Change ‘do not’ to ‘does not’ to correct the error in subject-verb agreement. Because the subject is ‘Any coalition’ (singular).
4. The perception of security (A)/held by the power elites (B)/tend to ignore the basic reality that (C)/contradictions of civil society have grown since nuclear explosion. (D)/No error (E)

A. The perception of security B. held by the power elites C. tend to ignore the basic reality that D. contradictions of civil society have grown since nuclear explosion E. No error

Answer Option C
Explanation: Change ‘tend’ to ‘tends’ to correct the error of subject verb agreement. Because the subject ‘the perception of security’ is expressing one or singular idea.
5. Since two days, (A)/I have not taken (B)/the breakfast (C)/but dinner. (D)/No error (E)

A. Since two days B. I have not taken C. the breakfast D. but dinner E. No error

Answer Option C
Explanation: Delete ‘the’ before breakfast. Because before ‘meal’ article is not used except for a particular purpose.

Directions (1 - 5): The given sentence has been broken up into four different parts. The error, if any, will be in any one part of the sentence. Select the option which contains the part of the sentence which has an error (spelling, grammatical or contextual). If there is no error, choose option E.
1. Most schools in Paris (A) / will stay open (B) / until the summer holidays (C) / start after Friday afternoon. (D) / No error (E)

A. Most schools in Paris B. will stay open C. until the summer holidays D. start after Friday afternoon. E. No error

Answer: Option D
Explanation: The fragment D of the sentence is erroneous. The preposition of time ‘on’ should be used before days and dates. So ‘Friday’ must be preceded by the preposition ‘on’ instead of ‘after’. The correct sentence would therefore be: Most schools in Paris will stay open until the summer holidays start on Friday afternoon.
2. Though economic development does bear (A) / with the health condition of the nation in (B) / the wider canvas, it is the will and determination (C) / to act that is of paramount importance.(D) / No error (E)

A. Though economic development does bear B. with the health condition of the nation in C. the wider canvas, it is the will and determination D. to act that is of paramount importance. E. No error

Answer: Option B
Explanation: The fragment B of the sentence is erroneous. The expression 'bear with' which means ‘be patient or tolerant with’ does not make any sense here. The correct phrasal verb to be used here is 'bear on' which means ‘be relevant to.’ The correct sentence would be: Though economic development does bear on the health condition of the nation in the wider canvas, it is the will and determination to act that is of paramount importance.
3. Expecting prospective tenants to live (A) / under a quasi-feudal regime (B) / reflects the power wielded by (C) / landlords in our centric-property society (D) / No error (E)

A. Expecting prospective tenants to live (A) B. under a quasi-feudal regime C. reflects the power wielded by D. landlords in our centric-property society. E. No error

Answer Option D
Explanation: The error is in fragment D. The expression ‘centric-property’ is incorrect. The correct expression is 'property-centric'. The correct sentence would therefore be: Expecting prospective tenants to live under a quasi-feudal regime reflects the power wielded by landlords in our property-centric society.
4. What is clear is that State governments now have (A) / greater resources in their command under the new scheme (B) / of financial devolution, and, in partnership with the Centre,(C) / they must use the funds to transform primary health care. (D) / No error (E)

A. What is clear is that State governments now have B. greater resources in their command under the new scheme C. of financial devolution, and, in partnership with the Centre, D. they must use the funds to transform primary health care. E. No error

Answer Option B
Explanation: The correct idiomatic expression is 'at their command ' and not 'in their command'. The error hence is in fragment B. At someone’s command (Idiom): Available for someone's use or needs E.g. They used every resource at their command. The correct sentence would therefore be: What is clear is that State governments now have greater resources at their command under the new scheme of financial devolution, and, in partnership with the Centre, they must use the funds to transform primary health care
5. The El Nino phenomenon had started developing (A) / which delayed the offset of the (B) / southwest monsoon by a week and (C) / severely retarded its northward movement. (D) / No error (E)

A. The El Nino phenomenon had started developing B. which delayed the offset of the C. southwest monsoon by a week and D. severely retarded its northward movement. E. No error

Answer Option B
Explanation: The error is in fragment B. The word ‘offset’ which means ‘counterbalance’ is incorrect in this context. The correct word in this context is ‘onset’ which means ‘the beginning’. The correct sentence would therefore be: The El Nino phenomenon had started developing which delayed the onset of the southwest monsoon by a week and severely retarded its northward movement.

Directions (1 - 5): The given sentence has been broken up into four different parts. The error, if any, will be in any one part of the sentence. Select the option which contains the part of the sentence which has an error (spelling, grammatical or contextual). If there is no error, choose option E.
1. That residents are now given minimum piped water and meagre tanker (A) / supplies totalled a third of the installed capacity of 1,494 million litres a day, (B) / that too mainly from desalination plants, faraway lakes and (C) / farm wells, is proof of the neglect of water governance. (D) / No error (E)

A. That residents are now given minimum piped water and meagre tanker B. supplies totaled a third of the installed capacity of 1,494 million liters a day, C. that too mainly from desalination plants, faraway lakes and D. farm wells, is proof of the neglect of water governance. E. No error

Answer: Option B
Explanation: The error is in fragment B. The word form ‘totalled’ makes this sentence incorrect. The correct form of the word which is to be used here is ‘totaling’ instead of ‘totaled’. The correct sentence would therefore be: That residents are now given minimum piped water and meager tanker supplies totaling a third of the installed capacity of 1,494 million liters a day, that too mainly from desalination plants, faraway lakes and farm wells, is proof of the neglect of water governance.
2. RBI has raised (A) / misgivings (B) / about Mudra loans (C) / turning non-performing. (D) / No error (E)

A. RBI has raised B. misgivings C. about Mudra loans D. turning non-performing. E. No error

Answer: Option E
Explanation: The sentence is absolutely correct and thus has no error in it.
3. Many of my cousins beat (A) / around the bushes (B) / quite a bit, especially when they have (C) / to give you bad news. (D) / No error (E)

A. Many of my cousins beat B. around the bushes C. quite a bit, especially when they have . D. to give you bad news. E. No error

Answer Option B
Explanation: The correct idiomatic expression is 'beat around the bush' and not 'beat around the bushes'. The error hence is in fragment B. Beat around the bush (Idiom): To talk about lots of unimportant things because you want to avoid talking about what is really important E. g. Quit beating around the bush and say what's on your mind! The correct sentence would therefore be: Many of my cousins beat around the bush quite a bit, especially when they have to give you bad news.
4. The Bombay High Court on Thursday upheld (A) / the constitutional validity of (B) / reservation of the Maratha community (C) / in government jobs and education. (D) / No error (E)

A. The Bombay High Court on Thursday upheld B. the constitutional validity of C. reservation of the Maratha community D. in government jobs and education. E. No error

Answer Option C
Explanation: Fragment C of the sentence is erroneous. The word ‘reservation’ should be followed by the preposition ‘for’ in order to make the sentence meaningfully correct. Hence, the preposition ‘for’ must be used instead of ‘of’ in this sentence. The correct sentence would therefore be: The Bombay High Court on Thursday upheld the constitutional validity of reservation for the Maratha community in government jobs and education.
5. What the index makes clear is that (A) / governments, both central and state, (B) / needs to spend a lot more on health, (C) / and on sanitation, drinking water supply and air quality. (D) / No error (E)

A. What the index makes clear is that B. governments, both central and state, C. needs to spend a lot more on health, D. and on sanitation, drinking water supply and air quality. E. No error

Answer Option C
Explanation: The error is in fragment C. The subject ‘governments’ is plural and should be qualified by the plural form of the verb ‘need’. Hence, ‘need’ should be used instead of ‘needs’ in order to make the sentence correct. The correct sentence would therefore be: What the index makes clear is that governments, both central and state, need to spend a lot more on health, and on sanitation, drinking water supply and air quality.