Error Correction (or Spotting the Error)

 



Error Correction (or Spotting the Error)



The "KPSC Hit-List": Common Error Categories


To score well, you need to train your eyes to look for these specific "usual suspects":

1. The Preposition Trap

Using the wrong preposition after specific verbs.

Error: He is superior than me.

Correction: He is superior to me. (Words ending in -ior like senior, junior, prior take "to").


2. The Conditional Clause Error

Using "will" in both parts of an "If" sentence.

Error: If it will rain, I will stay at home.

Correction: If it rains, I will stay at home.


3. The Uncountable Noun Error

Adding 's' to nouns that cannot be pluralized.

Error: I have many furnitures at home.

Correction: I have much furniture (or items of furniture) at home.


4. The Double Negative

Error: I did not see nobody.

Correction: I did not see anybody.


20 Practice Questions: Error Detection

Instructions: Identify the part of the sentence that contains an error.

(A) He is one of the / (B) tallest boy / (C) in the / (D) whole class.

Answer: B. After "one of the," the noun must always be plural. (Should be: tallest boys).

(A) I have been / (B) living in / (C) Bengaluru since / (D) five years.

Answer: D. "Since" is for a point in time; "for" is for duration. (Should be: for five years).

(A) Unless you do not / (B) work hard, / (C) you cannot / (D) pass the exam.

Answer: A. "Unless" itself is negative; you cannot use "do not" with it. (Should be: Unless you work hard).

(A) The news / (B) regarding the / (C) accident are / (D) very shocking.

Answer: C. "News" is always singular. (Should be: is very shocking).

(A) My brother-in-laws / (B) who live / (C) in Mumbai / (D) are coming today.

Answer: A. To make compound nouns plural, add 's' to the principal word. (Should be: brothers-in-law).

(A) Suppose if / (B) it rains, / (C) what shall / (D) we do?

Answer: A. "Suppose" and "If" mean the same thing; using both is redundant. (Should be: Suppose it rains or If it rains).

(A) The scissors / (B) which I / (C) bought yesterday / (D) is very blunt.

Answer: D. Scissors, spectacles, and trousers are treated as plural. (Should be: are very blunt).

(A) She is / (B) senior than / (C) me in / (D) the office.

Answer: B. (Should be: senior to me).

(A) Neither the teacher / (B) nor the students / (C) was present / (D) in the hall.

Answer: C. The verb must agree with the nearest subject ("students"). (Should be: were present).

(A) Although he is poor / (B) but / (C) he is / (D) very honest.

Answer: B. "Although" is followed by "yet" or a comma, never "but." (Should be: Although he is poor, he is...).

(A) The cat / (B) jumped / (C) in the / (D) well.

Answer: C. For movement into something, use "into." (Should be: into the well).

(A) Each of the / (B) players have / (C) performed / (D) very well.

Answer: B. "Each" always takes a singular verb. (Should be: has performed).

(A) I prefer / (B) coffee / (C) more than / (D) tea.

Answer: C. "Prefer" is followed by "to." (Should be: prefer coffee to tea).

(A) He told to me / (B) that he / (C) was / (D) very busy.

Answer: A. "Told" does not take "to" after it. (Should be: He told me).

(A) If I was you / (B) I would / (C) not accept / (D) the offer.

Answer: A. For imaginary situations, use "were" regardless of the subject. (Should be: If I were you).

(A) He has / (B) ordered for / (C) two cups / (D) of coffee.

Answer: B. "Order" (as a verb) is transitive and doesn't need "for." (Should be: He has ordered two cups).

(A) She had / (B) barely nothing / (C) to eat / (D) during the journey.

Answer: B. "Barely" is already negative. (Should be: barely anything).

(A) Both Ravi / (B) as well as / (C) his friend / (D) have failed.

Answer: B. "Both" is always paired with "and." (Should be: Both Ravi and his friend).

(A) Many a man / (B) have been / (C) ruined by / (D) gambling.

Answer: B. "Many a" is followed by a singular noun and singular verb. (Should be: has been).

(A) He is / (B) the most cleverest / (C) boy in / (D) the class.

Answer: B. Avoid double superlatives. (Should be: the cleverest).

How to Approach this Section in the Exam

Read the sentence as a whole to get the meaning.

Check the Subject-Verb connection first. (Does the plural match the plural?)

Inspect the Tense. (If the first part is in the past, is the rest of the sentence also in the past?)

Look at the Prepositions. (Ar

e words like "senior" or "prefer" followed by the right words?)

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