Core ConceptRead this first — the foundation of the topic
Core Concept
Error spotting tests your knowledge of grammar rules. The sentence looks correct at first glance, but one part violates a grammar rule. Your job is to catch that violation
Subject-Verb Agreement
The subject and verb must match in number and person.
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Tense Consistency
All parts of the sentence should follow logical tense sequence.
3
Preposition Errors
Wrong prepositions are commonly tested.
4
Article Errors
Incorrect use of a, an, the.
5
Pronoun Errors
Wrong pronoun forms or unclear antecedents.
6
Parallelism
Items in a series must follow the same grammatical structure.
Exam PatternsWhat examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs
Check if verb agrees with THIS subject (ignore words in between)
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Common trap words: each, every, either, neither (always singular)
Shortcut Formula 2 - The 'Preposition Memory' Rule:
Different FROM (not different than)
Consist OF (not consist in)
Independent OF (not independent from)
Worked ExampleSolve this step-by-step before moving on
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Step 1
Find the subject = 'Each' (singular)
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Step 2
Find the verb = 'have submitted' (plural)
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Step 3
Check agreement = 'Each' is always singular, so verb should be 'has submitted'
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Step 4
The error is in part (B)
Answer: (B)
Worked Example 2:
Sentence: 'The committee discussed (A)/ about the new policy (B)/ in great detail (C)/ yesterday (D)/ No error (E)'
Step-by-step Solution:
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Step 1
Check each part for grammar violations
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Step 2
Part A: 'discussed' - correct tense
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Step 3
Part B: 'discussed about' - Wrong! 'Discuss' never takes 'about'
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Step 4
Should be 'discussed the new policy'
Answer: (B)
Shortcut Formula 3 - The 'Either-Neither' Rule:
Either/Neither + singular verb
Either...or/Neither...nor + verb agrees with the subject closer to the verb
The #1 Most Common Trap:
Students focus on the wrong subject! In complex sentences, there are multiple nouns. Always identify the MAIN subject that the verb should agree with. Ignore prepositional phrases and relative clauses when checking subject-verb agreement.
For example: 'The box of chocolates ARE delicious' - Students see 'chocolates' and think plural verb is correct. But the main subject is 'box' (singular), so it should be 'IS delicious'.
Time Management Tip:
Spend maximum 20 seconds per question. If you can't spot the error quickly, mark 'No error' and move on. Don't waste time overthinking.
Common Error Categories to Memorize:
- Countable vs Uncountable nouns (much/many confusion)
- Comparative degree errors (more better is wrong)
- Redundancy (ATM machine, PIN number)
- Idiom violations (take interest IN, not take interest ON)
Key Points to Remember
Subject-verb agreement errors appear in 30% of error spotting questions
The committee (A) have decided / (B) has decided / (C) are deciding / (D) have been deciding that the new policy will be implemented next month. No error (E)
Practice 2easy
The data (A) suggests / (B) suggest / (C) are suggesting / (D) have suggested that the new marketing strategy is effective. No error (E)
Practice 3easy
She is one of the few employees who (A) has completed / (B) have completed / (C) completes / (D) is completing the advanced training programme. No error (E)
Practice 4medium
The report, along with the supporting documents, (A) have been / (B) has been / (C) are being / (D) have being submitted to the regulatory authority yesterday. No error (E)
Practice 5medium
Neither the manager nor the employees (A) was / (B) were / (C) have been / (D) has been willing to compromise on the salary issue. No error (E)
Practice 6medium
The committee have decided to postpone the meeting because several members was unable to attend due to their prior commitments.
Practice 7hard
If the government would have implemented the policy more carefully, the adverse effects that has occurred could have been prevented, and the citizens would not have suffered such losses.
Practice 8hard
The report, along with the supporting documents that was submitted last week, have been thoroughly reviewed by the audit team, which are confident in their findings.
Practice 9hard
The committee have decided that neither of the two candidates are suitable for the position, and they has requested that the recruitment process be restarted immediately.
Practice 10hard
The manager insisted that each of the employees submit their reports on time, and he also emphasized that no one should be absent from the meeting which are scheduled for next Friday.
Practice 11hard
The data suggests that the majority of the workforce are dissatisfied with the new policy, but the management believes that the changes is necessary for the company's growth and that employees will eventually adapt themselves to it.