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SSC MTS Error Spotting

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This page covers SSC MTS Error Spotting with complete concept notes, 5 graded practice MCQs, key points and exam-specific tips. Free to study.

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Concept Notes

Error Spotting— Rules & Concept

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. 2

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
Most errors fall into these categories

Subject-verb disagreement (30%), Wrong prepositions (25%), Article mistakes (20%), Tense errors (15%), Others (10%)

Shortcut Formula 1 - The 'Subject Finder' Trick
1

Identify the main subject

2

Check if verb agrees with THIS subject (ignore words in between)

3

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
1
Step 1

Find the subject = 'Each' (singular)

2
Step 2

Find the verb = 'have submitted' (plural)

3
Step 3

Check agreement = 'Each' is always singular, so verb should be 'has submitted'

4
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:

1
Step 1

Check each part for grammar violations

2
Step 2

Part A: 'discussed' - correct tense

3
Step 3

Part B: 'discussed about' - Wrong! 'Discuss' never takes 'about'

4
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
  • Formula: Either/Neither always takes singular verb, ignore prepositional phrases
  • Shortcut: Words like each, every, either, neither are always singular subjects
  • Different FROM (never different than) - memorize this preposition rule
  • Discuss never takes 'about' - it's discuss something, not discuss about something
  • Formula: In Either...or constructions, verb agrees with the subject closer to verb
  • The main trap: Students identify wrong subject due to intervening prepositional phrases
  • Articles: Use 'an' before vowel sounds, 'a' before consonant sounds (not just letters)
  • Shortcut: If sentence sounds too perfect, look for redundancy errors (ATM machine)
  • Time limit: Maximum 20 seconds per question, guess 'No error' if unsure

Exam-Specific Tips

  • Subject-verb agreement constitutes 30% of all error spotting questions in SSC CGL
  • Words 'each', 'every', 'either', 'neither' always take singular verbs regardless of following nouns
  • The verb 'discuss' never takes the preposition 'about' - it's always 'discuss something'
  • Preposition 'different' always pairs with 'from', never with 'than' in standard English
  • In 'either...or' and 'neither...nor' constructions, verb agrees with the nearest subject
  • Collective nouns like 'committee', 'team', 'family' take singular verbs in Indian English
  • The phrase 'one of the' is always followed by plural noun but singular verb
  • Uncountable nouns like 'information', 'advice', 'furniture' never take plural forms
Practice MCQs

Error Spotting — Practice Questions

5graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis

All MCQs →
Practice 1medium

Neither the principal nor the teachers was aware of the student's absence, and they decided to investigate the matter immediately. No error

Practice 2medium

The research team have analysed the data thoroughly, but their findings are contradictory to what was expected previously. No error

Practice 3medium

The manager insisted that all employees submit their reports by Friday and that they adhere to the new guidelines. No error

Practice 4medium

The committee have decided to postpone the meeting because many members was unable to attend. No error

Practice 5hard

The committee have decided that neither the manager nor the employees is responsible for the delay, and they has recommended a thorough investigation into the matter.

60-Second Revision — Error Spotting

  • Remember: Each, every, either, neither = always singular verb
  • Formula: Ignore prepositional phrases when checking subject-verb agreement
  • Trap: Don't confuse the main subject with nouns in prepositional phrases
  • Quick check: Different FROM, discuss (something), independent OF
  • Time strategy: Maximum 20 seconds per question, move on if stuck
  • Pattern: Look for redundancy errors in seemingly perfect sentences
  • Rule: Either...or verb agrees with the nearest subject to the verb
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