Spotting Errors - Verbal Ability Questions and Answers

Spotting Errors - Verbal Ability Questions and Answers

Learn and Practice "Spot the Error - Verbal Ability Questions" for your competitive exams. Find which part of the given sentences has the error. All questions are provided with a right answer, explanation and examples to help you understand the concept quickly and easily.

Use of Spotting Errors Verbal Ability Questions

The objective type questions and examples given in this section will be useful to all the freshers, college students and engineering students preparing for placement tests or any competitive exam like MBA, CAT, MAT, SNAP, MHCET, XAT, NMAT, GATE, Bank exams - IBPS, SBI, RBI, RRB, SSB, SSC, UPSC etc.

Practice with this online test to crack your placements and entrance tests!
Directions: Every sentence is divided into four sections (1, 2, 3). There is some error in one of these sections. Read the sentence carefully and mark the incorrect section. However, if you feel the sentence contains no error, mark part '4'.

1. Although he was late (1)/ but he stopped on the way(2)/ to have coffee with his friends. (3) / No error. (4)

a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4

Answer: b. 2

Explanation: but he stopped on the way is the mistake.

The conjunction has been wrongly used.

Although is always followed by yet and never by but.

The conjunction 'Although ------ yet' is used to express two contrary qualities or actions of a person.

The correct sentence will be: Although he was late, yet he stopped on the way to have coffee with his friends.


2. She was taking care of her baby for two hours (1)/ before she (2)/ was called by her mother. (3)/ No error. (4)

a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4

Answer: a. 1

Explanation: She was taking care of her baby for two hours is the mistake.

"was taking" should be replaced by "had been taking"

The correct sentence will be: She had been taking care of her baby for two hours before she was called by her mother.


3. No sooner did he see his teacher (1)/ when he (2)/ stopped copying. (3)/ No error(4).

a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4

Answer: b. 2

Explanation: when he is the mistake.

The conjunction 'No sooner ---- than' is also used to denote simultaneous actions.

No sooner is always followed by than and not when.

The word 'when' should be replaced with 'than'.

Correct sentence: No sooner did he see his teacher than he stopped copying.


4. Had you been to Mumbai, (1)/ I would also go (2)/ with you (3)/ No error(4).

a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4

Answer: b. 2

Explanation: I would also go is the mistake.

Replace "I would also go" with "I would have also gone".

Among two actions of past probability, one action depending on the other should have past perfect and future perfect.

In such cases,

1) The principle clause should be in future perfect
2) The subordinate clause should be in past perfect.

In the given sentence, the principal clause should have been, I would have also gone.

The given sentence can be corrected in following ways:

1) Had you been to Mumbai, I would have also gone with you.
2) If you had gone to Mumbai, I would have also gone


5. She ran so fastly (1)/ that she was able to catch (2)/ the running bus (3)/ No error.(4)

a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4

Answer: a. 1

Explanation: She ran so fastly is the mistake.

Generally, 'ly' is added to adjectives to form adverbs.

(For example: slow - slowly, quick - quickly).

Fast is both an adjective and an adverb, hence 'ly' is not required. It is not used in English language.

Correct sentence: She ran so fast that she was able to catch the running bus.


6. He met me two days ago (1)/ but he never told me (2)/ about his grandmother's death. (3)/ No error (4).

a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4

Answer: b. 2

Explanation: but he never told me is the mistake.

Replace "he never told me" with "he did not tell me".

The correct sentence will be: He met me two days ago but he did not tell me about his grandmother's death.