Practice Questions: Spotting Errors - 2 | English for CLAT PDF Download

Directions: The following sentences have been divided into three parts (A), (B) and (C). Read the sentences carefully to find out if there is any error in any part of the sentence. The error if any will be in any one part of the sentence. Mark that part as your answer. If the sentence is completely correct as it is, then choose option (D) ‘No Error’ as the answer. Ignore if there are any errors of punctuation.

Q1: Whenever I was in trouble (A) / I always discussed about it with my parents (B) / and followed their advise. (C) / No Error (D)
(a) Whenever I was in trouble
(b) I always discussed about it with my parents
(c) and followed their advise.
(d) No Error
Ans: (c)
The fragment C of the sentence is erroneous.
The two words ‘advise’ and ‘advice’ are confusing words.
‘Advise’ is a verb which means to offer suggestions or recommend something to someone and ‘advice’ is a noun which means suggestions or recommendations offered for a particular case.
So here in this sentence ‘advise’ should be replaced with ‘advice’, as the sentence says that the person followed his parent’s suggestions and recommendations offered regarding the trouble he was in.
Therefore the correct sentence will be “Whenever I was in trouble I always discussed about it with my parentsand followed their advice.”
Hence option C is the correct answer.

Q2: There is an urgent need to discover (A) / new sources of energy as our existing (B) / sources of energy may die out soon. (C) / No Error (D)
(a) There is an urgent need to discover
(b) new sources of energy as our existing
(c) sources of energy may die out soon.
(d) No Error
Ans: (d)
The sentence is absolutely correct and there is no error in any part of the sentence.
Hence option D is the correct answer.

Q3: With the rise in air pollution levels (A) / the demand for air purifiers in the market (B) / have increased significantly. (C) / No Error (D)
(a) With the rise in air pollution levels
(b) the demand for air purifiers in the market
(c) have increased significantly.
(d) No Error
Ans: (c)
The fragment C of the sentence is erroneous.
Here ‘demand’ is a singular countable noun and the helping verb ‘have’is a plural helping verb. As per the rules of grammar, we need to use a singular helping verb with a singular countable noun.
So ‘have’ should be replaced with ‘has’ in the sentence.
Therefore the correct sentence will be “With the rise in air pollution levels the demand for air purifiers in the market has increased significantly.”
Hence option C is the correct answer.
Q4: Rita was assigned a task (A) / to ensure that everyone submitted (B) / their reports in time. (C) / No Error (D)
(a) Rita was assigned a task
(b) to ensure that everyone submitted
(c) their reports in time.
(d) No Error
Ans: (c)
The fragment C has an error. In formal English the pronoun 'Everyone' should be followed by its possessive adjective 'his' instead of 'their'.
The correct sentence would be, "Rita was assigned a task to ensure that everyone submitted his reports in time."
Hence option C is the correct answer.

Q5: Many requested him (A) / not to attend the ceremony but (B) / he denied to listen to anyone. (C) / No Error (D)
(a) Many requested him
(b) not to attend the ceremony but
(c) he denied to listen to anyone.
(d) No Error
Ans: (c)
The fragment C of the sentence is erroneous.
When there is an accusation, one denies it, and when there is a request or plea, one refuses it.
From fragment A of the sentence we can see that many people had requested him, but he did not listen or refused to listen to anyone. Hence ‘denied’ should be replaced with ‘refused’.
Therefore the correct sentence will be “Many requested him not to attend the ceremony but he refused to listen to anyone.”
Hence option C is the correct answer.

Q6: All those persons whose wish to (A) / avail themselves of the offer can contact (B) / the branch manager. (C) / No Error (D)
(a) All those persons whose wish to
(b) avail the offer can contact
(c) the branch manager.
(d) No Error
Ans: (a)
The fragment A of the sentence is erroneous.
The pronoun ‘who’ should be used instead of the pronoun ‘whose’ in the sentence to show or indicate the person or people you mean to relate.
Therefore the correct sentence will be “All those persons who wish to avail themselves of the offer can contact the branch manager.”
Hence option A is the correct answer.

Q7: There was a huge fire in the refinery (A) / after one of the tank (B) / carrying Methyl Oxide exploded. (C) / No Error (D)
(a) There was a huge fire in the refinery
(b) after one of the tank
(c) carrying Methyl Oxide exploded.
(d) No Error
Ans: (b)
The fragment B of the sentence is erroneous.
The expression ‘one of’ is followed by a plural noun/pronoun.
So in the sentence, ‘tank’ should be replaced with ‘tanks’.
Therefore the correct sentence will be “There was a huge fire in the refinery after one of the tanks carrying Methyl Oxide exploded.”
Hence option B is the correct answer.

Q8: I am a Hindu (A) / and I hailed from (B) / the city of joy. (C) / No Error (D)
(a) I am a Hindu
(b) and I hailed from
(c) the city of joy.
(d) No Error
Ans: (b)
The fragment B of the sentence is erroneous.
The given sentence is in simple present tense and the structure of such a sentence is “subject + first form of the verb + object”, as per the rules of tenses in grammar.
Such sentences are used to express permanent activities like birth, death, etc.
So here ‘hailed’ which is a verb in the second form should be replaced with ‘hail’ which is a verb in the first form.
Therefore the correct sentence will be “I am a Hindu and I hail from the city of joy.”
Hence option B is the correct answer

Q9: We were help (A) / to make the arrangements ready before leaving (B) / for Dubai by one of our seniors. (C) / No Error (D)
(a) We were help
(b) to make the arrangements ready before leaving
(c) for Dubai by one of our seniors.
(d) No error
Ans: (a)
The fragment A of the sentence is erroneous.
The given sentence is in passive voice and simple past tense. The structure of such a sentence should be “subject + was /were + third form of the verb (Past Participle)” as per the rules of grammar.
So ‘help’ should be replaced with ‘helped’.
Therefore the correct sentence will be “We were helped to make the arrangements ready before leaving for Dubai by one of our seniors.”
Hence option A is the correct answer.

Q10: In order to maintain yourself hydrated (A) / and energetic in summer, you (B) / must drinks a lot of water. (C) /No Error (D)
(a) In order to maintain yourself hydrated
(b) and energetic in summer, you
(c) must drinks a lot of water.
(d) No Error
Ans: (c)
The fragment C of the sentence is erroneous.
The words should, would, must etc. are modals and the verbs that can be used with them have to be in the first form.So instead of‘drinks’, ‘drink’ should be used in the sentence.
Therefore the correct sentence will be “In order to maintain yourself hydrated and energetic in summer, you must drink a lot of water.”
Hence option C is the correct answer.