Error Spotting Quiz: Spot the Error English Practice

Spoilers! These are the Starter quiz’s answers. Easy, Medium, Hard and Mixed rounds show their own answers when you finish.

1. The sentence below is split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error. Each one of the students / have submitted / the assignment / before the deadline.

   • Each one of the students
   • have submitted
   • the assignment
   • before the deadline.

   Answer: have submitted. 'Each one of' is singular, so the verb must be singular: 'has submitted'.

2. The sentence below is split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error. Neither the manager / nor his assistants / was present / at the meeting yesterday.

   • Neither the manager
   • nor his assistants
   • was present
   • at the meeting yesterday.

   Answer: was present. With neither...nor, the verb agrees with the nearer subject. 'Assistants' is plural, so 'were present'.

3. The sentence below is split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error. He has been / suffering / from fever / since three days.

   • He has been
   • suffering
   • from fever
   • since three days.

   Answer: since three days.. Since marks a point of time (since Monday); for marks a period. Correct: 'for three days'.

4. The sentence below is split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error. Hardly had we reached / the station / than the train / left the platform.

   • Hardly had we reached
   • the station
   • than the train
   • left the platform.

   Answer: than the train. Hardly and scarcely pair with 'when'; only 'no sooner' pairs with 'than'. Correct: 'when the train left'.

5. The sentence below is split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error. She gave me / many useful informations / about the / admission process.

   • She gave me
   • many useful informations
   • about the
   • admission process.

   Answer: many useful informations. Information is uncountable: no plural and no 'many'. Correct: 'much useful information'.

6. The sentence below is split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error. I am living / in this city / since / 2015.

   • I am living
   • in this city
   • since
   • 2015.

   Answer: I am living. An action that began in the past and continues now takes the present perfect continuous: 'I have been living'.

7. The sentence below is split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error. Unless you do not work hard, / you will not / clear the / examination.

   • Unless you do not work hard,
   • you will not
   • clear the
   • examination.

   Answer: Unless you do not work hard,. Unless already means 'if not', so adding 'not' makes a double negative. Correct: 'Unless you work hard'.

8. The sentence below is split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error. One should / keep his promises / if one wants / to be trusted.

   • One should
   • keep his promises
   • if one wants
   • to be trusted.

   Answer: keep his promises. Exams follow the rule that 'one' is followed by 'one's': 'keep one's promises'.

9. The sentence below is split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error. The two brothers / quarrelled / among themselves / over the property.

   • The two brothers
   • quarrelled
   • among themselves
   • over the property.

   Answer: among themselves. Between is used for two; among for three or more. Correct: 'between themselves'.

10. The sentence below is split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error. The quality of / the mangoes / in this basket / are excellent.

    • The quality of
    • the mangoes
    • in this basket
    • are excellent.

    Answer: are excellent.. The subject is 'quality' (singular), not 'mangoes'. Correct: 'is excellent'.