🔍 Error Spotting - Complete Theory

Master grammar detection - find the mistake before it finds you!

🎯 What is Error Spotting?

Error Spotting tests your ability to:

• Identify grammatical errors in sentences
• Recognize correct usage of grammar rules
• Spot errors in syntax, tense, agreement, etc.

Format:

A sentence divided into 4-5 parts (A, B, C, D, E) One part has an error OR no error Identify which part contains the error

Example: “The committee (A)/ have decided (B)/ to postpone (C)/ the meeting. (D)/ No error (E)”

Error in B: “have” should be “has” (committee is singular) Answer: B

Importance in IBPS:

• Prelims: 5-10 questions
• Mains: 5-10 questions
• Scoring: Very high accuracy possible with grammar knowledge

📐 Common Error Types

1. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors

Rule: Singular subject → Singular verb | Plural subject → Plural verb

Error Type 1: Singular subjects with plural verbs

Wrong: “The committee have decided…” ✗ Right: “The committee has decided…” ✓ (Committee = singular collective noun)

Wrong: “Each of the students are present.” ✗ Right: “Each of the students is present.” ✓ (Each = always singular)

Error Type 2: Confusing subjects

Wrong: “The number of students are increasing.” ✗ Right: “The number of students is increasing.” ✓ (Subject is “number” - singular, not “students”)

Wrong: “A number of students is present.” ✗ Right: “A number of students are present.” ✓ (“A number of” = plural meaning)

Tricky Singular Subjects:

Each, Every, Either, Neither, Everyone, Someone, Anyone, Nobody → Always singular

Example: “Each student has a book.” ✓ “Everyone is present.” ✓

2. Tense Errors

Error Type 1: Tense inconsistency

Wrong: “He went to the market and buys vegetables.” ✗ Right: “He went to the market and bought vegetables.” ✓ (Both verbs should be past tense)

Error Type 2: Wrong tense for time markers

Wrong: “I am living here since 2010.” ✗ Right: “I have been living here since 2010.” ✓ (Since = requires present perfect/present perfect continuous)

Wrong: “He works here for 5 years.” ✗ Right: “He has been working here for 5 years.” ✓ (For + duration = present perfect)

Common Time Markers:

Since, For → Present Perfect Yesterday, Last week → Simple Past Tomorrow, Next week → Simple Future Always, Usually, Often → Simple Present Now, At present → Present Continuous

3. Pronoun Errors

Error Type 1: Pronoun-antecedent disagreement

Wrong: “Everyone must bring their books.” ✗ Right: “Everyone must bring his/her books.” ✓ (Everyone = singular, so “their” is wrong)

Wrong: “Each student should do their homework.” ✗ Right: “Each student should do his/her homework.” ✓

Error Type 2: Wrong pronoun case

Wrong: “Between you and I, this is wrong.” ✗ Right: “Between you and me, this is wrong.” ✓ (Object of preposition = “me”, not “I”)

Wrong: “Let he and I go.” ✗ Right: “Let him and me go.” ✓ (Object pronouns after “let”)

4. Preposition Errors

Common Wrong Usage:

Wrong: “She is good in mathematics.” ✗ Right: “She is good at mathematics.” ✓

Wrong: “He is interested for music.” ✗ Right: “He is interested in music.” ✓

Wrong: “This depends upon you.” (acceptable but) Better: “This depends on you.” ✓

Wrong: “She married with him.” ✗ Right: “She married him.” ✓ (Marry doesn’t take “with”)

Must-Know Preposition Rules:

Good at (not in/on) Different from (not than) Consist of (not from) Die of (disease) / die from (injury) Comprise of ✗ → Comprises (no preposition needed)

5. Article Errors

Error Type 1: Missing articles

Wrong: “He is best student.” ✗ Right: “He is the best student.” ✓ (Superlatives need “the”)

Wrong: “I saw elephant in the zoo.” ✗ Right: “I saw an elephant in the zoo.” ✓

Error Type 2: Unnecessary articles

Wrong: “The honesty is the best policy.” ✗ Right: “Honesty is the best policy.” ✓ (Abstract nouns don’t need “the” generally)

Wrong: “He is a intelligent boy.” ✗ Right: “He is an intelligent boy.” ✓ (Vowel sound = “an”)

Article Rules:

“a/an” = First mention, countable singular “the” = Specific, already mentioned, unique things

a university (you- sound, consonant) an hour (silent h, vowel sound) the sun, the moon, the earth (unique)

6. Adjective & Adverb Errors

Error Type 1: Adjective vs Adverb

Wrong: “He runs quick.” ✗ Right: “He runs quickly.” ✓ (Adverb modifies verb)

Wrong: “She is a slowly walker.” ✗ Right: “She is a slow walker.” ✓ (Adjective modifies noun)

Wrong: “He performed good in the exam.” ✗ Right: “He performed well in the exam.” ✓ (“Well” is adverb of “good”)

Error Type 2: Comparative/Superlative

Wrong: “He is more better than me.” ✗ Right: “He is better than me.” ✓ (Better already comparative, don’t add “more”)

Wrong: “She is the most tallest girl.” ✗ Right: “She is the tallest girl.” ✓

Wrong: “This is more easier.” ✗ Right: “This is easier.” ✓

7. Conjunction Errors

Error Type 1: Redundant conjunctions

Wrong: “Although he is poor but he is honest.” ✗ Right: “Although he is poor, he is honest.” ✓ OR: “He is poor but honest.” ✓ (Don’t use “although” and “but” together)

Wrong: “Because he was ill, therefore he didn’t come.” ✗ Right: “Because he was ill, he didn’t come.” ✓ OR: “He was ill; therefore, he didn’t come.” ✓

Error Type 2: Wrong conjunction

Wrong: “Scarcely he had arrived when it started raining.” ✗ Right: “Scarcely had he arrived when it started raining.” ✓ (Scarcely = inversion needed)

8. Double Negative/Double Positive

Error: Two negatives making positive (when negative intended)

Wrong: “I didn’t do nothing.” ✗ Right: “I didn’t do anything.” ✓ OR: “I did nothing.” ✓

Wrong: “He doesn’t have no money.” ✗ Right: “He doesn’t have any money.” ✓ OR: “He has no money.” ✓

9. Infinitive & Gerund Errors

Error Type 1: Wrong form after verbs

Some verbs take only infinitive (to + verb): Want, Wish, Expect, Hope, Decide, Plan, Agree, Refuse

Wrong: “I want going there.” ✗ Right: “I want to go there.” ✓

Some verbs take only gerund (verb + ing): Enjoy, Avoid, Finish, Mind, Suggest, Consider, Practice

Wrong: “I enjoy to read books.” ✗ Right: “I enjoy reading books.” ✓

Error Type 2: Preposition + gerund

After prepositions, use gerund (not infinitive):

Wrong: “He is fond of to read.” ✗ Right: “He is fond of reading.” ✓

Wrong: “She is interested in to learn music.” ✗ Right: “She is interested in learning music.” ✓

10. Modifiers & Parallelism

Error Type 1: Misplaced modifiers

Wrong: “Walking down the street, the trees looked beautiful.” ✗ Right: “Walking down the street, I saw beautiful trees.” ✓ (Trees don’t walk - modifier should modify “I”)

Error Type 2: Lack of parallelism

Wrong: “He likes reading, writing, and to swim.” ✗ Right: “He likes reading, writing, and swimming.” ✓ (All should be in same form: gerunds)

Wrong: “She is intelligent, hardworking, and has beauty.” ✗ Right: “She is intelligent, hardworking, and beautiful.” ✓ (All adjectives)

💡 Solved Examples

Example 1: Subject-Verb Agreement

Question:

Each of the students (A)/ have submitted (B)/ their assignments (C)/ on time. (D)/ No error (E)

Solution:

Error in B: “have” should be “has”

Reason: “Each” is always singular “Each of the students” → singular subject Needs singular verb “has”

Correct: Each of the students has submitted…

Answer: B

Example 2: Tense Error

Question:

I am living (A)/ in this city (B)/ since 2015 (C)/ with my family. (D)/ No error (E)

Solution:

Error in A: “am living” should be “have been living”

Reason: “since 2015” requires Present Perfect Continuous Since + point of time = have/has been + verb-ing

Correct: I have been living in this city since 2015…

Answer: A

Example 3: Preposition Error

Question:

She is (A)/ very good (B)/ in mathematics (C)/ and science. (D)/ No error (E)

Solution:

Error in C: “in” should be “at”

Reason: Correct usage is “good at” (not “good in”)

Correct: She is very good at mathematics and science.

Answer: C

Example 4: Pronoun Error

Question:

Everyone in the class (A)/ must bring (B)/ their own books (C)/ to the library. (D)/ No error (E)

Solution:

Error in C: “their” should be “his/her”

Reason: “Everyone” is singular Singular pronoun needed: his, her, or his/her

Correct: Everyone…must bring his/her own books…

Answer: C

Example 5: No Error

Question:

The committee (A)/ has decided (B)/ to postpone (C)/ the annual meeting. (D)/ No error (E)

Solution:

Check each part: A: “The committee” - correct B: “has decided” - correct (committee = singular) C: “to postpone” - correct D: “the annual meeting” - correct

No grammatical error found.

Answer: E (No error)

⚡ Quick Spotting Strategy

Step 1: Read Full Sentence (10 seconds)

Understand meaning first Get context before checking grammar

Step 2: Check Common Errors (20 seconds)

Priority order:

1. Subject-Verb Agreement (most common)
2. Tense (time markers)
3. Prepositions (fixed usage)
4. Articles (a/an/the)
5. Pronouns (agreement)

Step 3: Eliminate & Select (10 seconds)

If no obvious error, mark “No error” Don’t overthink - first instinct usually correct

Total Time: 40-50 seconds per question

⚠️ Common Mistakes in Error Spotting

❌ Mistake 1: Overthinking

Wrong: Finding errors that don’t exist ✗ Right: Trust grammar rules, not “sounds wrong” ✓

If sentence is grammatically correct, choose “No error”

❌ Mistake 2: Ignoring Context

Wrong: Checking grammar without understanding meaning ✗ Right: Understand sentence first, then check grammar ✓

❌ Mistake 3: Not Knowing Common Rules

Must know:

• Subject-verb agreement rules
• Tense usage with time markers
• Fixed preposition pairs
• Pronoun cases

❌ Mistake 4: Assuming “No Error” is Rare

Wrong: Always trying to find error ✗ Right: “No error” appears 15-20% of time ✓

If all parts are correct, confidently choose “No error”

📝 Must-Know Grammar Rules

Rule 1: Collective Nouns

Singular: committee, team, group, family, government, public Use singular verb when acting as one unit

“The team has won.” ✓ “The team have won.” ✗ (unless British English)

Rule 2: Uncountable Nouns

Always singular: information, furniture, luggage, advice, news, equipment

“The information is correct.” ✓ “The information are correct.” ✗

Rule 3: Subjects Joined by “and”

Plural: “Ram and Shyam are friends.” ✓

Exception - same person/thing: “The secretary and treasurer is Mr. Sharma.” ✓ (Same person is both secretary and treasurer)

Rule 4: Either…or / Neither…nor

Verb agrees with nearer subject:

“Either the students or the teacher is wrong.” “Either the teacher or the students are wrong.”

🎯 Exam Strategy

Time Management

IBPS Prelims: 5-7 minutes for 10 questions Per question: 40-50 seconds

IBPS Mains: Similar timing

Priority

1. Solve grammar-based errors first (30 sec each)
2. Then check trickier sentences
3. If doubtful after 60 sec, mark “No error” and move on

🔗 Related Topics

Uses Concepts From:

• English Grammar (all rules)
• Sentence Improvement - Similar grammar application
• Parts of speech

Related English Topics:

• Fill in the Blanks - Grammar usage
• Cloze Test - Context and grammar

Practice:

• Error Spotting Questions

Master Error Spotting - Know the rules, spot the mistakes! 🔍