SPOTTING ERRORS (GENERAL ENGLISH)

Total Questions: 55

51. Identify the sentence with an error in idiom usage or syntax.

Correct Answer: (b) the supervisor allowed me
Solution:

I was allowed by the supervisor
Since the participle is a verb-adjective, it must be attached to some noun or pronoun; in other words, it must always have a proper ‘subject of reference’.
Here, the participle is left without proper agreement. It is not clear whether the supervision or the speaker finished the paper before time. Hence the subject is placed nearer to the participle.

52. Identify the sentence with an error in idiom usage or syntax.

Correct Answer: (c) come on time, and so the patients
Solution:

‘comes on time....’
When the subjects joined by ‘or’, ‘nor’ are of different persons, the verb agrees with the nearer; as… Neither my friend nor I am to blame.

53. Identify the sentence with an error in idiom usage or syntax.

Correct Answer: (d) many universities have started correspondence courses
Solution:‘many universities started correspondence courses’.
The usage of tenses and their sequence in complex sentences is dictated by sense.

54. Identify the sentence with an error in idiom usage or syntax.

Correct Answer: (c) to count the pages and write
Solution:

…the pages and then write
The adverb ‘then’ should be added to indicate the meaning of ‘afterwards’ or ‘after that’.

55. Identify the sentence with an error in idiom usage or syntax.

Correct Answer: (a) Arthur leads a content life
Solution:....leads a contented life
The simple past is also used for past habits.