Mastering Spotting Errors: Essential Grammar Rules and Tips for Exam Success
Introduction:
In competitive exams, mastering the art of spotting grammatical errors is crucial to securing high marks. Grammatical errors are common in both writing and comprehension sections, and being able to identify and correct them quickly can give you an edge over other candidates. This module will guide you through essential grammar rules, highlight common errors, and provide you with practical tips for improving your error-spotting skills. By the end of this guide, you will be equipped with the necessary tools to tackle error-spotting questions confidently in your exams.
I. Common Grammar Errors and Their Rules
1. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors
- Rule: The subject and verb must agree in number (singular/plural).
- Example: “She runs fast” (Correct) vs. “She run fast” (Incorrect).
2. Tense Consistency
- Rule: Keep the same tense throughout a sentence unless a shift in time is required.
- Example: “He was singing when I arrived” (Correct) vs. “He was singing when I arrives” (Incorrect).
3. Preposition Usage
- Rule: Certain prepositions must be used with specific verbs, nouns, or adjectives.
- Example: “She is interested in science” (Correct) vs. “She is interested on science” (Incorrect).
4. Pronoun Usage
- Rule: Pronouns should agree with the noun they replace in terms of number and gender.
- Example: “Each of the students completed his or her work” (Correct) vs. “Each of the students completed their work” (Incorrect).
5. Article Usage
- Rule: Articles (a, an, the) should be used appropriately to refer to specific or general things.
- Example: “She is the best singer” (Correct) vs. “She is a best singer” (Incorrect).
6. Adjective vs. Adverb
- Rule: Use adjectives to describe nouns and adverbs to describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
- Example: “She sings beautifully” (Correct) vs. “She sings beautiful” (Incorrect).
7. Sentence Structure
- Rule: Ensure your sentence is complete, with a subject and a verb.
- Example: “He ate lunch” (Correct) vs. “Eating lunch” (Incomplete sentence).
8. Redundancy
- Rule: Avoid using unnecessary words that do not add value to the meaning.
- Example: “She returned back” (Incorrect) vs. “She returned” (Correct).
9. Punctuation Errors
- Rule: Proper punctuation is necessary to clarify the meaning of a sentence.
- Example: “Let’s eat, grandma!” (Correct) vs. “Let’s eat grandma!” (Incorrect).
10. Sentence Fragments
- Rule: A complete sentence must have a subject and a predicate.
- Example: “Because he was late” (Fragment) vs. “He was late because he missed the bus” (Complete sentence).
II. Tips for Spotting Errors in Exams
1. Read Carefully
- Understand the context and structure of the sentence before identifying errors.
2. Focus on Common Mistakes
- Be aware of frequently tested areas like subject-verb agreement, articles, and prepositions.
3. Use Elimination Technique
- If you are unsure about an answer, eliminate obviously incorrect options first.
4. Keep Time in Mind
- While it’s important to read carefully, keep track of time to avoid spending too much on any single question.
III. Practice and Application: Error Spotting
MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)
- Identify the error in the sentence: “She go to the park every day.”
- a) She
- b) go
- c) to
- d) every day
- Answer: b) go
Explanation: The subject “She” is singular, so the verb should be “goes” (She goes to the park).
- Choose the correct sentence:
- a) He has been working since 5 PM.
- b) He has been working from 5 PM.
- c) He has worked since 5 PM.
- d) He has worked from 5 PM.
- Answer: a) He has been working since 5 PM.
Explanation: “Since” is used with a specific time, and the present perfect continuous tense is used here.
- Identify the error: “They plays football every weekend.”
- a) They
- b) plays
- c) football
- d) every weekend
- Answer: b) plays
Explanation: The verb should be “play” to agree with the plural subject “They.”
- Choose the sentence with the correct preposition:
- a) He is fond in music.
- b) He is fond of music.
- c) He is fond with music.
- d) He is fond for music.
- Answer: b) He is fond of music.
Explanation: “Fond of” is the correct preposition combination.
- Identify the incorrect pronoun usage: “Each of the players gave their best.”
- a) Each
- b) of
- c) players
- d) their
- Answer: d) their
Explanation: “Each” is singular, so it should be “his or her” instead of “their.”
- Choose the grammatically correct sentence:
- a) She is a best dancer.
- b) She is an best dancer.
- c) She is the best dancer.
- d) She is best dancer.
- Answer: c) She is the best dancer.
Explanation: “The” is used before a superlative adjective like “best.”
- Identify the error in the sentence: “I have never seen such a beautifully painting.”
- a) have
- b) never
- c) beautifully
- d) painting
- Answer: c) beautifully
Explanation: “Beautifully” is an adverb, but here we need an adjective: “beautiful.”
- Identify the sentence with redundancy:
- a) She always studies before exams.
- b) She studies before exams always.
- c) She studies prior to exams.
- d) She studies before exams beforehand.
- Answer: d) She studies before exams beforehand.
Explanation: “Before” and “beforehand” mean the same thing; one is redundant.
- Identify the error: “The boy quickly ran fast to catch the bus.”
- a) quickly
- b) ran
- c) fast
- d) to catch
- Answer: c) fast
Explanation: “Quickly” already describes the manner of running, so “fast” is redundant.
- Choose the correct sentence:
- a) They was walking in the park.
- b) They were walking in the park.
- c) They be walking in the park.
- d) They is walking in the park.
- Answer: b) They were walking in the park.
Explanation: “They” is plural, so the correct verb is “were.”
IV. Descriptive Questions
- Explain the importance of subject-verb agreement in competitive exams. Provide examples.
- Answer: Subject-verb agreement ensures clarity in sentences by matching the subject with the correct verb form. Incorrect subject-verb agreement can lead to confusion. For example, “She goes to the office” (correct) vs. “She go to the office” (incorrect).
- Describe the rules for using tenses consistently in sentences.
- Answer: Tenses must align within a sentence to maintain clarity. For instance, if the sentence begins in the past tense, the rest of the sentence should also be in the past unless there is a specific reason to shift tenses. Example: “He was reading when I arrived” (Correct).
- What are common preposition errors, and how can they be avoided in competitive exams?
- Answer: Preposition errors often occur when incorrect prepositions are paired with certain verbs or nouns. A common mistake is using “on” instead of “in,” as in “She is interested in science” (correct) vs. “She is interested on science” (incorrect).
- How can redundancy in sentences affect the clarity of communication? Provide examples.
- Answer: Redundancy leads to unnecessary repetition, making sentences wordy and unclear. For example, “She returned back” is redundant; “She returned” is sufficient.
- Discuss the impact of improper punctuation in error-spotting questions.
- Answer: Improper punctuation can change the meaning of a sentence and confuse the reader. For instance, “Let’s eat grandma!” vs. “Let’s eat, grandma!” (The first implies cannibalism, while the second is an invitation to eat.)
