{"id":2228,"date":"2021-05-14T17:24:21","date_gmt":"2021-05-14T11:54:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.practicemock.com\/blog\/?p=2228"},"modified":"2025-11-26T15:08:48","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T09:38:48","slug":"answer-error-spotting-questions-in-less-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.practicemock.com\/blog\/answer-error-spotting-questions-in-less-time\/","title":{"rendered":"SSC CGL 2020- How to Answer Error Spotting Questions in less time?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you are preparing for SSC CGL 2020 exam<\/a>, for which a notification<\/a> was released some time back, this article is just for you. Questions are often asked in the English Comprehension section in which you need to assess the given sentence and find out the grammatical error (if it has any). These questions are pretty easy if you have a hang of the basic grammatical structure and have done enough practice beforehand. This is one topic where there is no set rule to answer the questions correctly.<\/strong> You need to be on your toes to examine the given sentence carefully and check whether it meets all the grammatical rules. Generally, error detection questions asked in SSC CGL exams<\/a><\/strong> are easy (when compared with banking exams) and after you have done enough practice<\/a>, you can easily answer these questions. To have a better understanding, let\u2019s have a look at a question asked in the previous year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"SSC<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Daily Quantitative Aptitude | Reasoning | English | Current Affairs Quizzes for Banking & Government Exams<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example 1<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the sentence identify the segment which contains the grammatical error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the boys from our school have been selected for National Badminton Championship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. for National Badminton Championship<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. have been selected<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. from our school<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. One of the boys<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the above example, the subject is singular which should be accompanied by a singular verb and the corrected sentence is \u2018One of the boys from our school has<\/strong> been selected for National Badminton Championship.\u2019 Staying updated with the rules of subject-verb agreement<\/strong> will help you to a great extent in answering error detection questions. Let\u2019s now have a look at another example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example 2<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

 In the sentence identify the segment which contains the grammatical error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can swim very fast when I was only five. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. I can swim<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. when I was<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. only five<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. very fast<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, the second part of the sentence clearly states that the sentence is in the past tense<\/strong>. Hence, the correct sentence is \u2018I could<\/strong> swim very fast when I was only five.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"SSC<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Important Days\/Dates 2020-21 with Themes for Banking\/ SSC\/ RRB NTPC\/ Govt. Exams<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help you with your preparation & practice, we have enlisted all the important rules<\/strong> by revising which you can answer a majority of the error detection questions correctly. As you practice more error detection questions, check the detailed solution to see how these rules apply to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Important Rules of Error Detection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Errors related to Noun & Verb<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A noun can be singular or plural and thereby the verb should also be singular or plural. Identifying if the noun is singular or plural and then if the verb which is corresponding to it should help you in answering the question correctly. A singular noun should have a singular verb and vice versa.<\/strong> Some plural nouns appear to be singular and can be misleading for eg. analysis, phsyics etc. Similarly, some singular nouns appear to be plural as well eg. team, people etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Errors related to Pronoun<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This topic is frequently checked in the exam. Here also, the pronoun should be in accordance with the verb<\/strong>. Let\u2019s have a look at some examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each student must submit their homework. (Incorrect)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Each\u2019 is singular so instead of \u2018their\u2019, \u2018he\u2019 should be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each student must submit his homework. (Correct)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One must hear his seniors\u2019 advice. (Incorrect)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here instead of \u2018his\u2019, \u2018one\u2019s\u2019 should be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One must hear one\u2019s seniors\u2019 advice. (Correct).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, notice the difference between who, whom, whomever and whoever. ‘Who’ and ‘whoever’ are nouns whereas ‘whom’ and ‘whomever’ are objects<\/strong> and should be treated accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"SSC<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Weekly Current Affairs- Download Free PDF<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Errors related to Adjective<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Be very particular about what words are used after adjectives. Comparative adjectives like superior, quicker etc. should be followed by \u2018to\u2019<\/strong>. Also, remember to understand the difference between adjectives and adverbs and don\u2019t use adverbs in place of adjectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Errors related to Adverb<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Fewer should be used when discussing countable things, while less is used for singular mass nouns<\/strong>. For example, you can have fewer ingredients, rupees, people etc., but less salt, money, honesty, or love. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jack was told to eat less cookies. (Incorrect)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since cookies are countable, \u2018fewer\u2019 should be used instead of \u2018less\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jack was told to eat fewer cookies. (Correct)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Could you give Cookie Monster fewer milk next time? (Incorrect)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Milk is not countable, hence \u2018less\u2019 should be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Could you give Shyam less milk next time? (Correct)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are differences in the meanings of \u2018little\u2019, \u2018a little\u2019 and \u2018the little\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Little is used with uncountable nouns. It connotes a negative meaning and generally means hardly any.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Usage<\/strong>: I have little money in my pocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A little means some.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Usage: <\/strong>We just had a little walk as we\u2019re already tired. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018The little\u2019 is nothing but something specific which is little.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Usage<\/strong>: The little money in my pocket is not enough to buy the sweets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"SSC<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Hindu Editorial Vocabulary- Download Free PDF<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other Miscellaneous Types of Errors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As you must be aware that \u2018an\u2019 precedes vowels and \u2018a\u2019 precedes consonants. However, there are some words which start with \u2018h\u2019 but are still considered as vowels as the \u2018h\u2019 alphabet is silent<\/strong>. Some of these words are honest, heir, hour etc. These words must be prefixed with \u2018an\u2019 instead of \u2018a\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bus which I boarded was a hour late. (Incorrect)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bus which I boarded was an hour late. (Correct)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aspirants often get confused with the usage of \u2018since\u2019 and \u2018for\u2019<\/strong>. Remember, \u2018for\u2019 is used with a period of time. \u2018Since\u2019 is used to refer to a specific point in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have been walking since five hours. (Incorrect)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have been walking for five hours. (Correct)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have lived here since 20 years. (Incorrect)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have lived here for 20 years. (Correct)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Important Error Detection Tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n