Theory

Strategy — How to Attack a Spotting-Errors Question

1. Read the whole sentence once for overall sense and tense. Identify the main subject and main verb.
2. Locate the subject of each verb and test agreement (number and person). Most errors hide here.
3. Scan for signal words (each, every, one of, neither, hardly, since, the number, a number, etc.). These trigger specific rules.
4. Check the small words — articles (a/an/the), prepositions, pronouns. Errors love to hide in tiny segments.
5. Verify tense consistency across clauses; watch for sequence of tenses and conditionals.
6. Test parallelism and modifiers in lists and in introductory phrases.
7. If no rule is violated, choose "No error" — do not invent a fault.

Error Area 1 — Subject–Verb Agreement

Rule: A verb agrees with its subject in number and person. The intervening phrase (of…, with…, along with…, as well as…) does not change the number of the subject.

• Faulty: The quality of the apples were poor. → Error: "were". Correct: The quality of the apples was poor. (Subject = quality, singular.)
• Faulty: One of my friends are a doctor. → Error: "are". Correct: One of my friends is a doctor.
• Faulty: The teacher, along with the students, were present. → Error: "were". Correct: …was present. ("along with" does not add to the subject.)
• Faulty: Neither the manager nor the clerks was available. → Error: "was". Correct: …were available. (Verb agrees with the nearer subject, "clerks".)
• Faulty: Each of the boys have done well. → Error: "have". Correct: Each of the boys has done well.
• Faulty: Mathematics are my favourite subject. → Error: "are". Correct: Mathematics is my favourite subject.

Error Area 2 — Tenses

Rule: Keep tenses consistent and observe the sequence of tenses; a past main clause is normally followed by a past subordinate clause. Use the present perfect with "since/for" for actions continuing to now.

• Faulty: He said that he will come. → Error: "will". Correct: He said that he would come.
• Faulty: I have seen him yesterday. → Error: "have seen". Correct: I saw him yesterday. (A finished past time needs simple past.)
• Faulty: She is living here since 2010. → Error: "is living". Correct: She has been living here since 2010.
• Faulty: When I reached the station, the train left. → Error: "left". Correct: …the train had left.
• Faulty: He was reading when the lights have gone out. → Error: "have gone". Correct: …the lights went out.
• Faulty: By next year he will complete the project. → Error: "will complete". Correct: …he will have completed the project.

Error Area 3 — Articles (a / an / the / zero article)

Rule: "a/an" depends on the initial sound (a university, an hour). "The" marks something definite or unique; omit the article before most uncountable and plural generic nouns, names of meals, and most proper nouns.

• Faulty: He is an university student. → Error: "an". Correct: He is a university student. ("university" begins with a /j/ sound.)
• Faulty: She waited for a hour. → Error: "a". Correct: She waited for an hour. ("hour" begins with a vowel sound.)
• Faulty: Honesty is the best policy of life. → Error: none in "the"; Faulty: The honesty is the best policy. → Correct: Honesty is the best policy. (No article before an abstract noun used generally.)
• Faulty: He is a M.A. in English. → Error: "a". Correct: He is an M.A. ("M" is read "em", a vowel sound.)
• Faulty: The Mount Everest is the highest peak. → Error: first "The". Correct: Mount Everest is the highest peak. (No "the" before a single mountain's name.)
• Faulty: She plays a violin beautifully. → Error: "a". Correct: She plays the violin. ("the" before names of musical instruments.)

Error Area 4 — Prepositions

Rule: Many verbs, adjectives and nouns take a fixed preposition. Errors arise from using the wrong one or supplying one where none is needed.

• Faulty: He is married with a doctor. → Error: "with". Correct: He is married to a doctor.
• Faulty: She is good in mathematics. → Error: "in". Correct: She is good at mathematics.
• Faulty: We discussed about the problem. → Error: "about". Correct: We discussed the problem. ("discuss" takes no preposition.)
• Faulty: He has been ill since three days. → Error: "since". Correct: …ill for three days. ("since" with a point of time, "for" with a period.)
• Faulty: The book is different than mine. → Error: "than". Correct: …different from mine.
• Faulty: He prevented me to go. → Error: "to". Correct: He prevented me from going.

Error Area 5 — Pronouns (Case & Agreement)

Rule: A pronoun agrees with its antecedent in number, gender and person, and takes the case required by its function (subject vs object). After "than/as" the case matches the implied verb; after a preposition use the objective case.

• Faulty: Between you and I, the plan is risky. → Error: "I". Correct: Between you and me …
• Faulty: Everyone must do their duty. → Error: "their". Correct: Everyone must do his (or his/her) duty. (formal singular agreement)
• Faulty: He is taller than me. → Error: "me". Correct: He is taller than I (am).
• Faulty: Each of the girls did their best. → Error: "their". Correct: Each of the girls did her best.
• Faulty: Let you and I finish it. → Error: "I". Correct: Let you and me finish it.
• Faulty: The dog wagged it's tail. → Error: "it's". Correct: …its tail. ("its" = possessive; "it's" = it is.)

Error Area 6 — Adjectives & Degrees of Comparison

Rule: Use the comparative for two and the superlative for more than two. Avoid double comparatives/superlatives. Some adjectives (superior, inferior, senior, prefer) take "to", not "than".

• Faulty: He is the most cleverest boy. → Error: "most cleverest". Correct: …the cleverest boy.
• Faulty: She is more taller than her sister. → Error: "more taller". Correct: …taller than her sister.
• Faulty: This pen is superior than that one. → Error: "than". Correct: …superior to that one.
• Faulty: Which is the better of the three? → Error: "better". Correct: Which is the best of the three?
• Faulty: He prefers tea than coffee. → Error: "than". Correct: He prefers tea to coffee.
• Faulty: This is the more interesting book I have read. → Error: "more interesting". Correct: …the most interesting book I have read.

Error Area 7 — Adverbs (Position; hardly / scarcely)

Rule: Place the adverb close to the word it modifies; use "only" carefully. "Hardly, scarcely, barely, seldom, rarely" are already negative — do not add another negative; they pair with "when/before", not "than".

• Faulty: He only sleeps for four hours. → Error: placement. Correct: He sleeps for only four hours.
• Faulty: I have hardly no money. → Error: "no". Correct: I have hardly any money. (avoid double negative)
• Faulty: Scarcely had he arrived than it rained. → Error: "than". Correct: Scarcely had he arrived when it rained.
• Faulty: No sooner had I sat down when the bell rang. → Error: "when". Correct: No sooner had I sat down than the bell rang.
• Faulty: She speaks English fluent. → Error: "fluent". Correct: She speaks English fluently. (an adverb is needed)
• Faulty: He drives very careful. → Error: "careful". Correct: He drives very carefully.

Error Area 8 — Conjunctions & Correlatives

Rule: Correlative conjunctions are fixed pairs and must join parallel elements: either…or, neither…nor, not only…but also, both…and, no sooner…than, scarcely…when, hardly…when, whether…or.

• Faulty: Neither he or his brother came. → Error: "or". Correct: Neither he nor his brother came.
• Faulty: He is not only intelligent but hardworking. → Error: "but". Correct: …not only intelligent but also hardworking.
• Faulty: Both the captain as well as the team were praised. → Error: "as well as". Correct: Both the captain and the team were praised.
• Faulty: No sooner did he see the police when he fled. → Error: "when". Correct: …than he fled.
• Faulty: Although he is poor, but he is honest. → Error: "but". Correct: Although he is poor, he is honest. (drop "but")
• Faulty: Either you nor I am responsible. → Error: "nor". Correct: Either you or I am responsible.

Error Area 9 — Nouns (Number & Uncountables)

Rule: Some nouns are always plural (scissors, trousers, spectacles), some uncountable and never pluralised (information, advice, furniture, equipment, scenery, luggage, news), and some are the same in singular/plural (sheep, deer).

• Faulty: He gave me many informations. → Error: "informations". Correct: …much information.
• Faulty: She bought new furnitures. → Error: "furnitures". Correct: …new furniture.
• Faulty: I need a scissor. → Error: "a scissor". Correct: I need a pair of scissors.
• Faulty: The poetries of Keats are famous. → Error: "poetries". Correct: The poetry of Keats is famous.
• Faulty: He gave me some good advices. → Error: "advices". Correct: …some good advice.
• Faulty: The luggages are heavy. → Error: "luggages". Correct: The luggage is heavy.

Error Area 10 — Redundancy (Tautology)

Rule: Avoid using two words that express the same idea.

• Faulty: Please return back my book. → Error: "return back". Correct: Please return my book.
• Faulty: The two twins both look alike. → Error: "both". Correct: The twins look alike.
• Faulty: He repeated the same thing again. → Error: "again". Correct: He repeated the same thing.
• Faulty: We must cooperate together. → Error: "together". Correct: We must cooperate.
• Faulty: Kindly revert back soon. → Error: "revert back". Correct: Kindly revert soon.
• Faulty: The reason is because he was late. → Error: "because". Correct: The reason is that he was late.

Error Area 11 — Parallelism

Rule: Items in a series or joined by correlatives must be in the same grammatical form.

• Faulty: She likes reading, writing and to paint. → Error: "to paint". Correct: …reading, writing and painting.
• Faulty: He is honest, sincere and works hard. → Error: "works hard". Correct: …honest, sincere and hardworking.
• Faulty: To know is one thing and doing is another. → Error: "doing". Correct: To do is another. (or "Knowing… doing")
• Faulty: The job is not only difficult but also it bores. → Error: "it bores". Correct: …but also boring.
• Faulty: He came running and shouted loudly while he jumps. → Error: "jumps". Correct: …while he jumped.
• Faulty: She is good at singing and to dance. → Error: "to dance". Correct: …singing and dancing.

Error Area 12 — Misplaced / Dangling Modifiers

Rule: An introductory modifier must logically describe the subject that immediately follows it.

• Faulty: Walking down the road, the temple came into view. → Error: dangling modifier. Correct: Walking down the road, we saw the temple.
• Faulty: She nearly drove the car for six hours. → Error: "nearly". Correct: She drove the car for nearly six hours.
• Faulty: Being a hot day, we stayed indoors. → Error: "Being a hot day". Correct: It being a hot day, we stayed indoors.
• Faulty: He served biscuits to the children on paper plates. → Error: misplaced phrase. Correct: He served biscuits on paper plates to the children.
• Faulty: To play well, the bat must be chosen carefully. → Error: dangling. Correct: To play well, a player must choose the bat carefully.
• Faulty: I saw a dog running in my pyjamas. → Error: "in my pyjamas" misplaced. Correct: In my pyjamas, I saw a dog running.

Error Area 13 — Wrong Word (Confusables)

Rule: Watch for words confused in form or meaning — affect/effect, accept/except, lose/loose, principal/principle, beside/besides.

• Faulty: The medicine had a good affect. → Error: "affect". Correct: …a good effect.
• Faulty: Everyone came accept John. → Error: "accept". Correct: …except John.
• Faulty: My shoe is looseen. → Error: wrong form; Faulty: I do not want to loose the match. → Correct: …lose the match.
• Faulty: She is the principle of the college. → Error: "principle". Correct: …principal of the college.
• Faulty: Sit besides me. → Error: "besides". Correct: Sit beside me. ("beside" = next to; "besides" = in addition.)
• Faulty: He adapted the new policy. → Error: "adapted". Correct: He adopted the new policy. (adopt = take up; adapt = adjust.)

Error Area 14 — Conditionals

Rule: Type 1: If + present, will + base. Type 2: If + past, would + base. Type 3: If + had + past participle, would have + past participle. Do not use "will/would" in the "if" clause.

• Faulty: If he will come, I shall meet him. → Error: "will come". Correct: If he comes, I shall meet him.
• Faulty: If I was you, I would accept. → Error: "was". Correct: If I were you, I would accept.
• Faulty: If he had worked hard, he would pass. → Error: "would pass". Correct: …he would have passed.
• Faulty: Had I known, I will help you. → Error: "will help". Correct: Had I known, I would have helped you.
• Faulty: If you would study, you would succeed. → Error: "would study". Correct: If you studied, you would succeed.
• Faulty: Unless you do not hurry, you will miss it. → Error: "not". Correct: Unless you hurry, you will miss it. (Unless = if not.)

Error Area 15 — Question Tags

Rule: A positive statement takes a negative tag and vice versa; the tag uses the auxiliary and the matching pronoun. "Let us" → "shall we?"; "I am" → "aren't I?"; imperatives → "will you?"

• Faulty: She is a teacher, isn't it? → Error: "isn't it". Correct: …isn't she?
• Faulty: You can swim, can you? → Error: "can you". Correct: You can swim, can't you?
• Faulty: Let us go, will we? → Error: "will we". Correct: Let us go, shall we?
• Faulty: I am right, am not I? → Error: "am not I". Correct: I am right, aren't I?
• Faulty: He hardly works, doesn't he? → Error: "doesn't he". Correct: …does he? ("hardly" is negative, so the tag is positive.)
• Faulty: Open the door, don't you? → Error: "don't you". Correct: Open the door, will you?

Error-Signal Words — Quick Reference

Common Exam Errors

Exam Tricks

• Test agreement first. The majority of spotting-errors items hide a subject–verb agreement fault — check the verb against its true subject before anything else.
• Beware the "nearest noun" trap. Phrases like "of the boys", "along with the staff", "as well as his friends" tempt you to match the verb to the wrong noun.
• Spot the signal word. If you see "one of", "each", "neither", "the number of", "hardly", "no sooner", "since/for", go straight to its rule.
• Small segments matter. A two-word segment such as "(b) have" or "(c) than" is a classic hiding place for the error — never skip a short segment.
• Distractor segments are often grammatically heavy and look suspicious but are actually correct; resist being drawn to length.
• Watch deliberate confusables: its/it's, affect/effect, lose/loose, beside/besides, principal/principle, advice/advise.
• "No error" frequency: In a typical set the correct answer is "No error" in roughly 1 in 6 to 1 in 5 questions. Examiners include it to catch over-correctors. If you have checked every rule and found nothing, trust "No error".
• Do not change tense or voice mentally. Judge the sentence as written, not as you would rephrase it.

Frequently Confused Pairs

Exceptions — Important, Rare & Advanced

• Collective nouns take a singular verb when acting as a unit but a plural verb when members act individually: "The jury was unanimous" vs "The jury were divided in their opinions."
• "More than one" takes a singular verb despite the plural sense: "More than one student was absent."
• Plural-form nouns of measure/amount take a singular verb when treated as one quantity: "Ten miles is a long walk"; "Five thousand rupees is enough."
• Titles and names of single works/organisations are singular: "The United Nations has met"; "Gulliver's Travels is a classic."
• Either/Neither alone (not in pairs) are singular: "Neither of the answers is correct."
• "None" may be singular or plural; modern usage allows a plural verb with plural reference: "None of them were ready."
• "A pair of" makes plural-form nouns singular: "A pair of trousers is on the bed."
• "The poor / the rich / the elderly" (adjective as noun) take a plural verb: "The poor are always with us."
• Wishes and "as if/as though" use the unreal past/were: "I wish I were rich"; "He talks as if he knew everything."
• "Lest" is followed by "should" and is already negative: "Work hard lest you should fail" (never "lest … not").

50 MCQs

Easy (1–15)

1. Spot the error: (a) One of the boys / (b) have / (c) broken / (d) the window.

(a) One of the boys (b) have (c) broken (d) the window
Answer: (b) have
Explanation: "One of the boys" is singular → "has".

2. Spot the error: (a) She is married / (b) with / (c) a wealthy / (d) businessman.

(a) She is married (b) with (c) a wealthy (d) businessman
Answer: (b) with
Explanation: "Married" takes the preposition "to", not "with".

3. Spot the error: (a) He has been / (b) ill / (c) since / (d) three days.

(a) He has been (b) ill (c) since (d) three days
Answer: (c) since
Explanation: A period of time takes "for", so "for three days".

4. Spot the error: (a) The quality / (b) of the mangoes / (c) were / (d) very poor.

(a) The quality (b) of the mangoes (c) were (d) very poor
Answer: (c) were
Explanation: The subject is "quality" (singular) → "was".

5. Spot the error: (a) He is / (b) an / (c) university / (d) professor.

(a) He is (b) an (c) university (d) professor
Answer: (b) an
Explanation: "University" begins with a /j/ sound → "a university".

6. Spot the error: (a) She gave me / (b) many / (c) informations / (d) about the course.

(a) She gave me (b) many (c) informations (d) about the course
Answer: (c) informations
Explanation: "Information" is uncountable → "much information".

7. Spot the error: (a) Each of / (b) the students / (c) have / (d) a book.

(a) Each of (b) the students (c) have (d) a book
Answer: (c) have
Explanation: "Each" takes a singular verb → "has".

8. Spot the error: (a) He is taller / (b) than / (c) me / (d) No error.

(a) He is taller (b) than (c) me (d) No error
Answer: (c) me
Explanation: Comparison implies "than I (am)"; the subjective case is correct in formal usage.

9. Spot the error: (a) The news / (b) about the floods / (c) are / (d) alarming.

(a) The news (b) about the floods (c) are (d) alarming
Answer: (c) are
Explanation: "News" is singular → "is".

10. Spot the error: (a) If he / (b) will come, / (c) I shall / (d) meet him.

(a) If he (b) will come, (c) I shall (d) meet him
Answer: (b) will come
Explanation: No "will" in the "if" clause → "If he comes".

11. Spot the error: (a) She is good / (b) in / (c) painting / (d) and music.

(a) She is good (b) in (c) painting (d) and music
Answer: (b) in
Explanation: "Good at" is the correct collocation.

12. Spot the error: (a) He prefers / (b) tea / (c) than / (d) coffee.

(a) He prefers (b) tea (c) than (d) coffee
Answer: (c) than
Explanation: "Prefer … to …", so "prefers tea to coffee".

13. Spot the error: (a) Please / (b) return back / (c) my pen / (d) tomorrow.

(a) Please (b) return back (c) my pen (d) tomorrow
Answer: (b) return back
Explanation: "Return back" is redundant → "return".

14. Spot the error: (a) Neither he / (b) or / (c) his friend / (d) was present.

(a) Neither he (b) or (c) his friend (d) was present
Answer: (b) or
Explanation: "Neither" pairs with "nor".

15. Spot the error: (a) She is / (b) the / (c) cleverest / (d) of the two girls.

(a) She is (b) the (c) cleverest (d) of the two girls
Answer: (c) cleverest
Explanation: For two, use the comparative → "the cleverer of the two".

Moderate (16–35)

16. Spot the error: (a) The teacher, / (b) along with the pupils, / (c) were / (d) at the fair.

(a) The teacher, (b) along with the pupils, (c) were (d) at the fair
Answer: (c) were
Explanation: "Along with" does not add to the subject; "teacher" is singular → "was".

17. Spot the error: (a) Scarcely had he / (b) reached the platform / (c) than / (d) the train left.

(a) Scarcely had he (b) reached the platform (c) than (d) the train left
Answer: (c) than
Explanation: "Scarcely … when", not "than".

18. Spot the error: (a) He is / (b) senior / (c) than / (d) me.

(a) He is (b) senior (c) than (d) me
Answer: (c) than
Explanation: "Senior" takes "to" → "senior to me".

19. Spot the error: (a) Each of the / (b) girls / (c) did / (d) their best.

(a) Each of the (b) girls (c) did (d) their best
Answer: (d) their best
Explanation: "Each" needs a singular pronoun → "her best".

20. Spot the error: (a) I have / (b) seen / (c) him / (d) yesterday.

(a) I have (b) seen (c) him (d) yesterday
Answer: (a) I have
Explanation: A finished past time ("yesterday") needs simple past → "I saw".

21. Spot the error: (a) Between / (b) you / (c) and I / (d) lies a secret.

(a) Between (b) you (c) and I (d) lies a secret
Answer: (c) and I
Explanation: After the preposition "between" use the objective case → "and me".

22. Spot the error: (a) The number of / (b) accidents / (c) are / (d) increasing.

(a) The number of (b) accidents (c) are (d) increasing
Answer: (c) are
Explanation: "The number of" takes a singular verb → "is".

23. Spot the error: (a) If I / (b) was you, / (c) I would / (d) resign at once.

(a) If I (b) was you, (c) I would (d) resign at once
Answer: (b) was you
Explanation: Unreal condition needs the subjunctive → "If I were you".

24. Spot the error: (a) He said / (b) that / (c) he will / (d) help me.

(a) He said (b) that (c) he will (d) help me
Answer: (c) he will
Explanation: Past reporting verb needs "would" → "that he would help".

25. Spot the error: (a) She speaks / (b) English / (c) very / (d) fluent.

(a) She speaks (b) English (c) very (d) fluent
Answer: (d) fluent
Explanation: An adverb modifies "speaks" → "fluently".

26. Spot the error: (a) No sooner / (b) did he arrive / (c) when / (d) the meeting began.

(a) No sooner (b) did he arrive (c) when (d) the meeting began
Answer: (c) when
Explanation: "No sooner … than".

27. Spot the error: (a) The jury / (b) was / (c) divided / (d) in their opinions.

(a) The jury (b) was (c) divided (d) in their opinions
Answer: (b) was
Explanation: Members act individually ("their opinions") → plural verb "were".

28. Spot the error: (a) He bought / (b) two new / (c) furnitures / (d) for the office.

(a) He bought (b) two new (c) furnitures (d) for the office
Answer: (c) furnitures
Explanation: "Furniture" is uncountable → "pieces of furniture".

29. Spot the error: (a) She likes / (b) reading, writing / (c) and / (d) to paint.

(a) She likes (b) reading, writing (c) and (d) to paint
Answer: (d) to paint
Explanation: Parallelism requires the gerund → "painting".

30. Spot the error: (a) Hardly / (b) had I slept / (c) than / (d) the phone rang.

(a) Hardly (b) had I slept (c) than (d) the phone rang
Answer: (c) than
Explanation: "Hardly … when".

31. Spot the error: (a) Let us / (b) start the work, / (c) will we? / (d) No error.

(a) Let us (b) start the work, (c) will we? (d) No error
Answer: (c) will we?
Explanation: "Let us" takes the tag "shall we?".

32. Spot the error: (a) The dog / (b) wagged / (c) it's / (d) tail happily.

(a) The dog (b) wagged (c) it's (d) tail happily
Answer: (c) it's
Explanation: Possessive is "its"; "it's" means "it is".

33. Spot the error: (a) He is / (b) the most / (c) cleverest / (d) student in class.

(a) He is (b) the most (c) cleverest (d) student in class
Answer: (c) cleverest
Explanation: Double superlative; use "the cleverest" or "the most clever".

34. Spot the error: (a) A number of / (b) volunteers / (c) has / (d) come forward.

(a) A number of (b) volunteers (c) has (d) come forward
Answer: (c) has
Explanation: "A number of" takes a plural verb → "have".

35. Spot the error: (a) Everyone / (b) in the team / (c) played / (d) well. No error.

(a) Everyone (b) in the team (c) played (d) No error
Answer: (d) No error
Explanation: The sentence is grammatically correct.

Difficult (36–50)

36. Spot the error: (a) Neither the principal / (b) nor the teachers / (c) was / (d) informed in time.

(a) Neither the principal (b) nor the teachers (c) was (d) informed in time
Answer: (c) was
Explanation: With "neither…nor" the verb agrees with the nearer subject "teachers" → "were".

37. Spot the error: (a) Walking down the lane, / (b) the old temple / (c) suddenly / (d) came into view.

(a) Walking down the lane, (b) the old temple (c) suddenly (d) came into view
Answer: (b) the old temple
Explanation: Dangling modifier: the temple was not walking; the subject should be a person, e.g. "we saw the temple".

38. Spot the error: (a) More than one / (b) candidate / (c) were / (d) rejected.

(a) More than one (b) candidate (c) were (d) rejected
Answer: (c) were
Explanation: "More than one" takes a singular verb → "was".

39. Spot the error: (a) Had I known / (b) the truth, / (c) I will / (d) have warned you.

(a) Had I known (b) the truth, (c) I will (d) have warned you
Answer: (c) I will
Explanation: Third conditional needs "would have" → "I would have warned".

40. Spot the error: (a) The poor / (b) is / (c) often / (d) neglected by society.

(a) The poor (b) is (c) often (d) neglected by society
Answer: (b) is
Explanation: "The poor" (adjective as noun) is plural → "are".

41. Spot the error: (a) He talks / (b) as if / (c) he was / (d) the master here.

(a) He talks (b) as if (c) he was (d) the master here
Answer: (c) he was
Explanation: "As if" for an unreal idea takes "were" → "as if he were the master".

42. Spot the error: (a) Work hard / (b) lest you / (c) should not / (d) fail in the test.

(a) Work hard (b) lest you (c) should not (d) fail in the test
Answer: (c) should not
Explanation: "Lest" is already negative; drop "not" → "lest you should fail".

43. Spot the error: (a) Ten miles / (b) are / (c) too long a distance / (d) to walk.

(a) Ten miles (b) are (c) too long a distance (d) to walk
Answer: (b) are
Explanation: A measure treated as a single quantity is singular → "Ten miles is".

44. Spot the error: (a) She served tea / (b) to the guests / (c) in paper cups / (d) No error.

(a) She served tea (b) to the guests (c) in paper cups (d) No error
Answer: (d) No error
Explanation: The sentence is correct and unambiguous.

45. Spot the error: (a) Not only / (b) he insulted me / (c) but also / (d) abused my friend.

(a) Not only (b) he insulted me (c) but also (d) abused my friend
Answer: (b) he insulted me
Explanation: After "not only" at the head, invert → "Not only did he insult me".

46. Spot the error: (a) Neither of / (b) the two proposals / (c) are / (d) acceptable to us.

(a) Neither of (b) the two proposals (c) are (d) acceptable to us
Answer: (c) are
Explanation: "Neither" alone is singular → "is".

47. Spot the error: (a) The committee / (b) have / (c) reached / (d) a unanimous decision.

(a) The committee (b) have (c) reached (d) a unanimous decision
Answer: (b) have
Explanation: Acting as a single unit ("unanimous"), the collective noun is singular → "has".

48. Spot the error: (a) A pair of / (b) scissors / (c) were / (d) lying on the table.

(a) A pair of (b) scissors (c) were (d) lying on the table
Answer: (c) were
Explanation: "A pair of …" is singular → "was".

49. Spot the error: (a) He as well as / (b) his brothers / (c) are / (d) responsible for it.

(a) He as well as (b) his brothers (c) are (d) responsible for it
Answer: (c) are
Explanation: "As well as" does not change the subject; "He" is singular → "is".

50. Spot the error: (a) Hardly / (b) anyone / (c) doesn't / (d) attend such meetings.

(a) Hardly (b) anyone (c) doesn't (d) attend such meetings
Answer: (c) doesn't
Explanation: "Hardly" is already negative; a second negative is wrong → "Hardly anyone attends".