SSC CGL Preparation – Day 19

English – Error Spotting

---

🔍 What is Error Spotting?

Error Spotting involves identifying grammatical or structural mistakes in a sentence. This tests your knowledge of English grammar rules, sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, tenses, and word usage.

You are given a sentence, often divided into 4 parts, and you have to select the one with an error. Sometimes, there’s an option “No error” if the sentence is grammatically correct.

---

🎯 Why It’s Important for SSC CGL

• Frequently appears in Tier-I and Tier-II
• 3–5 questions per set, easy scoring with solid grammar
• Tests deep understanding of applied grammar, not just theoretical rules

---

🧠 Key Grammar Rules Tested

Category	What to Master
Subject-Verb Agreement	Plural/singular subject matching verb
Tense Consistency	Proper use of past, present, future tenses
Articles	a, an, the – where and when to use or omit
Prepositions	Use of in, at, on, by, for, to, with
Pronouns	Correct case and reference (he/him, who/whom)
Modifiers	Placement of adjectives/adverbs
Conjunctions	Pairing correct connectors (either…or, neither…nor)
Redundancy	Avoiding repetition like “repeat again”
Parallelism	Balance in structure (e.g., dancing, singing, and eating)
Conditional Sentences	If clauses (If I were vs If I was)

---

📌 Common SSC CGL Error Spotting Patterns

1. Part-Based Sentence Division The man / along with his friends / are going / to the party.
   ✅ Error in Part 3 (should be is going)
2. Whole-Sentence Correction Identify the part which contains a grammatical error.
3. Word Usage-Based Errors He is good in maths. ❌
   ✅ Correct: He is good at maths.

---

✍️ Error Spotting Approach: 5-Step Strategy

1. Read the entire sentence carefully
2. Break down the grammar rule involved
3. Check subject-verb, tense, articles, and prepositions
4. Look for subtle traps – redundancy, wrong modifiers, etc.
5. Always check for ‘No Error’ – sometimes there’s nothing wrong

---

📚 Examples of Common Errors

Sentence	Error	Correction
One of the boy is absent.	Subject-verb	One of the boys is absent.
She is more wiser than him.	Redundancy	She is wiser than him.
He told to me the truth.	Preposition	He told me the truth.
Neither of the answers are correct.	Subject-verb	Neither of the answers is correct.
Each of the boys have a pen.	Subject-verb	Each of the boys has a pen.

---

🧾 Spotting Advanced Errors: Tricky Examples

1. Incorrect Tense Usage
   ❌ I am knowing the answer.
   ✅ I know the answer.
2. Misplaced Modifiers
   ❌ Driving through the town, the houses were seen.
   ✅ Driving through the town, we saw the houses.
3. Pronoun Confusion
   ❌ Him and I went shopping.
   ✅ He and I went shopping.
4. Double Negatives
   ❌ I don’t want nothing.
   ✅ I don’t want anything.
5. Wrong Parallel Structure
   ❌ He likes to swim, biking, and to run.
   ✅ He likes swimming, biking, and running.

---

💡 Tips to Master Error Spotting

• ✅ Revise grammar rules regularly (especially tense and subject-verb)
• ✅ Practice 10–15 error spotting questions daily
• ✅ Read error-free English sources (editorials, essays)
• ✅ Write and self-edit to recognize your own patterns
• ✅ Use elimination method when in doubt

---

✅ Quick Grammar Recap Table

Rule	Example
Neither/Nor	Neither the players nor the coach was happy.
Each/Every	Each student has a pen.
Collective Nouns	The jury was divided in its opinion.
Gerunds	He is fond of singing.
Conditionals	If I were you, I would not go.

---

🧠 Final Checklist for SSC CGL Error Spotting

✔ Master grammar rules
✔ Watch for logic & flow errors
✔ Read full sentence before answering
✔ Don’t ignore simple options like articles or prepositions
✔ “No error” is often the trick!