Hi everyone! Welcome back to your daily dose of English practice.
Let’s be honest—Spotting Errors is one of the most scoring sections in exams like SSC CGL, CHSL, Banking, and even UPSC CDS/NDA. But it is also the section where students make the silliest mistakes.
You might think, “I know what a Noun is, it’s easy!” But when it comes to rules like Collective Nouns or Subject-Verb Agreement, things get tricky.
Why Focus on Nouns and Pronouns?
Before you start the test, remember this: Nouns and Pronouns are the building blocks of any sentence. If you can’t identify the subject correctly, you will never get the verb right.
Common traps in exams include:
- Singular vs. Plural confusion (e.g., “Cattle is” vs. “Cattle are”).
- Pronoun ambiguity (Who vs. Whom).
- Possessive cases.
This test covers all these important rules.
Test-01: Spotting Errors (Noun & Pronoun)
Answer Key & Explanations:
Question.1 Answer: A A possessive pronoun Explanation: According to the rules of grammar, “your” is a possessive pronoun that shows something belongs to someone.
Question.2 Answer: B You are Explanation: The source clearly states that “you’re” is simply a contraction of the words “you are”.
Question.3 Answer: B Who Explanation: The text explains that “who” is used as the subject of a sentence, while “whom” is used as the object.
Question.4 Answer: B Whose Explanation: “Whose” is the possessive form of the relative pronoun “who”, whereas “who’s” means “who is”.
Question.5 Answer: C Verb Explanation: “Affect” is generally used as a verb which means “to cause an effect”.
Question.6 Answer: C Who Explanation: According to the rules, “who” refers to a person, while “that” refers to an inanimate object.
Question.7 Answer: A Exempli gratia Explanation: “E.g.” is short for “exempli gratia” and it is used to provide examples in writing.
Question.8 Answer: C Id est Explanation: “I.e.” is short for “id est” and it is used when you want to clarify a statement.
Question.9 Answer: B Than Explanation: “Than” is used to compare things (like “taller than”), whereas “then” indicates when something will happen.
Question.10 Answer: B Each Explanation: “Each” is used to refer to two items, while “every” is used when referring to a group of three or more items.
Question.11 Answer: B Less Explanation: “Less” describes abstract or uncountable amounts, whereas “fewer” is used for things you can physically count.
Question.12 Answer: D I Explanation: You should use “I” when you are the subject of the sentence, and “me” when you are the object.
Question.13 Answer: B Farther Explanation: “Farther” refers to literal, physical distance, while “further” means “more”.
Question.14 Answer: B Such as Explanation: “Such as” is used to provide specific examples, whereas “like” is used to make a comparison.
Question.15 Answer: B Allot Explanation: “Allot” is a verb meaning to distribute something, while “a lot” means a large amount. “Alot” is not a real word.
Question.16 Answer: B Past Explanation: “Past” refers to an event or time that has already happened, whereas “passed” is an action verb.
Question.17 Answer: B Based on Explanation: Currently, “based on” is the grammatically correct phrase, while “based off” is considered incorrect.
Question.18 Answer: B Compliment Explanation: A “compliment” (with an ‘i’) is a kind word or praise, while “complement” (with an ‘e’) means to enhance something.
Question.19 Answer: C An aside or sudden tone change Explanation: Em dashes have a quick, casual connotation and are frequently used to show an aside or sudden tone change in a sentence.
Question.20 Answer: A A word too far away from the noun it modifies Explanation: A misplaced modifier is a word or phrase that is placed too far away from the noun it is modifying, which can make the sentence confusing to read.
What’s Your Score?
So, how did you perform?
- Score 80-100%: Excellent! Your basics are strong.
- Score 50-80%: Good, but watch out for silly mistakes.
- Score below 50%: Don’t worry. Review the rules of Nouns and try again.
Post your score in the comments section below. I reply to every comment!
Next Test: We will cover Adjectives & Adverbs. Stay tuned!
