Error Detection aptitude questions
Error Detection questions are part of the Verbal section of placement aptitude tests. Scan subject, verb, tense, and agreement in that order. Below are 5 worked examples with the answer and the working; practise ten fresh ones or take a timed mock when you are ready.
Example 1. Find the part with an error: "The teacher gave / the students many / informations."
- A. The teacher gave
- B. informations (answer)
- C. No error
- D. the students many
"Information" is uncountable and has no plural form.
Example 2. Find the part with an error: "The news about the results / were encouraging / for everyone."
- A. for everyone.
- B. The news about the results
- C. No error
- D. were encouraging (answer)
"News" is an uncountable noun and takes a singular verb: "was encouraging".
Example 3. Find the part with an error: "Neither the manager / nor the employees / was informed."
- A. nor the employees
- B. was informed (answer)
- C. No error
- D. Neither the manager
With "neither ... nor" the verb agrees with the nearer subject, "employees", so it should be "were informed".
Example 4. Find the part with an error: "If I would have known / the answer, I would / have told you."
- A. If I would have known (answer)
- B. No error
- C. the answer, I would
- D. have told you.
The "if" clause of a past unreal condition uses the past perfect: "If I had known".
Example 5. Find the part with an error: "He is one of those / who always keeps / his promises."
- A. He is one of those
- B. who always keeps (answer)
- C. No error
- D. his promises.
"Who" refers to "those" (plural), so the verb is "keep" and the possessive is "their".
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