Error Spotting & Sentence Improvement - Complete SSC CGL Guide
What are Error Spotting & Sentence Improvement? These questions test your grammar knowledge and ability to identify/correct errors in sentences. Error spotting asks you to find the error, while sentence improvement asks you to choose the best correction.
Click on error types to identify the mistake in the sentence above
Pro Tip – The 4-Step Error Spotting Method!
1. Read: Read the entire sentence carefully
2. Identify: Look for common error patterns
3. Check: Verify grammar rules point-by-point
4. Confirm: Ensure correction maintains meaning
Visit SKY Practice for 400+ Error Spotting questions with detailed explanations.
Mastering error spotting requires understanding common grammar mistakes and patterns
1. Error Spotting Basics
What is Error Spotting? These questions present sentences with grammatical errors. You need to identify the part containing the error or choose "No error" if the sentence is correct.
Understanding Error Spotting Formats
Two Main Formats in SSC CGL
SSC CGL tests error spotting in two formats: traditional error spotting and sentence improvement. Understanding both is crucial for preparation.
Traditional Error Spotting
- Sentence divided into parts (A), (B), (C), (D)
- Find which part contains error
- Choose "No error" if sentence is correct
- Tests grammar knowledge
- Requires attention to detail
- Example: (A) She goes (B) to school (C) by foot (D) No error
Sentence Improvement
- Sentence with underlined part
- Choose best alternative
- Option (D) = No improvement needed
- Tests correction ability
- More application-based
- Example: She is good in mathematics. (Replace "in")
Common Error Categories
- Subject-verb agreement
- Tense errors
- Preposition errors
- Pronoun errors
- Adjective/adverb errors
- Conjunction errors
- Parallel structure errors
- Redundancy errors
SSC Shortcut: Error Spotting Identification
Subject-verb distance: Check if subject and verb are separated by long phrases
Pronoun reference: Ensure pronouns clearly refer to specific nouns
Parallel structure: Check items in series use same grammatical form
Idiomatic usage: Certain words/phrases have fixed prepositions
Redundancy check: Look for unnecessary repetition of meaning
Tense consistency: Ensure tenses are logical and consistent
Solved Example: Basic Error Spotting
(A) One of the students
(B) have submitted
(C) their assignment late
(D) No error
"One of the students have submitted their assignment late."
Listen to the sentence - does it sound right?
Step 2: Check subject-verb agreement
Subject: "One of the students"
• "One" is the main subject (singular)
• "of the students" is prepositional phrase
Verb: "have submitted" (plural)
Problem: Singular subject "One" needs singular verb "has submitted"
Step 3: Check pronoun agreement
Subject: One (singular)
Pronoun: "their" (plural)
Problem: Singular subject needs singular pronoun "his/her"
But this might be a secondary issue
Step 4: Prioritize errors
Primary error: Subject-verb agreement
"One of the students has submitted..." (correct)
Secondary: Pronoun could be "his/her" but sometimes "their" is accepted for gender neutrality
Step 5: Identify error location
Error is in part (B): "have submitted"
Should be "has submitted"
Step 6: Verify other parts
(A) "One of the students" - correct
(C) "their assignment late" - pronoun issue but not primary error
(D) "No error" - incorrect because there IS an error
Step 7: Consider SSC patterns
SSC often tests "One of the + plural noun + singular verb" pattern
Common mistake: Using plural verb after "one of the"
Final Answer: Error in part (B) - should be "has submitted"
2. Common Error Types & Patterns
Error Patterns: Most SSC errors follow predictable patterns. Learning these patterns helps spot errors quickly.
Top 10 SSC Error Categories
Frequency of Error Types in SSC CGL
Based on analysis of previous 5 years' papers, these are the most common error types in SSC CGL exams.
Error Type Frequency in SSC CGL
Subject-Verb Agreement
Common patterns:
• Either/neither + singular verb
• Collective nouns + usually singular verb
• Words between subject and verb don't affect agreement
• Subject after verb still controls agreement
• Indefinite pronouns (everyone) + singular
• "The number" + singular, "A number" + plural
Correct: The list of items is long.
Error: Neither of them are coming.
Correct: Neither of them is coming.
Preposition Errors
Fixed combinations:
• Interested in (not for)
• Afraid of (not from)
• Different from (not than)
• Similar to (not with)
• Depend on (not upon)
• Arrive at (place), in (city)
• Angry with (person), at (situation)
Correct: She is good at mathematics.
Error: He is addicted to smoke.
Correct: He is addicted to smoking.
Tense Errors
Common mistakes:
- Mixed tenses in same sentence
- Wrong sequence of tenses
- Present perfect with past time
- Past perfect without simple past
- Since/for with wrong tense
- Future in time clauses
- Reporting past events
Correct: I saw him yesterday.
Error: She said she will come.
Correct: She said she would come.
1 Pronoun Agreement Rules
• Indefinite pronouns (everyone, someone) take singular pronouns
• Collective nouns can take singular or plural pronouns based on meaning
• "Each other" for two, "one another" for more than two
• Avoid ambiguous pronoun references
Examples:
Error: Everyone should do their best.
Correct: Everyone should do his/her best.
Error: The team won their match.
Correct: The team won its match. (if acting as unit)
2 Parallel Structure Rules
• Correlative conjunctions (either...or, neither...nor, both...and, not only...but also) require parallel structure
• Comparisons using "than" or "as" require parallel structure
Examples:
Error: She likes reading, swimming, and to hike.
Correct: She likes reading, swimming, and hiking.
Error: He is not only intelligent but also works hard.
Correct: He is not only intelligent but also hardworking.
3 Redundancy & Wordiness
• Common redundant pairs: repeat again, return back, past history, future plans
• Wordy expressions: "at this point in time" (use "now"), "due to the fact that" (use "because")
Examples:
Error: He returned back from Delhi.
Correct: He returned from Delhi.
Error: The reason is because he was tired.
Correct: The reason is that he was tired.
SSC Shortcut: Quick Error Detection
Check these first: 1) Subject-verb agreement, 2) Pronoun agreement, 3) Prepositions after verbs
Listen for rhythm: Incorrect sentences often "sound wrong" to trained ears
Spot common traps: "Each of", "One of", "Neither of" followed by plural verb
Watch for "ing" forms: Certain verbs take gerunds (enjoy swimming, avoid eating)
Check comparisons: "Than" and "as" often signal comparison errors
Look for series: Commas often signal need for parallel structure
Solved Example: Multiple Error Types
(A) Not only she completed
(B) her assignment on time
(C) but also helped others
(D) No error
"Not only she completed her assignment on time but also helped others."
Listen: Does it sound right? Something feels off about the beginning.
Step 2: Check parallel structure
Structure: Not only X but also Y
X: she completed her assignment
Y: helped others
Both should be parallel in structure
They seem parallel: both are clauses with subject + verb
Step 3: Check word order with "Not only"
Rule: When "not only" begins a sentence, it often requires inversion (question word order)
Correct: Not only did she complete... but also helped...
Or: She not only completed... but also helped...
Error: "Not only she completed" is incorrect word order
Step 4: Identify correct structures
Option 1 (with inversion): Not only did she complete her assignment on time but also helped others.
Option 2 (without inversion at beginning): She not only completed her assignment on time but also helped others.
Both are correct, but original has wrong word order.
Step 5: Locate error
Error is in part (A): "Not only she completed"
Should be either:
• Not only did she complete...
• She not only completed...
Step 6: Check other parts
(B) "her assignment on time" - correct
(C) "but also helped others" - correct (parallel to "completed")
(D) "No error" - incorrect because there IS an error
Step 7: Verify grammar rule
Rule: When "not only" is used at the beginning of a clause for emphasis, we use inverted word order (auxiliary verb before subject).
Example: Not only did he finish first, but he also broke the record.
Final Answer: Error in part (A) - incorrect word order after "Not only"
Developing systematic strategies helps spot errors quickly and accurately
3. Error Spotting Strategies
Systematic Approach: Use these proven techniques to identify errors accurately and efficiently.
Step-by-Step Error Detection Method
The 6-Step Error Spotting Method
Follow this systematic approach to consistently identify errors in SSC questions.
Do's for Error Spotting
- Do read the entire sentence first
- Do check subject-verb agreement
- Do verify pronoun references
- Do check preposition usage
- Do look for parallel structure
- Do eliminate obviously wrong options
- Do trust your grammar instinct
Don'ts for Error Spotting
- Don't focus only on underlined parts
- Don't ignore context of sentence
- Don't change correct idioms
- Don't introduce new errors
- Don't overcomplicate simple sentences
- Don't spend > 60 seconds on one question
- Don't second-guess obvious errors
The Elimination Method
Systematic elimination:
2. Eliminate obviously correct parts
3. Check remaining parts against rules
4. Look for common error patterns
5. If uncertain, choose "No error"
6. Never leave any question
Example process:
• Part A: Subject-verb ✓
• Part B: Preposition ✓
• Part C: Tense ?
• Part D: No error (if C is correct)
Context Reading Method
Read before and after:
- Read 2-3 words before error part
- Read 2-3 words after error part
- Understand the complete thought
- Check for logical flow
- Ensure meaning is clear
- Watch for misplaced modifiers
- Check for dangling participles
Pattern Recognition
Common SSC patterns:
• Neither/Either of + plural noun + singular verb
• The number of + singular verb
• A number of + plural verb
• Each/Every + singular verb
• Not only... but also (parallel structure)
• As well as (doesn't make compound subject)
• Together with/along with (doesn't affect verb)
SSC Shortcut: Quick Grammar Checks
Subject-verb check: Find subject, ignore interrupting phrases, check verb agrees
Pronoun check: Find antecedent, ensure agreement in number/gender
Preposition check: Memorize common verb+preposition combinations
Tense check: Look for time indicators (yesterday, since, for)
Parallelism check: Look for series, correlative conjunctions, comparisons
Modifier check: Ensure modifiers are placed next to what they modify
Idiom check: Certain expressions are fixed (different from, not different than)
Solved Example: Strategic Error Detection
(A) The manager, along with his team members,
(B) are attending
(C) the conference in Delhi
(D) No error
Read entire sentence: "The manager, along with his team members, are attending the conference in Delhi."
Listen: Sounds wrong - "manager... are attending"
Step 2: Identify subject and ignore interrupting phrase
Subject: The manager (singular)
Interrupting phrase: along with his team members
Rule: Phrases like "along with", "together with", "as well as" don't make compound subjects
Verb should agree with main subject only
Step 3: Check subject-verb agreement
Subject: The manager (singular)
Verb: are attending (plural)
Error: Singular subject needs singular verb "is attending"
Step 4: Locate error
Error is in part (B): "are attending"
Should be "is attending"
Step 5: Verify other parts
(A) "The manager, along with his team members," - correct
(C) "the conference in Delhi" - correct
(D) "No error" - incorrect
Step 6: Understand the grammar rule
Rule: When the subject is followed by phrases like "along with", "together with", "as well as", "in addition to", the verb agrees only with the main subject.
Examples:
• The president, along with his advisors, is arriving.
• The book, as well as the pen, is on the table.
• My brother, together with his friends, is coming.
Step 7: Consider common SSC traps
SSC frequently tests this pattern to trick students into using plural verb after "along with" etc.
Remember: These phrases don't create compound subjects like "and" does.
Compare: "The manager and his team members are attending" (correct - compound subject with "and")
Final Answer: Error in part (B) - should be "is attending"
4. Sentence Improvement Strategies
Beyond Spotting: Sentence improvement questions test your ability to choose the best correction or identify if no improvement is needed.
Sentence Improvement Techniques
Approach for Sentence Improvement
These questions require not just error detection but also selection of the best alternative from given options.
Identify Original Error
First step is crucial:
- Read original sentence carefully
- Identify the error type
- Understand what needs correction
- Don't look at options yet
- Predict correct version
- Then check options
- Choose closest to prediction
Error: Wrong preposition
Correct: afraid of dogs
Evaluate All Options
Systematic evaluation:
- Read each option in full sentence
- Check for grammar correctness
- Check for meaning preservation
- Check for conciseness
- Eliminate options with new errors
- Choose most appropriate
- Consider "No improvement" seriously
Option B: Correct but wordy ✗
Option C: Correct and concise ✓
Option D: No improvement ✗
"No Improvement" Strategy
When to choose it:
• When all alternatives introduce errors
• When alternatives change meaning
• When alternatives are less concise
• When uncertain, "No improvement" is safe
• About 20-30% of answers are "No improvement"
Warning: Don't overuse "No improvement"
Check thoroughly before selecting
SSC Shortcut: Sentence Improvement Flow
Step 1: Read original sentence, identify error type
Step 2: Predict correct version in your mind
Step 3: Check option (A) - read in complete sentence
Step 4: Check option (B) - compare with (A)
Step 5: Check option (C) - eliminate if worse than others
Step 6: Consider option (D) - "No improvement" - only if original is correct or all alternatives worse
Step 7: Choose best option - consider grammar, meaning, conciseness
Solved Example: Sentence Improvement
She insisted to go to the party.
(A) on going
(B) for going
(C) to going
(D) No improvement
Original: "She insisted to go to the party."
Error: Wrong verb pattern after "insisted"
Rule: "Insist" is followed by "on" + gerund (verb+ing)
Correct: "insisted on going"
Step 2: Predict correct version
Based on grammar rule: "She insisted on going to the party."
Step 3: Evaluate option (A)
(A) on going
Test: "She insisted on going to the party."
Grammar: Correct ✓
Meaning: Preserved ✓
Conciseness: Good ✓
Step 4: Evaluate option (B)
(B) for going
Test: "She insisted for going to the party."
Grammar: Wrong preposition ✗
"Insist for" is incorrect
Step 5: Evaluate option (C)
(C) to going
Test: "She insisted to going to the party."
Grammar: Wrong ✗
"Insist to" is incorrect, and "to going" is wrong pattern
Step 6: Evaluate option (D)
(D) No improvement
Means original is correct
But we identified error in original, so (D) is wrong
Step 7: Choose best option
Only (A) is grammatically correct
(B) and (C) have preposition errors
(D) is wrong because original has error
Step 8: Verify with grammar rule
Certain verbs have fixed prepositions:
• insist on
• depend on
• agree to (proposal), with (person)
• apologize for
• believe in
• complain about
• dream of/about
• succeed in
Final Answer: (A) on going
Solved Example: "No Improvement" Case
The committee has made its decision.
(A) have made their decision
(B) has made their decision
(C) have made its decision
(D) No improvement
Original: "The committee has made its decision."
Check subject-verb agreement:
• Committee = collective noun
• Usually treated as singular when acting as unit
• "has made" = singular verb ✓
Check pronoun agreement:
• Committee (singular) → its (singular) ✓
Original appears correct
Step 2: Evaluate option (A)
(A) have made their decision
Test: "The committee have made their decision."
• "have made" = plural verb
• "their" = plural pronoun
Could be acceptable if committee members acting individually
But original (singular) is more common
Not necessarily better than original
Step 3: Evaluate option (B)
(B) has made their decision
Test: "The committee has made their decision."
• "has made" = singular verb ✓
• "their" = plural pronoun ✗
Mixed agreement: singular verb with plural pronoun
Grammatically incorrect
Step 4: Evaluate option (C)
(C) have made its decision
Test: "The committee have made its decision."
• "have made" = plural verb ✗
• "its" = singular pronoun ✓
Mixed agreement: plural verb with singular pronoun
Grammatically incorrect
Step 5: Evaluate option (D)
(D) No improvement
Means original is correct
Original: "The committee has made its decision."
Grammar: Correct ✓
Meaning: Clear ✓
Conciseness: Good ✓
Step 6: Compare all options
(A): Acceptable but not better than original
(B): Grammatically incorrect
(C): Grammatically incorrect
(D): Original is correct and concise
Step 7: Consider SSC preference
SSC usually treats collective nouns as singular
Original follows this convention
(A) uses British English convention (collective nouns as plural)
SSC follows generally American English conventions
Step 8: Decision
Original is grammatically correct
Alternatives either incorrect or not better
Therefore "No improvement" is correct
Final Answer: (D) No improvement
5. SSC Shortcuts & Common Traps
Exam-Focused Strategies: These shortcuts help solve questions quickly and avoid common SSC traps.
Time-Saving Techniques
Speed vs Accuracy Balance
In SSC exams, you need to solve questions quickly without sacrificing accuracy. These techniques help achieve that balance.
Quick Subject-Verb Check
30-second method:
2. Check if singular/plural
3. Match verb form
4. Common traps:
• Each/Every + singular
• Either/Neither + singular
• Collective nouns + usually singular
• "The number" + singular
• "A number" + plural
• Subjects joined by "and" + plural
• Subjects joined by "or/nor" + match nearest
Preposition Shortcuts
Memorize common pairs:
• Afraid of
• Agree to (plan), with (person)
• Angry with (person), at (thing)
• Apologize for
• Arrive at (place), in (city)
• Believe in
• Complain about
• Consist of
• Depend on
• Differ from
• Dream of/about
• Good at
• Insist on
• Interested in
• Responsible for
• Similar to
• Succeed in
• Wait for
Tense Quick Checks
Time indicator clues:
- Yesterday/last week → simple past
- Since/for + time → present perfect
- Already/yet → present perfect
- Every day/usually → simple present
- Tomorrow/next week → simple future
- By + past time → past perfect
- By + future time → future perfect
- When + past, past perfect for earlier action
SSC Shortcut: Common Traps to Avoid
Trap 1: "One of the" followed by plural verb (should be singular: "One of the boys is")
Trap 2: Collective nouns with plural verb when acting as unit ("The team is playing" not "are playing")
Trap 3: Misplaced modifiers ("Running quickly, the bus was missed" - who was running?)
Trap 4: Double negatives ("I don't have no money" should be "I don't have any money")
Trap 5: Wrong comparisons ("He is taller than me" should be "taller than I" or "taller than I am")
Trap 6: Redundant pairs ("repeat again", "return back", "past history")
Trap 7: "Different than" (American) vs "different from" (British - SSC prefers this)
Trap 8: "Since" with simple past ("Since I joined" not "Since I have joined" for starting point)
SSC Shortcut: "No Error" Strategy
When to choose "No error":
2. When all grammar checks pass
3. When alternatives in improvement questions are worse
4. When uncertain between two error locations
5. About 20-30% of answers are "No error"
Warning signs for "No error":
• Sentence seems too simple (trap!)
• You found error but it's not in options
• You're spending too much time (probably no error)
• All parts seem correct on recheck
Final check: Read sentence aloud in mind. If it flows naturally, probably "No error"
Solved Example: SSC Pattern Trap
(A) A number of students
(B) has submitted
(C) their applications
(D) No error
This tests "A number of" vs "The number of"
Common SSC trap
Step 2: Recall rule
• "A number of" = many (takes plural verb)
• "The number of" = quantity (takes singular verb)
Mnemonic: "A number are, The number is"
Step 3: Apply to sentence
"A number of students has submitted their applications."
• "A number of" = should take plural verb
• "has submitted" = singular verb ✗
Should be "have submitted"
Step 4: Locate error
Error in part (B): "has submitted"
Should be "have submitted"
Step 5: Verify other parts
(A) "A number of students" - correct
(C) "their applications" - correct (plural pronoun for plural "students")
(D) "No error" - incorrect
Step 6: Contrast with similar pattern
Compare: "The number of students has increased." (correct)
"A number of students have arrived." (correct)
SSC frequently tests this distinction
Step 7: Check for secondary issues
Pronoun "their" agrees with "students" (plural) ✓
No other errors
Final Answer: Error in part (B) - should be "have submitted"
6. Practice Exercises
Hands-on Practice: Apply what you've learned with these SSC-level error spotting and improvement questions.
Interactive Practice Questions
Practice Approach
Time yourself: 45 seconds per error spotting, 60 seconds per sentence improvement. Apply the strategies systematically.
Practice Question 1: Error Spotting
(A) Neither the manager
(B) nor the employees
(C) was satisfied with the decision
(D) No error
Practice Question 2: Sentence Improvement
She is afraid from dogs.
(A) of dogs
(B) by dogs
(C) with dogs
(D) No improvement
Practice Question 3: Mixed Error
(A) The committee has
(B) finally taken an decision
(C) on this matter
(D) No error
Practice Question 4: Advanced Error
He is better than any student in the class.
(A) better than any other student
(B) better than any students
(C) best than any student
(D) No improvement
SSC Shortcut: Practice Strategy
Daily practice: 15 error spotting + 10 sentence improvement daily
Error log: Maintain notebook of errors you make with corrections
Pattern recognition: Group similar error types together
Timed sets: Practice with 45-second per question timer
Previous papers: Solve last 5 years' SSC error questions
Review mistakes: Analyze why you got questions wrong
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How many error spotting questions in SSC CGL?
Answer: Typically 5-7 questions in Tier I. These include both traditional error spotting (identify error part) and sentence improvement (choose best alternative).
Q2: What's the most common error type in SSC?
Answer: Subject-verb agreement errors are most common (appear in 95% of papers), followed by preposition errors (85%) and tense errors (80%).
Q3: How to handle "No error" option?
Answer: Check all parts thoroughly first. If sentence seems correct after checking all grammar points, choose "No error". About 20-30% of answers are "No error". Don't be afraid to choose it if sentence is correct.
Q4: What if I can't find any error?
Answer: Follow systematic check: 1) Subject-verb agreement, 2) Pronoun agreement, 3) Tense consistency, 4) Preposition usage, 5) Parallel structure. If all pass, choose "No error".
Q5: How much time per error spotting question?
Answer: Target 45 seconds for error spotting, 60 seconds for sentence improvement. If stuck for >90 seconds, make educated guess and move on.
Q6: Best way to improve error spotting skills?
Answer: Practice daily with previous year papers, maintain error notebook, learn common error patterns, read English newspapers to develop "ear" for correct English.
Final Exam Strategy for Error Spotting
Time Allocation: Error spotting: 45 seconds, Sentence improvement: 60 seconds maximum.
Priority Order: 1) Obvious errors (quick points), 2) Moderate difficulty, 3) Complex sentences (save for end if time permits).
Accuracy Check: Always verify: 1) Subject-verb agreement, 2) Pronoun reference, 3) Preposition usage, 4) Tense consistency.
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