WREN & MARTIN's English grammar-10 MCQs on Error Correction — Medium Standard

 

10 MCQs on Error Correction — Medium Standard

1. Identify the error in the following sentence and choose the correct option: "The number of students attending the workshop have increased significantly over the last few years."

  • A) The number of students attending the workshop has been increased significantly over the last few years.
  • B) The number of students attending the workshop has increased significantly over the last few years.
  • C) The number of students attending the workshop have been increasing significantly over the last few years.
  • D) The number of students attending the workshop are increasing significantly over the last few years.

Answer: B) The number of students attending the workshop has increased significantly over the last few years. (The error is the use of the plural verb "have" — "the number of" always takes a singular verb regardless of the plural noun that follows it — the correct form is "has increased" — note that "a number of" takes a plural verb while "the number of" always takes a singular verb.)

2. Identify the error in the following sentence and choose the correct option: "No sooner did she enter the examination hall than she realises that she had forgotten her pen."

  • A) No sooner did she enter the examination hall than she realised that she had forgotten her pen.
  • B) No sooner did she enter the examination hall than she had realised that she had forgotten her pen.
  • C) No sooner had she entered the examination hall than she realises that she had forgotten her pen.
  • D) No sooner she entered the examination hall than she realised that she had forgotten her pen.

Answer: A) No sooner did she enter the examination hall than she realised that she had forgotten her pen. (The error is the use of the present tense "realises" — in a "no sooner…than" construction both clauses must maintain consistent past tense — the correct form is the simple past "realised" to match the past tense narrative of the sentence.)

3. Identify the error in the following sentence and choose the correct option: "She is one of those dedicated teachers who gives extra attention to every student in the class."

  • A) She is one of those dedicated teachers who give extra attention to every student in the class.
  • B) She is one of those dedicated teachers who is giving extra attention to every student in the class.
  • C) She is one of those dedicated teachers who has given extra attention to every student in the class.
  • D) She is one of those dedicated teachers who giving extra attention to every student in the class.

Answer: A) She is one of those dedicated teachers who give extra attention to every student in the class. (The error is the use of the singular verb "gives" — in the structure "one of those…who" the relative pronoun "who" refers to the plural noun "teachers" not to "one" — the verb in the relative clause must therefore be plural making "give" the correct form.)

4. Identify the error in the following sentence and choose the correct option: "Had she informed me earlier, I would have made the necessary arrangements well in advance."

  • A) If she would have informed me earlier, I would have made the necessary arrangements well in advance.
  • B) If she had informed me earlier, I would have made the necessary arrangements well in advance.
  • C) Had she informed me earlier, I would make the necessary arrangements well in advance.
  • D) Had she informed me earlier, I will have made the necessary arrangements well in advance.

Answer: B) If she had informed me earlier, I would have made the necessary arrangements well in advance. (The sentence is already grammatically correct in its inverted conditional form — however option B correctly rewrites it using the standard "if" conditional structure — "had she informed" and "if she had informed" are interchangeable in third conditional sentences expressing past unreal situations.)

5. Identify the error in the following sentence and choose the correct option: "The police has arrested three suspects in connection with the robbery that took place last night."

  • A) The police have arrested three suspects in connection with the robbery that took place last night.
  • B) The police has been arresting three suspects in connection with the robbery that took place last night.
  • C) The police is arresting three suspects in connection with the robbery that took place last night.
  • D) The police had arrested three suspects in connection with the robbery that took place last night.

Answer: A) The police have arrested three suspects in connection with the robbery that took place last night. (The error is the use of the singular verb "has" — "police" is a collective noun that always takes a plural verb in standard British English as it refers to individual officers collectively — the correct form is "have arrested.")

6. Identify the error in the following sentence and choose the correct option: "Despite of his best efforts, he could not convince the panel of judges about the merit of his proposal."

  • A) Despite his best efforts, he could not convince the panel of judges about the merit of his proposal.
  • B) In spite his best efforts, he could not convince the panel of judges about the merit of his proposal.
  • C) Despite of his best efforts, he could not convinced the panel of judges about the merit of his proposal.
  • D) Despite of his best efforts, he could not been convincing the panel of judges about his proposal.

Answer: A) Despite his best efforts, he could not convince the panel of judges about the merit of his proposal. (The error is the use of "despite of" — "despite" is a preposition and is never followed by "of" — the correct usage is simply "despite" followed directly by a noun or noun phrase — "in spite of" is the correct alternative that uses "of.")

7. Identify the error in the following sentence and choose the correct option: "She as well as her colleagues were appreciated by the management for their outstanding contribution."

  • A) She as well as her colleagues was appreciated by the management for their outstanding contribution.
  • B) She as well as her colleagues have been appreciated by the management for their outstanding contribution.
  • C) She as well as her colleagues are appreciated by the management for their outstanding contribution.
  • D) She as well as her colleagues were being appreciated by the management for their contribution.

Answer: A) She as well as her colleagues was appreciated by the management for their outstanding contribution. (The error is the use of the plural verb "were" — "as well as" does not create a compound subject as "and" does — the verb agrees with the main subject "she" which is singular and therefore the correct verb form is the singular "was appreciated.")

8. Identify the error in the following sentence and choose the correct option: "It is high time the government takes strict measures to address the growing problem of pollution."

  • A) It is high time the government is taking strict measures to address the growing problem of pollution.
  • B) It is high time the government took strict measures to address the growing problem of pollution.
  • C) It is high time the government will take strict measures to address the growing problem of pollution.
  • D) It is high time the government has taken strict measures to address the growing problem of pollution.

Answer: B) It is high time the government took strict measures to address the growing problem of pollution. (The error is the use of the present tense "takes" — the structure "it is high time" must always be followed by a verb in the simple past tense to express urgency or the idea that something should already have been done — the correct form is "took.")

9. Identify the error in the following sentence and choose the correct option: "The teacher, together with her students, were working on an innovative project for the science exhibition."

  • A) The teacher, together with her students, have been working on an innovative project for the science exhibition.
  • B) The teacher, together with her students, are working on an innovative project for the science exhibition.
  • C) The teacher, together with her students, was working on an innovative project for the science exhibition.
  • D) The teacher, together with her students, been working on an innovative project for the science exhibition.

Answer: C) The teacher, together with her students, was working on an innovative project for the science exhibition. (The error is the use of the plural verb "were" — phrases introduced by "together with," "along with," or "as well as" do not make the subject plural — the main subject "the teacher" is singular and the verb must agree with it making "was working" the correct form.)

10. Identify the error in the following sentence and choose the correct option: "Hardly had she finished her speech when the audience begins to applaud enthusiastically."

  • A) Hardly had she finished her speech when the audience began to applaud enthusiastically.
  • B) Hardly she had finished her speech when the audience began to applaud enthusiastically.
  • C) Hardly had she finished her speech when the audience have begun to applaud enthusiastically.
  • D) Hardly had she finished her speech when the audience will begin to applaud enthusiastically.

Answer: A) Hardly had she finished her speech when the audience began to applaud enthusiastically. (The error is the use of the present tense "begins" — in a "hardly…when" construction both clauses must maintain consistent past tense — the correct form is the simple past "began" to maintain tense consistency with "had finished" in the first clause.)

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