Spotting Errors (Grammar)

Spotting Errors (Grammar)

Concept

Spotting Errors is one of the oldest and most reliable question types in GATE Verbal Ability. You’re given a sentence with four underlined portions (A, B, C, D) and asked to identify which one contains a grammatical error. Sometimes there’s a “no error” option. The key is to approach the sentence systematically — read it once for meaning, then scan for the most common trouble spots.

The grammar rules tested are the standard ones you learned in school but probably forgot: subject-verb agreement across distances and intervening phrases, article selection based on whether the noun is countable or abstract, preposition selection that depends on the verb or adjective paired with it, and pronoun clarity about what each pronoun refers to.

GATE doesn’t try to trick you with obscure rules. They test the fundamentals that trip up even educated writers: subject-verb number mismatch when the subject is separated from its verb by a clause or phrase, wrong article forms (saying “an” before a consonant sound), tense shifts within a sentence, and wrong prepositions after fixed expressions.

Types & Approach

Subject-Verb Agreement — Spot it when the subject is far from the verb, or when “and” vs “with/besides/together with” changes the verb number. Approach: ignore intervening phrases, identify the true subject, match its number.

Article Errors (a/an/the) — Spot it when you see a noun preceded by an article. Check if the sound that follows the article matches the article form: “an hour” (h is silent), “a university” (yoo = consonant sound), “an honest man.” Also watch for “the” vs “a/an” for specific vs general nouns.

Tense Consistency — Spot it when you see multiple time references in one sentence. Once you establish the narrative time (past, present, ongoing), no unexplained shifts. Watch for “had been” + “was” mismatches in complex sentences.

Preposition Errors — Spot it when a verb or adjective is followed by an unusual preposition. Many prepositions are fixed by convention: “comply with,” “depend on,” “independent of.” You just have to know them.

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement — Spot it when a pronoun (he/she/it/they) refers back to a noun. Singular antecedents get singular pronouns; plural get plural. Watch for collective nouns (“team is” — singular, though some style guides allow plural).

Step-by-Step Example

Q: “Each of the contestants were given a chance to speak.” Approach: Step 1 → Identify subject: “Each” (singular). Step 2 → Check verb agreement: “were given” is plural. Step 3 → Confirm: “Each of” always takes a singular verb. Answer: (C) were given → was given

Common Mistakes

• “Neither/nor” treated as always plural → Actually, verb agrees with the nearer subject: “Neither he nor his friends are coming” (friends = plural) vs “Neither he nor his friend is coming” (friend = singular).
• “The number of” is singular, “A number of” is plural → Don’t confuse them.
• Present Perfect tense used where Simple Past is needed → “I have seen him yesterday” → “I saw him yesterday.”
• Using “that” for people (“the man that told me”) → Use “who” for people.