Tips and Strategies to Identify the Error 

In this section of examination, generally, five sentences are given and candidates are required to identify any of the following errors.

  • Grammatical error
  • Word usage error
  • Spelling error
In some cases, the sentence may be without an error. "Identify the error" is an attempt to test the knowledge of basic grammar.

For example,

The girl was standing error of an individual me in the queue for the cricket game.



There are different kinds of errors in written communication. Although all cannot be explained some of the common rules that help to identify these errors are explained as follows:

1. Singular subject takes singular verb.

2. Plural subject takes plural verb.
For example,
The list of ingredients was long.  (singular)

The lists of ingredients were long.  (plural)

3. Subjets joined by and are generally plural and hence take plural verbs.

For example,

His mobile and my laptop were stolen.

Ram and Shyam are going to Dharan today.

4. There are many nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning. For example, news, tactics, economics, etc. They generally take singular verbs.

For example, 

Economics has fascinated my friend for months.

News is modified nowadays for the sake of TRPs.

5. The verb is generally singular when the group is thought of as acting as a single unit.

For example, 

The majority has made its decision.

The committee has agreed to reappoint him again.

6. The verb is generally plural when the group is thought of as acting separately.

The team are fighting over who should be the new coach.

The fans were cheering and jeering.

7. Singular verbs are used for nouns that express periods of time, amounts of money, or quantities.

For example,

Six months is too long a time to wait.

6 meters is more than enough for a salwar suite.

That one million rupee was seed money provided by the college administration.

8. Words like each, every, either, and neither when used as pronouns or adjectives are always singular verbs.

For example, 

Each of them does have acting ambition.

Neither of the girls is eligible for taking part in the competition.

9. Titles of books or magazines are considered singular hence, take singular verbs.

For example, 

'The Himalayan Times' has a wide circulation in Nepal.

'The Happiness is the best seller.

10. Same is not a pronoun and as such, it should not be used in place of a noun.

For example,

When you have read this novel, please return it to me. 

[not return the same to me]

11. Each other is used in reference to two people.

For example,

The two brothers hated each other. [not one another]

12. One another is used in reference to more than two.

For example,

Good students do not quarrel with one another. [not each other]

13. More and not -er is used to form the comparative when comparing two quantities of the same person or thing.

For example,

Shyam is more clever than wise. [not cleverer]

14. Fewer refers to number and less refers to quantity and size or amount.

For example,

No fewer than four hundred persons were killed in the recent Paris bombing.

Less effort was put forth by the teachers and thus, the result was poor.

15. As many as expresses the number whereas as much as expresses quantity.

For example,

You have to collect as many samples as possible.

Eat as much as possible, its free.

16. Adverbs like hardly, scarcely, seldom, etc. are negative in meaning. Hence, no other negative term should be used with them.

For example,

He could hardly breath.

He scarcely recognized his mother.

Barking dogs seldom bites.

17. In is used in reference to larger places and at for smaller.

For example,

He lives at Naxal in Kathmandu.

She lives in Birgunj and works at custom office.

18. Besides means in addition to and also by the side of.

For example,

Besides, we need your help in this campaign.

I sat beside my best friend in the class.

19. Words like senior, junior, superior, inferior, etc. are followed by to and not them.

For example,

Abhishek is senior to me in service.

This T-shirt is inferior to that cloth.

20. Article the is used with things which are only one.

For example,

The Prime Minister, the president, the earth, etc.

21. Article the is used before superlative.

For example,

This is the best Nepali movie.

22. The is used before newspapers, names of important buildings, homes of rare or unique objects, names of rivers, oceans, mountains, religious groups, communities, institutions, etc.

For example,

The Kantipur Daily

The Rani Mahal 

The Koshi 

The Sagarmatha 

The Pacific

The Siyas

The Paris

The UN, etc.

23. Simple present tense is usually used to convey habitual sentences and general or universal truth.

For example,

The earth revolves round the sun (a universal truth).

24. Present continuous tense is used to convey the continuity of the action.

For example,

It has been raining for many hours.

25. Until means times before and unless shows condition and means if not.

For example,

Until he was informed officially, she had no idea about the plan.

I cannot help you unless you tell me your problem.

26. When different personal pronouns are used, the hierarchy should be as follows:

Second person(you)      : First

Third person(he or she) : Second

First person(1)               : Third

You, he and I should try to visit Arun valley.

27. Prepositions are not required for words such as an attack, resemble, order, feat, etc.

For example,

They attacked the army. (not to the army)

He resembles her mother. (not with or to her mother)

I have ordered the momo. (not for the momo)

One should fear god. (not from god)

Some FAQ's

Are these types of questions asked in any entrance exams?
Answer:- Yes, these types of questions are frequently asked in many entrance exams in Nepal and India. In the CMAT exam mostly these types of questions are asked.

What is the easiest way to solve these types of questions?
Answer:- By following the tips and strategies while practicing for the exam. For making these types of questions easier in any exam you must learn details about these types of topics.