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Free SSC English lesson

SSC English Error Spotting

Find the rule. Repair the sentence.

Error spotting asks you to identify a grammatical problem in a sentence. A word may sound familiar yet fail to fit the subject, the time reference or the verb pattern. This lesson teaches you to explain the repair, rather than guess which part looks unusual.

Foundation to intermediate12 original questions20–25 minutes suggested study time

Learn the methodGo to practice

Build the skill

What you will learn

  • Identify the main subject and match its verb.
  • Use time expressions, articles and common verb patterns accurately.
  • Recognise a correct sentence without inventing an error.

Read the whole sentence

Understand who is doing what and when before judging an individual word.

Find the main structure

Locate the subject and finite verb. An intervening phrase does not automatically change agreement.

Check the pattern

Look at articles, quantity words, time expressions and the words required after a verb.

Repair and reread

Replace the faulty wording and read the complete sentence. Keep the intended meaning.

Understand before you answer

The rules and clues to remember

Agreement follows the subject

In “The cover of the notebooks is blue”, cover is the singular head of the subject. Notebooks belongs to the of-phrase. Each followed by a singular noun also takes a singular verb in the examples here.

IncorrectThe cover of the notebooks are blue.
CorrectThe cover of the notebooks is blue.
CorrectEach visitor receives a pass.

Remember: Do not choose a verb only because it is next to a plural noun.

Distinguish a starting point from a duration

Use since to identify when a continuing situation began: since Monday. Use for for its duration: for three days. The expression must fit both the meaning and the tense.

Starting pointHe has lived here since 2022.
DurationHe has lived here for four years.

Remember: Ask “When did it start?” or “How long has it lasted?”

Learn the whole verb pattern

Enjoy and suggest can take an -ing form when another verb follows directly: enjoy reading; suggest waiting. Discuss takes its topic directly in ordinary usage: discuss the plan. In look forward to, to is a preposition, so a following verb uses -ing.

CorrectWe enjoy solving puzzles.
CorrectShe suggested taking a break.
CorrectWe discussed the timetable.
CorrectI look forward to hearing from you.

Remember: Do not assume every to must be followed by the base form of a verb.

Reference: British Council: verbs followed by -ing or an infinitive

Choose articles by sound

Use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. University starts with a /y/ sound, so we say a university. The first written letter alone does not decide the article.

Correcta university course
Correctan unusual request

Remember: Say the next word aloud before choosing a or an.

Check what can be counted

In their ordinary meanings, advice and equipment are uncountable. Use some advice or a piece of advice, and some equipment or an item of equipment. For separate countable things in formal edited English, use fewer: fewer chairs.

CorrectThe adviser gave me two pieces of advice.
CorrectWe need fewer chairs but more space.

Remember: Do not apply a rule about chairs to measurements or every informal use of less.

Reference: British Council: uncount nouns

See the reasoning

Two worked examples

Example 1

Find the error: (A) The price of these tickets / (B) are higher / (C) this week.

AnswerPart B: change are to is.

The singular subject head is price. Tickets is inside the of-phrase. The repaired sentence is “The price of these tickets is higher this week.”

Example 2

Find the error: (A) She enjoys / (B) to solve puzzles / (C) before breakfast.

AnswerPart B: change to solve to solving.

When another verb follows enjoy directly, use its -ing form. “She enjoys solving puzzles before breakfast.”

Try it yourself

12 questions, with every choice explained

For each item, choose the part containing a grammatical error. Choose No error if the whole sentence is correct. Treat punctuation at the slash boundaries as formatting. Each item has one intended answer in standard written English.

Write down A, B, C or D before opening each answer. Work at your own pace. These exercises use no exam timer or negative marking.

Question 1 · Subject–verb agreement

(A) The box of old photographs / (B) are on the top shelf / (C) beside the clock.

  1. A.Part A
  2. B.Part B
  3. C.Part C
  4. D.No error
Show answer and explanations for question 1

Answer B: Part B

Complete correct sentenceThe box of old photographs is on the top shelf beside the clock.
  1. Not correct. The box of old photographs is a valid noun phrase; box is its head.
  2. Correct. Are must become is because the subject head box is singular.
  3. Not correct. Beside the clock is a valid phrase describing location.
  4. Not correct. There is an agreement error in Part B.
Review the method ↑Next question ↓

Question 2 · Each with a singular verb

(A) Each participant receive / (B) a printed timetable / (C) at the entrance.

  1. A.Part A
  2. B.Part B
  3. C.Part C
  4. D.No error
Show answer and explanations for question 2

Answer A: Part A

Complete correct sentenceEach participant receives a printed timetable at the entrance.
  1. Correct. Receive must become receives: each participant is singular.
  2. Not correct. A printed timetable is a valid singular object.
  3. Not correct. At the entrance correctly expresses a location.
  4. Not correct. Part A contains a subject–verb agreement error.
Review the method ↑Next question ↓

Question 3 · Since and for

(A) They have been waiting / (B) outside the office / (C) since two hours.

  1. A.Part A
  2. B.Part B
  3. C.Part C
  4. D.No error
Show answer and explanations for question 3

Answer C: Part C

Complete correct sentenceThey have been waiting outside the office for two hours.
  1. Not correct. Have been waiting correctly describes an activity continuing up to now.
  2. Not correct. Outside the office is a valid location phrase.
  3. Correct. Two hours is a duration, so change since to for.
  4. Not correct. The duration expression in Part C needs correction.
Review the method ↑Next question ↓

Question 4 · No error

(A) Neither answer / (B) is supported / (C) by the passage.

  1. A.Part A
  2. B.Part B
  3. C.Part C
  4. D.No error
Show answer and explanations for question 4

Answer D: No error

Complete correct sentenceNeither answer is supported by the passage.
  1. Not correct. Neither answer is a valid singular subject.
  2. Not correct. Is supported agrees with the subject and forms a correct passive.
  3. Not correct. By the passage correctly identifies the source of support.
  4. Correct. All three parts are grammatical; neither answer takes singular is here.
Review the method ↑Next question ↓

Question 5 · Suggest followed by -ing

(A) The guide suggested / (B) to carry a bottle of water / (C) during the walk.

  1. A.Part A
  2. B.Part B
  3. C.Part C
  4. D.No error
Show answer and explanations for question 5

Answer B: Part B

Complete correct sentenceThe guide suggested carrying a bottle of water during the walk.
  1. Not correct. The guide suggested is a valid subject and past-tense verb.
  2. Correct. Use carrying after suggested in this construction, not to carry.
  3. Not correct. During the walk correctly expresses the time of the activity.
  4. Not correct. The verb pattern in Part B needs correction.
Review the method ↑Next question ↓

Question 6 · Articles and sounds

(A) She enrolled in an university / (B) near her home / (C) last year.

  1. A.Part A
  2. B.Part B
  3. C.Part C
  4. D.No error
Show answer and explanations for question 6

Answer A: Part A

Complete correct sentenceShe enrolled in a university near her home last year.
  1. Correct. Change an to a because university starts with a consonant /y/ sound.
  2. Not correct. Near her home is a valid phrase describing location.
  3. Not correct. Last year fits the simple past enrolled.
  4. Not correct. The article in Part A is incorrect.
Review the method ↑Next question ↓

Question 7 · Uncountable advice

(A) Before the interview, / (B) the mentor gave me / (C) several useful advices.

  1. A.Part A
  2. B.Part B
  3. C.Part C
  4. D.No error
Show answer and explanations for question 7

Answer C: Part C

Complete correct sentenceBefore the interview, the mentor gave me several useful pieces of advice.
  1. Not correct. Before the interview is a valid introductory time phrase.
  2. Not correct. The mentor gave me correctly introduces the action and the recipient of the advice.
  3. Correct. Change several useful advices to several useful pieces of advice. Advice is uncountable in this meaning.
  4. Not correct. The noun phrase in Part C needs correction.
Review the method ↑Next question ↓

Question 8 · No error

(A) We have used / (B) this entrance / (C) since Monday.

  1. A.Part A
  2. B.Part B
  3. C.Part C
  4. D.No error
Show answer and explanations for question 8

Answer D: No error

Complete correct sentenceWe have used this entrance since Monday.
  1. Not correct. Have used is a correct present perfect form for a situation linked to the present.
  2. Not correct. This entrance is a valid object.
  3. Not correct. Since Monday names a starting point, so since is appropriate.
  4. Correct. The sentence is grammatical; no part needs correction.
Review the method ↑Next question ↓

Question 9 · Fewer with countable nouns

(A) The new room / (B) has fewer chairs / (C) but a larger window.

  1. A.Part A
  2. B.Part B
  3. C.Part C
  4. D.No error
Show answer and explanations for question 9

Answer D: No error

Complete correct sentenceThe new room has fewer chairs but a larger window.
  1. Not correct. The new room is a valid singular subject.
  2. Not correct. Has agrees with room, and fewer correctly modifies countable plural chairs.
  3. Not correct. But introduces a valid contrast with a larger window.
  4. Correct. The sentence is correct in standard written English.
Review the method ↑Next question ↓

Question 10 · Discuss with a direct object

(A) We discussed about the route / (B) before booking / (C) the train tickets.

  1. A.Part A
  2. B.Part B
  3. C.Part C
  4. D.No error
Show answer and explanations for question 10

Answer A: Part A

Complete correct sentenceWe discussed the route before booking the train tickets.
  1. Correct. Remove about. Discuss takes the topic directly: discussed the route.
  2. Not correct. Before booking is a valid preposition plus -ing construction.
  3. Not correct. The train tickets is a valid object of booking.
  4. Not correct. The extra preposition in Part A is the error.
Review the method ↑Next question ↓

Question 11 · Look forward to followed by -ing

(A) I look forward / (B) to meet the team / (C) next week.

  1. A.Part A
  2. B.Part B
  3. C.Part C
  4. D.No error
Show answer and explanations for question 11

Answer B: Part B

Complete correct sentenceI look forward to meeting the team next week.
  1. Not correct. I look forward is valid when followed by the appropriate to-phrase.
  2. Correct. Change to meet to to meeting. Here to is a preposition, not an infinitive marker.
  3. Not correct. Next week is a valid time expression for the anticipated meeting.
  4. Not correct. The verb form in Part B is incorrect.
Review the method ↑Next question ↓

Question 12 · Uncountable equipment

(A) The laboratory has / (B) recently purchased / (C) several new equipments.

  1. A.Part A
  2. B.Part B
  3. C.Part C
  4. D.No error
Show answer and explanations for question 12

Answer C: Part C

Complete correct sentenceThe laboratory has recently purchased several new items of equipment.
  1. Not correct. The laboratory has correctly begins a present perfect clause with a singular subject.
  2. Not correct. Recently purchased correctly completes the present perfect verb phrase.
  3. Correct. Change several new equipments to several new items of equipment. Equipment is uncountable in this meaning.
  4. Not correct. The noun phrase in Part C needs correction.
Review the method ↑Review your learning ↓

Make the learning stick

Review what changed your answer

  1. For every wrong answer, write the complete repaired sentence.
  2. Name the rule in a few words, such as “singular subject head”.
  3. Create a fresh sentence using the same pattern, then return to the question later.

Keep a simple note: question number → your reason → the correct rule or evidence → one new example. A mistake is useful when you can explain the correction.

Grammar lessons →SSC English practice →

Original ESS learning material. Not official SSC questions or a previous-year paper. ESS is independent of SSC. These are untimed skill lessons, not full exam simulations.

References and exam scope

These topics are included in the linked SSC examination notices. The lesson wording, examples, passages and questions are original ESS teaching material. Check your exam’s current notice and subsequent corrections for its full syllabus, scoring and timing.

Sources reviewed: 3 November 2026. Study-time estimates are suggestions, not official exam limits.