Module-1

*Common errors identification in parts of speech:

1. Which of the following sentences contains a subject-verb agreement error?
a) The group of musicians play well together.
b) My favorite foods are pizza and burgers.
c) She don’t like to eat sushi.
d) The teacher and student is in the classroom.
Answer: c) She don’t like to eat sushi.
Explanation: The subject “she” is singular, but the verb “don’t” is plural. The correct verb
form should be “doesn’t” to agree with the singular subject.
2. Which of the following sentences contains a verb tense error?
a) I will have finished my homework by the time you arrive.
b) He eats breakfast every morning before work.
c) I am reading a book about history.
d) They have been studying for the exam for weeks.
Answer: b) He eats breakfast every morning before work.
Explanation: The present tense verb “eats” does not agree with the time frame of the
sentence. The correct verb tense to use would be the present participle “eating” to indicate an
ongoing action.
3. Which of the following sentences contains a comma splice error?
a) I love to read books, but I don’t have enough time.
b) She studied hard for the test, however, she still failed.
c) The dog barked loudly, and the cat ran away.
d) John went to the store, he bought some milk.
Answer: b) She studied hard for the test, however, she still failed.
Explanation: The comma used after “test” creates a comma splice by separating two
independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction. To fix this error, you could either
replace the comma with a semicolon or use a coordinating conjunction such as “but” after the
comma.
4. Which of the following sentences contains a dangling modifier error?
a) After studying for hours, the test was easy.
b) Walking to the park, the flowers smelled lovely.
c) Focused on her work, the phone rang loudly.
d) By drinking water regularly, the body stays hydrated.
Answer: b) Walking to the park, the flowers smelled lovely.
Explanation: The introductory phrase “walking to the park” does not have a clear subject to
modify in this sentence. To fix this error, you could revise the sentence to something like “As
I was walking to the park, I noticed that the flowers smelled lovely.”
5. Which of the following sentences contains a parallel structure error?
a) She enjoys hiking, swimming, and to run.
b) The company values hard work, dedication, and being punctual.
c) The student is required to write a paper, research information, and they must present their
findings.
d) My favorite hobbies are reading, writing, and to draw.
Answer: a) She enjoys hiking, swimming, and to run.
Explanation: The third element in the list, “to run,” is not parallel in structure with the first
two elements, which are verbs. To fix this error, you could revise the sentence to “She enjoys
hiking, swimming, and running.”
6. Which of the following sentences contains an ambiguous modifier error?
a) I saw a man on the hill with a telescope.
b) The book on the shelf is red and heavy.
c) She told him that she loved him in the park.
d) The chef served the guests a meal that was delicious.

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Answer: a) I saw a man on the hill with a telescope.
Explanation: The prepositional phrase “with a telescope” could modify either “a man” or
“on the hill,” creating ambiguity in the sentence. To fix this error, you could revise the
sentence to something like “On the hill, I saw a man with a telescope.”
7. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of a comparative
adjective?
a) This book is more interesting than the last one I read.
b) She is the prettier of the two sisters.
c) He runs faster than any other student in the class.
d) The weather today is the worst it’s been all week.
Answer: d) The weather today is the worst it’s been all week.
Explanation: The superlative form of “bad” is “worst,” but in this sentence, the comparative
form “worse” is used instead. To fix this error, you could revise the sentence to “The weather
today is the worst it’s been all week.”
8. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of a possessive pronoun?
a) The book is hers, not yours.
b) Its been raining all day.
c) The cat licked its paw.
d) Theirs no way we can finish this project on time.
Answer: d) Theirs no way we can finish this project on time.
Explanation: The possessive pronoun “theirs” is spelled incorrectly in this sentence, and the
correct form of the contraction should be “there’s” meaning “there is.” To fix this error, you
could revise the sentence to “There’s no way we can finish this project on time.”
9. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of a preposition?
a) The cat is hiding under the bed.
b) We walked across the bridge to get to the other side.
c) She’s been waiting since 2 o’clock.
d) He’s been working for this company since five years.
Answer: d) He’s been working for this company since five years.
Explanation: The preposition “for” is used incorrectly in this sentence, and the correct
preposition to use with the time period “five years” is “for” meaning “for a duration of time.”
To fix this error, you could revise the sentence to “He’s been working for this company for
five years.”
10. Which of the following sentences contains a subject-verb agreement error?
a) The dogs bark loudly at night.
b) Each of the students in the class study hard.
c) The company and its employees are celebrating a successful year.
d) There is a lot of people in the park today.
Answer: d) There is a lot of people in the park today.
Explanation: The subject “lot” is singular, but the verb “are” is plural. To fix this error, you
could revise the sentence to “There are a lot of people in the park today.”

1. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of a homonym?

a) The band played their latest song for the audience.
b) She was too tired to write the letter, so she left it stationary on the desk.
c) The principal of the school is responsible for student discipline.
d) He broke his leg and had to be hospitalized.
Answer: b) She was too tired to write the letter, so she left it stationary on the desk.
Explanation: The homophone “stationery,” meaning writing materials, is incorrectly
used in place of “stationary,” meaning not moving. To fix this error, you could revise the
sentence to “She was too tired to write the letter, so she left it stationary on the desk.”
2. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of a pronoun?

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 a) John and I went to the store to buy some groceries.
b) She told him that she loved him.
c) Whom did you give the keys to?
d) Me and my friends went to the movies last night.
Answer: d) Me and my friends went to the movies last night.
Explanation: The pronoun “me” is used incorrectly as the subject of the sentence. The
correct pronoun to use in this context is “I.” To fix this error, you could revise the
sentence to “My friends and I went to the movies last night.”
14. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of a coordinating
conjunction?
a) She wanted to go to the party, but she had too much work to do.
b) He was tired, so he went to bed early.
c) He wanted to study more, yet he couldn’t concentrate.
d) I like to read books and watch movies.
Answer: c) He wanted to study more, yet he couldn’t concentrate.
Explanation: The coordinating conjunction “yet” is not used correctly in this sentence.
The correct conjunction to use in this context is “but.” To fix this error, you could revise
the sentence to “He wanted to study more, but he couldn’t concentrate.”
15. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of a subordinating
conjunction?
a) I will go to the park if it stops raining.
b) She always wears a hat because she hates the sun.
c) We had to wait until the train arrived.
d) He left early so that he could avoid traffic.
Answer: b) She always wears a hat because she hates the sun.
Explanation: The subordinating conjunction “because” is not used correctly in this
sentence. The correct conjunction to use in this context is “since.” To fix this error,
you could revise the sentence to “She always wears a hat since she hates the sun.”
16. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of a preposition?
a) The cat is hiding under the bed.
b) She is very good at playing the piano.
c) I will meet you at the restaurant at 7 PM.
d) He gave the book to she.
Answer: d) He gave the book to she.
Explanation: The preposition “to” is used incorrectly in this sentence. The correct
pronoun to use in this context is “her.” To fix this error, you could revise the sentence
to “He gave the book to her.”
17. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of a comparative
adjective?
a) He is taller than his brother.
b) She is more intelligent than most of her classmates.
c) This apple is more red than that one.
d) The movie was the most fun I’ve had in a long time.
Answer: c) This apple is more red than that one.
Explanation: The comparative adjective “more” is used incorrectly in this sentence.
The correct comparative form of “red” is “redder.” To fix this error, you could revise
the sentence to “This apple is redder than that one.”
18. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of a superlative
adjective?
a) She is the tallest person in her family.
b) This is the best pizza I’ve ever had.
c) He is the most intelligent student in the class.
d) That was the worst day of my life.
Answer: c) He is the most intelligent student in the class.

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 Explanation: The superlative adjective “most” is used incorrectly in this sentence.
The correct superlative form of “intelligent” is “most intelligent.” To fix this error,
you could revise the sentence to “He is the most intelligent student in the class.”
19. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of an infinitive?
a) She likes to read books in her spare time.
b) He wants to go to the beach this weekend.
c) They decided to buy a new car.
d) Me and my friends like to play soccer.
Answer: d) Me and my friends like to play soccer.
Explanation: The infinitive “to” is used incorrectly in this sentence. The correct pronoun to
use in this context is “I.” To fix this error, you could revise the sentence to “My friends and I
like to play soccer.”
20. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of a gerund?
a) He enjoys playing basketball in his free time.
b) She is good at singing and dancing.
c) They are looking forward to seeing the new movie.
d) I prefer swimming in the ocean to swimming in a pool.
Answer: d) I prefer swimming in the ocean to swimming in a pool.
Explanation: The gerund “swimming” is used incorrectly in this sentence. The correct form
to use in this context is the infinitive “to swim.” To fix this error, you could revise the
sentence to “I prefer to swim in the ocean rather than in a pool.”
21. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect subject-verb agreement?
a) The group of students is studying for the test.
b) The dogs barks loudly when they see a squirrel.
c) She and her sister both like to read.
d) The company has hired a new CEO.
Answer: b) The dogs barks loudly when they see a squirrel.
Explanation: The subject-verb agreement is incorrect in this sentence. The subject “dogs” is
plural, so the correct verb form is “bark.” To fix this error, you could revise the sentence to
“The dogs bark loudly when they see a squirrel.”
22. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of a pronoun?
a) She gave me the book, and I gave it to him.
b) They are going to the movies with us.
c) He and his brother went to the store to buy food, but they forgot to bring it home.
d) Me and my friend went to the concert last night.
Answer: d) Me and my friend went to the concert last night.
Explanation: The pronoun “me” is used incorrectly in this sentence. The correct pronoun to
use in this context is “I.” To fix this error, you could revise the sentence to “My friend and I
went to the concert last night.”
23. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of a conjunction?
a) She wants to go to the beach, but he wants to stay home.
b) He is both a musician and an artist.
c) She likes to read books, so she goes to the library often.
d) They like to play soccer, and they like to watch it too.
Answer: b) He is both a musician and an artist.
Explanation: The conjunction “both…and” is used incorrectly in this sentence. The correct
conjunction to use in this context is “and.” To fix this error, you could revise the sentence to
“He is a musician and an artist.”
24. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of a modifier?
a) The red car is parked in the driveway.
b) She is wearing a beautiful blue dress.
c) The teacher gave a difficult math test.
d) The boy with the broken leg is playing basketball.
Answer: d) The boy with the broken leg is playing basketball.

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Explanation: The modifier “with the broken leg” is used incorrectly in this sentence. It
implies that the boy is currently playing basketball with a broken leg, which is unlikely. To
fix this error, you could revise the sentence to “The boy who had a broken leg is playing
basketball.”
25. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of a homophone?
a) She wore a pair of jeans to the party.
b) He went to the bank to deposit his paycheck.
c) They are going to see a show at the theater.
d) The bear caught the scent of the berry.
Answer: b) He went to the bank to deposit his paycheck.
Explanation: The homophone “bank” is used incorrectly in this sentence. The correct word
to use in this context is “bank.” To fix this error, you could revise the sentence to “He went to
the bank to deposit his paycheck.”

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*Use of Verbs and Phrasal Verbs:

1. I set my alarm clock because I have to ___________ early tomorrow.

o A. Get up
o B. Look up
o C. Come on
o D. Look out

2. Here's a chair. Please ___________.

o A. Break down
o B. Go up
o C. Sit down
o D. Make up

3. If you don't pass the exam this time don't ___________. Try again!

o A. Come in
o B. Look out
o C. Go on
o D. Give up

4.Your room is so untidy! Please ___________ the clothes and put them in the
washing machine.

o A. Stand up
o B. Pick up
o C. Get on
o D.Turn off

5. ___________ the TV. My favourite programme will start in a minute.

o A. Grow up
o B. Look for
o C. Take off
o D.Switch on

6. The babysitter ___________ the girl while her parents were at the restaurant.

o A. Looked after
o B. Found out
o C. Broke down
o D. Ran into
7. I didn't know the answer so I ___________ on the internet.

o A. Cut it out
o B. Looked it up
o C.Blew it up

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 o D. Dressed it up

8. My car ___________ again yesterday. I should buy a new one.

o A. Woke up
o B.Grew up
o C. Broke down
o D. Looked down

9. I ___________ really well with my work colleagues. We often meet up for drinks
or a meal.

o A. Get on
o B. Find out
o C. Fight back
o D. Break up

10.I don't know enough about it, so I need to ___________ more.

o A. Take out
o B. Find out
o C. Let down
o D. Take off

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 *Auxiliary verbs and their forms:

Q1 - We ____ done it yet.

don't

didn't

hasn't

haven't
Q2 - ____ you think they are coming tonight?

Do

Does

Did

Have

Has
Q3 - ____ you see them yesterday?

Do

Did

Have

Has
Q4 - ____ you going this evening?

Are

Have

Do
Q5 - How long ____ it take you to get home?

do

does
Q6 - What ____ you reading at the moment?

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 are

do

have
Q7 - It was horrible- I really ____ like it.

did

didn't
Q8 - They ____ rung back yet.

have

has

haven't

hasn't
Q9 - ____ you learn it when you were at school?

Do

Does

Did

Have

Has
Q10 - ____ you enjoying your meal?

Do

Is

Are

Have

Has
Q11 - ____ you decided yet?

Have

Has

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 Do

Did

Does
Q12 - ____ everybody going to be there?

Is

Are

Do
Q13 - ____ they live near you?

Does

Do

Have

Are
Q14 - I _____ finished it.

didn't

haven't

hasn't
Q15 - I ____ had time to do it yet.

didn't

haven't

hasn't

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*Subject-Verb Agreement:
Q1. The teacher ____________ completed this chapter.
A. have
B. has
C. is
D. are
Q2. Ram and Shyam __________ business partners.
A. have
B. has
C. are
D. had
Q3. She ___________ her office by 9 a.m. daily.
A. reach
B. reaches
C. reached
D. reaching
Q4. Rahul and his friends ___________ also invited to the party.
A. is
B. was
C. had
D. were
Q5. Neither you nor your sister should ___________ to them.
A. talk
B. talks
C. talked
D. talking
Q6. Twenty years _________ the minimum age to fill this form.
A. are
B. is
C. has
D. have
Q7. A bouquet of flowers ___________ required for the event.
A. are
B. have
C. has
D. is
Q8. A pair of socks ___________ been missing from my wardrobe.
A. have
B. has
C. were
D. is
Q9. Much ____________ been said in the news reports.
A. were
B. have
C. has
D. was
Q10. The information provided to you ___________ wrong.
A. were
B. was

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C. are
D. have been
Q11. The company ____________ of its stakeholders.
A. think
B. thought
C. thinks
D. thinking
Q12. Either of the two dresses shall ____________ good.
A. looking
B. look
C. looks
D. looked
Q13. Each and every member __________ to vote.
A. has
B. have
C. having
D. are
Q14. A large number of soldiers ___________ died for the country.
A. has
B. is
C. are
D. have
Q15. Half of the class ___________ empty.
A. were
B. was
C. has
D. have
Q16. Physics ____________ difficult to understand.
A. were
B. are
C. is
D. have been
Q17. The quality of food here ___________ gone down.
A. have
B. has
C. is
D. are
Q18. My mother, along with others, ___________ worried.
A. were
B. are
C. have
D. was
Q19. She ___________ not take a lot of stress.
A. need
B. needs
C. needing
D. has need
Q20. None of the candidates ___________ responded.
A. were
B. have
C. has
D. is

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*Common errors in Subject-verb agreement:

1. Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence
correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Stephanie claims that she wants to attend college after graduation, but her poor attitude
about studying during senior year do not indicate that she enjoys being a student. No
error
Possible Answers:
• wants
• to attend
• studying
• No error
• do not indicate
• Correct answer:
Ans: do not indicate
Explanation:
"Her poor attitude about studying" is the subject of this clause, so the verb must agree with
the singular subject "attitude." Therefore, the correct verb should be "does"—her attitude
"does not indicate."
2. James is a proactive police officer, so although the local rebellious teenagers are
annoyed by his strict nature, the overall safety of the town have
improved drastically since he was hired. No error
Possible Answers:
• strict nature
• are annoyed
• No error
• have improved
• so although
• Correct answer:
Ans: have improved
Explanation:
This is an issue of subject-verb agreement within this independent clause: "the overall safety
of the town have improved drastically since he was hired." Simplified, the subject is "safety,"
which is a singular noun, so the verb must also be singular, making "have improved"
incorrect and "has improved" the corrected verb.
3. A pair of supportive shoes are important if you are experiencing lower back
pain. No error
Possible Answers:
• are
• supportive

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 • No error
• you
• are experiencing
• Correct answer:
Ans: are
Explanation:
The verb "are" agrees with a plural subject, but the subject of this sentence is the singular
"pair." Changing "are" to "is" corrects the sentence's error. The corrected sentence reads, "A
pair of supportive shoes is important if you are experiencing lower back pain."
4. The paralegal believed that there were an overload of cases in the office, which was
creating stress. No error
Possible Answers:
• that
• were
• No error
• which
• of cases in the office
Ans: were
Explanation:
The verb "were," which is used with plural nouns, corresponds to "overload," which is a singular
noun. Therefore, the verb should be "was," to match the singular noun, instead of "were."
5. Shana, Joe, and Marcel was incredible in each of their performances and the
audience rewarded them through cheers and applause. No error
Possible Answers:
• No error
• and
• was
• through
• their
Ans:was
Explanation:
Shana, Joe, and Marcel are three nouns grouped together (as indicated by the "and"), and thus
are effectively a plural noun. "Was" is used in reference to a singular subject; in this sentence,
"was" should be "were" (e.g. "Shana, Joe, and Marcel were incredible . . .").
6. The salami and chorizo in the refrigerator is very salty, so you may want to serve
some water with it so that your guests will be comfortable. No error
Possible Answers:
• with it
• and
• No error
• may
• is
Ans: is
Explanation:The subject in this sentence is “salami and chorizo,” which is plural. Therefore,
the corresponding verb should be plural as well. Therefore, “is,” being singular, is incorrect.
The proper verb is “are.”

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7. Every morning, I eat a piece of whole grain toast with almond butter because the
combination of carbohydrates and protein provide me with energy that
lasts until lunch. No error
Possible Answers:
• eat
• provide
• because
• No error
• until
Ans:provide
Explanation:
The verb "provide" refers to the subject "combination." Because "combination" is a singular
noun, the verb needs be changed from "provide" to "provides." The verb may follow the two
nouns "carbohydrates and protein," which makes the verb "provide" seem appropriate.
However, those nouns are actually part of the prepositional phrase "of carbohydrates and
protein." Breaking down a sentence to make sure that each verb agrees with its subject is a
good start when looking for sentence errors!

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*Sequence of tenses and errors identification in tenses&error identification:
1. Send the letter today so that she ——————– it before Friday.
a) got
b) gets
c) would get
d) is getting
2. I am going to make an early start so that I ——————- get stuck in the traffic.
a) didn’t
b) won’t
c) shouldn’t
d) hadn’t
3. Ann talked to the shy girl so that she —————– feel left out.
a) won’t
b) wouldn’t
c) hadn’t
d) can’t
4. She is staying here for six months so that she ———————- perfect her English.
a) could
b) should
c) can
d) had
5. If I had gone to university, I —————— studied medicine.
a) would
b) would have
c) had
d) will have
6. I realized that we ——————- before.
a) had met
b) have met
c) met
d) would meet
7. My legs were stiff because I —————— still for a long time.
a) am standing
b) had been standing
c) have been standing
d) will be standing
8. As soon as I —————– the phone down it rang again.
a) had put
b) have put
c) would put
d) will put
9. If you —————– the ten o’clock train tomorrow you could be in Chicago by supper-time.
a) had caught
b) caught
c) would catch
d) have caught
10. They ——————– in France for well over six years now.
a) have been living
b) are living
c) had been living

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d) had lived
Answers 1. b) gets (will get) 2. b) won’t (or don’t) 3. b) wouldn’t 4. c) can 5. b) would
have 6. a) had met 7. b) had been standing 8. had put 9. b) caught 10. a) have been living
11. It was him/who came/running/into the classroom
• It was him
• who came
• running
• into the classroom
Solution:
Change, It was him into It was he
12. The capital of Yemen/is situating/2190 metres above/the sea level.
• The capital of Yemen
• is situating
• 2190 metres above
• the sea level.
Solution:
Change, is situating → is situated
13. The captain along with his team/ is practicing hard /for the forth /coming matches.
• The captain along with his team
• is practicing hard
• for the forth
• coming matches.
Solution:
• Replace, are practicing very hard → is practicing very hard
Subject of the verb must agree in number with verb. Here
subject of the verb is Captain which is singular so it must take singular verb.

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 *Words confused/Misused:

1. I refused to _____________ the performance evaluation because there was false

information in it.

o A. Accept
o B.Except

2. It is easy to give ____________, but not so easy to take it.

o A. Advice
o B. Advise

3. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has _____________ the economy and the
environment in negative ways.

o A. Affected
o B. Effected

4. Before the bell rang, the class was ______________ to go home.

o A. Already
o B. All ready

5. The dog buried ______________ bone.

o A. Its
o B. It's

6. The car ________________ the semi on the right; that was a dangerous move.

o A. Passed
o B. Past

7. Not everybody shares my _____________.

o A. Principals
o B. Principles

8.I wish I had seen the show last night. I heard it was _____________ a performance.

o A. Quiet
o B. Quit

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 o C. Quite

9. I wanted to go home more _____________ I wanted to go to the party.

o A. Than
o B. Then

10. It is unusual that _____________ not having a party next door.

o A. Their
o B. They’re
o C. There

11.I never said you paid ___________ much!

o A. To
o B. Two
o C. Too

12. The Parrish family could not decide if the ______________ would stay nice
enough to go on the picnic or not.

o A. Weather
o B. Whether

Ms. Nancy Dhawale

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