English Language – Error Spotting
Sikkim Police Sub‑Inspector (SI) Examination
Error spotting is a common question type in the English Language paper. Candidates must read a given passage or sentence carefully, identify the error(s) present, and explain why the correction is needed.
1. What is Error Spotting?
- Definition: A test of grammar, punctuation, spelling, usage, and style.
- Goal: To prove that you can read a text critically and spot mistakes that would be unacceptable in formal writing.
- Typical format:
- One or two short passages (≈80–120 words).
- A list of sentences or fragments (often 6–8 lines).
- The answer key must specify the exact word, phrase, or punctuation mark that is wrong and give a brief correction.
2. Types of Errors Frequently Tested
| Error Type | What it Looks Like | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Spelling | accomodate instead of accommodate |
Misspelling changes meaning or makes the sentence unreadable. |
| Subject–Verb Agreement | “The list of items are on the table.” | Agreement errors distort the sentence’s logic. |
| Tense Consistency | “She will finished the report.” | Tense errors confuse the timeline. |
| Pronoun Reference | “Everyone should bring his or her book.” (vs. “Everyone should bring their book.”) | Ambiguity or incorrect gender reference. |
| Article Usage | “I saw a elephant in the zoo.” | Articles modify nouns and affect specificity. |
| Prepositions | “He is good in mathematics.” | Wrong preposition alters the meaning. |
| Punctuation (commas, apostrophes, hyphens) | “Its, its, and it's.” | Punctuation clarifies meaning. |
| Modifiers (dangling, misplaced) | “Walking down the street, the rain started.” | Misplaced modifiers change the subject. |
| Redundancy / Wordiness | “Due to the fact that” | Redundant phrases give a dull tone. |
| Form (active vs. passive) | “The building was built by the workers” vs. “Workers built the building.” | Style preference; sometimes one form is more concise. |
3. Common Mistakes in Indian English
| Mistake | Example | Correct Form |
|---|---|---|
| Using “then” for “than” | “She is taller then me.” | “than” |
| Mixing up “affect” & “effect” | “The new law will affect the economy.” | Correct usage depends on the part of speech. |
| Confusing “who” & “whom” | “Who did you invite?” (when “Whom” is correct) | “Whom did you invite?” |
| Omission of “s” in plural forms | “Several people is coming.” | “people are” |
| Over‑use of “very” | “Very important” | “Important” |
4. Strategies for Spotting Errors
- Read Aloud – Hearing the sentence often reveals rhythm problems or missing words.
- Check Agreement – Verify that the subject and verb match in number and person.
- Look for Tense Consistency – Ensure past/present/future forms are used appropriately.
- Identify Articles & Prepositions – These are the “glue” of a sentence; mistakes are common.
- Separate Core Sentence from Modifiers – Ensure modifiers are adjacent to the words they modify.
- Watch Out for Homophones –
their/there/they’re,to/too/two,your/you’re. - Check for Redundancy – Look for phrases that can be shortened without loss of meaning.
- Use a “Checklist” – Keep a mental list of the most common error types (spelling, agreement, tense, articles, prepositions, punctuation).
5. Worked Example
Passage (Excerpt):
“The committee has decided to implement the new policy in order to improve the services that the department provides. It had been planned for months, but the committee members has not yet reached a final decision. Hence the implementation will be delayed until the next meeting.”
Step‑by‑Step Error Detection
| Line | Error | Why It Is Wrong | Corrected Text |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | “has decided” | The subject “committee” is singular, but “has decided” is correct. However, the verb tense used later is inconsistent. | Use was (“was decided”) or keep present tense throughout. |
| 2 | “in order to improve the services” | “services” is plural; it is fine. No error. | |
| 3 | “had been planned” | Past perfect tense used correctly, but sentence later uses present tense. | Keep tense consistent: has been planned. |
| 3 | “the committee members has not yet reached” | Subject “committee members” is plural → verb have. | have not yet reached |
| 4 | “decision” | Should be plural because multiple members are involved. | decisions |
| 4 | “Hence” | Capitalisation after a period is correct. No error. | |
| 4 | “implementation will be delayed until the next meeting” | Fine, but “next meeting” should be preceded by “the”. | the next meeting |
Final Corrected Passage
“The committee has decided to implement the new policy in order to improve the services that the department provides. It has been planned for months, but the committee members have not yet reached a final decision. Hence the implementation will be delayed until the next meeting.”
Key Takeaway: Focus on subject–verb agreement and tense consistency; they are the most exam‑friendly errors.
6. Sample Error‑Spotting Question
**Instructions