Sentence correction exercise

Each sentence given below contains one error. The error is in one of the parts labeled as (a), (b) and (c). If you feel that the sentence is correct as it is, mark (d) as your answer.

Question 1

She prefers making toys (a) / for her children rather than (b) / to buy them in the shops (c). / No error (d)

Answer: Part (c)

It should be 'buying them in the shops'. When we say that we prefer one activity to another, two -ing forms can be used. The second can be introduced by to or rather than.

I prefer spending the evenings with my kids rather than playing poker online. (NOT I prefer spending the evenings with my kids rather than to play poker online.)

Question 2

I would prefer to spend (a) / the weekend at home rather than (b) / to drive all the way to Goa (c). / No error (d).

Answer: Part (c)

It should be 'drive / driving all the way to Goa'.

Would prefer can be followed by a to-infinitive. This structure can be continued by rather than with an infinitive (without to) or an -ing form.

Question 3

It was a great treat (a) / to go to cinema or (b) / the theatre when I was a child (c). / No error (d)

Answer: Part (b)

It should be 'to go to the cinema'.

Articles are used with radio, cinema and theatre.

We are going to the theatre. (NOT We are going to theatre.)
There is nothing interesting on the radio. (NOT There is nothing interesting on radio.)

Question 4

Bring me that (a) / pair of trouser (b) / hanging in the cupboard. (c) / No error (d)

Answer: Part (b)

It should be 'pair of trousers'.

The words 'trouser' and 'pant' are very common in Indian English. However, they are not grammatically correct. You have to say trousers or pants. The nouns trousers, jeans, pants, scissors, scales, and binoculars are always plural and have no singular forms.

Nouns with plural verbs

Question 5

My grandfather used to (a) / keep many cattles (b) / in his backyard. (c) / No error. (d)

Answer: Part (b)

It should be 'keep many cattle'.

Cattle is a plural word used to talk about bulls, cows and calves. It cannot be used with numbers. For example, you cannot say 'three cattle' or 'three cattles'.

Question 6

He has become very weak (a) / that even a five minutes' walk (b) / makes him breathless (c). / No error (d).

Answer: Part (a)

It should be 'He has become so weak'. 'He has become very weak' is grammatically correct but structures with very cannot be followed directly by that-clauses. Instead, we use so...that.

Question 7

When he heard the news (a) / he hanged (b) / his head in sorrow (c). No error (d)

Answer: Part (b)

It should be 'he hung'.

The regular past tense of hang is hung. The word hanged is used to talk about hanging someone by the neck.

They hanged the prisoner yesterday. (NOT They hung the prisoner yesterday.)

Question 8

Lost in thought (a) / he laid on the couch (b) / with a vacant look in his eyes (c). / No error (d)

Answer: Part (b)

It should be 'he lay on the couch'.

To lie means to rest. Its past tense is lay and past participle is lain.

He lies on the couch. = He rests on the couch.
He lay on the couch = He rested on the couch.
He has lain on the couch all morning. = He has rested on the couch all morning.

Question 9

The symptoms of cancer (a) / in the early stages are too vague (b) / that people do not notice them (c). / No error (d).

Answer: Part (b)

It should be 'in the early stages are so vague'.

The phrase 'too vague' is grammatically correct but it cannot be directly followed by a that-clause. Instead, we use the structure so...that.

He is so weak that he cannot walk without help. (NOT He is too weak that he cannot walk without help.)

Question 10

We tried all possible (a) / ways of communication, (b) / but we couldn't get in touch with him (c). / No error (d)

Answer: Part (b)

It should be 'means of communication'.

Way of cannot be used before a noun. Instead, we use 'means of' or 'method of'.

Sections in this article

Sentence correction exercise 2
Sentence correction exercise 3
Sentence correction exercise 4