How to read an error-spotting question
- Read the full sentence once for meaning. Do not judge any part yet.
- Find the real subject and its verb. Ignore phrases between them ("along with", "as well as", "of the boys").
- Check the time markers — "yesterday", "since 2019", "by next year" fix the tense.
- Then check the small words — articles, prepositions, pronouns. Most remaining errors are there.
Subject-verb agreement
Rule 1 — Each, every, either, neither take a singular verb
✗Each of the students have submitted the form.
✓Each of the students has submitted the form.
The subject is each, not students. "Of the students" is a phrase between the subject and the verb.
Rule 2 — "One of the + plural noun" takes a singular verb
✗One of my friends are a doctor.
✓One of my friends is a doctor.
The subject is one. The noun after "one of the" is always plural (friends), but the verb agrees with one.
Rule 3 — "As well as", "along with", "together with" do not change the subject
✗The captain, along with his players, were present.
✓The captain, along with his players, was present.
The verb agrees with the first subject (the captain). The phrase in commas is extra information.
Rule 4 — With "either…or" and "neither…nor", the verb agrees with the nearer subject
✗Neither the teacher nor the students was ready.
✓Neither the teacher nor the students were ready.
The nearer subject is students (plural), so the verb is plural.
Tenses
Rule 5 — No future tense in a time or condition clause
✗I will call you when I will reach Delhi.
✓I will call you when I reach Delhi.
After when, if, unless, as soon as, before, after, till, use the present tense for a future meaning.
Rule 6 — "Since" and "for" with the present perfect continuous
✗She is working here since 2019.
✓She has been working here since 2019.
An action that started in the past and continues now takes has/have been + -ing. "Since" marks a point of time, "for" a period.
Rule 7 — A past time marker rules out the present perfect
✗I have seen him yesterday.
✓I saw him yesterday.
Yesterday, last week, in 2020, ago fix a finished past time — use the simple past.
Rule 8 — "Hardly/scarcely… when" and "no sooner… than"
✗No sooner did he arrive when it started raining.
✓No sooner did he arrive than it started raining.
No sooner pairs with than; hardly and scarcely pair with when.
Articles
Rule 9 — "A" or "an" goes by sound, not spelling
✗He is a honest man and an university teacher.
✓He is an honest man and a university teacher.
Honest begins with a vowel sound (the h is silent); university begins with a "yu" consonant sound.
Rule 10 — "The" with superlatives and unique things
✗Mount Everest is highest peak in world.
✓Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world.
Superlatives (the highest) and one-of-a-kind things (the world, the sun) take "the".
Pronouns
Rule 11 — Object pronoun after a preposition
✗This is between you and I.
✓This is between you and me.
After a preposition (between), use the object form — me, him, her, us, them.
Rule 12 — "One" is followed by "one's"
✗One should do his duty.
✓One should do one's duty.
Keep the pronoun consistent with one.
Comparison
Rule 13 — Never a double comparative
✗She is more taller than her sister.
✓She is taller than her sister.
Taller is already comparative; "more" doubles it.
Rule 14 — Superior, inferior, senior, junior, prior take "to"
✗He is senior than me.
✓He is senior to me.
Latin comparatives (superior, inferior, senior, junior, prior, prefer) take to, not than.
Prepositions and fixed expressions
Rule 15 — Verbs that take no preposition
✗We discussed about the plan.
✓We discussed the plan.
Discuss, describe, emphasise, attack, resemble, reach take a direct object — no "about", "on" or "to".
Rule 16 — Fixed preposition pairs
- Consist of, not consist in (for parts).
- Comply with, abide by, insist on, prevent from, die of (an illness), die from (a cause such as an injury).
- Married to someone, not married with.
- Accused of, charged with.
Other high-frequency rules
Rule 17 — "Lest" is followed by "should"
✗Walk carefully lest you will fall.
✓Walk carefully lest you should fall.
Lest already means "so that… not"; it takes should (or the base verb), never "not" or "will".
Rule 18 — Uncountable nouns have no plural
✗He gave me many informations and advices.
✓He gave me a lot of information and advice.
Information, advice, furniture, luggage, equipment, scenery have no plural form.
Rule 19 — "Unless" is already negative
✗Unless you do not work hard, you will fail.
✓Unless you work hard, you will fail.
Unless means "if not" — adding "not" makes it a double negative.
Rule 20 — Parallel structure
✗She likes reading, writing and to dance.
✓She likes reading, writing and dancing.
Items joined by and/or take the same form.
Frequently asked questions
How many error-spotting questions come in SSC CGL?
Usually about three of the 25 Tier 1 English questions are error spotting, and more appear in Tier 2. Sentence improvement, which tests the same rules, adds about three more.
What is the fastest way to solve spot-the-error questions?
Find the subject and the main verb first and check agreement; then check tense against any time marker; then check articles, prepositions and pronouns. Most errors fall in these checks.
When should I choose 'No error'?
Only after checking agreement, tense, articles, prepositions, pronouns and comparison. SSC does use 'No error', but rarely — if you choose it often, you are probably missing a rule.