Pin Pointing Errors Exercise -7 for University Admission Test, Job Application Test, BCS Exam and Any Competitive Examination

TOPIC: PIN POINTING ERROR

Error Identification

1. The committee (A) is comprised of nine members all of (B) whom (C) were present (D) at the meeting.

A. is comprised of

B. whom

C. were present

D. at

Answer: A Explanation: The phrase "is comprised of" is often considered incorrect in formal English. The correct active verb is "comprises" (The committee comprises nine members) or the passive "is composed of".

2. Do you know (A) the student (B) who books (C) were stolen (D)?

A. Do

B. know

C. who

D. were

Answer: C Explanation: A possessive pronoun is required before the noun "books". It should be "whose" books.

3. (A) When our vacation, (B) we plan (C) to spend three days (D) scuba diving.

A. When

B. plan

C. days

D. diving

Answer: A Explanation: "When" is a conjunction and must introduce a clause (subject + verb). A preposition is needed here for the noun phrase "our vacation". It should be "During".

4. The majority (A) to the news (B) is about (C) violence or scandal (D).

A. The

B. to

C. news

D. violence

Answer: B Explanation: The correct preposition to follow "majority" in this context is "of" (The majority of the news).

5. We had (A) a enjoyable (B) time at the party (C) last night (D).

A. a

B. time

C. at

D. last

Answer: A Explanation: The adjective "enjoyable" begins with a vowel sound, so the indefinite article should be "an" (an enjoyable time).

6. Kabita (A) intends to starting (B) her own software business (C) in a few years (D).

A. intends

B. starting

C. software

D. few

Answer: B Explanation: The verb "intend" is followed by the infinitive form (to + verb). It should be "to start".

7. Sitara is (A) finally used to cook (B) on an electric stove (C) after having a gas one for so long (D).

A. finally

B. cook

C. after having

D. one

Answer: B Explanation: The phrase "be used to" (meaning accustomed to) is followed by a gerund (-ing form). It should be "used to cooking".

8. Professor Chowdhury (A) teaches (B) both anthropology as well as (C) sociology each fall (D).

A. teaches

B. both

C. anthropology

D. each fall

Answer: B Explanation: The correct correlative conjunction is "both... and". "As well as" creates a redundancy when used with "both". Correct usage: "teaches both anthropology and sociology".

9. Noise pollution (A) can be (B) controlled in (C) a number of way (D).

A. can be

B. controlled

C. a number of

D. way

Answer: D Explanation: The phrase "a number of" indicates plurality and must be followed by a plural noun. It should be "ways".

10. They asked me (A) what (B) I have taken (C) for breakfast (D).

A. asked

B. what

C. have taken

D. for

Answer: C Explanation: The main verb "asked" is in the past tense, so the verb in the dependent clause should be shifted to the past perfect tense to maintain the sequence of tenses. It should be "had taken".

11. (A) We could not make any decision (B) because a few (C) of the members (D) was raising their disapprovals.

A. We could not

B. because a few

C. of the members

D. was raising

Answer: D Explanation: "A few of the members" is a plural subject. The verb must agree in number (plural). It should be "were raising".

12. Mr. Hague is known (A) as the most (B) benevolence person (C) among his colleagues (D).

A. known

B. as the most

C. benevolence

D. among

Answer: C Explanation: An adjective is required to modify the noun "person". "Benevolence" is a noun; the correct adjective is "benevolent".

13. The faculty Dean never (A) has and ever will take (B) such (C) strong measures (D).

A. The faculty Dean

B. has and ever will take

C. such

D. strong measures

Answer: B Explanation: This sentence lacks parallel structure in the verb phrases. It requires the past participle after "has" to be complete. Correct: "has ever taken and will ever take".

14. (A) I don't mind (B) to help (C) with cooking, (D) but I am not going to wash dishes.

A. I don't mind

B. to help

C. with cooking

D. but

Answer: B Explanation: The verb "mind" must be followed by a gerund (-ing form). It should be "helping".

15. The price of (A) daily necessities (B) raise (C) very high (D) these days.

A. The price

B. raise

C. very high

D. these days

Answer: B Explanation: "Raise" is a transitive verb (it raises something else). The intransitive verb required here is "rises" (to go up). Additionally, the subject "price" is singular, so it requires the singular verb "rises".

16. (A) As the result of (B) today's meeting, (C) the committee has (D) improved the situation.

A. As the result of

B. today's meeting

C. the committee has

D. improved

Answer: A Explanation: The correct idiomatic expression is "As a result of" (indefinite article), not "As the result".

17. (A) I (B) remember (C) you offering me encouragement (D) before my exam.

A. I

B. remember

C. you offering

D. before

Answer: C Explanation: In formal English, a possessive adjective should be used before a gerund. It should be "your offering".

18. I was absent (A) from class (B) because (C) I was ill for two weeks (D).

A. from class

B. because

C. was ill

D. for two weeks

Answer: B Explanation: This question targets tense sequencing. Given the duration "for two weeks" prior to the absence, the past perfect "had been ill" is grammatically precise. However, in standard error correction for this specific source, the conjunction "because" is often marked if the structure implies "The reason was...". Based on the provided key: B is the error.

19. If anyone intends to join (A) me in the campaign, (B) now or in the near future, they (C) will be welcome (D).

A. to join

B. now

C. they

D. will be welcome

Answer: C Explanation: "Anyone" is a singular indefinite pronoun. In strict formal grammar, the pronoun referring back to it should be singular ("he or she"), not the plural "they".

20. (A) By the time (B) we arrive in Italy, we (C) have traveled through (D) four countries.

A. By the time

B. arrive

C. have

D. traveled

Answer: C Explanation: The "By the time" structure involving a future event requires the Future Perfect tense to show that an action will be completed before that time. It should be "will have traveled".

21. (A) The Allegheny (B) Mountain range (C) are rich (D) in coal.

A. The Allegheny

B. Mountain range

C. are rich

D. in coal

Answer: C Explanation: The subject "Mountain range" is singular (it is one specific range). Therefore, the verb must be singular: "is rich".

22. (A) Technology must (B) use to feed (C) the forces (D) of change.

A. Technology must

B. use to feed

C. the forces

D. of change

Answer: B Explanation: Technology cannot perform the action of using itself. The passive voice is required here: "be used to feed".

23. (A) Have done my best, I sat (B) down (C) to see (D) the results.

A. Have done

B. down

C. to see

D. the results

Answer: A Explanation: To indicate an action completed before the main clause, the perfect participle is needed. It should be "Having done".

24. (A) The body of (B) the jellyfish looks (C) like it a bell (D) or an umbrella.

A. The body of

B. the jellyfish

C. like it

D. or an

Answer: C Explanation: The pronoun "it" is unnecessary and grammatically incorrect in this phrase. It should simply be "looks like a bell".

25. Floriculture is the art, (A) scientist, and (B) business of (C) growing (D) ornamental plants.

A. scientist

B. business

C. growing

D. ornamental plants

Answer: A Explanation: Parallelism requires that items in a list be of the same grammatical form. "Art" and "business" are abstract nouns denoting fields of activity. "Scientist" denotes a person. The correct noun is "science".

26. (A) During inflation, per capita income (B) rises (C) as faster than (D) real per capita output.

A. During inflation

B. rises

C. as faster than

D. real

Answer: C Explanation: This is a mixed comparison. You can use the comparative "faster than" or the positive "as fast as". "As faster than" is incorrect.

27. (A) Politics (B) are not (C) meant (D) for students.

A. Politics

B. are not

C. meant

D. For students

Answer: B Explanation: Nouns ending in "-ics" that denote a field of study or activity (like politics, economics, physics) generally take a singular verb. It should be "is not".

28. Identify the incorrect underlined part of the sentence: Dela is studying (A) Law (B) at the university, and (C) so does Jim (D).

A. studying

B. Law

C. at the university

D. so does Jim

Answer: D Explanation: When using "so" to agree with a previous statement, the auxiliary verb in the response must match the tense and auxiliary of the first verb. The first verb is "is" (studying). Therefore, it should be "so is Jim".

29. We must (A) insist on (B) you leaving the meeting (C) before any further outbursts (D) take place.

A. insist on

B. you

C. before

D. take place

Answer: B Explanation: A gerund ("leaving") acts as a noun, so the pronoun modifying it should be in the possessive case. It should be "your leaving".

30. (A) Not one of the children (B) has ever sang (C) in public (D) before.

A. Not one

B. sang

C. in public

D. before

Answer: B Explanation: The sentence uses the present perfect tense ("has..."). This requires the past participle form of the verb. The past participle of "sing" is "sung". It should be "has ever sung".

31. But for your timely help, I would (A) of failed and I am forever indebted (B) to you.

A. of

B. indebted

C. to

D. failed

Answer: A Explanation: The correct auxiliary structure for past conditionals is "would have". "Would of" is a common error derived from the similar pronunciation of "would've". It should be "would have failed".