English: Error Spotting — 30+ Common Patterns for PSC Exams

Error Spotting is one of the most scoring sections in Kerala PSC English papers. Typically 3-5 questions ask you to identify the grammatically incorrect part of a sentence. This note covers 30+ error patterns with rules, wrong examples, and corrections.

Pattern 1: Subject-Verb Agreement

The verb must agree with the subject in number (singular/plural).

Rule	Wrong	Correct
Singular subject takes singular verb	The quality of mangoes are good.	The quality of mangoes is good. (Subject = quality, not mangoes)
“Each/Every/Either/Neither” takes singular verb	Each of the boys have a pen.	Each of the boys has a pen.
Two subjects joined by “and” take plural verb	Bread and butter are my breakfast.	Bread and butter is my breakfast. (single concept = singular)
“Neither…nor” / “Either…or” — verb agrees with nearest subject	Neither the teacher nor the students was present.	Neither the teacher nor the students were present.
Collective noun — singular when acting as one unit	The committee have taken a decision.	The committee has taken a decision.
Uncountable nouns take singular verb	The news are shocking.	The news is shocking.
”A number of” = plural; “The number of” = singular	The number of students are increasing.	The number of students is increasing.
Distances, amounts, time periods = singular	Ten kilometres are a long distance.	Ten kilometres is a long distance.

Pattern 2: Tense Consistency

Do not shift tense within a sentence unless meaning demands it.

Rule	Wrong	Correct
Same time frame = same tense	He went to the shop and buys vegetables.	He went to the shop and bought vegetables.
”Since” requires present perfect or past perfect	He is working here since 2010.	He has been working here since 2010.
”For” with duration + present perfect continuous	I am waiting for two hours.	I have been waiting for two hours.
Past habit = “used to” (not “use to”)	He use to play cricket.	He used to play cricket.
After “did” use base form	He did not went.	He did not go.
After “has/have/had” use past participle (V3)	She has went to school.	She has gone to school.

Pattern 3: Article Errors (A, An, The)

Rule	Wrong	Correct
”A” before consonant sound; “An” before vowel sound	He is a honest man.	He is an honest man. (“h” is silent)
“A” before words starting with “yu” sound	She bought an uniform.	She bought a uniform. (sounds like “yoo-niform”)
“The” with superlatives	He is a tallest boy.	He is the tallest boy.
”The” with unique objects	A sun rises in the east.	The sun rises in the east.
No article before uncountable/abstract nouns (general)	The honesty is the best policy.	Honesty is the best policy.
No article before proper nouns (usually)	The India is a great country.	India is a great country.
”The” with specific rivers, oceans, mountain ranges	He crossed a Ganges.	He crossed the Ganges.
No “the” before individual peaks	The Mount Everest is the highest peak.	Mount Everest is the highest peak.

Pattern 4: Preposition Errors

Rule	Wrong	Correct
”Consist of” (not “consist in” for composition)	Water consists in hydrogen and oxygen.	Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen.
”Die of” disease; “die from” injury/wound	He died from cancer.	He died of cancer.
”Married to” (not “married with”)	She is married with a doctor.	She is married to a doctor.
”Good at” (not “good in”) for skills	She is good in mathematics.	She is good at mathematics.
”Agree with” person; “agree to” proposal	I agree to you.	I agree with you.
”Prefer X to Y” (not “than”)	I prefer tea than coffee.	I prefer tea to coffee.
”Senior/Junior/Superior to” (not “than”)	He is senior than me.	He is senior to me.
”Between” for two; “Among” for more than two	Divide it between the three brothers.	Divide it among the three brothers.
”Since” for point in time; “For” for duration	I have been here since three hours.	I have been here for three hours.
”Congratulate on” (not “for”)	I congratulated him for his success.	I congratulated him on his success.

Pattern 5: Pronoun Errors

Rule	Wrong	Correct
Pronoun must agree with antecedent	Every student must bring their book.	Every student must bring his/her book.
”Who” for subject; “Whom” for object	Who did you meet?	Whom did you meet? (object of “meet”)
Reflexive pronoun cannot be subject	Myself completed the work.	I completed the work.
”One” followed by “one’s” (not “his”)	One should do his duty.	One should do one’s duty.
”Each other” (two); “One another” (more than two)	The three friends helped each other.	The three friends helped one another.

Pattern 6: Adjective and Adverb Errors

Rule	Wrong	Correct
Comparative for two; Superlative for more than two	He is the tallest of the two brothers.	He is the taller of the two brothers.
Double comparatives not allowed	This is more better than that.	This is better than that.
”Less” for uncountable; “Fewer” for countable	There are less students today.	There are fewer students today.
”Much” with uncountable; “Many” with countable	There is not many water.	There is not much water.
Adverb modifies verb (not adjective)	She sings beautiful.	She sings beautifully.
”Enough” comes after adjective/adverb	He is enough tall.	He is tall enough.

Pattern 7: Conjunction Errors

Rule	Wrong	Correct
”Neither…nor” (not “neither…or”)	He is neither smart or hardworking.	He is neither smart nor hardworking.
”Not only…but also”	He is not only intelligent and also diligent.	He is not only intelligent but also diligent.
”Hardly/Scarcely…when” (not “than”)	Hardly had I reached than it started raining.	Hardly had I reached when it started raining.
”No sooner…than” (not “when”)	No sooner did he come when everyone clapped.	No sooner did he come than everyone clapped.
”Though…yet” (not “but”)	Though he is poor but he is honest.	Though he is poor, yet he is honest. (or: Though he is poor, he is honest.)
”Lest…should” (not “lest…not”)	Work hard lest you should not fail.	Work hard lest you should fail. (“lest” itself means “for fear that” — negative sense built in)

Pattern 8: Redundancy and Pleonasm

Wrong (Redundant)	Correct	Why
Return back	Return	”Return” already means “go back”
Revert back	Revert	Same as above
Repeat again	Repeat	”Re-” means again
Past history	History	History is always past
Free gift	Gift	Gifts are free by definition
Advance planning	Planning	Planning is always in advance
Consensus of opinion	Consensus	Consensus means agreement of opinion
First began	Began	”First” is inherent in “began”
Close proximity	Proximity	Proximity means closeness

Pattern 9: Commonly Confused Words

Confused Pair	Usage
Affect (verb) / Effect (noun)	The rain will affect the match. The effect was significant.
Principal (head/main) / Principle (rule)	The principal addressed the students. Honesty is a good principle.
Stationary (not moving) / Stationery (writing materials)	The car was stationary. Buy some stationery.
Complement (complete) / Compliment (praise)	The wine complements the meal. She paid him a compliment.
Accept (receive) / Except (exclude)	I accept your offer. Everyone except John came.
Beside (next to) / Besides (in addition to)	Sit beside me. Besides English, he knows Hindi.
Lay (transitive — needs object) / Lie (intransitive)	Lay the book on the table. I want to lie down.

Pattern 10: Miscellaneous Common Errors

Rule	Wrong	Correct
”Suggest” takes gerund or “that…should”	He suggested me to go.	He suggested that I should go / He suggested going.
”Discuss” takes direct object (no preposition)	Let us discuss about the problem.	Let us discuss the problem.
”Enter” — no preposition needed	He entered into the room.	He entered the room. (But “enter into an agreement” is correct)
“Comprise” — no “of” needed	The team is comprised of five members.	The team comprises five members.
”Inform” takes object directly	He informed to me.	He informed me.
”Reach” — no preposition	We reached at the station.	We reached the station.
”Order/Request” — infinitive structure	He ordered me that I should go.	He ordered me to go.
Singular: furniture, information, advice, luggage	He gave me many advices.	He gave me much advice.
”Ago” with past simple; “Before” with past perfect	I had seen him two days ago.	I saw him two days ago. / I had seen him two days before.
Double negatives	I do not know nothing.	I do not know anything.

Pattern 11: Conditional Sentences

Type	Structure	Wrong	Correct
Type 1 (Possible)	If + present, will + base	If it will rain, I will stay.	If it rains, I will stay.
Type 2 (Unlikely/Unreal present)	If + past, would + base	If I am a bird, I would fly.	If I were a bird, I would fly.
Type 3 (Impossible/Unreal past)	If + had + V3, would have + V3	If he would have come, I would have helped.	If he had come, I would have helped.

Pattern 12: Degree of Comparison

Rule	Wrong	Correct
Use “than” after comparative	He is taller from me.	He is taller than me.
Do not use “more” with “-er” form	She is more taller than him.	She is taller than him.
Comparing same person/thing: “more X than Y”	He is wiser than strong.	He is more wise than strong. (comparing qualities in same person)
Use “other” when comparing within same group	Delhi is larger than any city in India.	Delhi is larger than any other city in India.
Use “of all” with superlative	He is the best than all.	He is the best of all.

Quick Reference — Top 15 Errors in PSC Exams

#	Error Type	Remember
1	Subject-verb with “each/every”	Always singular verb
2	Since/For confusion	Since = point in time; For = duration
3	Senior/Junior/Prefer + “to”	Never use “than” with these
4	Hardly…when / No sooner…than	Fixed pairs — do not mix
5	Discuss/Enter/Reach — no preposition	Direct object only
6	An honest / A university	Sound matters, not spelling
7	Uncountable nouns are singular	News, information, furniture, advice
8	Though…yet (not “but”)	Cannot use “but” with “though”
9	If + past tense (Type 2)	“If I were” not “If I am”
10	Redundancy (return back, revert back)	Avoid double meaning
11	One…one’s (not one…his)	Maintain consistency
12	”Lest…should” (no “not”)	Lest already contains negative
13	Neither…nor / Either…or	Fixed pairs
14	Fewer (countable) / Less (uncountable)	Count the noun
15	After “did” — base form only	”Did not go” not “did not went”