MOST

Grammar IMPORTANT
Mahapathshala ERRORS FOR
UPSC/NDA

APPROACH TO THE QUESTIONS Check Yourself

1. One of my desires (1)/ are to become (2)/ a doctor (3)/No error. (4)

COMMON GRAMMATICAL ERRORS 2. Either of the roads (1)/ lead (2)/ to the park (3)/No error. (4)

3. One should have (1)/their teeth checked (2)/ every six months. (3)/ No error. (4)
1. Incorrect Subject-Verb agreement
2. Wrong Pronoun Reference or Usage 4. Each one of you (1)/ must make up their mind (2)/ as I did. (3)/ No error (4).
3. Wrong Tense or Verb Form
4. Incorrect Structure 5. I now (1)/ am knowing (2)/ all the facts about him.(3)/ No error (4).
5. Incorrect Word Form
6. Wrong or Missing Prepositions 6. I have passed (1)/ the examination (2)/ two years ago (3)/. No error. (4)
7. Incorrect Use Of Conjunctions
8. Error Of Redundancy 7. The earth moves (1)/ round the Sun. (2)/ Isn’t it ? (3)/. No error. (4)
9. Misuse of Contractions and Apostrophes
8. The train had left (1)/ when he had reached (2)/ the station. (3)/ No error (4).

9. He said (1)/ that he will never (2)/ repeat the mistake. (3)/ No error (4).
10. She asked me (1)/ what (2)/ was I doing. (3)/No error. (4) 18. The officer (1)/ is angry on the clerk (2)/ for not attending to the work. (3)/ No error (4)

11. I do not know where could he have gone (1)/ so early (2)/ in the morning. 19. The whole country (1)/ was suffering by (2)/ a financial crisis. (3)/ No error. (4)
(3)/No error. (4) 20. 1) The Governing Board (2) comprises of (3) several distinguished personalities (4) No
error
12. What you have (1)/ bought for (2)/ the children? (3)/ No error. (4)
21. On being called, (1) / all of us (2) / entered into the room. (3)/ No error (4)
13. The value of the dollar (1)/ declines as the rate (2)/ of inflation raises (3)/
No error. (4) 22. Would you please (1) / repeat again (2) /what you said. (3)/ No error. (4)

14. I will send my servant (1)/ but I cannot insure (2)/ that he will reach there 23. He has (1) / sufficient enough (2) /money to buy a car. (3)/ No error. (4)
in time. (3)/ No error (4). 24. We should come up with a new innovation for doing this task. (3)/ No error. (4)

15. (1) They agreed (2) to repair the damage (3) freely of charge (4) No error 25. Unless you do not give (1)/ the keys of the safe (2)/ you will be shot (3)/ No error. (4)

16. We had (1)/ hardly reached the (2)/ platform than the train came in. (3)/ No 26. Its (1)/ cold (2)/ outside today. (3)/ No error. (4)
error (4)
27. I don’t understand (1) / why your mad, they are (2)/ the ones who made a mistake. (3)/
17. Neither he (1)/ or his (2)/ wife has arrived. (3)/ No error (4) No error. (4)

IMPORTANT
ERRORS
The sum and substance of this poem is as follows.

The fifth and final act (1)/ of Macbeth contain (2)/ the sleep-
walking scene. (3)/ No error. (4)

Pairing Words:- bread and butter, rice and curry, slow and steady,
horse and carriage, rise and fall, long and short, sum and substance, etc .

Each one of his sisters (1) / were (2)/hardworking (3)/ No

error (4)

Each of the girls (1)/ have come (2)/ with her books. (3)/
No error (4)

Each/Every Takes Singular Verb & Singular Possessive

Adjective
Everybody wants to enjoy peace of mind.

Everyone were happy to hear about his success.

No one (1)/should (2)/oppress (3)/their neighbours. (4)/No error (5)

Everyone (1)/ should (2)/help (3)/ their friend (4)/ No error. (5)

Anybody (1)/can get (2)/ their health (3) / checked up in a hospital. (4)/ No
error (5)

Everything has their pros and cons

*Everybody in the office (1)/ has left early, (2)/ haven’t they ? (3)/ No error.
(4)

with, together with, along with, as well as,

in addition to, accompanied by, headed by,
governed by, led by, guided by, controlled by,
including, excluding, rather than, no less than,
besides, like, unlike etc.
 or, nor, either....or, neither...nor,
not only ... but also

Many overseas students (1)/ attend colleges (2)/ in Great Britain. (3)/No error (4)

A great many student (1)/ have been declared (2)/ successful. (3)/ No error. (4)

A good many musicians has come.

Many a man (1)/ have realized (2)/ that real happiness lies in making sacrifices.(3)/
No error. (4)

Neither of the scout leaders know (1)/ how to trap wild animals (2)/ or how to
prepare them for mounting. (3)/ No error (4)

Neither of the sisters (1)/ are sensible enough (2)/ to carry out the plan.(3)/ No
error (4)

Neither of the girls (1)/ were willing to (2) / accept the proposal. (3)/ No error Many, Both, Few, A few, the few, a good many, a great many
*Either/Neither take Singular Verb Many a
A number of people grows tomatoes each summer.

A large number of voters still votes along straight-party lines.

A large number of students has passed this year.

The number of volunteers increases each year.

The number of tourists has increased sharply.

A number of or A large number of

The number of

One of the (1)/most dangerous disease (2)/is AIDS (3)/. No error (4)
Never commit the error of proximity.
He is (1)/ one of the tallest boy (2)/ in the class. (3)/ No error. (4)
The quality of mangoes are good.
One of the most important factor (1)/ that contribute to the success
of a person (2)/ is his sincerity. (3)/ No error. (4)
The standard of the players are low.
One of the terrorists (1)/ of the Kashmir valley (2)/ are shot dead. (3)/
The appearance of the clothes look shabby. No error (4)

Kambli is one of the players (1)/ who has been selected (2)/ for the
The water of these rivers is dirty.
test match. (3)/ No error (4).

The pages of this book is missing. She is one of the (1)/ best mothers (2)/ that has ever lived. (3)/ No
error (4).
 Although the police officer sympathized with poor (1)/ he refused to
(2) /take an action against the rich man (3). /No error (4)

The rich hate the poor.

The Japanese is hardworking.

The Army have its march-past regularly.

A herd of cattle are passing.

The French army were defeated at Waterloo.

The Committee has issued their report.

 Some Nouns will always be Sl.
The Assembly has different views Luggage, baggage, scenery, poetry, machinery, furniture,
advice, work, education, employment, equipment,
Class has your seats. nonsense, weather, magic, paper, wood, money, iron,
stone, glass, dust, rubbish, dirt, electricity, traffic, bread,
The Parliament was divided on the issue of emergency. grass, cholera, plague etc.

The Management Committee (1)/ was divided (2)/ in their A piece of/many pieces of +paper/advice
opinion. (3)/ No error (4) /poetry/furniture(set of can also be used for furniture)
A loaf of /many loaves of bread
A bit of/many bits of information(piece can also be used)
A heap of/many heaps of sand/garbage

I want a bread. I want an advice.

Where are your luggage?
There is a garbage over there.
I have bought furnitures for the house.
There are so many filths (a)/ all around (b)/ the place. (c)/ No error
The window is made of glasses.

The Sceneries of Kashmir is beautiful.

There is many rice in the bowl.

I have many money to survive.

 Some Nouns look Pl but are Sl
News, Mathematics, Ethics, Linguistics, Physics, Statistics,
Dynamics, Phonetics, Measles, Rickets, Billiards, Darts, Draughts etc.

Mathematics is a difficult subject.

The machineries are (a)/ not functioning (b)/ properly (c)/
these days. (d)/ No error (e) Politic is a dirty field.

The poetries (a)/ of RN Tagore (b)/ has been taught (c)/ in As a person who believes (1)/ that honesty is the best policy (2)/ I feel
that politics are not my cup of tea. (3)/ No error (4)/
the class (d)/ No error (e)
Did you hear many news about the political situation while you were
We get (1)/ excellent furnitures (2)/ in this shop. (3)/ No in that country ?
error (4)

The company has ordered(1) / some (2) / new equipments.

(3) / No error.(4)

No changes in Sl or Pl Some nouns look Sl but are Pl

Series, species, deer, sheep ,means ,headquarters, innings etc. Cattle, People, Police, Gentry, Peasantry, Electorate, Nobility,
Poultry, Vermin, Children, Clergy etc.
All the deer are grazing in the field
The Cattles are grazing in the field.
Golu saw a flock of sheeps grazing in the field

It is very (a) / difficult to chase (b)/ a huge score (c)/ in the second The Children is playing in the field.
inning. (d)/ No error (e)
The people are appreciating its hero

Some folks are never satisfied.

The nobility have oppressed the peasantry in several ways.

All the child playing (a)/ at the beach ran (b)/ towards Sam when
(c)/ they heard him shout. (d)/ No error (e)
 Some nouns look Pl and are Pl
Some people like (a)/ to do some social (b)/ work even Scissors, Binoculars, Spectacles, Tongs, Trousers, Arms,
though (c)/ it lacks resources. (d)/ No error (e) Riches, Odds, Annals, Assets, Belongings, Scales, Eatables,
Bowels, Credentials, Ashes, Alms, Fetters, Premises, Pictures,
Some peoples feel depressed (a)/ whenever they think of Surroundings, Spirits etc.
future (b)/ because they do not believe (c)/ in their own
capabilities. (d)/ No error (e)
One should use (a)/ spectacle to protect (b)/ the eyes from (c)/
The gentry (a)/ of our colony (b)/ was invited (c)/ to attend bright sunlight. (d)/ No error (e)
the meeting. (d)/ No error (e).
She gave alm to the blind beggar, and for these he thanked her.
Vermin (1)/ does much harm (2)/ to crops. (3)/ No error (4)
Someone has stolen my belonging

The police (1)/ has arrested him (2)/ on the charge of The Himalaya lie to the north of India.
theft. (3)/ No error (4)

The scissors, which (1)/ are on the table, (2)/ belongs to Radha. (3)/ No
error (4)

Riches is uncertain things, and the fame that power gives or is won by
foul means is as short lived as the dewdrop.

The luxuries of the riches are maintained by depriving the poor of their
dues.

My father gave me (1)/ a binocular (2)/ on my birthday. (3)/ No error. (4)

She does not (a)/ cut paper (b)/with blade (c)/ but with a scissors. (d)/
No error (e)
No.+Some words(-s/es)
Dozen,hundred,billion,million,thousand etc.

Two dozens eggs have been bought. I have ten rupees.

I need five hundreds rupees. I have a/two ten rupee note/notes.

Two lakhs people (a)/ attended the meeting (b)/ held in parade She walks five miles.
grounds. (c)/ No error (d)
She had a five mile walk.
Hundred of people have died in this accident.
I have been studying here for five months.
I have bought dozens of copies.
I am pursuing a three month course.
Millions of Jews lost (1)/ their kith and kin (2)/ due to Hitler(3)/
No error (4)

Jaya went (a)/ to her friend’s house (b)/ and gave her two (c)/ ten-
rupees note. (d)/ No error (e)

A five-men (a)/ delegation (b)/ waited upon (c)/ the Prime Minister. (d)/
No error (e)

Children enjoy listening to (a)/ ghosts stories (b)/ especially on

Halloween night. (c)/ No error (d)

The Manager put forward (1)/ a number of criterions (2) / for the post.
(3)/ No error (4).
In today meeting (a)/ we must first discuss (b)/ and thrash out the
problem (c)/ one by one. (d)/ No error (e)

1)Your tone of speaking as well as /2) your friends is really /3)

extremely sarcastic yet we never take it seriously. 4)No Error

1)Very few soldiers dared/2) to pay a deaf ear to /3) their

commander’s-in-chief orders. 4)No Error

1)The P.M. of India’s Mr. P.V. Narsimha Rao’s /2) visit to Japan
strengthened the /3) relationship between India and Japan. 4)No Error

Everybody duty is to work hard.

I follow your suggestion not somebody else.

Let he and I go there. I, you and he are going there.

The presents are for you and I.

Nobody will come to your rescue except she

You, he and I have committed a sin.
You are as tall as her.

When it comes to dancing Prince is as good as him One must not boast of his success.

It is me who was really guilty. One can rise in life (1)/only when one puts forth one's best (2)/not only
for himself and (3)/ one's family but also for others. (4)/ No error (5)
It is him who has committed this crime.

It was him (1)/ who came running (2)/into the classroom. (3)/
No error. (4)
 The boy who studies hard (1)/ he will pass (2)/ with flying
colours. (3)/ No error (4)/

The people who I met there were very friendly.

The horse who I bought recently is Arab.

This is the house who belongs to my uncle.

The mother knows who of her children is hungry.

He was the most eloquent speaker whom I had ever heard.

The Sun which rays give life to the Earth is regarded by some people
as a god. This is the best food which I have ever tasted.

This is the question which solution has baffled philosophers of all All, the same, any, nothing, the only, everything, the same, etc.
ages. All which glitters is not gold.

He is the same boy whom I saw yesterday.

There is nothing which can stop this devil.

My father has given me everything which he had.

This is the only pen that I bought yesterday.

Who am I that should object?

 Absent, Present, introduce, adapt, acquaint, adjust, upgrade,
He has a piece of furniture, and which has been in his family for
enjoy, prostrate, avail, hurt, cheat, befool, sympathize etc.
generations.
+Reflexive Pronoun
He introduced to the D.M.
They who don’t obey rules will be punished.
They availed of the opportunity.
The salary of Mohan is more than Rohan.
Wherever they go, Indians adapt.
The climate of (1)/Belgium (2)/ is like (3) / that of Pune. (4)/No error (5)
The doors (1)/ of this classroom (2)/ are larger than (3) / that of that.
She enjoyed at the party.
(4)/No error (5)
The roads (1)/ of Gomti Nagar (2)/ are wider than (3)/ Alambagh (4)/NE(5)

Anyone of (1) / the two wives (2)/is dominated (3)/by her husband.
(4) / No error (5)

He (1)/ could not meet (2)/ either of his three brothers (3) / at
home. (4) /No error (5) Where does she go is known to me.

None of (1) / the two sisters (2)/has paid (3)/her tuition fees. (4) / Where he goes every day?
No error (5)
 Present Past Future

MOST Indefinite S+V1+O

S+do/does+not+V1+O
S+V2+O
S+did+not+V1+O
S+will/shall+V1

IMPORTANT Continuous S+is/are/am+V4+O S+was/were+V4+O S+will/shall+be+V4+

Obj

ERRORS FOR Perfect S+has/have+V3+O S+had+V3+O S+will/shall+have

+V3+O

UPSC/NDA Perfect
Continuous
S+has/have+been+
V4+O+for/since……
S+had+been+
V4+O+for/since…
S+will/shall+have
+been+V4+O+
time time for/since……time

My cousin cannot understand why his teacher says that

His parents usually spent (1)/ their summer in the earth moves round the sun.
Shimla (2)/ but this year they are spending it in
Darjeeling. (3)/ No error (4) (P) The old man (Q) told his sons (R) that there was no
such thing like luck. (S) No error
hear, smell, appear, seem, want, wish, desire, trust, remember,
forget, know, understand, have, possess, own, contain, admire,
appreciate, adore etc.
Mr. Amitabh Bacchan has been acting for 25 years when
SRK entered Bollywood.

a) The cricketers admitted / b) that they were practising

/c) hard for the /d) last six months. / e) No error

a) I told him / b) to rest for a while /c) as he was working

/d) without break since morning. / e) No error
 1. (a) I know I will be compelled /(b) to leave this house /(c) this
a) We have been working on the project / b) for three week, which will be /(d) very disadvantageous for me. /(e) No error
months when /c) the government announced /d) an
indefinite halt on the project. / e) No error
At this time tomorrow I will be sitting on the beach in Singapore.
I am not familiar with (1)/ all the important places in this
town (2)/ although I had been living here for two years. By next March, we shall have been living here for four years.
(3)/ No error (4)

a) Last month we celebrated / b) the wedding of our

sister for whom /c) we have been looking for a suitable
alliance /d) for three years. / e) No error.
If someone tried to disturb my meeting, (a)/
I will have (b) /call the police. (c)/ No error(d)
 MOST
IMPORTANT
ERRORS FOR
UPSC/NDA
India played careful to win the match
He could not find it nowhere

She does not like nothing.

He hardly knows something about the matter

She is not such a good singer as I expected.

He is such a man whom I honour.

There was such a noise which we could not hear ourselves.

This is the same car that mine.

This is the same book which I needed.

 We stayed at Mumbai for five days.

MOST He is at the garden.

IMPORTANT
He arrived at India

ERRORS FOR
Don’t Worry, I will arrive in the station on time.

He arrived in the palace.

UPSC/NDA The dog is lying at the floor.

The book at the table.

She was reading a novel on 9am.

I met my friend in noon.

I often work at night.

She will meet me at sunrise.

The thieves entered into his house and took away a lot of things.
He will purchase a car ______2005/June/Diwali.

I will watch a movie at morning

I will complete this work_____Thursday.

She will study English_______the evening of Thursday.

break into/eat into/look into/ burst into+ laugther or tears or joy/

come into fashion/merge into/convert into
 He sat besides his ailing mother.

Beside being fined, he was sentenced to a life imprisonment.

He killed two birds with one shot.

He was stabbed by a lunatic by a dagger.

Jaya came and sat by/beside me.

Pintoo’s house is by/beside the house.

By+Noun-Transport(by car/by ship/by plane/by train/by road/by air/by

water/by sea etc.)
He is going there on foot.
By-manner. Ex:-by messenger/by post/by hand/by creditcard/by bank
draft etc. I am going there in his car.

He is sitting in the car.

I am sitting on his bike.

MJS opens from 7am and 7pm.

I have been writing from morning.

She has been ill from June.

He had been teaching in that organization from 2002.

He had been ill from May.

The criminals will not be seen today since this moment.

He will attend the class since Tuesday next.

Om learnt English since the age of ten.

Take of/off your shoes. To------destination

A button has come of/off. She is going to the airport.

The cap of/off the marker. Mr. Singh has not come to the office.

He died of/by/off cancer. The children are going to school.

Miss Priyanka comes of/off a rich family.

Start/leave for a place.
He is born of/off rich parents.
She is leaving to America tomorrow.
The leaves are falling from the tree.

Die of a disease/an illness/hunger/thirst/starvation.

Die in+an accident

Say/Suggest/Propose/Listen/Write/GiveAnswer/Apparent/
Obvious+To+Object

Invite+to+lunch/dinner/tea

They invited us for dinner.

She invited me for tea.

(ask/enter/discuss/describe/order/tell/demand
/attack/resemble/marry/advise/comprise/investigate etc.)

Ram asked to him a question.

Let us discuss about the problem.

The army attacked on the terrorists.

The poet describes about the beauty of nature in the poem.

She ordered for a cup of tea.

She answered to my question properly.

She takes delight in work hard.
 Verbs
Transitive rising

affect

founded

6-raised
29-broadcast
30-felled
31-overflowed
33-hanged

Infinitive
Pure

Bare
Perfect

Gerund

on asking

making

talking
 sneezing

meeting

to see
 When he came for seeing me, I was doing my work.
 He comes for walking daily. to walk
 She uses a stick for walking

Participle
 Parallelism

Misc Verb Errors