Identifying Sentence Errors Practice Questions

Identifying Sentence Errors Practice
Questions
Each consecutive underlined section corresponds with an answer choice. Select
the choice that has an error, or select choice E for no error.
1. A Because of the Internet, B working at jobs C at home D have become much more

common. ENo error.
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
E. E
2. “Pull it out A by B its plug, not by the C cord,” said D dad. E No error.
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
E. E
3. Symptoms of this illness A that warrant a doctor visit B includes fever, C vomiting,
and diarrhea, as well as the D loss of appetite. E No error.
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
E. E
4. A Either Lisa or Karen B will always volunteer C their valuable D time to serve on
our board. ENo error.
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
E. E
5. The conversation with her A mother had a more profound B affect on
her C than D she expected. E No error.
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
E. E
6. The A President and the B Speaker of the House found the C Congressional
Republicans’ filibusters to be D all together specious. E No error.
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
E. E
7. A Professor Lane, our B Computer Science teacher, was excited when he had the
opportunity to meet C Bill Gates, the D president of Microsoft, Inc.E No error.
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
E. E
8. Do you think A they B will C except our plan D without an argument? E No error.
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
E. E
9. “They A had went to the lake B without me C by the time D I got there,” said
Jacques. E No error.
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
E. E
10. Work A as quick B as you C can but D as carefully as possible when you take the
test. E No error.
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
E. E
Answers – Identifying Sentence Errors
1. D: The error is “have become,” which should be “has become.” The plural form
of the auxiliary verb “have” is incorrect because the subject of the independent
clause is “working,” which is singular and thus takes a singular verb—i.e. “working
has…” The other underlined sections are correct.
2. D: “Dad” is a name or proper noun and should be capitalized. “By” is a correct
preposition to use here. “Its” is the correct use of the third-person singular
possessive impersonal pronoun. The punctuation at the end of the quotation is
correct.
3. B: “Includes” is incorrect because it is the singular form of the verb, but the
subject, “symptoms,” is plural. The verb should be “include.” The subordinating
conjunction “that” introducing the dependent clause, and its plural verb
“warrant,” (A) are both correct. “…vomiting, and” (C) is punctuated correctly as the
last in a series of three or more words. The singular noun “loss” (D) is correct.
4. C: “Their” is incorrect because it is a plural third-person possessive pronoun,
but the use of “either (A)…or” indicates a singular form. It should be “her.” “Will
always volunteer” (B) is a singular verb phrase and is correct. “Time” (D) is correct
regardless of whether it is modified by a singular (“her”) or plural (“their”)
possessive pronoun, e.g. “They both volunteered their valuable time.”
5. B: The correct noun for this meaning is spelled “effect.” “Affect” when it is a
noun means mood or emotional state, e.g. “The patient presented with a
depressed affect.” When it is a verb, the meaning of “affect” is related to the
meaning of the noun “effect;” e.g. “The experience had a harmful effect on her,
but it did not affect her brother the same way.” “…her mother” (A) is correctly not
capitalized as it is a noun, not a name/proper noun (e.g. “Hello, Mother.”) The
other underlined parts are correct.
6. D: This is incorrectly spelled as two words. In this sentence, it should be
“altogether,” a one-word adverb modifying the adjective “specious” and meaning
“entirely” or “completely.” “All together” would be used for a different meaning,
e.g. “The family members were all together at the reunion.” The President (A),
Speaker of the House (B), and Republicans’ (C) are all correctly capitalized as they
are titles. The adjective congressional (C) refers to Congress (a proper name and
thus capitalized), but as an adjective it is lower-case unless part of a proper name.
7. E: There is no error in this sentence. Titles and proper names (A) are
capitalized. Academic subjects or departments are lower-case (e.g. department of
computer science) unless they are adjectives (Computer Science teacher) (B) or
proper nouns (English, French, etc.) Bill Gates (C) is a proper noun, i.e. a name,
and is always capitalized. “…the president” (D) is correctly lower-case both
because it is used after a name, and because it is a used as a description rather
than a title here.
8. C: The verb is misspelled here. For the correct meaning, it should be “accept,”
i.e. to consent or agree to our plan. “Except” means other than, besides, but, etc.
Used as a verb as in this sentence, it would mean to make an exception of our
plan, which is incorrect as it contradicts the rest of the sentence (without an
argument). “They” (A) and “will” (B) are used correctly as subject pronoun and
auxiliary verb. “Without” (D) is correctly used as a preposition.
9. A: The correct form for the past perfect tense of the irregular verb “to go” is
“had gone,” not “had went.” “Went” is only used as the past tense, without the
auxiliary “had.” The prepositional phrase (B) is correct. The two parts of the
dependent clause (C and D) “by the time I got there” are correct.
10. A: The error is “quick,” which is an adjective; here it should be the adverb
“quickly” instead, describing manner (how) to modify the verb “Work.” “…as
carefully” (D) is an example of the correct usage. The other underlined sections
are correct.

1. Illiteracy is an enormous problem,A it affectsB millions of people worldwide,C and is an impediment
toD social progress.� No errorE.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation:
This is an example of a type of error known as comma splice. You cannot use a comma to link two
complete sentences: use a semicolon.
2. The company president has takenA steps to ensure that sheB can handle the pressure and
anxiety associated withC the job, includingD joining a yoga class and enlisting the support of a network of
friends. No errorE.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Correct Answer: D
Explanation:
Misplaced modifier. Including seems to refer to job when it should refer to steps.
3. If you are sure thatA you are in the right,B you would notC mind an independent examination ofD the
case. No errorE.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
After a present tense in the if clause, we need a future tense in the main clause. Wouldshould be
changed to will.
4. The union insistedA on an increase in theirB members�C starting pay, and threatened to call a strike if
the company refused toD meet the demand. No errorE.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
Change their to its because the union is a singular noun.
5. Television viewers claim thatA the number of scenes depictingB alcohol consumption haveC increased
dramatically overD the last decade. No errorE.

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
Change have to has because the number requires a singular verb.
6. Employees with lessA personal problems areB likelyC to be moreD productive. No errorE.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation:
Use fewer not less for countable items.
See rule H04 in Grammar Focus
7. The three richest men in America haveA assets worth more thanB the combined assetsC of the sixty
poorest countries ofD the world. No errorE. unproductive
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Correct Answer: E
Explanation:
No error.
8. ShipwreckedA on a desert island, coconuts and otherB fruits formedC the basis of the sailor�sD diet. No
errorE.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation:
This is an example of a dangling modifier. It implies that coconuts were shipwrecked. To correct the
sentence you could change Shipwrecked to �When he was shipwrecked
9. Fifty percent of the people alive today haveA never made a phone call, butB thirty percent stillC have no
electricity connections to theirD homes. No errorE.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
But is inappropriate here; change to and.
10. The rhododendron, whichA ornaments so manyB English gardens, isC not native toDEurope. No errorE.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Correct Answer: E
Explanation:
No error.

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Identifying Sentence Errors Practice

1. A Because of the Internet, B working at jobs C at home D have become much more

1. Illiteracy is an enormous problem,A it affectsB millions of people worldwide,C and is an impediment

toD social progress.� No errorE.

3. If you are sure thatA you are in the right,B you would notC mind an independent examination ofD the

4. The union insistedA on an increase in theirB members�C starting pay, and threatened to call a strike if

the company refused toD meet the demand. No errorE.

5. Television viewers claim thatA the number of scenes depictingB alcohol consumption haveC increased

dramatically overD the last decade. No errorE.

6. Employees with lessA personal problems areB likelyC to be moreD productive. No errorE.

poorest countries ofD the world. No errorE. unproductive

8. ShipwreckedA on a desert island, coconuts and otherB fruits formedC the basis of the sailor�sD diet. No

electricity connections to theirD homes. No errorE.

10. The rhododendron, whichA ornaments so manyB English gardens, isC not native toDEurope. No errorE.

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