Spotting errors is a common test and forms a part of almost all the important examinations that have objective English test on their syllabi. It requires a command over almost all the parts of grammar for the error may lie in any part of the sentence and in any element of grammar such as parts of speech, infinitives, participles, gerunds, subject-verb concord, form of tenses, use of articles and certain exceptional usages.
 
 Directions: Now here are some sentences of which some are grammatically correct and some are incorrect. Find out which part of the sentence has an error and mark that part. If there is no error, mark your answer as'd'.
 1.    People above seventy five (a)/ years of age(b)/ are not allowed to travel by air (c)/No error (d)
 2.    We are a nation with a deep rooted (a)// culinary tradition (b)/ that few countries can boast of (c)/No error (d)
 3.    Hardly I had ended my essay (a)/ on corruption when the revenue officer (b)/ was set afire by sand mafia (c)/ No error (d)
 4.    We are coaxed(a)/for buying stuffs that we (b)/ never actually require (c)/ No error (d)
 5.    There are plethora of food shows (a)/ on television that celebrate street food (b)/ of all hues or fancy, and fancier complicated dishes (c)/ No error (d)
 6.    We have unwittingly become (a)/ victims by mindless consumerism (b)/ that is so prevalent (c)/ No error (d)
 7.    I lay my book bag on the table (a)/ and forgot all about it (b)/ when she came to take me out (c)/ No error(d)
 8.    Although she draws a good salary, (a)/she has a large family (b)/ to support (c)/ No error (d)
 9.    We shouldn't feed children (a) the crap doled (b)/by multination companies (c)/ No error (d)
 10.    Though the committee have suggested autonomy, (a)/ the challenge can be implemented in a phrased manner, (b)/ allowing good performers to consider autonomy (c)/ No error (d)
 11.    With the selection process for admissions to professional courses, (a) coming to criticism, (b)/ here is an alternative that sounds more credible (c)/ No error (d)
 12.    Scarcely had she reached (a)/ her house and opened the door after a prolonged work in her college, (b)/ than she saw a silhouette looking out from the window (c)/ No error (d)
 13.    I pounced the chance (a)/ to get promoted (b)/ in spite of a heavy competition (c)/ No error (d)
 14.    The finding that southern cities (a) like Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu and Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala are cleaner than (b)/ cities in northern states are significant (c)/ No error (d)
 15.    The ranking of cities and towns (a)/ under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has thrown results (b)/ which are a pointer to the states of affairs in the country (c)/ No error (d)
 16.    Another baffling change (a)/ that I notice in her recently (b)/ is that she avoids to speak to me (c)/ No error (d)
 17.    I asked her (a)/ how could she marry him (b)/ when she was in love with another man (c)/ No error (d).
 Answers
 
 1) d; 2) c (say 'a few countries'); 3) a (with such conjunctions as 'scarcely...when, no sooner...than etc the pattern is verb-subject); 4) b (The correct phrase is 'coaxed into' not 'coaxed for'); 5) a (say 'a plethora); 6) b (victims of mindless not 'by mindless'); 7) a (say 'laid'. The verbs 'lay' and 'lie' are quite confusing. 'Lie' is a intransitive verb while 'lay' is transitive. The conjugation of 'lay' is laid, laid. The verb means 'to place down in a position of rest or in a horizontal position as in 'to lay the bag on the table or to lay a body in the grave'. 'Lie' means 'to rest in a horizontal position on a surface or to make lies-untruths); 8) d; 9) b ('doled out' is the correct phrase here); 10) a (though the word 'committee' takes both 'have or has' it needs 'has' here); 11) b (the correct phrase is 'coming under criticism'); 12) c (replace 'than' with 'when' because the correct form of this conjunction is 'scarcely...when');13) a('pounced on or upon' is the correct phrase); 14) c (the subject 'the finding' is singular so 'is significant'); 15) b ('thrown up' is the correct phrase needed here); 16) c (the verb 'avoids' like 'enjoy' doesn't take an infinitive but a gerund); 17) b (the correct pattern in indirect speech is subject-verb pattern so'...how she could').