Common Sentence Errors | Tips for Sentence Correction Tests

Sentence correction tests evaluate a candidate’s ability to recognize and rectify grammatical, structural, and logical errors in sentences. These questions are common in competitive exams, placement tests, and English proficiency assessments. Understanding the most frequent sentence errors helps improve accuracy and confidence when solving these questions.

Below is a detailed breakdown of the most common errors found in sentence correction tests:

1. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors

The subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural). Errors occur when a singular subject is paired with a plural verb or vice versa.

🔹 Incorrect: The list of books are on the table.
🔹 Corrected: The list of books is on the table.

Why?

• The subject is “The list” (singular), so the verb should also be singular (“is” instead of “are”).
• “Of books” is a prepositional phrase that does not affect the subject-verb agreement.

2. Pronoun Errors

Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in number, gender, and person. A common mistake is using a plural pronoun for a singular antecedent.

🔹 Incorrect: Everyone must bring their own books.
🔹 Corrected: Everyone must bring his or her own books.

Why?

• “Everyone” is a singular pronoun, so the correct pronoun should also be singular (“his or her”).
• To make it gender-neutral, you can rewrite the sentence: All students must bring their own books.

3. Verb Tense Errors

Verb tenses must be used consistently unless the sentence clearly indicates a change in time. Mixing tenses improperly can lead to confusion.

🔹 Incorrect: She was watching TV when her friend calls her.
🔹 Corrected: She was watching TV when her friend called her.

Why?

• The action “was watching” is in the past continuous tense, so “calls” (present tense) must be changed to “called” (past tense) for consistency.

4. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Modifiers should be placed next to the words they modify. A misplaced or dangling modifier can change the intended meaning of a sentence.

🔹 Incorrect: Running down the street, the backpack fell off his shoulder.
🔹 Corrected: Running down the street, he dropped his backpack.

Why?

• The first sentence suggests that “the backpack” was running, which is illogical.
• The corrected sentence clarifies that “he” was running, not the backpack.

5. Parallelism Errors

Parallelism means that items in a list or comparison should follow the same grammatical structure.

🔹 Incorrect: She likes dancing, to swim, and reading.
🔹 Corrected: She likes dancing, swimming, and reading.

Why?

• “Dancing” and “reading” are gerunds (verbs ending in -ing), but “to swim” is in the infinitive form.
• Keeping all items in the same form improves readability and correctness.

6. Incorrect Use of Prepositions

Prepositions help connect words in a sentence, but some prepositions are commonly misused.

🔹 Incorrect: She is married with a doctor.
🔹 Corrected: She is married to a doctor.

Why?

• The correct phrase is “married to,” not “married with.”
• Prepositions must be used correctly based on idiomatic usage.

7. Redundancy and Wordiness

Redundant phrases make sentences longer without adding value. Eliminating unnecessary words improves clarity.

🔹 Incorrect: The reason why she left was because she was sick.
🔹 Corrected: The reason she left was that she was sick.

Why?

• “The reason why” and “because” are redundant.
• The correct phrase is “The reason she left was that…”

8. Comparison Errors

Comparisons must be complete and logical. Incomplete or illogical comparisons can change the intended meaning.

🔹 Incorrect: My car is faster than my brother.
🔹 Corrected: My car is faster than my brother’s car.

Why?

• The first sentence suggests that the car is being compared to the brother, which is incorrect.
• The corrected version clarifies that the comparison is between two cars.

9. Double Negatives

Using two negatives in the same sentence creates confusion and an unintended meaning.

🔹 Incorrect: I don’t have no money.
🔹 Corrected: I don’t have any money.

Why?

• “Don’t” (negative) and “no” (negative) cancel each other out.
• The correct phrase should use “any” instead of “no.”

10. Incorrect Use of Articles (A, An, The)

Articles should be used based on pronunciation and specificity.

🔹 Incorrect: She is an university student.
🔹 Corrected: She is a university student.

Why?

• “University” starts with a “yoo” sound, which is a consonant sound, so “a” is used instead of “an.”

Conclusion

Recognizing and correcting these common sentence errors is crucial for excelling in sentence correction tests. By practicing subject-verb agreement, pronoun usage, verb tenses, modifiers, parallelism, prepositions, and eliminating redundancy, candidates can improve their grammatical accuracy. Regular practice with mock tests, error analysis, and understanding sentence structure will significantly enhance performance in competitive exams and placement