Error Spotting - Formula Sheet
🔍 Error Spotting - Formula Sheet
🎯 Common Error Categories
Subject-Verb Agreement
Singular subject → Singular verb Plural subject → Plural verb Examples: The list of items ✓is (not are) on the table Each of the students ✓has (not have) completed
Tense Consistency
Past events → Past tense throughout Present facts → Present tense throughout Future events → Future tense throughout
Pronoun Errors
Subject form: I, he, she, we, they Object form: me, him, her, us, them Reflexive: myself, himself, herself, ourselves, themselves
📊 Specific Error Patterns
Articles (a/an/the)
a/an → First mention, general the → Specific, already mentioned, unique No article → Proper nouns, general concepts
Prepositions
Time: in (months/years), on (days), at (times) Place: in (enclosed), on (surface), at (point) Direction: to (destination), from (origin), at (location)
Conjunctions
Coordinating: and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet Correlative: either…or, neither…nor, not only…but also Subordinating: because, although, since, unless, while
🔢 Word Order Rules
Standard Sentence Structure
Subject → Verb → Object → Adverbial Examples: She carefully read the book The students discussed the topic enthusiastically
Question Formation
Auxiliary verb → Subject → Main verb → Object? Examples: Do you understand? Where are you going?
Adjective Order
Opinion → Size → Age → Shape → Color → Origin → Material → Purpose Examples: beautiful small old round red Italian wooden dining table
⚡ Common Mistakes
Double Negatives
Incorrect: I don’t need no help Correct: I don’t need any help OR I need no help
Dangling Modifiers
Incorrect: Walking down the street, the trees looked beautiful Correct: Walking down the street, I saw beautiful trees
Parallel Structure
Incorrect: She likes reading, to cook, and swim Correct: She likes reading, cooking, and swimming
📝 Error Detection Strategy
Step-by-Step Analysis
- Read for overall meaning and flow
- Check subject-verb agreement
- Verify tense consistency
- Examine pronoun usage
- Review articles and prepositions
- Check word order and sentence structure
- Look for parallel structure issues
- Verify logical connections
Quick Check Areas
- Beginning of sentence (subject/verb)
- End of sentence (prepositions/articles)
- Lists and comparisons (parallel structure)
- Time references (tense consistency)
- Quantifiers (much/many, little/few)
🔍 Focus Points by Question Type
Grammar Errors
- Subject-verb agreement
- Tense consistency
- Pronoun reference
- Preposition usage
- Article errors
Structure Errors
- Word order
- Sentence fragments
- Run-on sentences
- Parallel structure
- Dangling modifiers
Master Error Spotting - Read carefully, think systematically! 🔍
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