Spotting Errors Questions for SSC MTS

Subject-Verb Agreement

The verb in a sentence must match its subject in number. Singular subject takes a singular verb (adds -s or -es). Plural subject takes a plural verb. The tricky part is when words come between the subject and verb — do not get distracted by them. Always identify the real subject first.

• Singular subject = singular verb: He runs fast. Plural subject = plural verb: They run fast.
• Words like along with, together with, as well as, in addition to do NOT change the subject. The original subject decides the verb.
• Either/Neither used alone takes a singular verb: Neither of them is correct.
• Either...or / Neither...nor: verb agrees with the subject closer to it (the one just before the verb).
• Collective nouns like team, committee, jury usually take a singular verb in Indian English usage tested by SSC.
• Indefinite pronouns like everyone, nobody, someone, each always take singular verbs.

Tense Errors

SSC MTS tests whether you can spot a tense that does not match the time context of the sentence. Watch for time markers like yesterday, since, for, already, just, when, before, after — these tell you which tense is correct. A very common error is using Simple Past where Present Perfect is needed and vice versa.

• Since + point of time needs Present Perfect: I have lived here since 2010. Not 'I lived here since 2010'.
• For + duration also uses Present Perfect for ongoing action: She has worked here for five years.
• Two past actions — the earlier one uses Past Perfect (had + V3): He had left before she arrived.
• Universal truths and habits use Simple Present even inside a past tense sentence: The teacher said that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
• Conditional sentences: If + Simple Present, will + V1. If + Simple Past, would + V1. Do not mix them up.

Article Errors (A, An, The)

Articles are small words but SSC loves testing them. The rule for A vs An depends on the SOUND of the next word, not the spelling. Use An before a vowel sound even if the word starts with a consonant letter. Use The for specific, already known, or unique things. Omit the article when speaking generally about uncountable or plural nouns.

• An is used before vowel sounds: an hour (h is silent), an MBA student (M sounds like Em), an honest man.
• A is used before consonant sounds: a university (sounds like yoo), a one-rupee coin (sounds like wun).
• The is used before unique things: the Sun, the Moon, the Prime Minister, the Himalayas.
• Do not use The before proper nouns like names of countries (except The USA, The Netherlands), lakes, or mountains used alone.
• No article before games, languages, meals: She plays chess. He speaks Hindi. We had dinner.

Preposition Errors

Prepositions in English are fixed with certain words — they cannot be logically guessed. You just have to remember correct pairs. SSC MTS frequently tests wrong prepositions placed after verbs, adjectives, or nouns where a specific preposition is always required.

• Married to (not with): She is married to Ramesh.
• Differ from (comparing things), Differ with (disagreeing with a person).
• Blind in one eye, but Blind to facts (not aware), Blind with rage.
• Angry with a person, Angry at a thing or situation.
• Die of a disease: He died of cancer. Die in an accident. Die for a cause.
• Good at a skill, Good for health, Good to a person.

Pronoun Errors

Pronouns must match their antecedent (the noun they refer to) in number and gender. SSC MTS frequently tests cases where a singular noun is followed incorrectly by a plural pronoun, or where the wrong form of pronoun (subject vs object form) is used.

• Everyone, each, nobody, someone = singular, so use he/she/his/her, not they/their in formal exam grammar.
• Between is followed by object pronouns: between you and me (not I).
• It is I who am... (not It is me who is...) — correct but rarely tested; more common is the between error.
• Reflexive pronouns (myself, himself) can only be used when the subject and object are the same person: He hurt himself. Not 'He gave it to myself'.
• Who is used for persons, Which for things, That for both but not in defining relative clauses for persons in formal usage.

Common Word-Usage and Comparison Errors

These are one-liner traps. SSC tests misuse of comparative and superlative forms, double negatives, and confused word pairs. These require no deep grammar — just memorize the patterns.

• Never use double comparative: more better, more faster are WRONG. Say better, faster.
• Comparative of two things uses -er or more: She is taller than him. Use than, not then.
• Superlative for three or more: He is the tallest of the three. Use the with superlative.
• Double negative is wrong: I don't know nothing is wrong. Say I don't know anything.
• Less is for uncountable nouns, Fewer is for countable: fewer students, less water.
• Elder/Eldest is used only for family members. Older/Oldest is used for general comparisons.

• Getting distracted by long phrases between subject and verb and matching the verb with the nearest noun instead of the real subject.
• Confusing A and An based on spelling instead of sound — writing 'a hour' or 'a honest man' instead of 'an hour' or 'an honest man'.
• Using 'since' with a duration (since five years) — since is only for a point of time. Use 'for five years'.
• Writing 'between you and I' instead of 'between you and me' — after a preposition always use object pronouns (me, him, her, us, them).
• Marking the whole sentence as correct when there is a subtle error in Part B or C — always read all parts carefully before choosing No Error.

• PASTA rule for Subject-Verb Agreement distractors: Phrases like Along with, Similarly, Together with, As well as — these are PASTA words, they do NOT change the subject.
• SOUND not SPELLING for A vs An: Say the word out loud. If it starts with a vowel SOUND use An. A University = Yoo-niversity so use A.
• DOTA for prepositions of death: Die Of (disease), Die In (accident), Die For (cause), Die At (a specific place sometimes). Think of the game DOTA to remember the O.
• FACE the tense rule: For ongoing = Present perfect. Always check for FOR and SINCE — they are red flags that signal Present Perfect tense is likely needed.

• SSC MTS paper usually has 3 to 5 Spotting Errors questions. They are Part-based (Part A, B, C, D) or the No Error option is always there — never miss reading that option.
• Subject-Verb Agreement and Tense errors appear in almost every SSC MTS paper. Prioritize these two areas above all others for maximum return on study time.
• The errors are kept at basic level for MTS — you will not see advanced grammar like Subjunctive or Inversion. Focus on the 6 areas covered in these notes.
• If you are unsure, eliminate obviously correct parts first. Even narrowing down to two options gives you a 50 percent chance and saves time.
• Read the sentence aloud mentally — your ear catches many errors that your eye misses, especially for preposition and article mistakes.