Grammarly Certified Advanced Grammar and Language Specialist Grammar Error Detection and Correction 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Identify the error in: 'Neither the manager nor the employees was informed about the change.'
- 'Neither' should be 'Either'
- The verb 'was' should be 'were' because 'employees' is plural and closest to the verb (Correct answer)
- No error; 'neither…nor' always takes a singular verb
- 'Informed' should be 'inform'
Correct answer: The verb 'was' should be 'were' because 'employees' is plural and closest to the verb
With 'neither…nor,' the verb agrees with the subject closest to it; since 'employees' is plural, the verb must be 'were.'
Question 2: Which sentence contains an error in pronoun case?
- He and I submitted the report.
- Between you and me, the project is at risk.
- She gave the award to him and me.
- The winner was him. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The winner was him.
After a linking verb, a subject pronoun is required: 'The winner was he,' not 'him.'
Question 3: What is the error in: 'Irregardless of the outcome, we will proceed'?
- 'Regardless' is spelled incorrectly
- 'Irregardless' is a nonstandard double negative and should be 'regardless' (Correct answer)
- 'Outcome' should be 'results'
- No error; 'irregardless' is accepted in formal writing
Correct answer: 'Irregardless' is a nonstandard double negative and should be 'regardless'
'Irregardless' is a nonstandard word combining 'irrespective' and 'regardless'; 'regardless' is the correct form.
Question 4: Identify the error in subject-verb agreement: 'The data shows that our revenue has increased.'
- 'Shows' should be 'show' because 'data' is plural (datum/data)
- No error; 'data' is treated as singular in modern American usage
- 'Revenue' should be 'revenues'
- Both A and B are acceptable depending on style guide (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Both A and B are acceptable depending on style guide
Whether 'data' takes a singular or plural verb depends on the style guide; many modern guides accept singular agreement.
Question 5: Which sentence contains a faulty pronoun reference?
- Lisa told Maria that she had been promoted. (Correct answer)
- The team completed its project on time.
- He submitted his report before the deadline.
- They announced the results clearly.
Correct answer: Lisa told Maria that she had been promoted.
The pronoun 'she' is ambiguous because it could refer to either Lisa or Maria; the sentence must be rewritten to clarify.
Question 6: What grammatical error appears in: 'Everyone should bring their own laptop to the training'?
- Subject-verb disagreement
- Some grammarians flag 'their' as a number disagreement with 'everyone,' though singular 'they' is now widely accepted (Correct answer)
- Incorrect use of 'their' — should be 'its'
- No error of any kind
Correct answer: Some grammarians flag 'their' as a number disagreement with 'everyone,' though singular 'they' is now widely accepted
Traditionally 'everyone' is singular, but using singular 'they' to avoid gendered language is now widely accepted in modern style guides.
Grammarly Certified Advanced Grammar and Language Specialist Grammar Error Detection and Correction 1
Identify the error in: 'Neither the manager nor the employees was informed about the change.'