PET Error Identification & Correction 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Identify the error: 'Each of the players were given a medal after the match.'
- Each of
- the players
- were given (Correct answer)
- after the match
Correct answer: were given
'Each' is singular and requires a singular verb: 'was given'.
Question 2: Which sentence has a tense error?
- By the time she arrived, he had already left.
- She has lived here since 2010.
- When I will arrive, I will call you. (Correct answer)
- He was sleeping when the alarm rang.
Correct answer: When I will arrive, I will call you.
In time clauses with 'when', use the present simple for future reference: 'When I arrive'.
Question 3: Find the error: 'The police has arrested three suspects in connection with the robbery.'
- The police
- has arrested (Correct answer)
- three suspects
- in connection with
Correct answer: has arrested
'Police' is a collective noun treated as plural in standard usage: 'have arrested'.
Question 4: Identify the error: 'I wish I would have studied harder before the exam.'
- I wish
- I would have (Correct answer)
- studied harder
- before the exam
Correct answer: I would have
After 'I wish' for past regret, use the past perfect: 'I wish I had studied harder'.
Question 5: Which sentence contains a preposition error?
- She is good at solving problems.
- He arrived at the airport on time.
- They congratulated her for winning the prize. (Correct answer)
- I'm not interested in this topic.
Correct answer: They congratulated her for winning the prize.
The correct collocation is 'congratulate someone on doing something', not 'for'.
Question 6: Find the error: 'Having finished the report, it was submitted to the manager.'
- Having finished (Correct answer)
- the report
- it was submitted
- to the manager
Correct answer: Having finished
The dangling participle implies the report finished itself; it should be 'Having finished the report, she submitted it…'
Question 7: Identify the error: 'He hardly never misses a day of work.'
- He
- hardly never (Correct answer)
- misses
- a day of work
Correct answer: hardly never
'Hardly' is already a negative adverb, so 'never' creates a double negative; use 'hardly ever'.
PET Error Identification & Correction 3
Identify the error: 'Each of the players were given a medal after the match.'