Error Recognition Flashcards

Identify the error: "The team have worked hardly to meet the project deadline on time."

Answer: "hardly" should be "hard"

'Hard' is the correct adverb meaning with great effort. 'Hardly' means almost not/barely, which changes the meaning entirely and creates an error.

Find the grammatical error: "She suggested that he should to review the contract before signing it."

Answer: "should to review" should be "should review"

Modal verbs like 'should' are followed by the bare infinitive (base form without 'to'). 'Should to review' is incorrect — 'to' must be omitted.

Identify the error: "Despite of the increased costs, the project was completed within budget."

Answer: "Despite of" should be "Despite"

'Despite' is a preposition that does not require 'of.' The incorrect form 'despite of' is a common error — use 'despite' alone before noun phrases.

Find the error: "All of the staffs are required to attend the mandatory safety briefing."

Answer: "staffs" should be "staff"

'Staff' is a collective noun that is uncountable in this context — it does not form a plural with '-s.' The correct form is simply 'staff.'

Identify the grammatical error: "The meeting was postponed due to the manager did not have the necessary documents."

Answer: "due to the manager did not have" should be "due to the manager not having" or "because the manager did not have"

'Due to' is a preposition and must be followed by a noun phrase, not a full clause. Either use 'because' (conjunction + clause) or 'due to + noun phrase' ('due to the manager's lack of documents').

Find the error: "The number of applications for the position have increased significantly this year."

Answer: "have increased" should be "has increased"

'The number' is a singular subject and requires the singular verb 'has.' Note: 'A number of' (meaning several) takes a plural verb, but 'the number of' takes a singular verb.