Eduqo
English Grammar›Ch 12: Error Spotting & Improvement›Verb and Tense Error Spotting
Master Subject-Verb Agreement and Tense sequences for all competitive exams.
Verbs must agree with their subjects in number and person. Always use logical tense sequences, especially when using since or for in perfect tenses.
Quick Memory Hooks
| Category | Incorrect (Continuous) | Correct (Simple) |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | I am having a car. | I have a car. |
| Emotion | She is loving it. | She loves it. |
| Cognition | I am knowing him. | I know him. |
Since
(Starting Point)
Starting Point
Since Monday.
For
(Time Duration)
Time Duration
For two hours.
Singular
(One Subject)
One Subject
He plays.
Plural
(Many Subjects)
Many Subjects
They play.
Neither of the books were good.Neither of the books was good.
Neither/Either takes a singular verb.
He has returned yesterday.He returned yesterday.
Do not use Present Perfect with past time markers like 'yesterday'.
I am working here since 2010.I have been working here since 2010.
Use Perfect Continuous for actions starting in the past.
Q1.Identify the error: Each of the students (A) / are required (B) / to bring their own laptop (C) / No Error (D)
Q2.Choose the correct sentence: (A) I did not saw him. (B) I have seen him yesterday. (C) I have been knowing him for years. (D) I have known him for years.