NIMCET Error Spotting Solved Questions & PYQ Breakdown

In NIMCET General English, Error Spotting questions evaluate your ability to identify grammatical flaws across subject-verb agreement, tense usage, prepositions, inversion rules, and modifiers. Each question carries 8 marks (or 4 marks depending on exam paper scaling), making error spotting one of the fastest ways to build your total exam score.

This guide provides thorough breakdowns for authentic past NIMCET questions and a high-yield practice problem set.

Section 1: Solved NIMCET Past Year Questions

Question 1 (NIMCET PYQ - Inversion Rule)

Identify the part containing the error: (A) Hardly had the teacher / (B) entered the classroom / (C) than the students / (D) stood up.

• Answer: (C)
• Grammar Analysis: The restrictive adverb Hardly at the start of a sentence must be paired with the conjunction when (or before), not than.
• Corrected Sentence: "Hardly had the teacher entered the classroom when the students stood up."

Question 2 (NIMCET PYQ - Subject-Verb Agreement)

Identify the part containing the error: (A) The manager as well as / (B) the clerks / (C) were present at / (D) the annual meeting.

• Answer: (C)
• Grammar Analysis: When two subjects (The manager and the clerks) are connected by as well as, the verb agrees strictly with the first subject (The manager - singular). Therefore, were must be changed to was.
• Corrected Sentence: "The manager as well as the clerks was present at the annual meeting."

Question 3 (NIMCET PYQ - Distributive Pronoun)

Identify the part containing the error: (A) Neither of the two candidates / (B) who applied for the job / (C) have submitted / (D) their certificates.

• Answer: (C)
• Grammar Analysis: Neither of takes a singular verb. The verb have must be changed to has.
• Corrected Sentence: "Neither of the two candidates who applied for the job has submitted their certificates."

Question 4 (NIMCET PYQ - Comparative Preposition)

Identify the part containing the error: (A) He is senior than / (B) all his colleagues / (C) in the software department / (D) by two years.

• Answer: (A)
• Grammar Analysis: Adjectives ending in -ior (senior, junior, superior, inferior, prior) take the preposition to instead of than.
• Corrected Sentence: "He is senior to all his colleagues in the software department by two years."

Question 5 (NIMCET PYQ - Third Conditional)

Identify the part containing the error: (A) If I would have / (B) known your arrival time / (C) I would have come / (D) to receive you.

• Answer: (A)
• Grammar Analysis: In a Third Conditional sentence, the if-clause takes had + V3 (Past Perfect), not would have.
• Corrected Sentence: "If I had known your arrival time, I would have come to receive you."

Section 2: High-Yield Practice Model Problems

Practice Question 1

Find the error: "No sooner did the alarm ring when everyone ran out of the building."

• Analysis: No sooner must be paired with than (NOT when).
• Correction: "...No sooner did the alarm ring than everyone ran out..."

Practice Question 2

Find the error: "One of the most important feature of this software is its security."

• Analysis: One of the must be followed by a plural noun (features).
• Correction: "One of the most important features of this software..."

Practice Question 3

Find the error: "The information provided by the bank officers were incomplete."

• Analysis: Information is an uncountable noun and takes a singular verb (was).
• Correction: "The information provided by the bank officers was incomplete."

Practice Question 4

Find the error: "Between you and I, there should be no secrets regarding the decision."

• Analysis: Preposition Between requires objective case pronouns (you and me).
• Correction: "Between you and me, there should be no secrets..."

Section 3: High-Frequency Grammar Traps Checklist

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How are error spotting questions formatted in the NIMCET exam?

A: Sentences are divided into 4 parts labeled (A), (B), (C), and (D). Candidates must select the option letter containing the grammatical error.

Q2: What is the negative marking for English questions in NIMCET?

A: Wrong answers incur a negative marking penalty of 25% of the question's full weightage (e.g., -1 mark for a 4-mark question).

Q3: Can I score 100% in NIMCET English Error Spotting by studying grammar rules?

A: Yes. Unlike literature, English error spotting follows deterministic grammar rules (Subject-Verb agreement, inversion, conditional forms, prepositions) that can be mastered with practice.

Q4: What should I do if a sentence in error spotting seems completely correct?

A: If no grammatical, tense, or structural error exists, select "No Error" (usually option D or E depending on paper format). Do not force imaginary errors.