The errors in this test are usually related to parts of speech, genders, tenses, articles, spellings, punctuation, and word choice. In order to ace this test, you must develop a strong mastery of English grammar and vocabulary.

• Introduction
  
• Importance
• Type of Questions
• Pointers for Preparation

Introduction

Spotting the errors is the highest scoring section in the verbal aptitude test; hence, it is an important component of competitive tests. You will be given a paragraph or a sentence with one part of the sentence underlined or bolded in this test. You must identify the error in the highlighted part of the sentence. 

Importance of Spotting errors test

The test usually assesses the candidate's command of grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension abilities. Questions in this section are tricky due to the creative use of words and complex structures. 

Type of Questions asked in the test

Some common topics you may encounter while correcting spotting error questions are listed below.

1. Subject-Verb Agreement
2. Articles (Incorrect article usage, such as a, an, and the)
3. Tenses
4. Noun-based errors (singular vs. plural nouns)
5. Pronoun-based errors
6. Verb-based errors
7. Adjective and adverb based errors (Adverb in place of adjective and vice versa)
8. Preposition
9. Conjunction
10. Redundancy
11. Spelling

So keep an eye out for them so you can quickly spot the errors in the questions.

Following are some pointers for preparation.

Reading 

Reading helps a lot as you will develop a firm grip on sentence structure and spot errors instantly. To name a few, you can read Newspapers, magazines, journals, fiction, nonfiction, scientific, blogs, and so on. Reading will also help you improve your grammar skills and your reading speed. 

Keep in mind that while reading, thoroughly comprehend the text. Look at the structure of sentences, learn how to use words correctly, and look up the definitions of unfamiliar words. This way, you will get a gut feeling that guides you while solving spotting error questions.

Writing

Writing helps to put your reading efforts into practice. If you do not write things down, you will never be able to examine and improve your grammar. The best way to develop your writing skills is to keep a diary. As it is your diary, feel free to make mistakes. When you begin to enhance your writing skills, your capacity to find errors will vastly improve. 

Prepare with previous year's papers and mock tests

Do as many exercises as possible for practice. These practice sheets can be helpful if your goal (increasing error-finding abilities) is more exam-specific.

Spotting the errors

Once you complete this section go to Sentence Rearrangement Aptitude Questions.