Sentence Correction Questions: A Step-by-Step Strategy

“Choose the correct sentence” and “find the error” questions can feel like guesswork, especially when every option sounds almost right. But examiners build these questions from a fairly small set of common errors. If you check for those errors in a fixed order, the answer usually becomes clear.

The checklist

Read the sentence once for meaning, then check it against these points in order.

1. Subject and verb agreement

Is the subject singular or plural, and does the verb match?

• ✗ Each of the students have a card.
• ✓ Each of the students has a card.

2. Tense and verb form

Is the tense consistent, and is the correct form used after helping verbs?

• ✗ He did not came yesterday.
• ✓ He did not come yesterday.
• ✗ The train left before we reached. (when the earlier action needs emphasis)
• ✓ The train had left before we reached the station.

3. Prepositions

Is the right preposition used with the word?

• ✗ She is good in mathematics. → ✓ good at
• ✗ He is senior than me. → ✓ senior to
• ✗ I prefer tea than coffee. → ✓ prefer tea to coffee

4. Articles

Is a, an or the used correctly, or is one missing?

• ✗ He is a honest man. → ✓ an honest man
• ✗ Sun rises in the east. → ✓ The sun

5. Pronouns

Does each pronoun clearly refer to the right noun and use the right form?

• ✗ Between you and I… → ✓ Between you and me

6. Comparisons

• ✗ more better → ✓ better
• ✗ She is more taller than her sister. → ✓ She is taller than her sister.

7. Spelling and word choice

Some options differ only in a commonly confused word or spelling:

• their / there / they’re
• its / it’s
• accept / except

Working through an example

Choose the correct sentence:

• (A) One of my friend is a doctor.
• (B) One of my friends are a doctor.
• (C) One of my friends is a doctor.
• (D) One of my friend are a doctor.

Step 1 (agreement): “One of” needs a plural noun (friends), so A and D are out. Step 2: the verb agrees with one, so it must be is, which rules out B. Answer: C.

Tips for exam conditions

• Read every option fully. The difference may be a single word near the end.
• Look for the difference first. Compare the options and find exactly where they differ, then apply the checklist only to that part.
• Trust the rule, not just your ear. Some errors sound natural in everyday speech but are incorrect in standard written English.

Practise

Our Grammar set includes sentence-correction questions with explanations of the rule behind each answer. For more on agreement, see our guide to subject–verb agreement.