ERROR DETECTION

Error Detection is an essential component of many campus recruitment exams, including those
conducted by Accenture. This section typically tests your ability to identify grammatical
mistakes or inconsistencies in a sentence. The errors could be related to subject-verb agreement,
sentence structure, word choice, punctuation, or tense usage.

Common Types of Errors Tested in English Ability - Error Detection:

1. Grammatical Errors
o Subject-Verb Agreement: Ensuring that the subject and verb in a sentence agree
in number and person.
 Example:
Incorrect: "The team are going to the meeting."
Correct: "The team is going to the meeting."

o Tense Errors: Ensuring correct usage of past, present, and future tenses.
 Example:
Incorrect: "She will went to the market."
Correct: "She will go to the market."

o Preposition Errors: Using the correct prepositions in expressions or phrases.

 Example:
Incorrect: "She is good in playing chess."
Correct: "She is good at playing chess."

2. Punctuation Errors
o Comma Splices: Joining two independent clauses with just a comma.
 Example:
Incorrect: "I like reading, I don't have much time."
Correct: "I like reading, but I don't have much time."
o Misplaced Apostrophes: Using apostrophes incorrectly in possessives or
contractions.
 Example:
Incorrect: "The car’s are parked outside."
Correct: "The cars are parked outside."

3. Sentence Structure Errors

o Run-on Sentences: Sentences that are too long and lack proper punctuation to
separate ideas.
 Example:
Incorrect: "She went to the store she bought some milk."
Correct: "She went to the store, and she bought some milk."
o Fragmented Sentences: Incomplete sentences that lack a subject or a verb.
 Example:
Incorrect: "Running through the park."
Correct: "She was running through the park."

4. Wrong Word Usage

 o Homophones: Misusing words that sound the same but have different meanings
(e.g., "their", "there", "they’re").
 Example:
Incorrect: "They left their bags over there."
Correct: "They left their bags there."
o Confusing Words: Using words incorrectly based on their meaning.
 Example:
Incorrect: "He is very affective in his role."
Correct: "He is very effective in his role."

5. Parallelism Errors
o Lack of Parallel Structure: When elements in a sentence are not in the same
grammatical form.
 Example:
Incorrect: "She likes to read, write, and swimming."
Correct: "She likes to read, write, and swim."

6. Pronoun Errors
o Ambiguous Pronouns: Using pronouns like "it", "he", or "they" without a clear
antecedent.
 Example:
Incorrect: "When Peter saw Paul, he ran away."
Correct: "When Peter saw Paul, Peter ran away."
o Incorrect Pronoun Case: Using the wrong form of a pronoun (e.g., subject or
object).
 Example:
Incorrect: "Him and I went to the store."
Correct: "He and I went to the store."

7. Adjective/Adverb Errors
o Incorrect Use of Adjectives and Adverbs: Using adjectives when adverbs
should be used (or vice versa).
 Example:
Incorrect: "She sings beautiful."
Correct: "She sings beautifully."

8. Modifier Errors
o Misplaced Modifiers: Placing modifiers in such a way that they create ambiguity
or confusion.
 Example:
Incorrect: "She almost drove the car for an hour."
Correct: "She drove the car for almost an hour."

9. Idiomatic Errors
o Incorrect Idioms: Using common phrases or idioms incorrectly.
 Example:
Incorrect: "He is in the good books of his manager."
Correct: "He is on the good books of his manager."
How to Prepare for Error Detection in English Ability:

1. Brush Up on Grammar Rules: Study the basic rules of English grammar, including
subject-verb agreement, tenses, prepositions, and sentence structures.
2. Practice Sentence Correction: Work on exercises where you identify errors in
sentences and practice correcting them. There are many resources available online or in
grammar books.
3. Take Mock Tests: Solve practice tests or past placement papers to get familiar with the
types of questions asked.
4. Review Common Idioms and Phrases: Understanding common English idioms,
phrases, and their proper usage can be critical in spotting errors.

The Error Detection questions in Accenture’s recruitment process may present sentences with
errors, and you'll be asked to identify and correct the mistake. This tests your ability to
understand the nuances of English language and your attention to detail.

Common Types of Errors in Error Detection:

1. Subject-Verb Agreement: The subject and verb must agree in number (singular or
plural). A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb.

Example 1:

o Incorrect: The team are working on the project.

o Correct: The team is working on the project.

Explanation: "Team" is a collective noun, which is treated as singular in this context.

2. Tense Usage: The tense of the verbs must be consistent and appropriate for the time
frame being discussed.

Example 2:

o Incorrect: She will have completed the assignment yesterday.

o Correct: She completed the assignment yesterday.

Explanation: The future perfect tense ("will have completed") is incorrectly used with
"yesterday," which requires a past tense.

3. Preposition Errors: Prepositions (in, on, at, by, etc.) must be used correctly to convey
the intended meaning.

Example 3:

o Incorrect: I am interested on learning new technologies.

o Correct: I am interested in learning new technologies.
 Explanation: The correct preposition after "interested" is "in," not "on."

4. Articles (A, An, The): Incorrect use of articles can result in error.

Example 4:

o Incorrect: She is a most intelligent student.

o Correct: She is the most intelligent student.

Explanation: "Most" is a superlative, and therefore, it needs the definite article "the."

5. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: Pronouns must agree in number and gender with the
noun (antecedent) they refer to.

Example 5:

o Incorrect: Each of the employees should submit their report by Friday.

o Correct: Each of the employees should submit his or her report by Friday.

Explanation: "Each" is singular, so it should be followed by "his or her" rather than

"their."

6. Word Choice (Diction Errors): Incorrect use of words or phrases can change the
meaning or make the sentence awkward.

Example 6:

o Incorrect: She did a great job in explaining the process.

o Correct: She did a great job of explaining the process.

Explanation: "Did a great job of" is the correct phrase, while "did a great job in" is
awkward.

7. Double Negatives: Two negatives in a sentence can confuse the meaning and create an
error.

Example 7:

o Incorrect: I don’t need no help with this task.

o Correct: I don’t need any help with this task.

Explanation: Double negatives like "don’t" and "no" create confusion and should be
avoided.

8. Modifiers and Sentence Clarity: Misplaced modifiers can lead to confusing or incorrect
sentences.

Example 8:
 o Incorrect: Running quickly, the finish line was crossed by John.
o Correct: Running quickly, John crossed the finish line.

Explanation: The modifier "running quickly" should directly modify "John" rather than
"the finish line."

Strategies for Solving Error Detection Questions:

1. Read the sentence carefully: Understand the overall meaning of the sentence before
identifying possible errors.
2. Look for subject-verb agreement issues: Ensure the subject and verb match in
number.
3. Check for correct tense usage: Ensure consistency in the verb tense throughout the
sentence.
4. Focus on prepositions and articles: These are common sources of error.
5. Consider clarity and meaning: Make sure the sentence conveys its intended message
clearly.

Sample Error Detection Question:

Sentence: Neither the manager nor the employees was aware of the meeting's rescheduling.

Options: A) was aware

B) were aware
C) is aware
D) No error

Answer: B) were aware

Explanation: When "Neither...nor" connects two subjects, the verb agrees with the noun closer
to it. Here, "employees" is plural, so the correct verb form is "were."

By practicing these types of questions and familiarizing yourself with common error types, you
can improve your accuracy in solving error detection questions in Accenture campus recruitment
tests.

Typical Format of Error Detection Questions in Accenture

Sample Question 1: Each of the students in the class are responsible for their own work.

Options: A) Each of
B) are
C) responsible
D) No error

Answer: B) are
Explanation: "Each" is a singular subject, so the correct verb should be "is" instead of "are."
The corrected sentence is: "Each of the students in the class is responsible for their own work."
Sample Question 2: If I would have known about the interview, I would have prepared for it.

Options: A) If
B) would have known
C) I would have prepared
D) No error

Answer: B) would have known

Explanation: The correct form in a third conditional sentence is: "If I had known about the
interview, I would have prepared for it."

Sample Question 3: The company's policy on remote work have been updated recently.

Options: A) The company’s policy

B) on remote work
C) have
D) No error

Answer: C) have
Explanation: "Policy" is singular, so the verb should be "has," not "have." The corrected
sentence is: "The company's policy on remote work has been updated recently."

How to Approach Error Detection Questions in Accenture:

1. Understand the Sentence Structure:

o Read the sentence carefully and try to identify the subject, verb, and other
components.
o Check for common errors like subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, and
proper word usage.

2. Look for Common Mistakes:

o Focus on areas where errors are common, such as articles (a/an/the),
prepositions, or the use of modifiers.

3. Practice with Sample Questions:

o Practice solving error detection questions from previous campus recruitment
papers or online resources. This will help you get familiar with the types of errors
that frequently appear.

4. Time Management:
o While accuracy is important, you also need to solve these questions quickly.
Practice time management so that you can complete the entire section within the
allotted time.
 5. Review Grammar Rules:
o Ensure you have a strong grasp of basic English grammar rules. Review subject-
verb agreement, correct usage of articles, and sentence structure.

Tips for Improving English Skills for Error Detection:

1. Grammar Practice:
o Regularly practice grammar exercises, focusing on common error types.
Websites like Grammarly or EnglishGrammar.org can help.

2. Reading and Listening:

o Read books, newspapers, and articles to improve your sentence construction
and vocabulary. Listening to podcasts or watching English videos can also help
you familiarize yourself with correct grammar usage.

3. Take Mock Tests:

o Take timed mock tests to get used to the format and pressure of the real exam.

4. Review Mistakes:
o After completing practice exercises or mock tests, always review the mistakes
you made and understand why an option is incorrect.

By following these tips and focusing on common error types, you can improve your chances of
scoring well in the Error Detection section of the Accenture Campus Recruitment exam,
particularly for the Accenture Technologies stream.

Sample 1: Subject-Verb Agreement

Question:
Choose the sentence that has an error:
A. The manager, along with his team, is attending the meeting.
B. The workers in the factory works overtime every weekend.
C. Neither the teacher nor the students are happy with the decision.
D. The number of participants in the event was larger than expected.

Answer:
The error is in sentence B:
"The workers in the factory works overtime every weekend."
Correction: "work" should replace "works" as the subject "workers" is plural.

Sample 2: Use of Articles

Question:
Choose the sentence that has an error:
A. I have read a interesting book about technology.
B. He is an excellent dancer.
C. She has an idea for a new project.
D. We are planning to visit a historical site tomorrow.

Answer:
The error is in sentence A:
"I have read a interesting book about technology."
Correction: "a" should be replaced with "an" because "interesting" starts with a vowel sound.

Sample 3: Prepositions

Question:
Choose the sentence that has an error:
A. He was accused of stealing the money.
B. I am looking forward to meet you tomorrow.
C. The report is due on Friday.
D. She is responsible for completing the task.

Answer:
The error is in sentence B:
"I am looking forward to meet you tomorrow."
Correction: "to meet" should be replaced with "meeting," as "look forward to" is followed by a
gerund.

Sample 4: Word Choice

Question:
Choose the sentence that has an error:
A. The project was completed on time despite of the challenges.
B. She is very skilled in programming languages.
C. The manager will brief the team about the new changes.
D. I always enjoy reading books on weekends.

Answer:
The error is in sentence A:
"The project was completed on time despite of the challenges."
Correction: "despite of" should be changed to "despite," as "despite" does not require the
preposition "of."
Sample 5: Sentence Structure

Question:
Choose the sentence that has an error:
A. Although he was tired, but he continued working.
B. I have already submitted the assignment.
C. She worked hard to achieve her goals.
D. We will have a meeting tomorrow at 3 PM.

Answer:
The error is in sentence A:
"Although he was tired, but he continued working."
Correction: "but" is redundant. It should be: "Although he was tired, he continued working."

Sample 6: Tense Usage

Question:
Choose the sentence that has an error:
A. She has been working here for five years.
B. By the time you arrive, I will have finished the task.
C. They will be gone when I arrived.
D. I am writing an email right now.

Answer:
The error is in sentence C:
"They will be gone when I arrived."
Correction: "arrived" should be "arrive" to match the future tense ("will be gone").

Sample 7: Punctuation

Question:
Choose the sentence that has an error:
A. The teacher said, "We have a test tomorrow."
B. I can't believe it, she said.
C. The company, however, has not responded yet.
D. He decided to go to the store, but he forgot his wallet.

Answer:
The error is in sentence B:
"I can't believe it, she said."
Correction: The sentence should be: "I can't believe it," she said. (The comma should be inside
the quotation marks when the dialogue ends with an attribution like "she said.")
Sample 8: Double Negatives

Question:
Choose the sentence that has an error:
A. I don't have any money.
B. She doesn't know nothing about the issue.
C. He hardly ever comes to the office.
D. I can't find my keys anywhere.

Answer:
The error is in sentence B:
"She doesn't know nothing about the issue."
Correction: The double negative "doesn't" and "nothing" should be avoided. The correct sentence
is: "She doesn't know anything about the issue."

Sample 9: Parallelism

Question:
Choose the sentence that has an error:
A. She likes playing the piano and to read books.
B. I enjoy hiking, swimming, and biking.
C. The manager was praised for his leadership and vision.
D. They are planning to visit Paris, Rome, and London.

Answer:
The error is in sentence A:
"She likes playing the piano and to read books."
Correction: The correct parallel structure is: "She likes playing the piano and reading books."

SENTENCE IMPROVEMENT

the English Ability section of the Accenture Technologies Campus Recruitment syllabus,
Sentence Improvement refers to the process of identifying ways to improve a given sentence.
This typically involves recognizing grammatical issues, awkward phrasing, or unclear
expressions and offering a more concise, grammatically correct, and clear version of the
sentence. The focus is on improving the clarity, tone, and structure of sentences to ensure they
are more effective and easier to understand.
Common Types of Sentence Improvement Questions:

1. Grammatical Improvement
o Correcting errors in subject-verb agreement, tenses, pronoun usage, and
prepositions.
 Example:
 Incorrect: "The team are working on their project."
 Correct: "The team is working on their project."

2. Sentence Structure
o Making the sentence more concise or coherent, often by reordering words,
removing redundancy, or avoiding excessive wordiness.
 Example:
 Incorrect: "In the event that you want to succeed, you should work
hard every day."
 Correct: "If you want to succeed, work hard every day."

3. Clarity and Precision

o Improving vague or ambiguous sentences by replacing general terms with more
precise words.
 Example:
 Incorrect: "He is not good at playing sports."
 Correct: "He struggles with sports."

4. Avoiding Awkward Phrasing

o Rewriting sentences with awkward or unnatural phrasing for better flow.
 Example:
 Incorrect: "The proposal was accepted by the committee with
enthusiasm."
 Correct: "The committee accepted the proposal enthusiastically."

5. Word Choice Improvement

o Replacing words with more appropriate or formal choices, or correcting misuse
of synonyms.
 Example:
 Incorrect: "The manager gave a good lecture about the project."
 Correct: "The manager gave an informative presentation about the
project."

6. Eliminating Redundancies
o Removing repetitive or unnecessary words to make the sentence more concise.
 Example:
 Incorrect: "He made a brief summary of the main important
points."
 Correct: "He made a brief summary of the main points."

7. Avoiding Double Negatives

o Ensuring that negative constructs do not contradict each other.
 Example:
 Incorrect: "He doesn't know nothing about programming."
 Correct: "He doesn't know anything about programming."
 8. Using Parallel Structure
o Ensuring that similar elements in a sentence (such as lists) follow the same
grammatical structure.
 Example:
 Incorrect: "She enjoys reading, to play tennis, and swimming."
 Correct: "She enjoys reading, playing tennis, and swimming."

9. Changing Passive to Active Voice (or vice versa)

o Sometimes, changing from passive to active voice (or vice versa) can make a
sentence clearer or more direct.
 Example:
 Passive: "The book was read by the student."
 Active: "The student read the book."

10. Correcting Punctuation

o Making sure punctuation marks are correctly used to improve the flow and
meaning of the sentence.
 Example:
 Incorrect: "She is smart, she knows a lot."
 Correct: "She is smart; she knows a lot."

Example Questions for Sentence Improvement:

1. Question: Improve the sentence below:

o "She gave me a very good advice regarding the situation."
 Answer: "She gave me very good advice regarding the situation."

2. Question: Identify the improvement in the sentence below:

o "The results of the test were not bad at all."
 Answer: "The results of the test were quite good."

3. Question: Choose the correct sentence:

o A) "The committee is responsible for implementing the new policy."
o B) "The committee are responsible for implementing the new policy."
 Answer: A) "The committee is responsible for implementing the new
policy."

4. Question: Select the best option for the following sentence:

o "In order to make a decision, the managers will have to analyze the situation
deeply."
 Answer: "To make a decision, the managers will need to analyze the
situation thoroughly."
Tips for Preparing for Sentence Improvement Questions in Accenture's
Campus Recruitment:

1. Focus on Grammar: Be comfortable with basic grammatical rules, including subject-

verb agreement, proper use of tenses, and correct word usage.
2. Work on Conciseness: Practice rewriting long, convoluted sentences into shorter,
clearer ones without changing the meaning.
3. Improve Vocabulary: Enhance your vocabulary by learning synonyms and
understanding the context in which different words should be used.
4. Study Sentence Patterns: Practice identifying and correcting sentence structure errors,
especially related to parallelism, word order, and punctuation.
5. Solve Practice Papers: Take mock tests and practice sentence improvement questions
from past Accenture papers or other competitive exams to get familiar with the format
and difficulty level.
6. Read Regularly: Reading newspapers, articles, or books will help you develop a better
understanding of sentence structure, flow, and phrasing.

By practicing these techniques, you'll be better prepared for the Sentence Improvement section
in the Accenture Technologies Campus Recruitment process, where your ability to refine and
correct sentences in terms of grammar, structure, and clarity will be assessed.

Questions:

Question 1:

"She didn't wanted to go to the party because she was feeling tired."

 A) She didn't want to go to the party because she was feeling tired.
 B) She did not wanted to go to the party because she was feeling tired.
 C) She don’t wanted to go to the party because she was feeling tired.
 D) She does not wanted to go to the party because she was feeling tired.

Answer: A) She didn't want to go to the party because she was feeling tired.
Explanation: "Didn't" is a contraction for "did not," which already makes the verb "want" in its
base form (without "ed").

Question 2:

"Neither the teacher nor the students was ready for the exam."

 A) Neither the teacher nor the students were ready for the exam.
 B) Neither the teacher nor the students was ready for the exam.
 C) Neither the teacher nor the student was ready for the exam.
 D) Neither the teacher nor the students is ready for the exam.
Answer: A) Neither the teacher nor the students were ready for the exam.
Explanation: When "neither...nor" connects singular and plural subjects, the verb agrees with the
subject closest to it—in this case, "students" (plural), so the verb should be "were."

Question 3:

"I am waiting for the bus since morning."

 A) I have been waiting for the bus since morning.

 B) I was waiting for the bus since morning.
 C) I wait for the bus since morning.
 D) I have waited for the bus since morning.

Answer: A) I have been waiting for the bus since morning.

Explanation: "Since" refers to a specific point in time, so the present perfect continuous tense
("have been waiting") is correct.

Question 4:

"The book which she gave me is very interesting."

 A) The book which she gave me is very interesting.

 B) The book that she gave me is very interesting.
 C) The book who she gave me is very interesting.
 D) The book she gave me which is very interesting.

Answer: B) The book that she gave me is very interesting.

Explanation: "That" is more appropriate than "which" when referring to a restrictive clause in
this context.

Question 5:

"Despite of his efforts, he couldn't finish the task on time."

 A) Despite of his efforts, he couldn't finish the task on time.

 B) In spite of his efforts, he couldn't finish the task on time.
 C) Despite his efforts, he couldn't finish the task on time.
 D) Despite he made efforts, he couldn't finish the task on time.

Answer: C) Despite his efforts, he couldn't finish the task on time.

Explanation: "Despite" is followed directly by a noun or pronoun, not "of."

Sample Question 1:

Sentence:
The team is planning to give a presentation on the new project, which will be conducted by next
week.
Options: A) The team is planning to give a presentation on the new project, which will be
conducted by the next week.
B) The team is planning to give a presentation on the new project, which will be conducted next
week.
C) The team is planning to give a presentation on the new project, which will conduct by next
week.
D) The team is planning to give a presentation on the new project, which will be conducted by
next week.

Correct Answer:
B) The team is planning to give a presentation on the new project, which will be conducted next
week.

Explanation:
Option B is the correct answer because "next week" is the right time expression, and "will be
conducted" is the proper verb tense to indicate future action.

Sample Question 2:

Sentence:
The manager, along with his team, are going to attend the conference next week.

Options: A) The manager, along with his team, is going to attend the conference next week.
B) The manager, with his team, are going to attend the conference next week.
C) The manager, along with his team, have going to attend the conference next week.
D) The manager, with his team, is going to attend the conference next week.

Correct Answer:
A) The manager, along with his team, is going to attend the conference next week.

Explanation:
The subject "The manager" is singular, so the verb should also be singular ("is"), despite the
presence of "his team." The phrase "along with" does not change the number of the subject.

Sample Question 3:

Sentence:
Neither the CEO nor the employees has attended the meeting.

Options: A) Neither the CEO nor the employees have attended the meeting.
B) Neither the CEO nor the employees has attended the meeting.
C) Neither the CEO nor the employees had attended the meeting.
D) Neither the CEO nor the employees were attended the meeting.
Correct Answer:
A) Neither the CEO nor the employees have attended the meeting.

Explanation:
When using "neither... nor," the verb agrees with the noun closest to it. Since "employees" is
plural, the verb should be "have."

Sample Question 4:

Sentence:
She did not want to go to the party, but neither did her friends.

Options: A) She did not want to go to the party, but neither her friends did.
B) She did not want to go to the party, neither did her friends.
C) She did not want to go to the party, but neither did her friends did.
D) She did not want to go to the party, neither her friends did.

Correct Answer:
B) She did not want to go to the party, neither did her friends.

Explanation:
In negative structures with "neither," the auxiliary verb (did) must come before the subject ("her
friends"). This maintains the correct inversion.

Sample Question 5:

Sentence:
Despite of the rain, the event was held as scheduled.

Options: A) Despite the rain, the event was held as scheduled.

B) Despite of the rain, the event was held as scheduled.
C) In spite of the rain, the event was held as scheduled.
D) Although of the rain, the event was held as scheduled.

Correct Answer:
A) Despite the rain, the event was held as scheduled.

Explanation:
The correct expression is "despite" (not "despite of"). "In spite of" is also correct, but the
sentence should not have "of" after "despite."