Sentence Correction

How to find and fix the single structural error in a sentence, with corrected examples for every common error type, including punctuation.

How to approach the question

Each sentence has one clear structural flaw in grammar or punctuation. Find it and correct only that; do not rewrite the whole sentence.
Check in this order: subject-verb agreement, tense, pronouns, articles, prepositions, conjunctions, word order, modifiers, parallelism, and finally punctuation.
Unnecessary changes can lose marks even if the result is grammatical.
In the CSS paper, two or three sentences test punctuation and no two sentences test exactly the same problem.

Incorrect	Correct	Rule
One of my friends live in Quetta.	One of my friends lives in Quetta.	The subject is 'one' (singular).
The quality of the mangoes were excellent.	The quality of the mangoes was excellent.	The subject is 'quality', not 'mangoes'.
Each of the students have a book.	Each of the students has a book.	'Each' is singular.
Bread and butter are my breakfast.	Bread and butter is my breakfast.	Two nouns forming one idea take a singular verb.
The news are good.	The news is good.	'News' is uncountable and singular.
The committee have decided unanimously to approve the plan, and it were happy.	The committee has decided unanimously to approve the plan, and it was happy.	A collective noun acting as one unit takes a singular verb.

Incorrect	Correct	Rule
I am living here since 2015.	I have been living here since 2015.	Use the present perfect (continuous) with 'since/for'.
He did not came yesterday.	He did not come yesterday.	After 'did', use the base verb.
If I was you, I would accept.	If I were you, I would accept.	Use 'were' in hypothetical conditions.
When I reached, the train already left.	When I reached, the train had already left.	Use the past perfect for the earlier of two past actions.
I will call you when he will arrive.	I will call you when he arrives.	No 'will' in time clauses about the future.

Incorrect	Correct	Rule
Between you and I, he is wrong.	Between you and me, he is wrong.	Use the object pronoun after a preposition.
Me and him went to the market.	He and I went to the market.	Use subject pronouns for the subject; put 'I' last.
Whom do you think is coming?	Who do you think is coming?	'Who' is the subject of 'is coming'.
The book is your's.	The book is yours.	Possessive pronouns never take an apostrophe.

Incorrect	Correct	Rule
He is an university student.	He is a university student.	'University' begins with a consonant sound.
She is senior than me.	She is senior to me.	'Senior/junior/superior/prefer' take 'to'.
He is married with a doctor.	He is married to a doctor.	'Married to'.
Discuss about the problem.	Discuss the problem.	'Discuss' takes no preposition.
He returned back home.	He returned home.	'Returned back' is redundant.
I have less friends than you.	I have fewer friends than you.	'Fewer' with countable nouns.

Incorrect	Correct	Rule
Although it was raining, but we went out.	Although it was raining, we went out.	Do not combine 'although' with 'but'.
She is more cleverer than her sister.	She is cleverer than her sister.	Double comparative.
He likes reading, writing and to swim.	He likes reading, writing and swimming.	Parallel structure.
Walking down the road, a tree fell on him.	While he was walking down the road, a tree fell on him.	Dangling modifier: the tree was not walking.
I don't know nothing about it.	I don't know anything about it.	Double negative.
Hardly had he finished than she came.	Hardly had he finished when she came.	'Hardly … when'.

Incorrect	Correct	Rule
The dog wagged it's tail.	The dog wagged its tail.	'Its' (possessive) has no apostrophe.
It was getting dark, we hurried home.	It was getting dark, so we hurried home. / It was getting dark; we hurried home.	Comma splice.
She asked whether I was ready?	She asked whether I was ready.	No question mark after an indirect question.
My only sister who lives in Karachi is a teacher.	My only sister, who lives in Karachi, is a teacher.	Non-defining clause needs commas.
Ali come here.	Ali, come here.	Comma in direct address.
The teachers room is upstairs.	The teachers' room is upstairs.	Plural possessive.
He bought: rice, sugar and tea.	He bought rice, sugar and tea.	No colon directly after a verb.
I have three hobbies reading, cricket and travel.	I have three hobbies: reading, cricket and travel.	A colon introduces a list after a complete clause.

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