EAG04 — Spotting Errors
📚 Chapter EAG04 · AFCAT English Level
AFCAT Level
📌 What This Chapter Covers: Spotting Errors appeared with 4 questions in AFCAT 1/2025 AND 4 questions in AFCAT 2/2025. In AFCAT, sentences are divided into parts (a), (b), (c), (d) and you identify which part has the error. Speed is critical — AFCAT awards 3 marks per correct answer and deducts 1 for wrong. This chapter covers the AFCAT-specific error types: modifiers, parallelism, pronoun-antecedent agreement, and word order errors, in addition to the core SVA/tense/article errors.
PART A — AFCAT-SPECIFIC ERROR CATEGORIES
1. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Misplaced modifier: The modifier is in the wrong position — too far from what it modifies. Dangling modifier: There is no logical word in the sentence for the modifier to attach to.
✓ Corrected Forms
- Walking through the cockpit, the pilot noticed a fault. (pilot was walking ✓)
- Having completed the sortie, the flight crew was debriefed. (crew completed ✓)
- He saw the runway only after descending below the clouds. (only = after descending ✓)
✗ AFCAT Error Patterns
Walking through the cockpit, a fault was noticed. (fault can’t walk)Having completed the sortie, the base was reached. (base didn’t complete the sortie)He only saw the runway after the clouds. (only misplaced)
2. Faulty Parallelism
Rule: All items in a grammatical list or paired construction must be in the same grammatical form.
3. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Rule: A pronoun must agree with its antecedent (the noun it refers to) in gender, number, and person.
✓ Correct Agreement
- Each pilot must ensure his/her aircraft is checked. (singular)
- The squadron completed its mission. (collective = singular)
- Everyone must take his/her position. (everyone = singular)
- Neither of the officers forgot his orders. (neither = singular)
✗ AFCAT Error Patterns
Each pilot must ensure their aircraft is checked. (their = plural; each = singular)Everyone must take their position. (formal AFCAT = singular required)The team showed their skills. (acting as unit = “its skills”)
4. Word Order Errors
Indirect Question Word Order
- ✓ He asked where the base was. (statement order)
- ✗
He asked where was the base. (question order = wrong)
- ✓ She wanted to know how the system worked.
- ✗
She wanted to know how did the system work.
Adverb Position
- ✓ He always checks his instruments. (frequency adverb before main verb)
- ✗
He checks always his instruments.
- ✓ She quickly assessed the situation.
- ✗
She assessed quickly the situation. (between verb and object = wrong)
Q1. Spot the error: “(a) Flying over the battlefield, (b) several enemy positions (c) were identified (d) by the reconnaissance aircraft.” (AFCAT 1 2025)
- (a) Flying over the battlefield
- (b) several enemy positions
- (c) were identified
- (d) by the reconnaissance aircraft
Answer: (a) Dangling modifier error
“Flying over the battlefield” = participial modifier. The subject that logically “flies” must immediately follow. But the subject here is “several enemy positions” — positions cannot fly. Correct: “Flying over the battlefield, the reconnaissance aircraft identified several enemy positions.” The logical flier (aircraft) must be the subject of the main clause.
Q2. Spot the error: “(a) The IAF officer was praised (b) for his efficiency, (c) his dedication, (d) and because he was courageous.” (AFCAT 2 2025)
- (a) The IAF officer was praised
- (b) for his efficiency
- (c) his dedication
- (d) and because he was courageous
Answer: (d) Faulty parallelism
The list has three items: “his efficiency” (noun phrase), “his dedication” (noun phrase), and “because he was courageous” (clause) — inconsistent. All three must be noun phrases: “his efficiency, his dedication, and his courage.”
Q3. Spot the error: “(a) The controller asked (b) where was (c) the aircraft (d) heading.” (AFCAT 1 2025)
- (a) The controller asked
- (b) where was
- (c) the aircraft
- (d) heading
Answer: (b) Word order error in indirect question
In indirect/embedded questions (after “asked, wondered, wanted to know”), the word order shifts to statement order: Subject + Verb (NOT Verb + Subject as in direct questions). Correct: “The controller asked where the aircraft was heading.”
Q4. Spot the error: “(a) Each of the pilots (b) were required (c) to complete their (d) pre-flight check independently.” (AFCAT 2 2025)
- (a) Each of the pilots
- (b) were required
- (c) their
- (d) pre-flight check independently
Answer: (b) and (c) — both have errors; (b) is the primary error
“Each of the pilots” = singular subject (each = singular). Primary error: “were” should be “was.” Secondary: “their” should be “his/her” (pronoun must agree with singular “each”). Correct: “Each of the pilots was required to complete his/her pre-flight check.” In AFCAT, when two parts have errors, pick the one in the answer options.
⚡ Quick Reference — EAG04
Modifier Errors
- Dangling: no logical subject for modifier
- Flying/Having done: next word must be the doer
- Misplaced: only/even/almost placement matters
Parallelism Errors
- List with “and” = all same form
- Not only adj but also adj (match)
- Mix of noun + clause = error
Word Order
- Indirect question = S+V order (not V+S)
- Frequency adverb before main verb
- Each / Everyone = singular pronoun (his/her)
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