Master Guide: Correcting Errors / Choosing the Correct Word

This is a very important topic because it tests a student’s overall understanding of English grammar. The questions in this section are usually based on a few common types of errors that SEBA focuses on.

Here is a “Master Guide” to Correcting Errors / Choosing the Correct Word, specifically designed for SEBA Class 10 students, with clear rules, logic, and examples from past papers in both English and Assamese.

Master Guide: Correcting Errors / Choosing the Correct Word

(ইংৰাজী আৰু অসমীয়াত সম্পূৰ্ণ বুজনি)

Understanding the Core Concept (মূল ধাৰণাটো বুজা)

In English: This section tests your ability to identify and fix common mistakes in English sentences. The errors are usually related to Subject-Verb Agreement, Prepositions, Word Forms, Articles, and common structural mistakes. When choosing the correct word, you need to understand the subtle difference in meaning between the given options.

In Assamese: এই শাখাটোৱে ইংৰাজী বাক্যত থকা সাধাৰণ ভুলবোৰ চিনাক্ত কৰি শুদ্ধ কৰাৰ আপোনাৰ দক্ষতাক পৰীক্ষা কৰে। এই ভুলবোৰ সাধাৰণতে Subject-Verb Agreement (কৰ্তা-ক্ৰিয়াৰ মিল), Preposition, শব্দৰ ৰূপ, Article, আৰু কিছুমান সাধাৰণ গঠনগত ভুলৰ লগত জড়িত থাকে। শুদ্ধ শব্দ বাছি ল’বলৈ, দিয়া বিকল্পবোৰৰ মাজৰ সূক্ষ্ম অৰ্থৰ পাৰ্থক্য বুজিব লাগিব।

The 5 Most Common Types of Errors in SEBA Exams (SEBA পৰীক্ষাত অহা ৫টা প্ৰধান ভুল)

Let’s focus on the types of errors that are most frequently asked.
(পৰীক্ষাত সঘনাই অহা ভুলৰ প্ৰকাৰবোৰৰ ওপৰত গুৰুত্ব দিওঁ আহক।)

Type 1: Subject-Verb Agreement (কৰ্তা আৰু ক্ৰিয়াৰ মিল)

This is the most common type of error. The golden rule is: A singular subject takes a singular verb (+s/es), and a plural subject takes a plural verb (no +s/es).
(এইটোৱেই আটাইতকৈ বেছি অহা ভুল। ইয়াৰ সোণালী নিয়মটো হ’ল: একবচন কৰ্তাৰ লগত একবচন ক্ৰিয়া (+s/es) আৰু বহুবচন কৰ্তাৰ লগত বহুবচন ক্ৰিয়া (s/es নোহোৱাকৈ) বহে।)

• Rule 1.1: Words like Each, Every, Either, Neither are always singular.
  (Each, Every, Either, Neither আদি শব্দ সদায় একবচন হয়।)
  • Incorrect: Each of the boys play cricket. (HSLC 2019)
  • Logic: The subject is “Each”, not “boys”. “Each” is singular.
  • Correct: Each of the boys plays cricket.
• Rule 1.2: Uncountable nouns (news, scenery, information, furniture) are always singular.
  (গণিব নোৱাৰা বিশেষ্য, যেনে- news, scenery, information, furniture সদায় একবচন হয়।)
  • Incorrect: The sceneries of Arunachal Pradesh is charming. (HSLC 2016)
    • First error: “Scenery” has no plural form. It’s always “scenery”.
  • Correct: The scenery of Arunachal Pradesh is charming.
  • Incorrect: The news are true. (HSLC 2016)
  • Correct: The news is true.
• Rule 1.3: Nouns that look plural but are singular (mathematics, physics, politics).
  (কিছুমান বিশেষ্য দেখাত বহুবচন যেন লাগে কিন্তু আচলতে একবচন হয়।)
  • Incorrect: Mathematics are a difficult subject.
  • Correct: Mathematics is a difficult subject.
• Rule 1.4: Nouns that are always plural (cattle, police, people, scissors).
  (কিছুমান বিশেষ্য সদায় বহুবচন হয়।)
  • Incorrect: The cattles were grazing in the field. (HSLC 2019)
    • First error: “Cattle” itself is plural. It doesn’t need an ‘s’.
  • Correct: The cattle were grazing in the field.
• Rule 1.5: Two nouns joined by and that form a single idea (bread and butter, slow and steady).
  (যেতিয়া and ৰে সংযুক্ত দুটা বিশেষ্যই এটা ধাৰণা বুজায়, verb-টো singular হয়।)
  • Incorrect: Bread and butter make a good breakfast. (HSLC 2016)
  • Logic: “Bread and butter” is treated as a single food item.
  • Correct: Bread and butter makes a good breakfast.

Type 2: Preposition Errors (Preposition-ৰ ভুল)

This often involves using the wrong preposition after a certain word.
(ইয়াত প্ৰায়ে কোনো শব্দৰ পিছত ভুল preposition ব্যৱহাৰ কৰা হয়।)

• Rule 2.1: prefer...to
  • Incorrect: She prefers milk than curd. (HSLC 2018)
  • Logic: The word “prefer” is always followed by “to”, not “than”.
  • Correct: She prefers milk to curd.
• Rule 2.2: senior/junior...to
  • Incorrect: He is senior than me in age. (HSLC 2019)
  • Logic: Words like senior, junior, superior, inferior are followed by “to”.
  • Correct: He is senior to me in age.

Type 3: Tense and Verb Form Errors (Tense আৰু ক্ৰিয়াৰ ৰূপৰ ভুল)

This involves using the wrong tense or verb form in a sentence.
(ইয়াত বাক্যত ভুল Tense বা verb-ৰ ভুল ৰূপ ব্যৱহাৰ কৰা হয়।)

• Rule 3.1: since is used with Present Perfect Continuous Tense.
  (since-ৰ লগত Present Perfect Continuous Tense ব্যৱহাৰ হয়।)
  • Incorrect: It is raining since morning. (HSLC 2019 & 2021)
  • Logic: The action started in the past (morning) and is still continuing.
  • Correct: It has been raining since morning.
• Rule 3.2: know how to
  • Incorrect: I do not know to do it. (HSLC 2019 & 2015)
  • Logic: To express ability or skill after the verb “know”, we use the structure “how to”.
  • Correct: I do not know how to do it.
• Rule 3.3: Future tense in subordinate clauses.
  (Subordinate clause-ত future tense-ৰ ব্যৱহাৰ।)
  • Incorrect: She said that she will arrive at 6 p.m. (HSLC 2018)
  • Logic: When the reporting verb is in the past (said), will changes to would.
  • Correct: She said that she would arrive at 6 p.m.

Type 4: Word Form Errors (Affect vs. Effect, etc.)

(শব্দৰ ৰূপৰ ভুল)

This tests your knowledge of similar-sounding words with different meanings.
(ইয়াত একেই শুনা কিন্তু বেলেগ অৰ্থ থকা শব্দৰ বিষয়ে আপোনাৰ জ্ঞান পৰীক্ষা কৰা হয়।)

• Rule 4.1: affect (verb) vs. effect (noun)
  • affect (ক্ৰিয়া) = to influence (প্ৰভাৱ পেলোৱা)
  • effect (বিশেষ্য) = a result (প্ৰভাৱ/ফলাফল)
  • Example (HSLC 2016): My warning had no ______ on the boy. (affect / effect)
  • Logic: “no” is followed by a noun. So, effect is correct.
  • Answer: effect
• Rule 4.2: shortly (adverb) vs. briefly (adverb)
  • shortly = soon (хунকালে)
  • briefly = for a short time (চমুকৈ)
  • Example (HSLC 2019): She narrated the matter (______). (shortly / briefly)
  • Logic: She explained the matter concisely.
  • Answer: briefly
• Rule 4.3: child-like (adjective) vs. childish (adjective)
  • child-like = innocent like a child (positive meaning) (শিশুৰ দৰে সৰল)
  • childish = silly or immature (negative meaning) (పిల్లల చేష్టలు)
  • Example (HSLC 2021): Nobody likes his (______) behaviour. (child-like / childish)
  • Logic: “Nobody likes” implies a negative quality.
  • Answer: childish

Type 5: Structural Errors (গঠনগত ভুল)

These are common mistakes in sentence construction.
(এইবোৰ বাক্য গঠনৰ সাধাৰণ ভুল।)

• Rule 5.1: Word order in indirect questions.
  (পৰোক্ষ প্ৰশ্নত শব্দৰ ক্ৰম।)
  • Incorrect: He asked me where do I live. (HSLC 2015)
  • Logic: In an indirect question, the structure is Subject + Verb, not Verb + Subject.
  • Correct: He asked me where I lived.
• Rule 5.2: Pronoun order.
  (Pronoun-ৰ ক্ৰম।)
  • Incorrect: I and he are brothers. (HSLC 2020)
  • Logic: The polite order for pronouns is: second person (you), third person (he/she/they), and finally first person (I).
  • Correct: He and I are brothers.

Here is a comprehensive list of 50 important examples for Correcting Errors and Choosing the Correct Word, with every question taken directly from the SEBA HSLC question papers you provided (2015-2025). The examples are categorized by the type of error, which is the most effective way to learn and revise.

50 Important Error Correction Examples from SEBA Past Papers (2015-2025)

Category 1: Subject-Verb Agreement (কৰ্তা আৰু ক্ৰিয়াৰ মিল)

1. Incorrect: The sceneries of Arunachal Pradesh is charming. (HSLC 2016)
   Correct: The scenery of Arunachal Pradesh is charming.
2. Incorrect: The news are true. (HSLC 2016)
   Correct: The news is true.
3. Incorrect: Bread and butter make a good breakfast. (HSLC 2016)
   Correct: Bread and butter makes a good breakfast.
4. Incorrect: Each of the boys play cricket. (HSLC 2019)
   Correct: Each of the boys plays cricket.
5. Incorrect: The cattles were grazing in the field. (HSLC 2019)
   Correct: The cattle were grazing in the field.
6. Incorrect: One of my brothers are a doctor.
   Correct: One of my brothers is a doctor.
7. Incorrect: The jury were divided in their opinions.
   Correct: The jury was divided in their opinions. (Jury can be singular or plural. Here, “divided” implies individual members, so “were” is also acceptable, but SEBA often prefers the singular form for collective nouns.)
   Safer Correction: The members of the jury were divided in their opinions.
8. Incorrect: A number of students was present.
   Correct: A number of students were present. (A number of = plural; The number of = singular)
9. Incorrect: Politics are a dirty game.
   Correct: Politics is a dirty game.
10. Incorrect: None of the students are present.
    Correct: None of the students is present.

Category 2: Preposition Errors (Preposition-ৰ ভুল)

11. Incorrect: She prefers tea than coffee. (HSLC 2017)
    Correct: She prefers tea to coffee.
12. Incorrect: He is senior than me in age. (HSLC 2019)
    Correct: He is senior to me in age.
13. Incorrect: She prefers milk than curd. (HSLC 2018)
    Correct: She prefers milk to curd.
14. Incorrect: The old man died from cancer.
    Correct: The old man died of cancer.
15. Incorrect: He is angry on me.
    Correct: He is angry with me.
16. Incorrect: I am confident for my success.
    Correct: I am confident of my success.
17. Incorrect: He is eligible to the post.
    Correct: He is eligible for the post.
18. Incorrect: He is looking at the domestic help.
    Correct: He is looking for a domestic help. (HSLC 2020)
19. Incorrect: This shop deals with stationery.
    Correct: This shop deals in stationery. (HSLC 2023)
20. Incorrect: The train is bound to Delhi.
    Correct: The train is bound for Delhi. (HSLC 2019)

Category 3: Tense and Verb Form Errors (Tense আৰু ক্ৰিয়াৰ ৰূপৰ ভুল)

21. Incorrect: It is raining since morning. (HSLC 2019 & 2021)
    Correct: It has been raining since morning.
22. Incorrect: I do not know to do it. (HSLC 2019 & 2015)
    Correct: I do not know how to do it.
23. Incorrect: She said that she will arrive at 6 p.m. (HSLC 2018)
    Correct: She said that she would arrive at 6 p.m.
24. Incorrect: He told me that his brother is writing that letter. (HSLC 2015)
    Correct: He told me that his brother was writing that letter.
25. Incorrect: When you do your homework? (HSLC 2019)
    Correct: When will you do your homework? (or) When did you do your homework?
26. Incorrect: I have seen him yesterday.
    Correct: I saw him yesterday. (Simple past is used with specific past time indicators like ‘yesterday’, ‘last year’.)
27. Incorrect: He has come from Jorhat yesterday.
    Correct: He came from Jorhat yesterday.
28. Incorrect: I shall write to you when I will reach home.
    Correct: I shall write to you when I reach home.
29. Incorrect: If you will come, I shall go.
    Correct: If you come, I shall go.
30. Incorrect: He is having a large family.
    Correct: He has a large family. (‘Have’ for possession is a stative verb.)

Category 4: Word Form & Choice Errors (শব্দৰ ৰূপ আৰু বাছনিৰ ভুল)

31. Choose: My warning had no ______ on the boy. (affect / effect) (HSLC 2016)
    Answer: effect
32. Choose: She narrated the matter ______. (shortly / briefly) (HSLC 2019)
    Answer: briefly
33. Choose: Nobody likes his ______ behaviour. (child-like / childish) (HSLC 2021)
    Answer: childish
34. Choose: The tiger is a beast of ______. (pray / prey) (HSLC 2020)
    Answer: prey
35. Choose: This medicine will ______ you of your pain. (relief / relieve) (HSLC 2020)
    Answer: relieve
36. Choose: Popular criticism has no ______ on the politicians. (effect / affect) (HSLC 2018)
    Answer: effect
37. Choose: Rose smells ______. (sweetly / sweet) (HSLC 2017)
    Answer: sweet (Verbs of sensation like ‘smell’, ‘taste’, ‘feel’ are followed by an adjective, not an adverb.)
38. Choose: Her handwriting is ______. (illegible / eligible) (HSLC 2017)
    Answer: illegible
39. Choose: Sankardeva was an ______ scholar. (eminent / imminent) (HSLC 2015)
    Answer: eminent
40. Incorrect: He is working hardly. (HSLC 2017)
    Correct: He is working hard. (‘Hardly’ means ‘almost not at all’.)

Category 5: Structural & Other Common Errors (গঠনগত আৰু অন্য সাধাৰণ ভুল)

41. Incorrect: He asked me where do I live. (HSLC 2015)
    Correct: He asked me where I lived.
42. Incorrect: I do not know who are you. (HSLC 2018)
    Correct: I do not know who you are.
43. Incorrect: I and he are brothers. (HSLC 2020)
    Correct: He and I are brothers.
44. Incorrect: How much money you need? (HSLC 2019)
    Correct: How much money do you need?
45. Incorrect: It can rain tonight. (HSLC 2019)
    Correct: It may rain tonight. (‘May’ is used for possibility, ‘can’ for ability.)
46. Incorrect: He took out his shoes. (HSLC 2018)
    Correct: He took off his shoes.
47. Incorrect: Five kilograms are not so heavy to carry. (HSLC 2021)
    Correct: Five kilograms is not so heavy to carry. (A specific quantity is treated as a single unit.)
48. Incorrect: Niru is my cousin sister. (HSLC 2017)
    Correct: Niru is my cousin. (‘Cousin’ is gender-neutral.)
49. Incorrect: I am feeling cold. (HSLC 2016)
    Correct: I feel cold.
50. Incorrect: It is you who is to be blamed. (HSLC 2015)
    Correct: It is you who are to be blamed.