CDS English · Spotting Errors
Redundancy, comparison, connectors and idioms
Four smaller error types: saying the same thing twice, comparing the wrong way, joining clauses with the wrong linker or none, and changing a fixed expression.
Why this matters
Each of these comes up in CDS spotting-errors and sentence-improvement items from 2017 to 2026, a few at a time. They are easy marks once you know the patterns, because each one has a short test: cross out the extra word, count the things compared, look for the linker, and check the idiom word for word.
Concept 1 of 4: Saying it twice: redundant words and double negatives
Definition
The cross-out test: cross out the word you suspect. If the meaning does not change, the word was redundant. Common redundant pairs:
- return back, revert back, repeat again, cooperate together, circle around, circumnavigate around.
- the reason is because (write 'the reason is that'); the most cleverest (write 'the cleverest').
- that before a wh-word in a reported question: 'He asked who was absent', not 'asked that who'.
- An extra word inside a proverb: 'Where there is a will, there is a way', with no 'then'.
Double negatives: these words are already negative and take no second 'not' or 'no':
- unless (= if not), hardly, scarcely, barely, seldom, neither, nor, nobody, nothing.
- 'Unless you hurry', 'There is hardly any water', 'I can hardly hear you'.
Worked example
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
Example 1 · Spotting Errors · Redundancy, Comparison, Connectors and Idioms
Look inside the verb
'Unless' is already negative
'That' with a reported question
A proverb is quoted exactly
Concept 2 of 4: Comparison: twice as much as, fewer, absolute adjectives
Definition
Multiples (twice, three times, half):
- multiple + as + adjective + as: 'twice as much as', 'three times as long as', 'half as big as'. Not 'twice more than'.
Countable vs uncountable:
- A countable noun has a plural (people, books, days): fewer, many, number of.
- An uncountable noun has no plural (water, money, time): less, much, amount of.
- A sum of money, a distance or a time taken as one amount uses 'less': 'less than twenty rupees', 'less than five kilometres'.
Absolute adjectives cannot be graded: favourite, unique, perfect, complete, ideal, supreme, round, square. No 'more' or 'most' before them. Two of a kind: with exactly two things, use the comparative (taller, better), not the superlative. 'Than any' needs 'other' when the thing is in the same group: 'bigger than any other city in India'.
Worked example
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
Example 2 · Spotting Errors · Redundancy, Comparison, Connectors and Idioms
Less with money, fewer with people
'Most favourite' sounds natural, but is wrong
'Twice more than'
Concept 3 of 4: Joining clauses: conjunctions, pairs and punctuation
Definition
Joining two clauses:
- Two full clauses joined by only a comma make a comma splice, an error. Add a conjunction, or use a full stop.
- Two verbs that share one subject still need 'and': 'Feminism grew out of these movements and reached maturity ...'.
- An order followed by its result takes and (or or for a warning): 'Work hard and you will pass'; 'Hurry, or you will miss the bus'.
Fixed pairs (correlatives):
- between ... and, both ... and, either ... or, neither ... nor, not only ... but also, no sooner ... than, hardly ... when.
- although / though take no 'but' in the second clause ('though ... yet' is allowed).
Pick the linker by meaning: 'and' adds, 'but' and 'yet' contrast, 'so' gives a result. A linker that signals the wrong relation is an error. The apostrophe shows possession (the visitor's ticket), never a plain plural (the visitors).
Worked example
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
Example 3 · Spotting Errors · Redundancy, Comparison, Connectors and Idioms
A comma cannot join two sentences
Between ... to
A linker with the wrong meaning
An apostrophe is not a plural
Concept 4 of 4: Fixed expressions that cannot be changed
Definition
How the paper breaks a fixed expression:
- It changes the number: 'days and nights' for 'day and night'.
- It drops a word: 'from done' for 'far from done', 'break in hives' for 'break out in hives'.
- It swaps a word: 'in case impossible' for 'if not impossible', 'today night' for 'tonight'.
- It changes the word order: 'no trouble is there' for 'there is no trouble'.
Check each expression word for word against the form you know.
| Expression | Meaning | Wrong form in the paper | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|
| there is no trouble | 'there is' + noun says that something exists | no trouble is there | 2017 (I) |
| if not impossible | perhaps even impossible | in case impossible | 2017 (II)Q |
| day and night | all the time, without stopping | days and nights | 2018 (I)Q |
| tonight | this night | today night | 2018 (II)Q |
| come out (in support) | openly show support | coming in | 2019 (I) |
| far from done | not nearly finished | from done | 2023 (II)Q |
| break out in hives | suddenly develop an itchy rash | break in hives | 2024 (II) |
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
Example 4 · Spotting Errors · Redundancy, Comparison, Connectors and Idioms
A fixed expression keeps its number
One small word missing
Today night, yesterday night
'There is' comes first
Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance
A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.
Reference tables (1)
Fixed expressions that cannot be changed7 rows
| Expression | Meaning | Wrong form in the paper | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|
| there is no trouble | 'there is' + noun says that something exists | no trouble is there | 2017 (I) |
| if not impossible | perhaps even impossible | in case impossible | 2017 (II)Q |
| day and night | all the time, without stopping | days and nights | 2018 (I)Q |
| tonight | this night | today night | 2018 (II)Q |
| come out (in support) | openly show support | coming in | 2019 (I) |
| far from done | not nearly finished | from done | 2023 (II)Q |
| break out in hives | suddenly develop an itchy rash | break in hives | 2024 (II) |
Watch out for (15)
- Look inside the verb→ Saying it twice: redundant words and double negatives
- 'Unless' is already negative→ Saying it twice: redundant words and double negatives
- 'That' with a reported question→ Saying it twice: redundant words and double negatives
- A proverb is quoted exactly→ Saying it twice: redundant words and double negatives
- Less with money, fewer with people→ Comparison: twice as much as, fewer, absolute adjectives
- 'Most favourite' sounds natural, but is wrong→ Comparison: twice as much as, fewer, absolute adjectives
- 'Twice more than'→ Comparison: twice as much as, fewer, absolute adjectives
- A comma cannot join two sentences→ Joining clauses: conjunctions, pairs and punctuation
- Between ... to→ Joining clauses: conjunctions, pairs and punctuation
- A linker with the wrong meaning→ Joining clauses: conjunctions, pairs and punctuation
- An apostrophe is not a plural→ Joining clauses: conjunctions, pairs and punctuation
- A fixed expression keeps its number→ Fixed expressions that cannot be changed
- One small word missing→ Fixed expressions that cannot be changed
- Today night, yesterday night→ Fixed expressions that cannot be changed
- 'There is' comes first→ Fixed expressions that cannot be changed
Test yourself on Spotting Errors
25 past CDS questions from this chapter, timed at 25 minutes and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.